 Kurt Diemberger in 2005 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Born | (1932-03-16)16 March 1932 (age 93) Villach,Austria |
| Occupation(s) | Mountaineer, writer |
| Climbing career | |
| Known for | The second person after H. Buhl to make first ascents on two eight-thousanders |
| First ascents | |
Kurt Diemberger (born 16 March 1932) is an Austrianmountaineer and author of several books. He is the only living person who has made the first ascents on twomountains over 8,000 metres: ofBroad Peak in 1957 and ofDhaulagiri in 1960.[1] In 2013, he won thePiolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement Award.[2]
Diemberger attended university in Vienna, where he obtained two degrees (MBA 1955,M.Ed 1962). Together withHermann Buhl, he is one of two mountaineers who have successfully made the first ascents on twomountains over 8,000 metres. In 1957, Diemberger was the last person to see Hermann Buhl alive before he fell through acornice onChogolisa.[3] This attempt to climb Chogolisa was illegal and subsequently Diemberger was banned from entering Pakistan for an extended period of time.
Diemberger was one of only two survivors in the1986 K2 Disaster. On 4 August 1986, Diemberger andJulie Tullis reached the summit ofK2 very late in the day. Shortly after starting their descent, Tullis fell and dragged Diemberger down with her. They somehow stopped from going over the edge and spent the night above 8,000 metres. They managed to reach Camp IV the next day, where they were forced to share two tents with six other climbers after their tent had collapsed fromhurricane force winds. Tullis died later that night, possibly fromhigh altitude cerebral edema, and only one other climber, Austrian Willi Bauer, survived the descent with Diemberger.[4] Both climbers suffered severefrostbite during the descent and had to haveamputations.
In 2013, Diemberger won the 5thPiolet d'Or "Lifetime Achievement Award".[2]
Diemberger is still active in the mountaineering world and works on film projects with his daughter, Hildegard.[5]
Diemberger has written the following books:
