Fritz Wintersteller facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Born | 21 October 1927 Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria |
| Died | 15 September 2018 (aged 90) |
| Occupation | Mountaineer |
| Climbing career | |
| Known for | Broad Peak first ascent |
| First ascents | |
Fritz Wintersteller (born October 21, 1927 – died September 15, 2018) was an amazing Austrian mountaineer. He is best known for being one of the first people to successfully climb Broad Peak in 1957. He achieved this incredible feat with his climbing partners Hermann Buhl, Kurt Diemberger, and Marcus Schmuck.
Even though he wasn't a professional climber, Fritz loved climbing. He climbed almost all the mountains in the Alps that were taller than 4,000 meters (about 13,123 feet). He also made the first climbs up the north face of Hochkogel and the Wiesspitze. He chose not to climb three other peaks over 4,000 meters, saying they were "not beautiful enough."
In his later years, Fritz traveled to Alaska many times. There, he enjoyed long ski tours and went rafting on several rivers. Around 2010, he was living in Salzburg, Austria. Because of some hip problems, he spent most of his time riding his bicycle.
First Big Climbs
Fritz Wintersteller made many important first ascents during his climbing career. A "first ascent" means he was part of the very first team to successfully climb a mountain or a specific route on a mountain.
Early Climbs
Fritz started climbing at a young age. Some of his notable early climbs include:
- In 1943, he climbed the Southeast tower of Kleines Fieberhorn.
- Also in 1943, he completed the South traverse of Grosses Fieberhorn.
- In 1944, he tackled the direct West face of Zahringkogel.
- In 1948, he made the first direct West face ascent of Wiesspitze.
Himalayan Expeditions
His most famous climbs happened in 1957 during an expedition to the Himalayas.
- On May 29, 1957, he reached the Forepeak of Broad Peak, which is 8,030 meters (about 26,345 feet) high.
- Just a few days later, on June 9, 1957, he and his team made the first full ascent of Broad Peak, reaching its main summit at 8,047 meters (about 26,401 feet). This was a huge achievement in the world of mountaineering.
- On June 19, 1957, he also made the first ascent of Skil Brum, a mountain that stands at 7,420 meters (about 24,344 feet).
More About Mountaineering
If you want to learn more about climbing and famous climbers, check out these topics:
- List of famous Austrians
- List of Austrian mountaineers
- Eight-thousander (These are mountains over 8,000 meters high!)
- Broad Peak
- Skil Brum
- Alpine style (A way of climbing mountains without big support teams)
- List of first ascents
