Swiss mountaineer Erhard Loretan, 52, dies in fall

Swiss mountaineer Erhard Loretan, one of the few climbers to have summited all 14 of the world's peaks above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet), died in a climbing accident on Thursday, his 52nd birthday.

The Associated Press reported that Loretan was leading a Swiss client up the summit ridge of the Gruenhorn, in the Bernese Alps, when the pair fell for unknown reasons at a height of 3,800 meters (12,500 feet) up the 4,043 meter (13,264-foot) peak. Police from the Swiss canton of Valais said that Loretan died at the scene, while his 38-year-old client was flown to a hospital in serious condition.

Loretan, originally from the canton of Fribourg, began climbing at age 11. He ascended his first 8,000-meter peak, Pakistan's Nanga Parbat, in 1982. It took him 13 years to climb the other 13, summiting the Himalayan peak of Kangchenjunga in 1995.

Loretan was the third person, behind Italian climber Reinhold Messner and Polish mountaineer Jerry Kukuczka, to summit all the 8,000-meter peaks.

Loretan was also renowned for his 1986 ascent of Mt. Everest in only 40 hours, climbing by night without the use of supplementary oxygen.

Loretan's acclaim was marred by the tragic 2001 death of his 7-month-old son, who was killed when Loretan shook him to stop his crying. Loretan pleaded guilty to negligent manslaughter and was given a four-month suspended sentence. The case's notoriety led to new research showing that infants can die from being shaken.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Erhard Loretan in 1998. Credit: Associated Press / Keystone / STR

 

Outposts looks back at 2010: Achievements

With the the year ending, it is worth looking back at memorable posts of 2010. Each day this week through Friday, Outposts will recount some of the records broken, the achievements reached, the notable passings and the downright unusual during 2010 in the outdoors, action and adventure world.

Kelly Slater clinches historic 10th ASP World Tour title

Kelly Slater made sporting history on Nov. 6, claiming an unprecedented 10th Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour title.

Culminating a 20-year effort, Slater, 38, accomplished an incredible feat that will undoubtedly remain at the top of the ASP record book for a long time.

"I feel relieved, honestly," Slater said. "It’s been the most stressful title I’ve ever had, because it’s sort of an unknown place and you know at my age people say, 'You shouldn’t be doing this.'"

Photo credit: Kirstin Scholtz / ASP

Lance Mackey wins fourth consecutive Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

With 11 dogs in harness, musher Lance Mackey rode into Nome, Alaska, at 2:59 p.m. March 16, passing under the burled arch and the Widow's Lamp hanging from it to win the 38th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 39-year-old Mackey, from Fairbanks, Alaska, also rode into the record books, becoming the first to win the "last great race on Earth"  four times in a row.

Photo credit: Bob Hallinen / Anchorage Daily News

 

Irvine woman with rare disease conquers Mt. Everest

Cindy Abbott lives with adversity. The Irvine resident started losing vision in her left eye more than 15 years ago, and began having a slew of mini-strokes and vertigo. Finally, in 2007, Abbott was diagnosed with Wegener's Granulomatosis, a rare and potentially deadly disease of uncertain cause.

Abbott, 51, has no idea how long she has left to live because of the incurable disease. But she did not let the debilitating affliction hold her back, and on May 23, became the first person with Wegener's Granulomatosis to reach the top of Mt. Everest.

Photo credit: Bill Allen

Outposts looks back at 2010: Records

With the year ending, it is worth looking back at memorable posts of 2010. Each day this week through Friday, Outposts will recount some of the records broken, the achievements reached, the notable passings and the downright unusual during 2010 in the outdoors, action and adventure world.

Angler lands 405.2-pound yellowfin tuna, likely new world record

Angler Mike Livingston, a retired school administrator from Sunland, boated a yellowfin tuna weighing in at 405.2 pounds, likely a new all-tackle world record.

The fish, which measured 85 3/4 inches from nose to tail and had a girth of 61 1/2 inches, took almost three hours to land. It has been submitted to the International Game Fish Assn. for approval as an all-tackle world record.

