Erhard Loretan
Erhard Loretan was a legendary Swiss speed mountaineer and UIAGM mountain guide revered for his pure, minimalist approach to high-altitude climbing. In 1995, he became only the third person in history to climb all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. In August 1986, Loretan and Jean Troillet completed an astonishing 43-hour round-trip ascent of Everest's North Face via the Hornbein Couloir without oxygen or tents.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Biographical Record & Archival Chronicle
Erhard Loretan was born on April 28, 1959, in Bulle in the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. Raised in the shadow of the Pre-Alps, he began climbing local limestone spires at age eleven. Endowed with exceptional lung capacity, a lean, muscular frame, and an innate sense of mountain agility, Loretan trained as a cabinetmaker before qualifying as a UIAGM mountain guide at age twenty-two. Rejecting conventional siege climbing methods, heavy gear, and fixed ropes, Loretan championed high-velocity alpine style: climbing light, moving fast, and striking when weather windows opened.
In 1982, at age twenty-three, Loretan made his Himalayan debut by summiting Nanga Parbat (8,126m) via the Diamir Face. The following year, in the summer of 1983, he stunned international mountaineering by climbing three Karakoram 8,000-meter peaks within seventeen days alongside Marcel Rüedi: Gasherbrum II on June 16, Gasherbrum I on June 23, and Broad Peak on June 30. All were completed in lightweight alpine style without supplemental oxygen.
In 1984, Loretan and Norbert Joos made the historic first alpine-style ascent of the direct South Face of Annapurna I (8,091m), traversing the mountain by descending the North Face. In December 1985, he completed the first winter ascent of the direct East Face of Dhaulagiri I (8,167m) alongside Pierre-Alain Steiner.
Loretan's crowning masterpiece occurred in late August 1986 on Mount Everest (8,848m). Climbing alongside Swiss partner Jean Troillet, the pair launched a radical speed assault on the direct North Face via the Japanese Couloir and Hornbein Couloir. Moving in absolute alpine style without oxygen, ropes, or tents, they climbed through the night to avoid rockfall, reaching the summit of Everest at 1:30 PM on August 30 after 31 hours of continuous movement. After resting on top, they made an extraordinary descent: sitting on their windproof anoraks and rucksacks, they glissaded down the 3,000-meter 60-degree snow face, reaching Advanced Base Camp in just 3.5 hours. Their total round-trip time of 43 hours remains one of the greatest feats in high-altitude history.
In 1988, Loretan teamed with Wojciech Kurtyka to conquer the vertical 1,000-meter East Face of Trango Nameless Tower (6,239m). In 1989, he set a solo winter record in Switzerland, climbing thirteen north faces in the Bernese Alps in thirteen days. On October 5, 1995, by summiting Kangchenjunga (8,586m), Loretan completed the ascent of all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, becoming only the third human to achieve the feat after Reinhold Messner and Jerzy Kukuczka, climbing every single peak without supplemental oxygen.
Tragically, on April 28, 2011—his fifty-second birthday—Loretan was killed while guiding a client on the Grünhorn in the Bernese Alps when the client slipped on an icy ridge and pulled both climbers down an 800-meter face. Erhard Loretan is universally honored as a purist pioneer who redefined the limits of speed, commitment, and lightweight style in the death zone.
Notable Milestones & Ascents
- Third person in history to climb all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks (1982–1995), completing all without supplemental oxygen
- Completed historic 43-hour round-trip alpine-style speed ascent of Mount Everest North Face / Hornbein Couloir with Jean Troillet (1986)
- Glissaded down the 3,000-meter North Face of Everest in 3.5 hours on rucksacks without ropes
- Climbed three 8,000-meter peaks within 17 days in 1983: Gasherbrum II, Gasherbrum I, and Broad Peak with Marcel Rüedi
- First alpine-style ascent and traverse of the direct South Face of Annapurna I with Norbert Joos (1984)
- First winter ascent of the direct East Face of Dhaulagiri I (1985)
- First ascent of the vertical 1,000m East Face of Trango Nameless Tower with Voytek Kurtyka (1988)
- Solo winter traverse of 13 north faces in the Bernese Alps in 13 days (1989)
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Lifespan
- 1959–2011 (Age 52)
Bulle, Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland
- 14 Eight-Thousanders
- 1982–1995 (Third in History)
All Without Supplemental Oxygen
- Everest Speed Ascent
- 43 Hours Round-Trip (1986)
Hornbein Couloir Night Sprint
- 3-Peaks-in-17-Days
- G2, G1, Broad Peak (1983)
Karakoram Alpine Style
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“On Everest, we climbed as naked as possible. No tents, no ropes, no oxygen. Just speed, willpower, and the cold.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Night Blitz
- A high-altitude speed tactic climbing through the freezing night without bivouac equipment to outrun stonefall and daytime avalanches.
