Ueli Steck Going For Speed Record On El Cap!

Swiss climber Ueli Steck is in Yosemite and planning to make an assault on the speed record on El Capitan. According to the Hardware Sessions, the official blog of Mountain Hardwear gear, is reporting that Ueli is already scouting the lines, and planning his route with climbing partner Alex Honnold.

The current speed record was set last fall by Hans Florine and Yuji Hirayama and sits at 2 hours 37 minutes and 05 seconds. Pretty impressive when you consider that the 3000 foot tall face was fist climbed back in 1958, a feat which took 47 days to complete at the time.

Ueli is amongst the best climbers in the world, and already holds a number of speed records for big faces in the Alps. For example, he bagged the North Face of the Eiger back in February of 2007 in just one hour and 48 minutes, an astounding time for that wall as well.

Below is a video of Ueli and Alex making a traing climb on the Nose from a few days back. Stay tuned for updates on whether or not they can break the record. It should be very interesting!

Alex and Uli speed climbing The Nose on 5.20.10 from Chris Falkenstein on Vimeo.

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Ueli Steck Speed Solos Ginat on the Droites

Ueli Steck is once again up to his old tricks, making a solo, speed-climb up the Ginat route on the Droites in the French Alps back on January 19th, and doing so in what may be a record time. According to this blog post on Alpine Exposures, the Swiss climbing legend sped up the face in just two hours and eight minutes.

The current official record for the route is two hours, thirty minutes, held by Christophe Profit, and although at this point, Ueli's climb is considered "unofficial", it is impressive none the less. Even more amazing that that he completed the little jaunt up the hill without acclimatization and after a two-month lay-off from alpine climbing. It was also the first climb up the face of the year, which means there were no trail blazed that he could follow. Ueli, his usual modest self, said he was just doing it for "fun".

The climb was caught on film and a video is promised in the next few weeks. But for now, we'll just have to settle for the amazing photos shot by Jonathan Griffith that appear on the blog post. The high quality images catch the master climber at work, with the stunning backdrop of the Alps around him. They also give you a great sense of what this big wall is all about, which offers a mixed route of ice and rock, that looks like it would be quite the challenge for mere mortal climbers. For Ueli though, it's just a walk in the park. Back in the lodge by lunch time I'm sure. The man never ceases to amaze.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Details From Andrew and Ueli

Two of the big name climbers in the Himalaya this fall have posted updates to their websites filling us in on the details of their climbs. Both reached the summit of their respective 8000 meter peaks after some struggles along the way.

First up, Andrew Lock has updated his blog with the details on his summit of Shisha Pangma, which happened to be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter mountain. His tale is a good one, and well worth the read, as he lets us in on the scary nature of climbing up to the true summit amidst weather that was getting worse by the minute, and than played havoc with the descent. Harrowing stuff!

The other update comes from Ueli Steck, who is now home, safe and sound, after his climb on Makalu. Ueli had intended to make a solo, alpine style ascent along the West Pillar, but ended up going after the normal route and claiming a successful summit along the way. Ueli is back in Switzerland now, and starting to return to the routine of his normal life, but is also dealing with frostbite and exhaustion. He says that he has never been tested by a mountain like this one before, and that it was only through his strength of will that he actually stood on top. More good stuff.

While these two amazing climbers are safely down and sharing thoughts on their climbs, others are still preparing to make summit bids as the weather begins to shift in the region. ExWeb is reporting all of the weekend plans for teams looking to get into position for early next week, including Edurne Pasaban who is still hoping to become the first woman to join the list of the 8000 meter club.

ExWeb is also reporting that there is no change in status at this time for teams on Annapurna or Everest. On the former, Miss Oh is hoping to get another crack at the summit as well, so she can stake her claim at 8000 meter history, while on Everest, the Basque team is hoping at another shot at the Hornbein Couloir.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: More Summits, Death on Cho Oyu

It was another busy weekend in the Himalaya with successful summits, changes in the weather, and the sad news of a death on Cho Oyu.

I'll start there today, as the news broke over the weekend that Clifton Maloney, the husband of U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, died on Cho Oyu after achieving a successful summit. At the age of 71, he claimed the title as the oldest to summit that mountain, but died in his sleep back at C3 after telling one of his teammates "I am the happiest man in the world. I just climbed a beautiful mountain". Maloney was an avid climber, sailer, and runner, having competed in the New York City Marathon on no less than 20 occasions. This is the first death of the season in the Himalaya, and I send my condolences to the family.

In other news on Cho Oyu, the North Face Trilogy team that had been planning to scale the mountain and then run/mountain bike back to Kathmandu, are in the process of altering those plans thanks to the Chinese closing the Tibetan borders once again. According to their latest blog posts, they'll now consider a different peak in the region, since they won't have access to Cho Oyu until after October 8th, and they won't have the time to finish their project.

We also received an update on Ueli Steck over the weekend with the news that he reached the summit of Makalu late last week. He had been planning on making a solo, alpine style attempt on the West Pillar, but if you read his dispatches, you could tell how difficult that climb was going to be, so rather than go home empty handed, he topped out along the normal route while he was in the neighborhood.

IMG and Jagged Globe both put teams on the summit of Cho Oyu late last week and have posted photos and updates on the their teams as well, all of which are often the mountain and safe and are already en route back to Kathmandu for the journey hope. Congrats to everyone!

Summit bids are underway on Shisha Pangma, where Andrew Lock has updated his blog this morning with news that he is "Going For It". He and his team have spent a night at C2 and the camps are well stocked up to that point, and he now believes that they'll top out on Friday or Saturday of this week. They'll be taking an alternate route to the summit that is long and challenging, but should avoid the treacherous cornices and snow that turned back another team yesterday.

Teams have been very busy on Manaslu the past few days as well, and the Altitude Junkies were successful in putting three climbers high on the mountain, but the did not reach the true summit itself, coming up about 15 vertical meters short. It seems that the ropes were not fixed all the way to the summit, and left them just short of the top. They elected to not attempt to go further for safety reasons. Meanwhile, according to Alpenglow Expeditions, climbing with Himex, the team should reach the top today and upon doing so, descend back to C2. Hopefully all has gone well for them this morning.

Finally, ExWeb has an update on the Basque team on Everest. The team was making a summit bid up the Hornbein Couloir, but are now back in ABC after a very scary night 7200 meters in which they survived no one, but two avalanches. The first hit them while they were in the tent, and buried it. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, they elected to head down the mountain, but were hit by a second avalanche that covered them in snow. They ended up spending the night under a rocky outcropping before making a long, slow treacherous descent the next day. No word as of yet if they'll have another go at it.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: It's Go Time!

The Fall Himalaya season seems to be rapidly heating up as summit bids are now underway on a variety of mountains across the region. The acclimatization process is finished, the lines are fixed, and the high camps are stocked. Looks like it's go time!

On Everest, the Basque team of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo will begin their assault on the Hornbein Couloir tomorrow, with an eye on reaching the summit on Sunday morning, according to the latest update from ExWeb. The current plan is to survey the route tomorrow and if everything goes as planned, begin their alpine style ascent, which as ExWeb points out, has only been accomplished once before.

Jumping over to Makalu, we finally get an update from Ueli Steck, who is taking on the West Pillar solo and in alpine style. Ueli has had some set backs in that climb, and he is currently in BC, hoping for better conditions on the mountain, and knowing that he has just three weeks to make a go at it. If you read his very personal account of his attempt to go up the mountain, you'll get a sense of the frustration he is currently feeling at not being able to climb as quickly and safely as he'd like. He's even considered giving up and going home, which is so unlike the indomitable spirit we usually see out of him. It's a bit sobering considering how strong a climber Ueli is, but it also says a lot about the conditions and challenges of this route on this mountain. Definitely a good read.

Meanwhile, the Chilean Ski Expedition is hoping to begin their summit bid on Manaslu tomorrow. They hope to top out on Sunday as well, and will then make the descent back down the mountain on their skis. On that same mountain, the Altitude Junkies should be in the middle of their summit bid right now, and should be hopefully reaching the summit this weekend as well. The Himex Team is apparently progressing with their acclimatization, and have already spent two nights at at 6300 meters, and are eyeing their bid, weather permitting, in the next week and a half.

Andrew Lock checks in once again from Shisha Pangma where he reports great conditions. He has now climbed up to Camp 1, but described the route as slow and treacherous at this point. It took him and his climbing partner, Kinga Baranowska, seven hours to make the trip up to 6250 meters. That climb was made several days ago, and today he and Kinga are back up to C1 to spend the night, before moving on to Camp 2 tomorrow. For Andrew, this is his 14th 8000 meter peak, so obviously he's keen on using the great weather to his advantage and finishing off the last of the big mountains.

The North Face Cho Oyu Triology Team continues to make their way to that mountain, and are posting regular updates to their blog. Yesterday we were treated to some great photos from the area on the team's blog and the video posted below was put up today. It shows climber Simone Moro in Chhukung village discussing his previous experiences in the Himalaya, of which he has had many.

Also on Cho Oyu, the IMG blog is reporting that their team is now in the middle of their final push to the summit, and updates later today should clue us in on their success. It looks like they should be standing on top very soon.

FInally, the Field Touring Alpine Team has updated their blog to let us know that the entire team is now back in BC on Satopanth after successfully putting several climbers on the summit of that peak located in the Hindu Kush of India. Well done team, and glad you're all safe!

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Climbers Making Progress

More news from the HImalaya, where the weather seems to have improved in general, and the teams are going to work, full steam ahead.

Starting off on Makalu, Ueli has updated us on his progress, and from the sound of things, this is not going to be an easy climb, even for a guy who makes climbing look easy! Over the weekend Ueli made an ascent up to 6700m to take a look at the challenge ahead, as he is planning a solo, alpine style ascent of the West Pillar. What he describes is a very difficult path ahead, and it was enough to make him consider packing up and going home. A good night's rest back in BC helped him recover, but if Ueli was seriously reconsidering, it should say something about the difficulty of this climb. If anyone can do it however, it's probably him.

Progress is continuing on Manaslu according to schedule, with the Altitude Junkies reporting that the entire team has now gone up to Camp 1, with a few going even higher to explore the route to C2, which the Sherpas have finished setting the ropes to. Great weather has made is possible for the acclimatization process to truly get underway, and the team is taking advantage of the window while they can.

Speaking of Manaslu, it seems that it is a popular ski destination this Fall, with two teams, one from Chile, the other from the U.K., both planning on making a ski descent. I know that mountaineering on a big peak like this is inherently challenging, but skiing down one seems even crazier! Fun, but crazy! :)

ExWeb has a host of updates from the region as well, including the news that the Korean team has arrived in BC on Annapurna, where they've already started to go to work. They will be joined next week by Oh Eun-Sun, the climber who will claim the distinction of being the first woman to summit all 8000m peaks if she successfully reaches the summit.

The word from Shisha Pangma is that Carlos Pauner and Javier Perez have departed BC for Kathmandu. Carlos slipped and fell this past weekend while shuttling supplies up to C2, and broke a rib, which has made it painful for him to even breathe. He and his team thought it was best if he returned home to heal rather than try to spend much more time on the mountain.

The Basque Team continues to work the route on Everest's North Side as well, although we haven't heard a lot out of them so far. So far they've spent two nights above 6500 meters on the normal route, and they'll go as high as 7500m while the scout the Hornbein Couloir and complete their acclimatization. Once they are finished with that, they'll begin their real climb, which is up the Couloir itself.

Finally, hopping over to India, the Field Touring Alpine Team is in the midst of their summit bid on Satopanth. The team climbed up to C1 yesterday and are expected to be shuttling gear to C2 today. They'll "climb high and sleep low" however, by returning back to C1 for the evening. If all goes according to plan, they hope to top out around the 21st of the month. Good luck team!

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Let it Snow!

The reports coming in from the Himalaya all report the same thing, snow! And plenty of it. Teams are sitting in base camps throughout the region, while plenty of snow is already building up, especially at altitude. We'll just have to wait to see if that has a major impact further into the season when summit bids begin.

These are exactly the same thoughts that Ueli Steck is having in his latest dispatch, where he is reporting that he and the other climbers on Makalu are stuck in BC, where he reports that it is never comfortable, with temperatures that are either too hot or too cold. His weather forecasts give him reason for hope however, as the conditions should improve through the weekend, with clear, sunny skies reported for next week. Perhaps then he can get started on his solo, alpine style ascent of the West Pillar.

Meanwhile, Andre Lock has updated us on his plans, as he makes his way to base camp on Shisha Pangma. He was in Kathmandu a few days back, but already planning his journey into Tibet, and hopes to reach the mountain by Sept. 16. Andrew has been dreaming of this climb for some time, and it was delayed last year thanks to China closing off the Tibetan borders, but he's back on track now, and hoping to have a successful climb. If he does, this will be his 14th, and final, 8000 meter peak. Good luck Andrew!!

The Altitude Junkies are en route to Manaslu, and are currently acclimatizing in Sama Goan, the last village before they reach BC. They report wet, and very muddy, conditions on the trek in, but the team is said to be doing well, and enjoying their last break before they begin their climb. The mountain has remained a mystery thus far however, as due to the cloud cover, they haven't even seen it yet.