Photo credit: Bill Roecker / Fishingvideos.com

 

It's official: Big bass caught in Japan ties world record held for more than 77 years

On Jan. 8, the International Game Fish Assn. verified that a 22-pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass tied the all-tackle world record held for more than 77 years. Although the fish was caught in July 2009, I included this on the list because the record was verified in 2010.

Japan's Manabu Kurita, 32, made his catch at Lake Biwa, an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto. The fish measured 27.20 inches in length and 26.77 inches in girth.

Photo credit: Manabu Kurita

 

Big Bear Lake's Jordan Romero, 13, becomes youngest person to scale Mt. Everest

Jordan Romero, a 13-year-old from Big Bear Lake, became the youngest person to scale Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak. The eighth-grader's contingent confirmed by satellite phone on May 21 (Pacific time) that his climbing group had reached the 29,035-foot summit.

Romero's accomplishment finished his quest to climb seven of the world's tallest mountains, one on each continent.

Photo credit: Prakash Mathema / AFP/Getty Images

Extreme skier Fredrik Ericsson falls to his death scaling K2

Fredrik Ericsson, one of the world's leading high-altitude skiers, fell to his death Friday while attempting to scale and then ski from the 28,251-foot summit of K2. Ericsson was 35.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, a fellow climber who was with Ericsson when he fell, said in a post on Ericsson's website that "Fredrik was fixing rope to the rock in the bottle neck above ... when he lost purchase and was unable to arrest his fall. This happened some time between 7 and 8 a.m. Later it was determined he fell about 1000m [3,280 feet] and did not survive."

Featured in a June Outposts item, extreme skier Ericsson was on a quest to ski down the three highest peaks on the planet -- K2, on the border between China and Pakistan; the Himalayan peak of Kangchenjunga; and Mt. Everest, on the border of Nepal and Tibet. 

"The project spans two years and I will try to ski the three highest mountains in the world: K2 this summer, Mt. Everest in Autumn, 2010, and Kangchenjunga in Autumn, 2011," Ericsson said in a press release.

Ericsson had successfully completed summit descents from some of the highest mountains, including Peak Somoni, in Tajikstan; Shisha Pangma in Tibet; and Gasherbrum 2, on the border of China and Pakistan.

Ericsson's friend, David Schipper, concluded the latest post on Ericsson's site with the following:

"It is almost impossible to get the facts straight in these situations as each version is a blend of facts and perspective. It is also difficult to understand the situation without being there. I give my most sincere condolences to Frippe's parents, family and friends. I have no words to express my sorrow. This information in an effort to help you understand the details -- though they can only tell part of the story. Everyone I have had contact with, both on K2 and off, said he was liked by everyone at base camp, that he brought a positive atmosphere everywhere he went.

"You will be missed, Fredrik by all of us fortunate enough to have known you. I will remember you with the memory of beautiful Chogolisa in the background."

-- Kelly Burgess

twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Fredrik Ericsson. Credit: FredrikEricsson.com

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Extreme skier Fredrik Ericsson attempting to summit and ski K2; first leg of his quest to ski world's three highest mountains

Extreme skier Fredrik Ericsson attempting to summit and ski K2; first leg of his quest to ski world's three highest mountains

Fredrik Ericsson is one of the world's leading high-altitude skiers, with summit descents from some of the highest mountains, including Peak Somoni, Shisha Pangma and Gasherbrum 2.

Now, the extreme skier is on a new quest: to ski down the three highest peaks on the planet -- K2, Kangchenjunga and Mt. Everest.

Although several ski mountaineers have tried, no one has ever made a complete ski descent from the 28,251-foot summit of K2, the Savage Mountain.

"I have already skied on five mountains higher than 8,000 meters [26,246 feet]. During these adventures I gained critical experience that will apply towards my goal of skiing the absolute highest," Ericsson said in a press release. "The project spans two years and I will try to ski the three highest mountains in the world: K2 this summer, Mt. Everest in Autumn, 2010, and Kangchenjunga in Autumn, 2011."

