Jean-Christophe Lafaille

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Jean-Christophe Lafaille (born March 31, 1965 in Gap ; missing on Makalu since January 26, 2006 ) was a French extreme mountaineer . Lafaille was considered one of the world's best high-altitude climbers , who climbed all of his peaks without additional oxygen.

Since January 26th 2006 he has been missing on Makalu , which he wanted to climb alone and in winter.

Life

Lafaille began climbing when he was seven. Later he also took part in competitions in sport climbing . In 1992 he undertook the first expedition to the Himalaya Mountains. Together with Pierre Béghin , he tried to climb the south face of Annapurna in alpine style . Béghin died in this attempt.

In 2001 he decided to try to climb the remaining eight-thousanders .

Lafaille had two children, a daughter from his first marriage and a son from his second marriage.

Successes on eight-thousanders

  • 1993 Cho Oyu , 8188 m
  • 1994 Shisha Pangma central summit, 8008 m
  • 1996 Gasherbrum II , 8034 m
  • 1996 Hidden Peak (Gasherbrum I), 8080 m
  • 1997 Lhotse , 8516 m
  • 2000 Manaslu , 8163 m
  • 2001 K2 , 8611 m
  • 2002 Annapurna , 8091 m
  • 2003 Dhaulagiri , 8167 m
  • 2003 Nanga Parbat , 8125 m
  • 2003 Broad Peak , 8051 m
  • 2004 Shisha Pangma. Lafaille was the first to stand on this eight-thousander in the meteorological winter (solo). Because his expedition began before December 21st, it is not counted as a complete first winter ascent.

To reach all 14 eight-thousanders he still needed the Makalu, Kangchenjunga and Mount Everest .

Lafaille climbed the two Gasherbrums without descending to base camp in between. He did this in alpine style and within three days. This made him the first and to date (July 2008) only person to complete the double ascent of the two eight-thousanders single-handedly.

Works

  • Annapurna prisoner. (together with Benoît Heimermann), Frederking & Thaler, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-89405-262-7

Individual evidence

  1. ^ AAJ report on double ascent

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lafaille, Jean-Christophe
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French climber
DATE OF BIRTH March 31, 1965
PLACE OF BIRTH Gap (Hautes-Alpes) , France
DATE OF DEATH after January 26, 2006
Place of death Makalu