Gaby Steiger

Gaby (Gabriella) Steiger (born October 6, 1921 in Zurich ; † June 5, 2009 in Weesen ) was one of the first female extreme mountaineers in Switzerland .

Life

Gaby Steiger grew up as the daughter of the Huber family of textile industries in Walenstadt . With her future husband, the mountain guide and extreme mountaineer Geny Steiger , she began climbing in the local Churfirsten .

The couple managed difficult routes in the Alps and several first ascents, including the Steiger route named after them at Punta Albigna in Bergell and the classic south pillar of the Selun east summit.

In 1965 Gaby Steiger took part in the expedition to the Cordillera Blanca under the patronage of the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research and wrote a book about it. With a short story she won a prize in a literary competition of the Swiss Alpine Club in 1974.

Due to a medical malpractice during a back operation, Gaby Steiger remained dependent on a wheelchair from around 1980, but was still interested in the development of mountaineering and Alpine literature.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Gaby Steiger: My six-thousander is in Peru. Good writings, Basel 1975.
2. ↑ Gaby Steiger: So close to heaven ... and yet not an angel. In: Die Alpen, SAC magazine 1975.
3. ↑ Pioneers and partners: The Walenstadt mountain guide couples. In: Emil Zopfi : Churfirsten - over the seven mountains. AS Verlag, Zurich 2006.

First ascents (selection. All with Geny Steiger)

• October 16, 1954: Rosskirche north route.
• June 25, 1955: Frümsel east face .
• November 5, 1955: Selun east summit, south pillar.
• August 29, 1962: Selun main summit south edge.
• September 19, 1963: Frümsel southwest face.
• October 9, 1965: Chäserrugg south face / south intersection.
• 1962: Punta Albigna, Steiger route.