Hermann Buhl

Who was Hermann Buhl?

Hermann Buhl was an Austrian mountaineer, and is considered one of the best climbers of all time. He was particularly innovative in applying alpine style to Himalayan climbing. His accomplishments include:

1953 First ascent of Nanga Parbat, 8,126 metres.

1957 First ascent of Broad Peak, 8,051 metres.

Before his successful Nanga Parbat expedition, 31 people had died trying to make the first ascent.

Buhl is the only mountaineer to have made the first ascent of an eight-thousander solo. His climbing partner, Otto, was too slow in joining the ascent, so Buhl struck off alone. He returned 41 hours later, having barely survived the arduous climb to the summit, 4 miles distant from, and 4,000 feet higher than camp V. Experienced climbers, upon hearing later of Buhl's near-death climb, faulted him for making the attempt solo. Regardless, his monumental efforts, along with spending the night untethered, on the edge of a 60 degree ice slope, standing on a tiny pedestal too small to squat upon, has become mountaineering legend.

Just a few weeks after the successful first ascent of Broad Peak, Buhl and Kurt Diemberger made an attempt on nearby, unclimbed Chogolisa in alpine style. Buhl died when he fell through a cornice on the southeast ridge near the summit of Chogolisa. His body was not recovered and remains in the ice.