Ueli Steck

Ueli Steck, a renowned Swiss mountaineer, was born on October 4, 1976, in Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland, and tragically lost his life on April 30, 2017, in Nepal. Revered as the "Swiss Machine," Steck was celebrated for his remarkable solo climbs and his astonishing speed records in the world of high-altitude climbing.

Steck's passion for climbing blossomed at the age of 12 after he transitioned from ice hockey to rock climbing, soon joining the Swiss Alpine Club. By 18, he had already conquered the north face of the Eiger and the Bonatti pillar in the Mont-Blanc massif. His career was marked by groundbreaking achievements, including the first ascent of the west face of Mount Pumori in 2001 and a series of daring climbs with partner Stephan Siegrist, including the iconic north faces of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau within 25 hours in 2004.

Among his many accolades, Steck set a record on the Eiger north face with a time of 2 hours and 47 minutes in 2008 and achieved the first solo ascent of Cholatse's north face in 2005. His extraordinary skills earned him the Piolet d'Or in 2009 for his ascent of Tengkampoche.

In 2015, he set another Eiger record of 2:22:50 for a roped ascent, further solidifying his legacy. Tragically, while preparing for a pioneering ascent of Everest and Lhotse in 2017, Steck died in a fall during acclimatization on Nuptse. His contributions to mountaineering continue to inspire climbers worldwide.