- Rucksack Glissade
- Descending steep snow slopes by sitting on backpacks and slick shell clothing, steered with an ice axe, pioneered on Everest by Loretan and Troillet.
Frequently Asked Questions: Erhard Loretan
Who was Erhard Loretan and what was his Everest speed record?
Erhard Loretan (1959–2011) was a Swiss speed alpinist who in August 1986 climbed Everest’s North Face via the Hornbein Couloir with Jean Troillet in a 43-hour round trip without oxygen.
How fast did Loretan and Troillet descend Mount Everest?
They descended the 3,000-meter North Face in an astonishing 3.5 hours by sitting on their windproof anoraks and rucksacks, glissading down the 60-degree snow slopes.
How many 8,000-meter peaks did Erhard Loretan climb?
Loretan climbed all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks between 1982 and 1995, becoming only the third person in history to do so, completing every ascent without supplemental oxygen.
What Karakoram sprint record did Loretan achieve in 1983?
In summer 1983, Loretan and Marcel Rüedi climbed three 8,000-meter peaks within 17 days: Gasherbrum II (June 16), Gasherbrum I (June 23), and Broad Peak (June 30).
What route did Loretan climb on Annapurna I?
In 1984, Loretan and Norbert Joos made the first alpine-style ascent of the direct South Face of Annapurna I, completing an unprecedented traverse by descending the North Face.
What winter first ascent did Loretan make on Dhaulagiri?
In December 1985, Loretan and Pierre-Alain Steiner completed the historic first winter ascent of the direct East Face of Dhaulagiri I (8,167m) in lightweight style.
What granite big wall did Loretan conquer with Voytek Kurtyka?
In 1988, Loretan and Wojciech Kurtyka made the first ascent of the vertical 1,000-meter East Face of Trango Nameless Tower (6,239m) in the Karakoram in pure alpine style.
How and when did Erhard Loretan die?
Loretan died on his 52nd birthday, April 28, 2011, while guiding a client on the Grünhorn in the Swiss Alps, when the client slipped and pulled both climbers down an icy face.
Associated Summits (14)
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the highest mountain above sea level on Earth, standing at an official elevation of 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 ft). Straddling the international frontier between Nepal and China, it is known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepali ('Goddess of the Sky') and Chomolungma in Tibetan ('Mother Goddess of the World'). The peak rises into the extreme upper troposphere, where oxygen levels drop to barely one-third of sea-level pressure. Climbers face hurricane-force jet stream winds, severe frostbite conditions, shifting ice crevasses in the Khumbu Icefall, and the dangerous Death Zone above 8,000 meters.
K2
K2, at 8,611 meters (28,251 ft), is the second-highest mountain on Earth and widely regarded as the most technically demanding and lethal 8,000-meter peak. Located in the heart of the Karakoram on the border between Pakistan and China, K2 is characterized by sheer relief, severe weather anomalies, and persistent objective hazards including the notorious Bottleneck couloir.
Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga, at 8,586 meters (28,169 ft), is the third-highest mountain on Earth, rising on the border between Nepal and Sikkim, India. Honored as sacred by locals, early ascent teams respected local beliefs by stopping short of the actual highest crest. It features immense vertical relief and notorious storm cycles.
Lhotse
Lhotse, at 8,516 meters (27,940 ft), is the fourth-highest mountain on Earth, connected directly to Mount Everest via the South Col. Renowned for its sheer 3,200-meter South Face, one of the most imposing rock and ice walls in alpinism, the standard route tackles the grueling Lhotse Couloir from the Western Cwm.
Makalu
Makalu, at 8,485 meters (27,838 ft), is the fifth-highest mountain on Earth, located 19 km southeast of Mount Everest. An isolated four-sided granite pyramid, it is known for technical knife-edge ridges, severe exposure, and punishing weather, making it one of the most challenging eight-thousanders.