Earlier this week the team, which includes alpine journalist Trey Cook, reached K2 base camp, minus much of their equipment, including food, fuel and medical supplies. Unable to find enough porters to carry what is needed for the months-long expedition, it was decided to leave things behind and have it brought on a subsequent carry.

Irvine woman with rare disease conquers Mt. Everest

Cindy Abbott lives with adversity. The Irvine resident  started losing vision in her left eye more than 15 years ago, and began having a slew of mini-strokes and vertigo. No one could explain to her why any of it was happening.

Finally, in 2007, Abbott was diagnosed with Wegener's Granulomatosis, a rare and potentially deadly disease of uncertain cause. Affecting 1 in 20,000 adults, Wegener's Granulomatosis is characterized by the inflammation of blood vessels, a condition that restricts blood flow and can lead to lung, kidney and other organ damage.

Abbott, 51, has no idea how long she has left to live because of the incurable disease. But she did not let the debilitating affliction hold her back, and on May 23, she became the first person with Wegener's Granulomatosis to reach the top of Mt. Everest.

"I had decided to climb Mt. Everest prior to my diagnosis and becoming functionally blind in my left eye," Abbott said. "After the disease was stabilized, I continued my goal of climbing to the top of the world."

Abbott persevered with her dream, becoming one of fewer than 45 U.S. women to successfully summit the 29,035-foot peak.

"After years of training, spending six weeks on the mountain going up and down getting my body adjusted to the altitude, and the actual summit climb, I still find it difficult to believe I did it," Abbott said. "It was very difficult on many levels -- physical, mental and emotional."

And the weather made the attempt even more challenging. "I am talking about tent-destroying and cold," Abbott said. "The weather had all the climbers pinned in at different levels of the mountain." Adding to the difficulties was a cyclone that was moving toward the world's tallest peak, leaving a narrow two-day window for Abbott and other climbers to attempt the summit.

Big Bear Lake's Jordan Romero, 13, becomes youngest person to scale Mt. Everest

Jordan Romero, a 13-year-old from Big Bear Lake, Calif., has become the youngest person to scale Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak.

The eighth-grader's contingent confirmed by satellite phone on Saturday (Himalayan time) that his climbing group, which included his father, Paul, and three Sherpa guides, had reached the 29,035-foot summit. Previously the youngest climber to scale Mt. Everest had been Nepal's Temba Tsheri, who accomplished the feat on May 23, 2001, at the age of 16 years and 14 days.

Romero's group climbed the northern route out of Tibet. They still have to make the trek down the mountain, which is a perilous route that claims the lives of climbers each year.

"Their dreams have now come true. Everyone sounded unbelievably happy," a new statement on Jordan's blog said late Friday, Pacific time.

Before he was about to make the ascent, he wrote on his blog: "Every step I take is finally toward the biggest goal of my life, to stand on top of the world."

Romero's accomplishment finishes his quest to climb seven of the tallest mountains on each of the continents around the world. His other climbs were: Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa) on July 22, 2006; Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia) on April, 2007; Mt. Elbrus (Europe) on July 11, 2007; Mt. Aconcagua (South America) on Dec. 30, 2007; Mt. Denali (North American) on June 18, 2008; and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceana) on Sept. 1, 2009.

--Dan Loumena

Photo: Jordan Romero leaves a hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, on April 11 during his preparation to climb Mt. Everest.

Credit: Prakash Mathema / AFP-Getty Images

Malibu's Johnny Strange, 17, becomes youngest to bag Seven Summits

Three weeks ago, Malibu's Johnny Strange delivered a message from the top of Mt. Everest, stating, "Stop Genocide."

But he carries another message for fellow teenagers: Pursue your dreams and meet challenges head-on.

Strange, 17, after scaling the world's tallest peak at 29,035 feet, flew from the Himalayas to Australia and on Monday (Tuesday in Australia) strolled to the top of 7,310-foot Mt. Kosciuszko to become the youngest person in the world to have climbed the highest peak on seven continents, known collectively as the Seven Summits.

