Achille Compagnoni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Achille Compagnoni |
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Compagnoni at the world premiere of Italia K2 on 25 March 1955
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| Born | 26 September 1914 Santa Caterina di Valfurva, Italy |
| Died | 13 May 2009 (aged 94) Aosta, Italy |
Achille Compagnoni (born September 26, 1914 – died May 13, 2009) was a famous Italian mountaineer and skier. He is best known for being one of the first two people to reach the top of K2, the world's second-highest mountain. He achieved this amazing feat on July 31, 1954, alongside Lino Lacedelli.
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Achille Compagnoni's Life and Adventures
Achille Compagnoni was born in Santa Caterina di Valfurva, a town in Sondrio, Italy. He grew up loving the mountains and became a skilled climber and skier.
The K2 Expedition
In 1954, Compagnoni was part of a big Italian team trying to climb K2. This mountain is known for being very difficult and dangerous. The team aimed to be the first to reach its summit.
During the climb, there was a disagreement about where to set up the final camp. Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli moved their tent higher up the mountain than planned. This decision caused problems for two other climbers, Walter Bonatti and Amir Mehdi.
Bonatti and Mehdi were carrying oxygen tanks for Compagnoni and Lacedelli to use on their summit attempt. They climbed very high, reaching about 26,000 feet (7,900 meters). When they got there, they expected to find the camp, but it wasn't where they thought it would be.
Compagnoni and Lacedelli called out from a spot further up. They told Bonatti to leave the oxygen tanks and go back down. It was getting dark, and Bonatti could see their headlamp far away. He asked them to come to their planned camp, but the light went out, and they stayed silent.
This meant Bonatti and Mehdi had to spend the night outside in the freezing cold at a very high altitude. This was extremely dangerous. Mehdi suffered severe frostbite on his toes because of this unplanned night out.
Compagnoni later said he moved the tent to avoid a dangerous ice formation. However, it was later understood that he wanted to prevent Bonatti from joining the summit team. Bonatti was a very strong climber and might have reached the top without needing extra oxygen. If he had, it might have overshadowed Compagnoni's achievement.
Reaching the Summit
The next evening, at 6:10 PM, Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli successfully reached the summit of K2. They used the oxygen that Bonatti and Mehdi had brought up for them.
The leader of the expedition, Ardito Desio, didn't say much about Bonatti and Mehdi's difficult night in his final report. The frostbite Mehdi suffered was a sensitive topic for the expedition. The Italian government later gave Mehdi a small pension for his important help and sacrifice on the climb.
Later Recognition
Years later, in 2004, Lino Lacedelli wrote a book where he confirmed Bonatti's version of what happened on the mountain. In 2008, the Club Alpino Italiano (the main Italian mountaineering club) officially agreed with Bonatti's story. Walter Bonatti and Achille Compagnoni never became friends again after the expedition.
Achille Compagnoni passed away in Aosta, Italy, on May 13, 2009, at the age of 94.
Achille Compagnoni's Skiing Career
Achille Compagnoni was also a talented skier. While serving in the Alpini (a mountain warfare corps of the Italian army), he competed in the famous Trofeo Mezzalama race. His team finished in second place.
He also achieved other notable results in cross-country skiing:
- 1939: Second place in the Italian men's championships, 50 km race.
- 1940: First place in the Italian men's championships, 36 km race.
- 1941: Third place in the Italian men's championships, 50 km race.
- 1942: Third place in the Italian men's championships, 18 km race.
Awards and Honors
Achille Compagnoni received special honors from Italy for his achievements. 
He was awarded the highest honor, the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. 
He also received a Gold Medal for Civil Valor.
See also
In Spanish: Achille Compagnoni para niños