Over on Cho Oyu things are progressing nicely, as the IMG Team reports weather conditions have improved there, and they are progressing up to Camp 1 today. A similar report comes in from the Jagged Globe crew, who have gone up as high as 6000 meters already, as they plan their acclimatization process out. Likewise, Emily, reporting for Alpenglow Expeditions from Manaslu, says that the sun is finally shining there as well.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine team checks in from India, where they are still making their way to base camp, amidst snowy conditions. The audio dispatches from the team have begun, and they note that they hope to be on Satopanth tomorrow.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Base Camp Arrivals

The weekend brought more news from the Himalaya, although most of it had more to do with the arrival of teams in base camps on various mountains throughout the range, as the climbers scramble to get into place, and begin the process of actually climbing those peaks.

On Everest, the ExWeb is reporting that the Basque team moved into BC on the North Side in just three short days. Normally, the drive (yes, drive!) to base camp on the Tibetan side of the mountain takes some time, giving the climbers a chance to acclimatize to a degree, before they ever get there. But the three men, Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza and Juan Vallejo, have been preparing for their ascent by using hyperbaric chambers, which seems to have them well ahead of schedule in the acclimatization process.

Over on Makalu, Ueli has updated his blog, as he prepares for his solo attempt on the West Pillar in alpine style. He reports bad weather at the moment, with plenty of snow and fog, but he did have the opportunity to scout his intended route and acclimatize some himself over the weekend. For now though, he, and everyone on Makalu, wait for the weather to change.

Himex is leading a team on Manaslu, and climber Julian Haszard is posting dispatches on the climb. They're also in base camp and beginning to acclimatize as well. Julian, who summetted Everest back in 2004, says that he'll also use the time to get back to expedition style of living. He also notes that he has very different motivations for climbing Manaslu than he did when approaching Everest. This time, it's more about the adventure and less about reaching the highest place on the planet.

ExWeb is reporting that the Chilean team on Manaslu has made their first gear drop in BC and are now back in the village of Samagaon. They report wet conditions on the trek and the mountain itself, as it seems that the monsoon hasn't quite given up its hold on the region just yet.

Finally, the Field Touring Alpine team is in India, and should be arriving in base camp on Satopanth soon if they haven't done so already. On Saturday they began the three day trek into the 7075 meter mountain, where they will soon begin audio dispatches of their expedition.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: Ueli's in Base Camp

There is more evidence today that things are starting to heat up in the Himalaya, as more teams are reportedly hitting Kathmandu, while others are in now en route to their mountain of choice, as the Fall Season gets well underway.

First up, the Hardwear Sessions blog has a report from Ueli Steck, who has now arrived in the Makalu Base Camp, which is located at 5250 meters (17,224 feet) on the mountain. The monsoon is said to still be in full effect, and dumping plenty of moisture on the region, which has made the ten day trek to BC all the more difficult. But Ueli seems in good spirits, as are his companions Robert Bösch and Andy Wälchli, who will be climbing along the typical route to the summit, while Ueli will be making a solo, alpine style ascent on the West Pillar. Once the rains stop, the work can begin.

The Altitude Junkies are on their way to Manaslu, and their latest dispatch says that they have made it to Arughat today, after battling bad road conditions. Tomorrow they'll begin their trek to the mountain. Reportedly their conditions so far have been light rain with plenty of heat.

The Field Touring Alpine Team is set for a Himalayan climb as well, but they're currently in India and setting their sites on Satopanth, a 7075 meter (23,211 feet) mountain that will serve as a warm-up for an Ama Dablam climb later in the year. The climbers have gathered in hot and humid Delhi, where they now have their permit, and will soon be setting out for the mountain, located in the northern part of India.

I suspect we'll be getting more reports such as these as we get through the weekend. More teams will be getting into place on their respective mountains, and waiting out the weather for their opportunity to begin to climb. Looks like it is going to be an active Fall in the Himalaya.

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Himalaya Fall 2009: And So It Begins...

I just wrote about the 2009 Fall Himalaya Expedition List yesterday, and now we get word today that things are already starting to happen in Nepal. ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun to arrive in Kathmandu, including the Basque team that will soon depart for Tibet, where they'll be attempting the Hornbein couloir along the North Face. They're joined by a Mexican team that has its sights set on Manaslu and two Chilean teams, one already on the trek to that mountain, and another preparing to set out for Dhaulagiri.

