Erhard Loretan facts for kids

Erhard Loretan (born 28 April 1959 – died 28 April 2011) was a famous Swiss mountain climber. He was known for his fast and light climbing style. He achieved many amazing feats in the world of mountaineering.

Early Life

Erhard Loretan was born in Bulle, a town in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. He first trained to become a cabinet maker in 1979. Later, in 1981, he became a professional mountain guide. This training helped him prepare for his incredible climbing career.

Amazing Climbs

Erhard Loretan was one of the greatest climbers of his time. He was the third person ever to climb all 14 of the world's highest mountains. These mountains are called eight-thousanders because they are all over 8,000 meters (about 26,247 feet) tall. He was also the second person to do this without using extra oxygen.

Conquering the Eight-Thousanders

Loretan started his big mountain adventures in 1980 in the Andes. His journey to climb the eight-thousanders began in 1982. His first 8,000-meter peak was Nanga Parbat. Thirteen years later, in 1995, he climbed his last one, Kangchenjunga. He used a special climbing style he learned in the Alps. This style focused on climbing very fast and with little gear. He then used this method on the world's biggest mountains.

In 1984, he made a new path up Annapurna (8,091m). He climbed the 7-kilometer long east ridge with Norbert Joos. They then went down the north side. This full traverse has never been done again.

Everest in Record Time

One of his most famous climbs was in 1986. With his climbing partner Jean Troillet, Loretan climbed Mount Everest. They reached the top in an amazing 40 hours. They climbed mostly at night and did not use extra oxygen. This was a very fast and challenging ascent.

Other Big Ascents

Erhard Loretan also explored other difficult peaks. In 1988, he opened a new route on the Nameless Tower (6,239m). This tower is part of the Trango Towers in Pakistan. He climbed it with Voytek Kurtyka.

In 1994, he made a solo first ascent of Mt Epperly (4,508m). This mountain is in Antarctica’s Sentinel Range. While climbing, he saw another peak that was taller and harder. In 1995, after finishing all 14 eight-thousanders, he went back to Antarctica. He made a solo first ascent of that peak. It was later named Peak Loretan in his honor.

A Tragic End

The Fiescherhorn and Grünhorn mountains in the Swiss Alps

In April 2011, Erhard Loretan was climbing in the Swiss Alps. He was with his partner, Xenia Minder. They were on the Grünhorn mountain. Xenia slipped, and the rope connecting them pulled them both down. They fell about 200 meters (about 656 feet). Xenia Minder was badly hurt and taken to the hospital. Sadly, Erhard Loretan did not survive the fall. He died on his 52nd birthday.

Climbing Achievements

Here is a list of the 8,000-meter peaks Erhard Loretan climbed:

See also

• List of 20th-century summiters of Mount Everest