Jerzy Kukuczka
Jerzy Kukuczka was a Polish mountaineer who became the second person to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders. He achieved this feat in just under eight years, setting several new routes along the way. Jerzy Kukuczka was a Polish alpine and high-altitude climber, widely considered among the climbing community to be one of the best high-altitude climbers in history. On September 18, 1987, he became the second man to climb all 14 eight-thousanders, 13 of them without the use of supplemental oxygen, a feat he achieved in just 7 years, 11 months, and 14 days. He climbed 4 eight-thousanders in winter, including 3 for the first time, and 2 in only one season (the only person so far to do so).
Kukuczka established new routes on 10 eight-thousanders (a still unbeaten record), including one on K2 in alpine style (the so-called "Polish Line" or "Suicidal route") which no one has ever repeated.
Reinhold Messner
Reinhold Messner is an Italian climber known for being the first to ascend all fourteen eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen. He also completed the first solo ascent of Mount Everest in 1980. Simply the best of all time. The first to ascend all 8000m peaks, to do the unimaginable without oxygen. Equipment and training then is not what it is today. He was in a class of his own and did things then that even the best climbers don't do now while using superior equipment and having access to better and more modern training. Someone like this only comes around every thousand years, I suspect.
Reinhold Messner is an Italian mountaineer, adventurer, explorer, and author. He made the first ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen (along with Peter Habeler) and was the first climber to ascend all 14 eight-thousanders.
Alex Lowe
Alex Lowe was an American climber known for his technical skill and numerous first ascents. He died in an avalanche on Shishapangma in 1999.
Simone Moro
Simone Moro is an Italian alpinist recognized for his achievements in winter ascents of eight-thousanders. He completed the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat in 2016.
Hermann Buhl
Hermann Buhl was an Austrian mountaineer best known for making the first ascent of Nanga Parbat in 1953. He also pioneered the first ascent of Broad Peak in 1957. Hermann Buhl was an Austrian mountaineer, considered one of the best climbers of all time. He was particularly innovative in applying alpine style to Himalayan climbing. He was the first person to ascend Nanga Parbat (solo and without bottled oxygen) and Broad Peak, both eight-thousanders.
Against all odds, all rules, a true legend!
Ed Viesturs
Ed Viesturs is an American climber who became the first U.S. citizen to ascend all fourteen eight-thousanders without supplemental oxygen. He is also known for his cautious and calculated approach to high-altitude climbing. Edmund Viesturs is a high-altitude mountaineer and corporate speaker. He is the only American to have climbed all 14 eight-thousanders, and the fifth person to do so without using supplemental oxygen. He has summited peaks of over 8,000 meters on 21 occasions, including Mount Everest seven times.
Great climber for many reasons. I like his risk management the best.
Kurt Diemberger
Kurt Diemberger is an Austrian alpinist who is the only living person to have made first ascents of two eight-thousanders, Broad Peak and Dhaulagiri. He has also written extensively about his mountaineering experiences.
Juanito Oiarzabal
Juanito Oiarzabal is a Spanish climber who was the sixth person to ascend all fourteen eight-thousanders. He has repeated several of these climbs, often without supplemental oxygen. Juan Eusebio Oiarzabal Urteaga is a Spanish Basque mountaineer. He was the sixth man to reach all 14 eight-thousander summits, and the third one in reaching them without supplementary oxygen. He was the first person to conquer the top three summits twice, and has summited eight-thousanders 25 times.
Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer who, alongside Tenzing Norgay, was the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He later dedicated much of his life to humanitarian work in Nepal. It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.
Anatoli Boukreev
Anatoli Boukreev was a Kazakhstani mountaineer who completed multiple climbs of eight-thousanders, often without supplemental oxygen. He played a crucial role in rescue efforts during the 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Even Ed Viesturs regards him as one of the strongest endurance climbers. He died tragically early. His ascent record of Denali, in around 10 hours, demonstrates his astounding abilities.
The Newcomers
? Scott Fischer
Scott Fischer was an American climber who participated in multiple high-altitude expeditions. He died in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster while leading a commercial expedition.
? Paul Preuss
Paul Preuss was an Austrian mountaineer who pioneered free solo climbing in the early 20th century. He emphasized pure climbing ethics and avoided the use of artificial aids.
The Contenders
Walter Bonatti
Walter Bonatti was an Italian climber and explorer famous for his solo ascent of the southwest pillar of the Aiguille du Dru. He was also part of the first successful expedition to K2 in 1954.
Krzysztof Wielicki
Krzysztof Wielicki is a Polish climber who completed the first winter ascents of Everest, Kangchenjunga, and Lhotse. He was the fifth person to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders.
Wanda Rutkiewicz
Wanda Rutkiewicz was a Polish alpinist who became the first woman to summit K2. She was also the third woman to climb Mount Everest.
Tenzing Norgay
Tenzing Norgay was a Sherpa mountaineer from Nepal who, alongside Sir Edmund Hillary, became one of the first two people to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953. He played a key role in numerous Himalayan expeditions.
Tomaž Humar
Tomaž Humar was a Slovenian alpinist known for his daring solo climbs and difficult new routes. He died in 2009 during a solo attempt on Langtang Lirung in Nepal. One of the best mountain climbers ever. Not only in my country but in the whole world.
George Mallory
George Mallory was a British mountaineer who participated in early Everest expeditions and disappeared near the summit in 1924. His remains were discovered in 1999, but it is unknown if he reached the summit before his death. He is my great-great-grandfather, so my opinion is biased, but he was a great mountaineer.
Ueli Steck
Ueli Steck was a Swiss climber renowned for his speed ascents and technical proficiency. He died in 2017 while preparing for an Everest-Lhotse traverse.
Carlos Carsolio
Carlos Carsolio is a Mexican alpinist who became the fourth person to climb all fourteen eight-thousanders. He achieved several of these ascents without supplemental oxygen. Several records, new routes, and also the second youngest alpinist to conquer the 14 highest peaks in the world without supplemental oxygen.
Denis Urubko
Denis Urubko is a Russian-Polish mountaineer known for his first winter ascents of Makalu and Gasherbrum II. He has also established new routes on multiple eight-thousanders.
Erhard Loretan
Erhard Loretan was a Swiss climber who became the third person to ascend all fourteen eight-thousanders. He was known for his fast and lightweight alpine-style ascents.
Daniele Nardi
Daniele Nardi was an Italian alpinist who attempted several winter climbs of Nanga Parbat. He died there in 2019 alongside Tom Ballard.
Alexander Huber
Alexander Huber is a German climber known for his achievements in free solo climbing and big wall ascents. He, along with his brother Thomas Huber, has made significant contributions to alpine climbing.
Jean Troillet
Jean Troillet is a Swiss alpinist who has climbed multiple eight-thousanders, including Everest without supplemental oxygen. He is also known for speed ascents and extreme skiing.
Patrick Berhault