Solo Climbing the South Face of Annapurna | Ueli Steck: Up Close and Personal, ep. 1

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Part 1 of the interview with Ueli Steck since his return from his amazing ascent of Annapurna, where you get to ask your questions.
We asked you via facebook and twitter, what were the questions you really wanted to know, and this is what you came up with.
Stay tuned for part 2.
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[@ps2nolimits]

a solo ascent of Annapurna is ridicously impressive

[@sanatsrivastava2814]

And that too South face!

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

In 28 hrs!!

[@jaydee1532]

Christian ecwas dancing with death 🤦‍♂️

[@dickenstom]

he also down climbs with no rope.

[@nickreynolds8391]

The feat is really just unfathomable

[@seanzawko09]

rip Ueli, you have motivated me more than you could have known. You were a beast.

[@Felipe_Ribeir0]

This guy was a machine, this annapurna solo rush probably is something that no one alive today could do. Or if 1 or 2 could try it, they wouldnt have the balls to do it

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

An incredible man who left an incredible legacy. Rest in glorious peace ueli.

[@annasweetangel4182]

RIP Ueli Steck

[@naiads4675]

“We’re in Switzerland...The money’s growing on the trees here”... Damn that hurts! 😅

[@hawkkim1974]

This guy was surreal. That's why he had to leave this planet so early.

[@DaFeau]

RIP. He said it at 0:50

[@clintoncaron1088]

I know it's crazy that he said these words. RIP

[@Yuuphonixx]

This has happened to all of the legends of mountaineering.

[@PatrickPierceBateman]

@@Yuuphonixx Not Simone Moro.

[@Yuuphonixx]

@@PatrickPierceBateman I agree that I stand corrected. Although Simone Moro had a close call on Annapurna when he fell 800m and survived.

[@PatrickPierceBateman]

@@Yuuphonixx Holy crap, I hadn't heard about that incident. Simone has probably cheated death more times than he can count.

[@mik310s]

He is no doubt the best all round climber to have ever lived to this date

[@lmnts556]

is* He is the best climber to date.

[@lukebowerman6515]

AA AA He’s dead now. He fell off a cliff on Everest.

[@sharkbait8516]

@@lukebowerman6515 He actually fell and died while climbing Nuptse

[@alchimusfifrelin8173]

Ueli est agréable à écouter parer. Il est très humble, j'aime bien.

[@K2theweim]

the feeling is so complicated to watch him speaking now

[@chazmichels4280]

RIP

[@lisaschuster9187]

Yeah I have so many questions about the beyond, but I don’t think the signal uses the EM spectrum.

[@Vezzo55]

He was likely the greatest alpinist that ever lived....RIP Ueli

[@robford3211]

I think there are about 20 people that can vie for that title: Messner, Bonatti, a few Polish climbers,

[@DreamBeatsBakery]

@@robford3211 Nirmal Purja

[@ONCEuponAtime999]

Kukuczka, Boukreev, Urubko

[@pleasuretokill]

​@random critique I don't know who you think Nirmal Purja is... but he is not a sherpa (though they are alpinist also...) he is of Nepal descent but he is very much an alpinist. He climbed K2 in the winter without oxygen. the only human on Earth to ever accomplish that feat. He is also the person to climb all 14 8000M peaks the fastest in the world. If that isn't an alpinist, I don't know what is. Dude was also a member of the SBS, possibly the absolute baddest overall small group of people on this planet. Ueli was good... but no one has proven themselves to be better than Nirmal. People just don't want to recognize it because of his heritage is what it sounds like. Look at his accomplishments. All of the "greatest climbers" tried to do what he did and he did it faster and better, and he's still alive to tell about all of it.

[@pleasuretokill]

@random critique you are confusing "alpine style climbing" with "being an alpinist" they are two completely different things. The literal textbook definition of an Alpinist is "a mountain climber or a downhill skier". Again. Alpine style climbing and an Alpinist are two different things.... And to be fair, Nirmal has climbed MANY mountains Alpine style, as I mentioned before he holds the record for the quickest ascents of multiple 8000m peaks and holds the record of climbing all 14 8000m peaks in a row faster than any person on Earth. He has climbed expedition style and Alpine style, the exact same as Ueli has.

[@evian5743]

RIP

[@jaydee1532]

He said it himself .....reality came back to him .... rip

[@TonchyShultz]

So sad and hugh lost that one of the best climbers Uli Steck died in these mountains..! Man machine R.I.P. :-(

[@dominiquedoeslife]

So sad that he passed soon after this!

[@michaelhoward1583]

This steep beauty of a mountain, wonderful, majestic and sacred.

[@johy2007]

Rest in Peace.

[@SlightReturn666]

To me, this is far more impressive than Alex Honnold's solo up El Cap (magnificent as that achievement was). That difficulty and insane exposure at that altitude ... hard to get one's brain around!!!!

