Albert F. Mummery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert F. Mummery
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| Born | 10 September 1855 |
| Died | 24 August 1895 (aged 39) |
| Occupation | Mountaineer, author |
| Spouse(s) | Mary |
Albert Frederick Mummery (born September 10, 1855, in Dover, Kent, England – died August 24, 1895, on Nanga Parbat) was a famous English mountaineer and writer. He was known for being one of the first climbers to try new, harder ways to climb mountains. He made many "first ascents" in the Alps, meaning he was the first person to successfully climb certain routes or peaks.
Mummery, along with his friends J. Norman Collie, Geoffrey Hastings, and two Gurkhas, were also the first people in history to try climbing one of the world's highest mountains. This was a very brave and new idea at the time. Their trip to Nanga Parbat in 1895 was not successful. Mummery and the two Gurkhas died in an avalanche while exploring the mountain.
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About Albert Mummery
Albert Mummery's father owned a successful leather-making business in Dover. This allowed Albert to spend most of his time on his two main interests: climbing mountains and studying economics. He even wrote a book about economics with his friend J. A. Hobson.
A Pioneer Mountaineer
Mummery is best remembered for his amazing work in mountaineering. At first, he climbed with experienced mountain guides. But later, with his friends William Cecil Slingsby, Geoffrey Hastings, and J. Norman Collie, he helped start a new way of climbing called "guideless climbing." This meant climbers would go up mountains without professional guides.
Mummery also invented the "Mummery tent," a special kind of lightweight tent used by climbers in the early days of mountaineering.
Famous First Ascents
Mummery made many important "first ascents." These are routes or peaks that no one had successfully climbed before. Some of his most famous climbs include:
- The Aiguille du Grépon, which has a famous crack named after him.
- The Dent du Requin.
- The Grands Charmoz.
- The Teufelsgrat on the Täschhorn.
- The Dürrenhorn.
- The Zmutt ridge of the Matterhorn. He climbed this difficult route on September 3, 1879, with guides Alexander Burgener, J. Petrus, and A. Gentinetta. Later, in 1894, he guided his friend, the young Duke of the Abruzzi, up the same route.
Mummery sometimes climbed with his wife, Mary Petherick, or her friend Lily Bristow.
In 1880, Mummery and Burgener tried to be the first to climb the Dent du Géant, a very desired peak. They had to turn back because of some very tough rock sections. Mummery famously said, "Absolutely inaccessible by fair means!"
The Nanga Parbat Expedition
In 1895, Mummery, Collie, and Hastings became the first climbers to try to reach the top of an "eight-thousander." These are mountains that are over 8,000 meters (about 26,247 feet) high. They chose Nanga Parbat, which is the ninth highest mountain in the world.
This trip was a pioneering effort because they used a lightweight climbing style. Sadly, Nanga Parbat became the first of many mountains to claim lives. Mummery and two Gurkha climbers, Ragobir Thapa and Goman Singh, were killed by an avalanche while exploring a part of the mountain called the Rakhiot Face. Their bodies were never found.
The story of this difficult trip is told in J. Norman Collie's book, From the Himalaya to Skye. In 1898, Collie named Mount Mummery in the Canadian Rockies after his climbing friend.
Albert Mummery left behind many famous climbing routes in the Alps. He also wrote a classic book about climbing called My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus.
It has frequently been noticed that all mountains appear doomed to pass through the three stages: An inaccessible peak - The most difficult ascent in the Alps - An easy day for a lady.
– Albert Frederick Mummery, My Climbs in the Alps and Caucasus
See also
In Spanish: Albert Mummery para niños