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu, at 8,188 meters (26,864 ft), is the sixth-highest mountain in the world, situated 20 km west of Mount Everest. Meaning 'Turquoise Goddess' in Tibetan, it stands on the glaciated Nangpa La trade route between Nepal and Tibet. Its moderate northwest slopes make it the most accessible 8,000-meter peak.
Dhaulagiri I
Dhaulagiri I, at 8,167 meters (26,795 ft), is the seventh-highest mountain on Earth and the highest peak situated entirely within Nepal. Rising steeply above the Kali Gandaki Gorge—the deepest gorge on Earth—opposite Annapurna, Dhaulagiri forms a staggering 7,000-meter vertical rise from the river valley.
Manaslu
Manaslu, at 8,163 meters (26,781 ft), is the eighth-highest mountain in the world, situated in the Mansiri Himal of west-central Nepal. Known as the 'Mountain of the Spirit', its long ridges and valley glaciers offer dramatic topography culminating in a delicate, exposed knife-edge summit crest.
Nanga Parbat
Nanga Parbat, at 8,126 meters (26,660 ft), is the ninth-highest mountain on Earth and the western anchor of the Himalayas in Pakistan. It boasts the Rupal Face, the highest vertical precipice in the world at 4,600 meters from valley floor to summit. Known for profound climbing history, highlighted by Hermann Buhl's legendary solo summit without supplemental oxygen in 1953.
Annapurna I
Annapurna I, at 8,091 meters (26,545 ft), is the tenth-highest mountain in the world and historically the first 8,000-meter peak ever summited (June 3, 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal). Rising above the Annapurna Sanctuary, its north and south walls present extreme avalanche and serac fall hazards.
Gasherbrum I
Gasherbrum I, at 8,068 meters (26,470 ft), is the eleventh-highest mountain in the world. Named 'Hidden Peak' by explorer William Martin Conway due to its concealment behind surrounding Karakoram giants, it stands on the border between Pakistan and China. The peak was first climbed in 1958 by an American team led by Nick Clinch, and in 1992 Nazir Sabir summited it with Rajab Shah and Mehrban Shah, marking his fourth Pakistani eight-thousander.
Broad Peak
Broad Peak, at 8,051 meters (26,414 ft), is the twelfth-highest mountain in the world. Located in the Karakoram directly across the Godwin-Austen Glacier from K2, it is famous for its 1.5-kilometre-long summit crest. First climbed in lightweight alpine style without supplemental oxygen or high-altitude porters in 1957 by an Austrian team.
Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II, standing at 8,035 meters (26,362 ft), is the thirteenth-highest mountain on Earth and the third-highest peak of the Gasherbrum massif in the Karakoram. Located at the head of the Baltoro Glacier on the Pakistan-China frontier, it features a classic pyramidal profile with challenging ice couloirs. First summited in 1956 by an Austrian team, it was famously climbed in pure alpine style in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan.
Shishapangma
Shishapangma, at 8,027 meters (26,335 ft), is the fourteenth-highest mountain on Earth and the only 8,000-meter peak situated entirely within Tibetan/Chinese territory. Due to geopolitical restrictions, it was the final eight-thousander to be climbed, summited by a Chinese expedition on May 2, 1964.
Pioneered & Associated Routes (24)
Abruzzi Spur (Southeast Ridge)
The Abruzzi Spur is the most famous and frequently climbed route on K2, tracing the mountain's steep southeast ridge from the Godwin-Austen Glacier to the summit. First explored in 1909 by Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, it was successfully climbed to the summit in 1954 by an Italian team. The route requires extreme physical endurance and high-grade technical climbing on rock, ice, and mixed terrain through legendary cruxes like House's Chimney, the Black Pyramid, and the Bottleneck couloir.
Annapurna I North Face (Herzog-Lachenal Route)
The North Face of Annapurna I is the historic first route ever climbed on an 8,000-meter peak, pioneered by French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal on June 3, 1950. Approached via the remote Miristi Khola valley, the route ascends the shattered North Annapurna Glacier, negotiates the terrifying avalanche-swept Sickle Glacier serac wall, and ascends steep snow gullies along the French Rib to gain the 8,091m summit.
Annapurna I South Face (Bonington-Haston-Whillans Route)
The South Face of Annapurna I is one of the most formidable big-wall arenas in world mountaineering, rising 3,000 vertical metres of sheer rock, ice flutings, and overhanging bands directly from the Annapurna Sanctuary. First ascended via siege tactics by Dougal Haston and Don Whillans in 1970, it was later climbed in a revolutionary, lightweight solo push by Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck in October 2013 in just 28 hours round-trip.