Swiss climber Ueli Steck continues his penchant for impressive climbs this fall by making an attempt on the West Pillar of Makalu. Ueli warmed up for this climb by making a solo summit on GII this past summer, and in keeping with that theme, he'll be going solo on Makalu as well. He will be joined by photographer Robert Boesch and mountain guide Andy Waelchli, but neither of those two men will go above base camp. According to Ueli's website, he expects to finish this project by the end of October. If there is a climber out there that can make a bold solo climb like this one, it's probably Ueli.

The Altitude Junkies have an expedition planned for Manaslu, and according to their most recent dispatch, the team should now be in Nepal, and beginning their trek to the mountain today. Expect the usual excellent updates from AJ as the climb progresses.

Finally, here's an interesting climb that is being sponsored by The North Face. It's called the Cho Oyu Trinity project and it will see a team of climbers make an attempt on the 8021 meter Cho Oyu. Following a successful summit, the team hopes to snowboard back down the mountain, before running and mountain biking their way back to Kathmandu, a distance of approximately 275 miles. I guess they were looking for more of a challenge after climbing the sixth highest mountain on Earth.

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Video of Ueli Steck Speed Climbing Grandes Jorasses

I missed this video when it was making the rounds last week, but it's definitely worth sharing now. Back in January I posted about Ueli Steck setting yet another speed record for climbing in the Alps, zipping up the North Face of the Grandes Jorasses, part of the Mount Blanc Massif, in just 2 hours, 21 minutes. If you've ever wondered how Ueli does it, then take a look at the video below, and prepare to be amazed. Really impressive climbing.

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Ueli Steck Sets Another Speed Record in the Alps!

We haven't heard from Ueli Steck in awhile. I was beginning to think he was slacking off somewhere, but I suppose I should have known better. It seems that he's been up to his usual bag of tricks, namely setting new speed records on big European peaks.

According to this story from the Hardwear Sessions, back on December 28th, Ueli climbed the North face of the Grandes Jorasses on the Mount Blanc massif in a record time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, and solo no less. He topped out on Pointe Walker, a 4208 meter (13,805 feet) summit that marks the highest point in the Grandes Jorasses. Not a bad days worth of climbing for his first attempt on the wall huh?

Ueli has now completed the North Face on the three biggest mountains in Europe, namely the Eiger, the Matterhorn, and now the Grandes Jorasses. He holds the absolute speed record on the Eiger and now the Grandes Jorasses, and holds the speed record for the Bonatti route on the Matterhorn as well.

Check out the full story at the Mountain Hardwear blog where they have more details on the climb itself. Really impressive stuff out of Ueli once again. Congrats on another amazing climb!

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Simon and Ueli Win The Prix Award

A few weeks back I posted a story about Simon Anthamatten and Ueli Steck being nominated for the Prix Courage Award for their efforts in trying to save Spanish climber Iñaki Ochoa on Annapurna back in May. Earlier tonight I received notice that they have indeed one this prestigious award.

Jo Adams, reporter on the scene in in Zurich, has written an excellent story on the proceedings that can be read here. Simon was on hand to accept the award in person, while Ueli was off on, what else, a climbing expedition in Chamoinx. The Jury noted the the two Swiss climbers "did not hesitate to put themselves in danger to save these lives" in referring to their efforts on Annapurna.

By now, the story of what happened high on Annapurana is well known. Iñaki was descending the mountain after turning back just below the summit. Upon reaching high camp, he collapsed and immediately took ill. Later we would learn that he suffered a pulmonary aneurysm, which left him stranded in his tent, unable to continue his descent.

Simon and Ueli were in base camp at the time, waiting for their opportunity to climb the mountain. As soon as they heard about the trouble that Iñaki was in, the immediately gathered up their gear and went up the mountain, climbing as fast as they could. In fact, they were in such a hurry to leave, the left most of their cold weather gear behind, including their high altitude climbing boots. At 6800m, Ueli had to gone alone, after switching boots with Serguey Bogomolov, the Russian climber who has been with Iñaki.

Ueli continued up the mountain and arrived to find the Spaniard, alive but gravely ill. He helped to make him comfortable and brought him food and water. Unfortunately, it was too late, and the most he could do was make Iñaki comfortable before he passed on.

Simon and Ueli's response to the situation shows how tightly knit the climbing community really is. The two men knew the situation and how grave it was, and didn't hesitate to go up and attempt a rescue. For that, this Courage award is well deserved, and I salute the both Simon and Ueli for their amazing efforts.

