Reinhold Messner (1b)

Expeditions[edit]

To 1970[edit]
Up to 1970 Reinhold Messner had made a name for himself mainly through his achievements in the Alps. Between 1950[citation needed] and 1964, he led over 500 ascents, most of them in the Dolomites. In 1965, he climbed a new direttissima route on the north face of the Ortler. A year later, he climbed the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses and conquered the Rocchetta Alta di Bosconero. In 1967 he made the first ascent of the northeast face of the Agnr and the first winter ascents of the Agnr north face and Furchettanorth face. In 1968 he achieved further firsts: the Heiligkreuzkofel middle pillar and the direct south face of the Marmolada. In the following year, Messner joined an Andes expedition, during which he succeeded, together with Peter Habeler, in making the first ascent of the Yerupaja east face up to the summit ridge and, a few days later, the first ascent of the 6,121 metre-high Yerupaja Chico [9] He also made the first solo ascent of the Droites north face, the Philip intersection on the Civetta and the south face of Marmolata di Rocca. As a result of his achievements, Messner won the reputation of being one of the best climbers in Europe. So, in 1970, he was invited to join a major Himalayan expedition. In the light of his later successes, the year 1970 can be regarded as one of the turning points in Messner's life.

Climbs of the eight-thousanders after 1970[edit]

Reinhold Messner was the first man to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders in the world and without supplemental oxygen. His climbs were also all amongst the first 20 ascents for each mountain individually. Specifically, these are:

Climbs of the eight-thousanders after 1970[edit]

Reinhold Messner was the first man to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders in the world and without supplemental oxygen. His climbs were also all amongst the first 20 ascents for each mountain individually. Specifically, these are:
Year Peak (height in metres) Remarks

1970 Nanga Parbat (8,125)

1972 Manaslu (8,163)

1975 Hidden Peak (Gasherbrum I) (8,080)

1978 Mount Everest (8,848), Nanga Parbat (8,125)

First ascent of Everest without supplementary oxygen. Nanga Parbat: first solo ascent of 8000er from basecamp

1979 K2 (8,611)

1980 Mount Everest (8,848)

First to ascend alone and without supplementary oxygen during the monsoon

1981 Shishapangma (8,027)

1982

Kangchenjunga (8,586), Gasherbrum II (8,034), Broad Peak (8,051)

Also failed summit attempt on Cho Oyu during winter

1983 Cho Oyu (8,188)

1984

Hidden Peak (Gasherbrum I) (8,080), Gasherbrum II (8,034)

At one time without returning to basecamp

1985 Annapurna (8,091), Dhaulagiri (8,167)

1986

Makalu (8,485), Lhotse (8,516)