UKC Forums - Viesturs completes 8000m tick list

Viesturs completes 8000m tick list

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Tom Briggs 12 May 2005

American, Ed Viesturs summited Annapurna this morning, to complete supplemental-oxygen free ascents of all 14 8000m peaks. Monster...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

GrahamD 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

> American, Ed Viesturs summited Annapurna this morning, to complete supplemental-oxygen free ascents of all 14 8000m peaks. Monster...

It says here "Al Hinkes is currently on Kanchenjunga, hoping to become the first Brit to also complete the feat."

I thought Alan Hinkes had used O2 ?

OP Tom Briggs 12 May 2005

In reply to GrahamD:

OK updated!

Dave Mycroft 12 May 2005

In reply to GrahamD: AH has used supplemental Oxygen. I assume they meant the feat of completing all 14 with or wothout Oxygen.

DougG 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Never knew Annapurna was statistically the most dangerous. Interesting, that, would have thought it would have been K2.

tony 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Seriously impressive achievement. Won't be long before someone comes along knocking him...

Simon Caldwell 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
It's a good job he's American rather than a Brit, otherwise there'd already be 2 or 3 threads pointing out what an insignificant achievement this is as it's already been done several times, and in any case he's appeared too many times on the telly.

DougG 12 May 2005

In reply to tony:

Aye, what's he ever done on grit?

Carless 12 May 2005

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

well - he did do that cameo appearance in Vertical Limit

Wes 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: Good on him!

Profanisaurus Rex 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Any idea who the other non-O2 completers are? Messner, obviously, who else? (Says 5 in total)

Dave Mycroft 12 May 2005

In reply to MaxB: Alberto Innurrategui was one

GrahamD 12 May 2005

In reply to MaxB:

It seems slightly strange to me that O2 assisted and non O2 assisted completions carry almost the same media weight whereas anything I've ever read puts them poles apart in terms of difficulty.

I've no idea who the other non O2 completers are, though.

Profanisaurus Rex 12 May 2005

In reply to GrahamD:

Yep, I find that equally odd. Maybe because only someone who has been that high without gas can truly appreciate the magnitude of their achievement?

tony 12 May 2005

In reply to MaxB:

There's a list here:
http://www.adventurestats.com/tables/all8000ers.htm

The non-O2 people are:
Reinhold Messner
Erhard Loretan
Carlos Carsolio
Juanito Oiarzabel
Alberto Inurratgi

and now Ed Viesturs.

mike tringle 12 May 2005

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Couldn't agree with you more. I say bloody good luck to Hinkes. Why people feel the need to knock him is beyond me. Its not as if he is one of these that courts publicity for the sake of it, unlike some, he does what is required for the sponsors and thats it. Anyway, he certainly inspires me.

james e in NZ 12 May 2005

In reply to tony:
i thought Jerzy Kucutzca (sp!) was also with out suplimentary O2? I know he did them all either as first winter ascents or by new lines except for the s.f of lotse which he went back to do again and got whacked on.

matt25 12 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:
Annapurna looks mental from basecamp, you understand the unbelievable feat of Bonnington expedition in the 70s. The Maurice Herzog books a classic too.
matt

TobyA 13 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: Viesturs also has a rather mean if amusing sense of humour. He used to (still does?) climb a lot with the first Finn to climb Everest, Veikka Gustafson, and is famous in Finnish climbing circles for saying that Veikka is super strong, and that they know this because they often used to sneak rocks into his rucsac and he never noticed!

Tom Fuller 13 May 2005

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: It's a great achievement. Hope he makes it down ok too!

Cheers,

Tom.

DougG 13 May 2005

In reply to james e in NZ:

Read his book James, Kukuczka used supplementary oxygen early on in his Himalayan career. He had trouble acclimatising in the Hindu Kush prior to that.

GrahamD 13 May 2005

In reply to mike tringle:

> Why people feel the need to knock him is beyond me.

No body has on this thread.

Most of what you call knocking is only really an attempt to establish the historic significance of Hinke's (probable) achievement in any case.

Simon Caldwell 13 May 2005

In reply to GrahamD:

> It seems slightly strange to me that O2 assisted and non O2 assisted completions carry almost the same media weight

And the media make no attempt to distinguish between those who choose the easiest routes and those who attempt something rather harder.

It's because the media mostly aren't mountaineers, and they're writing for readers who mostly aren't mountaineers either.