Fritz Wintersteller (21 October 1927 – 15 September 2018) was an Austrian
mountaineer
Mountaineering or alpinism, is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending tall mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas. Indoor climbing, sport climbing, an ...
who made the first ascent of
Broad Peak
Broad Peak ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram on the border of Pakistan and China, the twelfth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. It was first ascended in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger, an ...
together with
Hermann Buhl
Hermann Buhl (21 September 1924 – 27 June 1957) was an Austrian mountaineer. He was innovative in applying Alpine style to Himalayan climbing. His accomplishments include the first ascents of Nanga Parbat in 1953 and Broad Peak in 1957.
Earl ...
,
Kurt Diemberger
Kurt Diemberger (born 16 March 1932) is an Austrian mountaineer and author of several books. He is the only living person who has made the first ascents on two mountains over 8,000 metres: of Broad Peak in 1957 and of Dhaulagiri in 1960.
Career
...
, and
Marcus Schmuck
Marcus Schmuck (18 April 1925 – 21 August 2005) was an Austrian mountaineer. In 1957, together with Hermann Buhl he organized the expedition, firstly envisaged and initiated by Buhl, to climb the world's 12th highest peak, the Broad Peak (8,047& ...
in 1957.
Although never a professional climber, he climbed almost every 4000m-mountain in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
, including first ascents of
Hochkogel (north face) and
Wiesspitze. Three other
side summits over 4000m were apparently considered by him to be "not beautiful enough" to climb.
[
In his later years, he made several trips to ]Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
for long ski tour
Ski touring is skiing in the backcountry on unmarked or unpatrolled areas. Touring is typically done off-piste and outside of ski resorts, and may extend over a period of more than one day. It is similar to backcountry skiing but excludes the ...
s and rafting
Rafting and whitewater rafting are recreational outdoor activities which use an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other body of water. This is often done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water. Dealing with risk is often a ...
several rivers. As of 2010 he was living in Salzburg
Salzburg (, ; literally "Salt-Castle"; bar, Soizbuag, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian) is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020, it had a population of 156,872.
The town is on the site of the ...
, Austria. Due to difficulties with his hips he spent most of his time bicycling.
First ascents
Data from [Broadpeak.org]
Team members: Fritz Wintersteller. Accessed 4 July 2010.
* 1943
** Kleines Fieberhorn, Southeast tower, variant V
** Grosses Fieberhorn, South traverse, V-
** Bratschenkopf
The Hinterer Bratschenkopf is a mountain in the Glockner Group on the Fusch-Kaprun ridge (''Fuscher / Kapruner Kamm'') in the High Tauern, a high mountain range in the Austrian Central Alps. According to the listed sources it is 3,412 metres high, ...
, direct South face, V
* 1944
** Zahringkogel, direct West face, V+
** Watzmannfrau, Northwest, left traverse, V+
* 1945
** Hochkogel, Northwest face tower, V
* 1946
** Grosswand, South ridge, 1. descent on skis
* 1948
** Wiesspitze, direct West face, V+
** Lehender Kopf, direct West face, V
* 1955
** Falkenstein
Falkenstein or Falckenstein ("falcons' stone" in German) may refer to:
Places
Austria
* Falkenstein, Lower Austria, a market town in the district of Mistelbach
Germany
* Falkenstein, Bavaria, a market town in the district of Cham
* Falkenst ...
, Southeast ridge, III
** Westbyfijell, South face, III and Southeast ridge, II
** Snökuppelen, North face, IV
* 1957
** Broad Peak
Broad Peak ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram on the border of Pakistan and China, the twelfth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. It was first ascended in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger, an ...
8030m, Forepeak on May 29
** Broad Peak
Broad Peak ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram on the border of Pakistan and China, the twelfth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. It was first ascended in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger, an ...
8047m on June 9
** Skil Brum 7420m on June 19summitpost.org
Skil Brum. Accessed 5 July 2010
See also
*
List of famous Austrians
*
List of Austrian mountaineers
This is a list of Austrian mountaineers. On 5 of the 14 Eight-thousanders Austrians have made the first ascent, more than any other nation can claim. Out of the total of 9 Austrian mountaineers who made first ascents of Eight-thousanders, 3 have be ...
*
Eight-thousander
The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation (UIAA) recognises eight-thousanders as the 14 mountains that are more than in height above sea level, and are considered to be sufficiently independent of neighbouring peaks. There is no ...
*
Broad Peak
Broad Peak ( ur, ) is a mountain in the Karakoram on the border of Pakistan and China, the twelfth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. It was first ascended in June 1957 by Fritz Wintersteller, Marcus Schmuck, Kurt Diemberger, an ...
*
Skil Brum
*
Alpine style
Alpine style is mountaineering in a self-sufficient manner, thereby carrying all of one's food, shelter and equipment as one climbs, as opposed to expedition style (or siege style) mountaineering which involves setting up a fixed line of stocked ...
*
List of first ascents
The following list summarizes notable first ascents of mountains and peaks around the world, in chronological order. It does not list new routes to previously climbed summits.
Notes and references
*German and Austrian Alpine Club, ''Die Erschli ...
References
External links
Team member of Austrian OEAV Karakoram expedition 1957Skil Brum on Summitpost.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wintersteller, Fritz
1927 births
2018 deaths
Austrian mountain climbers
Sportspeople from Innsbruck