Normal Route (West Ridge & Northwest Face)
The Normal Route on Broad Peak ascends the rugged western spur from the Godwin-Austen Glacier, navigating steep mixed rock ribs before entering the upper glacial basin beneath the high saddle (the Col). From the Col at 7,800 meters, climbers enter the Death Zone to tackle the long, corniced summit ridge leading across the Foresummit to the true summit at 8,051 meters. First conquered in 1957 by an Austrian team in lightweight alpine style without bottled oxygen, and climbed in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan in a groundbreaking rapid alpine push.
Cho Oyu Northwest Face & Ridge (Normal Route)
The Northwest Ridge is the standard and most climbed route on Cho Oyu, approached from the Tibetan plateau via the Gyabrag Glacier. First climbed in 1954 by an Austrian expedition, the route features relatively moderate snow slopes of 30 to 40 degrees, punctuated by a single prominent technical crux known as the Ice Cliff at 6,700m. Above Camp 3, climbers cross the Yellow Band and emerge onto a vast, gently rising summit plateau.
Dhaulagiri I Northeast Ridge (Normal Route)
The Northeast Ridge is the standard climbing route on Dhaulagiri I, first ascended in 1960 by a Swiss-Austrian team. The route begins on the glaciated Mayangdi Khola valley, climbs to the Northeast Col (5,700m), and works its way up the mountain's north-northeast face. The upper section traverses steep, wind-scoured blue ice shelves below the summit rocks and negotiates a final, exposed couloir leading directly to the 8,167m summit.
Mount Everest North Face (Hornbein Couloir Direct)
The North Face of Mount Everest via the Japanese Couloir and the sheer Hornbein Couloir is one of the most direct and formidable ice lines in the Himalayas. Rising 3,000 vertical meters from the Rongbuk Glacier to the summit, it funnels through a narrow 60-degree snow-and-ice cleft slicing straight through the Yellow Band and upper limestone cliffs of the North Face. In August 1986, Swiss alpinists Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet executed one of the most audacious speed climbs in mountain history: climbing the entire face in a single 31-hour push at night without supplemental oxygen, tents, or fixed ropes. After summiting on August 30, they glissaded down the 3,000-meter face on their backs and buttocks in just 3.5 hours, completing the entire round trip in an astonishing 43 hours.
North Col & Northeast Ridge Route
The historic northern route on Mount Everest (8,848.86m), ascending from the Rongbuk and East Rongbuk glaciers to breach the icy wall of the North Col (7,020m). From the col, the route traverses the wind-blasted Northwest Ridge onto the North Face before joining the razor-like Northeast Ridge, navigating the notorious First, Second, and Third Steps in the Death Zone. This was the stage of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine's fateful 1924 climb and was first definitively surmounted on May 25, 1960, by Chinese climbers Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua, and Gongbu.
Mount Everest Southwest Face (Bonington Route)
The Southwest Face of Mount Everest (8,848.86m) rises 2,300 vertical meters from the Western Cwm to the summit, presenting one of the largest and most forbidding rock and ice faces in the world. Dominated by the vertical 300-meter 'Rock Band' at 8,200–8,500 meters, the face repelled six international attempts between 1969 and 1974. In autumn 1975, a legendary British expedition led by Chris Bonington breached the face when Paul Braithwaite and Nick Estcourt unlocked the key ramp through the Rock Band. On September 24, 1975, Doug Scott and Dougal Haston climbed to the South Summit and pushed on to the main summit, becoming the first Britons to conquer Everest. Trapped by nightfall during their descent, they survived an epic open bivouac at 8,760 meters without oxygen, sleeping bags, or frostbite.
Mount Everest Complete West Ridge (Yugoslav Direct)
The Complete West Ridge of Mount Everest is one of the most formidable and sustained technical routes on the mountain. Pioneered in spring 1979 by an elite Yugoslav expedition led by Tone Škarja, the route tackles the integral knife-edge crest directly from the Lho La col (6,026m) all the way to the 8,848.86m summit. Unlike the 1963 American West Ridge route which diverted into the Hornbein Couloir from the North Face, the Yugoslav line stayed strictly along the razor-edge crest of the West Ridge, surmounting technical rock buttresses up to Grade V+ at extreme altitude before traversing around the Yellow Band. On May 13, 1979, Andrej Štremfelj and Nejc Zaplotnik achieved the first ascent of the complete ridge, followed two days later by Stane Belak, Marjan Manfreda, and Ang Phu Sherpa in one of the greatest feats in Himalayan history.