Thanks for the follow up on this story Jo. Keep up the great work. I always enjoy your articles.

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Ueli Gives the Details on "Paciencia"

Speaking of the Eiger, a few weeks back I posted about Ueli Steck opening a new route on the mountain with climbing partner Stephan Siegrist. The new route was named "Paciencia" , which means patience, which is the virtue Ueli needed to complete the route, considering he free climbed the entire thing.

Today, he's submitted a post to the Mountain Hardwear Blog with more details on the climb and some photos as well.

The origins of the route date back to 2003, when Ueli and Stephan spent much of their summer on the Eiger's North Face. It was then that the began to hatch a plan to free climb the Eiger along a different route. Fast forward five years, and they've finally completed it, but it certainly wasn't easy. Ueli talks about the route, the challenges it presented, and the feelings of accomplishment that he felt upon finally completing it.

It's another very compelling read from a supremely gifted climber.

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Ueli and Simon Nominated For Prix Courage Award

Jo Adams sent me a link to her latest article over at Racing and Sports with the news that Ueli Steck and Simon Anthamatten have been nominated for the Prix Courage Awards for their part in the rescue attempt of Iñaki Ochoa on Annapurna last May.

Regular readers will remember the story I'm sure. Iñaki took ill on the upper portions of Annapurna after turning back just 100 meters fro the summit. Upon reaching Camp 4, he collapsed and was stranded in a tent at altitude. At the time, Simon and Ueli were in BC, waiting for a weather window to make their own bid at the summit, and upon hearing of Iñaki's condition, they immediately set out to rescue him, arriving in time to offer him comfort, but the Spanish climber later succumbed to his illness and passed away on the mountain.

The Prix Courage Award is given to those who have shown outstanding courage and is awarded yearly, along with a CH25,000 monetary prize. Other nominees, according to the article, include Christian Lüthi, Sabinne Langhart, Monika Schmid, Urs Schmidlin and Magdalena Seifert. The winner will be announced on the 26th in Zurich.

Good luck Simon and Ueli. This recognition is well deserved. And thanks for sharing this Jo.

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Ueli Steck Completes New Route On The Eiger!

Climbing superman Ueli Steck, along with partner Stephan Siegrist, have put up a new route on the Eiger, free climbing a difficult line along it's North Face. The Hardwear Sessions Blog has the scoop directly from Ueli himself who says:

Stephan belayed and supported me. Together we climbed this very difficult and demanding rock climb on the Eiger Northface. Two pitches have the difficulty of 7c+, one pitch 8a and the rest of the pitches vary mostly between 7a and 7b+.

He goes on to define "free climbing" which helped to give the new route it's name:

This means that the route has to be climbed without falling and the bolts and the installed belays cannot be used to forward or to rest. The route is climbed only by using the natural structures: the rock. Only when a route is free climbed, is she definitively climbed. And now she also has a name. "Paciencia," which means "patience."

Congrats to Ueli and Stephen. Sounds like a really challenging climb. Ueli notes that now that he's finished up this climb, not to mention plenty others this year, he can finally go on holiday where he'll "sport climb: what else!"

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Ueli Steck Wins Coveted Eiger Award

The winner of the 2008 Eiger Award was announced last night in Grindelwald, Switzerland with Swiss Climber Ueli Steck taking home the honors. The award comes just months after Ueli set a new speed record on the mountain that the award is named for, beating his old record by 67 minutes, and just days after his dramatic rescue attempt of Iñaki Ochoa on Annapurna.

The typically humble Steck remained modest about his accomplishments, but did, for the first time, reveal some details on what happened while on Annapurna. If you are like me, and watched with baited breath and fingers crossed for news on Iñaki, then you'll want to read this article, as the rescue attempt was just as dramatic as you could imagine. In fact, Ueli says that he, and his climbing partner Simon Anthamatten didn't even have time to grab their usual climbing gear before setting off to help Iñaki and thus they found themselves at 6900 meters wearing their hiking boots and not their high alpine mountaineering footwear.

The article goes on to touch on a number of other items with Ueli as well, such as his speed record attempts, his relationship with Simon, and his long term plans for the future. For now though, he's going to take some much deserved rest and time to reflect on the past year. Congratulations Ueli! You are a very deserving winner of this award!

I'd like to thank Jo Adams for this excellent article and great photos, as well as taking the time to drop me a note to let me know about the event. Ueli has become one of my favorite personalities in the mountaineering world, and I have a feeling this won't be the last piece of hardware he picks up in the near future. He is a great example for all of us.

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