[@harryhackmed3883]

The died doin something he loved...fair play to him...RIP

[@sjt275]

he is a climbing God !

[@petersiegfriedkrug]

he was... . Yes, he was a fantastic human with sense of humor and always very positive. I believe

[@gregmathews715]

You cut his stuff about Don Whillans and Joe Brown which is lamentable

[@drphilgee6430]

RIP...Sir

[@pboehi]

Swiss quality work!

[@williammcdonagh7454]

RIP to a really brave man

[@cjm081]

R.I.P brother.

[@syam1980]

What is the name of the soundtrack at 0.07?

[@lisaschuster9187]

RIP, buddy.

[@ilonastarilona80]

the best rip

[@Socal-qp1pv]

Greatest reckless climber ever!! Haha. Would never want that goofball above me running around if I were climbing. Amazing athlete though!!

[@silasmarner7586]

1:00 Yep. RIP.

[@steartfires3039]

Whelp, this dude is not long for this world.

[@zejz31]

Steart Fires Ehhh, seems you were right.

[@FaddeMrFadde]

Was he THE Numbers one guy how did Summit Anna p. ???

[@patrickprice3230]

How did he die on Everest?

[@fabi3679]

Was exploring in preparation to climb everest and a peak next to it (i dont remember the name) without oxygen. As he said, he can use his speed to compensate for that. Sadly he never made it...

[@vindictivetiger]

yay Nuptse.

[@doseofmoe1102]

Did this legend ever summit K2? RIP!

[@Yuuphonixx]

He never got to. For someone of his skill, he would still have to prep for K2. I know he was trying to climb Everest without supplemental oxygen by the Hornbein Coluoir and then to Lhotse but changed his mind to go to Nuptse. I felt if he had made it back down, he would've climbed K2 by now.

[@ONCEuponAtime999]

@@Yuuphonixx he didnt change his mind..the nuptse climb was the part of acclimatization

[@Yuuphonixx]

@@ONCEuponAtime999 thanks for the correction. It makes more sense to climb a smaller, but nearby peak to get acclimated.

[@ONCEuponAtime999]

@@Yuuphonixx yes. the everest lhotse traverse is the biggest challenge of todays mountaneering. now only god knows if Ueli would pull that off

[@amoreazione3563]

There is no way somebody could climb up the Annapurna (or any other mountain above 7000 meters) in 28 hours. It i not just a matter of strenghth and objective difficulties (Annapurna's south face being one of the tallests wall on Earth, swept by windguts, frequent avalanches, rapidly changing weather etc.), but rather of altitude. The human body, no matter how trained and how strong, cannot go from 4100 meters of altitude to 8090 mt in 28 hours. Even if we were to take in account some use of medicines, some pills helping to adjust to the oxygen rates, it still is not possible. The speed a top mountaineer proceeds (without oxygen) above 7000 mt. is usually 150 meters an hour. It is sheerly impossible for any human being to do what this video claims. Uli is an amazing climber and an amazing mountaineer and nobody denies that. But climbing the Eiger is, with all the due respect, an entirely different thing from climbing a mountain in the Himalaya. Just remember that any himalayan ascent starts where most mountains in the Alps would end.

[@19Kamau79]

He started from advanced base camp (5750m) but there is lot discussion about timelines during his Himalayan solos. However, he was trying to save fellow mountaineer on his second visit of Annapurna he was staying on his side when he passed and that's most heroic action of all.

[@19Kamau79]

Now fellows are meeting again.. ..this time higher than ever. Shall their rest in peace.

[@amoreazione3563]

I know, I feel guilty to have posted this.

[@JayB2]

Amore Azione I don't think you realize how fit Ueli really was. He made legendary climbers like Reinhold Messner look like out of shape slobs. Some close to him said the only athletes you could compare him to would be Tour de France bike riders. The "best" Tour de France riders. Like Lance Armstrong level if fitness. Seriously, he was almost at a super human level of conditioning.

[@rvgold8301]

Killian Jornet climb the everest in 17 hours with out oxigen and he isn´t the fastest record.

[@anandnairkollam]

Did the agitated sherpas kill him? Those guys are really good at keeping grudges in their heart.

[@xperiaz1853]

RIP :'(

[@thereisnocarolinHR]

Ugh it’s hard to even relive his accomplishments, it’s just such an epic shame what happened. Breaks my fucking heart

[@mandybutler475]

your amazing so impressive

[@christopherchorney9346]

GOAT

[@MrVibriocholerae]

RIP...

[@PatienceEleanore-h8m]

Waldo Canyon

[@John-d9e4x]

Too many coincidences, photo of camp in broad daylight, lost a glove on the ascent, rock hits helmet, leaves a hole and he drops his phone. Battery died on his garmin, reset his altimeter, erasing summit altitude ?