Northwest Face & Japanese Couloir (Normal Route)
The Northwest Face via the Japanese Couloir is the standard and most frequently climbed line on Gasherbrum I (8,068m / Hidden Peak). Starting from the South Gasherbrum Glacier, climbers traverse the shared lower icefall into the Gasherbrum Cwm, then branch southward toward the forbidding northwest wall. The technical centerpiece is the Japanese Couloir—a sustained 50 to 60-degree gully of hard blue ice and shattered rock leading to the high col and summit slopes. First ascended in 1958 by Americans Pete Schoening and Andy Kauffman via the South Ridge, the Japanese Couloir line became the modern benchmark, climbed rapidly in 1992 by Nazir Sabir, Rajab Shah, and Mehrban Shah.
Southwest Ridge (Normal Route)
The Southwest Ridge is the standard and historically celebrated route on Gasherbrum II (8,035m). Starting from the South Gasherbrum Glacier, climbers navigate the heavily crevassed lower icefall into the Gasherbrum Cwm before tackling the technical crux of the route: the steep mixed snow and ice crest known as the Banana Ridge. Above Camp III, the route traverses expansive snow basins into the Death Zone, making a final push up a delicate diagonal couloir to the summit. First climbed in 1956 by an Austrian team, and completed in rapid alpine style in 1982 by Reinhold Messner, Nazir Sabir, and Sher Khan.
K2 South Face (The Polish Line)
The Polish Line on the South Face of K2 (8,611m) is widely regarded as one of the most perilous and audacious routes ever climbed in high-altitude mountaineering history. Tackling the direct 3,200-meter wall between the Abruzzi Spur and the Magic Line (South-Southwest Pillar), the route ascends through a chaotic labyrinth of hanging seracs, avalanche funnels, and vertical rock bands. Pioneered in alpine style over five harrowing days in July 1986 by Jerzy Kukuczka and Tadeusz Piotrowski without supplemental oxygen, Reinhold Messner famously dubbed it 'suicidal'. Kukuczka and Piotrowski reached the summit on July 8, but tragedy struck during their desperate descent via the Abruzzi Spur when Piotrowski lost both crampons and plunged to his death. To this day, the Polish Line remains unrepeated.
West Ridge (Japanese Route)
The West Ridge of K2 is one of the most formidable and sustained technical lines in high-altitude mountaineering. Pioneered in August 1981 by a joint Japanese-Pakistani expedition, it ascends directly from the Savoia Glacier along the exposed western crest before negotiating the severe Southwest Face directly into the Death Zone. Demanding immense commitment, it was first completed by Pakistani mountaineer Nazir Sabir and Japanese climber Eiho Ohtani after an epic bivouac near 8,500 meters.
Kangchenjunga Southwest Face (Normal Route)
The Southwest Face route is the classic line of ascent on Kangchenjunga, climbing out of the Yalung Glacier cirque in eastern Nepal. First forged in 1955 by British mountaineers Joe Brown and George Band, the route negotiates heavily broken glacial icefalls, ascends the vast hanging snow terrace of The Great Shelf, and threads steep rock gullies in the Sickle Couloir before reaching the delicate summit crest.
Kinshofer Route (Diamir Face)
The Kinshofer Route is the standard climbing route up the Diamir Face on Nanga Parbat's western side. First climbed in 1962 by German mountaineer Toni Kinshofer and his teammates, it is famous for its early vertical crux, the Kinshofer Wall, which sits low on the mountain between Camp I and Camp II. Once past the wall, climbers face a massive glaciated amphitheater leading up into the freezing upper Bazhin Basin and summit shoulder.
Lhotse Normal Route (West Face & Couloir)
The Normal Route on Lhotse shares the Everest South Col route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall and across the Western Cwm up to Camp 3 on the Lhotse Face (7,200m). Beyond the Yellow Band, the route splits right from the South Col route and ascends directly into the notorious Lhotse Couloir—a narrow, 500-meter vertical gully of 45-to-50-degree hard blue ice funneling into the 8,516m summit.
Makalu Northwest Ridge (French Route)
The Northwest Ridge is the classic pioneering line on Makalu, first opened by the historic French expedition of 1955. From Advanced Base Camp on the Chago Glacier, climbers ascend steep snow and ice fields to gain Makalu La (7,400m), a high, wind-blasted col connecting Makalu to Kangchungtse. Above Makalu La, the route climbs through the technical French Couloir—a mixed corridor of steep ice and broken granite—before emerging onto the exposed summit crest.
Manaslu Northeast Face (Normal Route)
The Northeast Face is the standard route on Manaslu, first forged in 1956 by a Japanese expedition. Ascending from the Manaslu Glacier above the village of Samagaon, the route climbs through an active, heavily crevassed icefall between Camps 1 and 2, traverses wide snow plateaus up to Camp 4, and culminates in a delicate, exposed knife-edge snow arête leading to the true summit pin.
Mazeno Ridge Complete Traverse
The Mazeno Ridge of Nanga Parbat is widely considered the longest and most demanding high-altitude ridge on any eight-thousander, stretching an unbelievable 10 kilometres in length and traversing eight subsidiary peaks exceeding 7,000 metres before meeting the final summit pyramid. Long dubbed the last great problem of the Western Himalaya, it defeated numerous elite expeditions over three decades until British veterans Sandy Allan and Rick Allen completed the first full integral traverse and summit push in pure alpine style over eighteen heroic days in July 2012.
Central Pillar of the Rupal Face Direct
The Central Pillar of the Rupal Face on Nanga Parbat is the greatest vertical mountain wall on Earth, rising an astounding 4,100 metres from the Rupal Valley floor to the 8,126-metre summit. First attempted over decades, it was conquered in pure, lightweight alpine style between September 1 and 8, 2005, by American alpinists Steve House and Vince Anderson without fixed ropes, high camps, or supplemental oxygen, earning them the prestigious Piolet d'Or.
Rakhiot Flank & East Ridge (Original 1953 Route)
The historic original route on Nanga Parbat (8,126m), ascending from the Rakhiot Glacier over the heavily crevassed Rakhiot Icefall to reach the colossal Silbersattel (Silver Saddle) at 7,450 meters. From the saddle, the route traverses an immense high snow plateau for over three kilometers before negotiating the Bazhin Gap and climbing steep mixed rock ribs up the summit pyramid. Immortalized by Hermann Buhl's epic 41-hour solo summit without supplemental oxygen in July 1953.
Shishapangma Northwest Ridge (Normal Route)
The Northwest Ridge is the standard route on Shishapangma, situated entirely in Tibet and first ascended by a Chinese expedition in 1964. Approached from the dry, high-altitude plateau of southern Tibet, the route climbs gently sloping glaciers to an upper plateau, gains the Central Peak (8,008m), and traverses a knife-edge snow arête with massive drop-offs to reach the true Main Summit at 8,027m.
South Col & Southeast Ridge (Normal Route)
The South Col Route along the Southeast Ridge is the historic path of the 1953 first ascent and the most popular route on Mount Everest. Starting from Base Camp on the Khumbu Glacier in Nepal, climbers navigate the shifting seracs of the Khumbu Icefall into the Western Cwm. The route then scales the icy 45-degree slope of the Lhotse Face to the South Col at 7,925 meters, launching the final summit bid through the Balcony, South Summit, and Hillary Step to the summit of Earth at 8,848.86 meters.
Documented Expeditions (1)
1986 Swiss Mount Everest North Face (Hornbein Couloir) Speed Expedition
The revolutionary August 1986 expedition in which Swiss speed alpinists Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet scaled Mount Everest's North Face via the Hornbein Couloir in a continuous 31-hour push without supplemental oxygen, tents, or fixed ropes, returning to base in 43 hours.
Associated Chronicles & Stories (1)
Everest 1986: Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet's 43-Hour Alpine Blitz
In August 1986, Swiss speed alpinists Erhard Loretan and Jean Troillet climbed Mount Everest's North Face in a 31-hour night push without oxygen or tents, glissading down in 3.5 hours for a 43-hour round trip.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- Les 8000 rugissants (The Roaring 8000s)(Erhard Loretan & Jean Ammann / Éditions de la Sarine)
Supporting claim: Autobiographical memoirs describing his 14 eight-thousander climbs and minimalist speed philosophy
Accessed/Documented: 1996 - American Alpine Journal: Mount Everest Hornbein Couloir in Alpine Style(American Alpine Club)
Supporting claim: Official expedition record of the 43-hour ascent and glissade descent
Accessed/Documented: 1987