[@mudassardesignspace]

Rip

[@paulo-ld5jx]

Do u know irishmen called Paul and shea

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

Buddy, he's dead.

[@ProfessionalJerry]

The homie from metanoia!!

[@Physics072]

I don't think he pulled it off. No photo, no GPS, no altimiter, no partner, no proof. Just a story. I climbed it in 27 hours, I have no proof either.

[@ericeinarson6654]

He's climbed the Eiger North Face, the North Face of the Matterhorn, Cholatse's North Face and Shishapangma's South Face in record time. His record and character speaks for itself. Reinhold Messner believes him- I think that says enough on its own.

[@Physics072]

And Sammy Sosa (Baseball player) did not cheat and use a corked bat. That is until the bat broke. And Lance Armstrong was too good to cheat. Just saying many great athletes cheat. You do realize the matterhorn is very very tiny compared to 8000m peaks like 50 times smaller. It only looks big because its not next to one. Apples to oranges comparison. 8000m peaks are a different animal so easy so say you did it without any proof.

[@ericeinarson6654]

goblin072 I mentioned Shishapangma, did I not? Apples and oranges? He's climbed big peaks alpine-style in the Himalayas before, and he's climbed big Himalayan technical faces in record time. 27 hours round-trip for the south-face of Annapurna doesn't sound outlandish. If you had said to anyone 60 years ago that the North Face of the Eiger, a climb that took most teams 3 days, could be climbed in a little over 2 hours- people would look at you like you were batshit crazy. People have done round-trips of Everest in 20 hours- so why is it so outlandish to climb Annapurna in 27? I just don't get why you think its so unbelievable?

[@Physics072]

Are you kidding me? Annapurna is the most dangerous mountain in the world in terms of fatality rates. Much much more dangerous than Shishappangma. The guy is a great climber for sure and the Eiger feat is fantastic. Dan Osman did a speed climb of face in like 3 minutes that normally takes days but that does not mean he climbed Annapurna in 27 hours and if he did he would be smart enough to have proof. No proof no climb.

[@mateolopez4611]

tomo Cesen is a lier, not Uli steck

[@paulo-ld5jx]

My dad died up there

[@percnowitzki1724]

He said he would go crazy if he knew there was no survival, he was probably screaming n crying before he died

[@jiplinnartz5820]

''Were in Switzerland the money is growing on the trees here.'' LMAO can i move to Switzerland?

[@naakatagurung5236]

Where is the proof? Not a single pics videos etc. I think he just made it as it was his 3/4 attempt. I can also say i have been to Mars 😁😁. This video does not have any credible proofs

[@rocnoir4233]

Exactly. english.elpais.com/usa/2021-04-09/mountaineering-expert-rodolphe-popier-i-think-ueli-steck-lied.html

[@amyyaal]

not so lucky after all

[@micro_my_blood]

It's not about the luck, it's all about the experience! Whatever he felt, sadly will remain his own, but it surely must have been indescribably mind-blowing! #blessedwithinsanity

[@chrismartin2034]

He is a very bad liar

[@rocnoir4233]

Yep. He sat up there in his snow cave then came down claiming he reached the summit. There is absolutely no evidence to prove it.

[@bone_zee]

lol wtf do u know

[@agradina]

fake you cant do that with a face like this

[@9pt9]

He is lucky. Nothing more.

[@bravocharlierocks]

9pt9 luck has nothing to do with that state of the art climbing

[@9pt9]

The best climbing skills on earth are no match for an avalanche or a falling rock.

[@91kweldulf]

David F Of course you need great skills, if you have these skills Annapurna is gambling, if not suicide. Ratio: 3 successful ascends 1 casualty, and only the mountaineering elite dare to try. On Everest are mainly amateurs, whose make the mountain more dangerous than it would be without them. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner stated that Annapurna was the only mountain, she couldn't feel satisfied, while standing on it's top, because of the perilous descend lying ahead, caused by the huge avalanche risk, that Annapurna is notorious for. IMO you are right in nearly everything you say but Annapurna is an whole avalanche zone indeed and therefore perhaps the most dangerous 8000 meters peak.

[@pokerman9108]

Is he really risking more than others who climb? I would say his style is safer. he spends less time on the mountain.

[@9pt9]

+PokerMan There is no amount of skill that can account for the probability of an avalanche or random falling rocks. Even with his commendable level of skill and gigantic testicles, based on the risk of death on that mountain he has luck to thank for being alive.

[@deschutesmaple4520]

1:00 - he is yawning. Maybe that's why this is a rather boring video.

[@Jack_The_Ripper_Here]

Suicidal

[@magneticcompass8648]

RIP