Strange beat a record held by Long Beach mountaineer Samantha Larson, who achieved the Seven Summits when she was 18.

Afterward Strange typed an e-mail to family and friends that read: "Never let anyone stifle your dreams no matter the feat, for if you have the heart and the courage, impossible is nothing."

It helps to have a wealthy attorney and fellow adventurer as a father, but this should steal nothing from Strange's accomplishment. He climbed Antarctica's Mt. Vinson when he was 12 to set this project in motion, and Everest is daunting for climbers of any age and experience level because of its perilously thin air and unpredictable nature (six climbers have died on Everest this season).

Strange reached the summit of Everest two days after Utah's Johnny Collinson stood on top of the world. Collinson also is 17 and he's trying to bag the Seven Summits within a calendar year.

Strange said he chose Kosciuszko instead of  Everest as his final Seven Summits peak because he wanted to tackle Everest "as a lone experience, not part of the Seven Summit goal."

--Pete Thomas

Photo: Malibu's Johnny Strange on the summit of Mt. Everest. Credit: Scott Wollums

Mt. Everest claims a seventh victim

Sergei Samoilov, who was part of a Kazakstani expedition attempting to negotiate the Lhotse-Everest traverse in the Himalayas, reportedly has died, though details are scant.

The news was reported Thursday on Mounteverest.net and confirmed on the expedition website, which vaguely mentions that "during the last attempt of Lhotse summit, Sergey Samoilov was lost."

The website further states: "A group of Sherpas are going to carry Sergey Samoilov’s body to the Camp 2 for temporary burial" and that in the fall, after the monsoon season, an attempt will be made to retrieve the body.

The Kazakhs could be the last team on Lhotse/Everest's south side. Most or all other Mt. Everest teams, after a busy week and several successful summits of the world's tallest mountain, have returned to base camp or departed for home.

Samoilov would be the seventh person to have died on Mt. Everest this climbing season.

—Pete Thomas

Photo of Samoilov (top right) courtesy of his expedition.

Photo of the daunting Lhotse face courtesy of Rainier Mountaineering Inc.

Atop Mt. Everest, another death, another body claimed by Himalayan peak

It has been a whirlwind two weeks on the world's tallest peak, with about 300 people -- young, old and in between -- reaching the top of 29,035-foot Mt. Everest.

Amid the glory and celebration, however, is considerable gloom. Another climber, earlier this week, reportedly died,  bringing to five the number of fatalities and making this a substantially deadly season on the Himalayan peak.

The latest victim was Calgary's Frank Ziebarth, 29, who reached the summit of Everest from the Tibetan side without supplemental oxygen but ultimately perished. This occurred Thursday and was reported Sunday on EverestNews.com by the climbing team of Alexandre Paré, Manuel Pizarro and Anna Baranska:

"Very sadly, Frank could not make it back to high camp, suffering from hypothermia and obvious lack of oxygen. He was last seen at 8,700 meters still determined to go down on his own strength. It was later confirmed by fellow climbers that his body now rests peacefully at the bottom of the third step high on Mount Everest."

Ziebarth, who was engaged to be married, had previously attained the summits of Shishapangma, Cho Oyu and Lhotse without supplemental oxygen.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A porter rests his load with Mt. Everest looming in the distance. Credit: Rainier Mountaineering Inc.
 

Two American 17-year-olds summit Everest, a third turns back

Two out of three 17-year-olds is not bad for Mt. Everest. In fact, it's an outstanding ratio.

Earlier this week, Johnny Collinson of Snowbird, Utah, made it to the top of the world's tallest peak, becoming the first Westerner to do so. A day later, Johnny Strange of Malibu reached the summit. Their view from 29,035 feet: absolutely stunning.

More recently, though, Erica Dohring of Paradise Valley, Arizona, abandoned her quest during what was to be the summit push.

This dispatch from Rainier Mountaineering team member Dave Hahn: "... Subtly at first, and then a bit more obviously as we came into our first rest break, Erica’s pace began to falter and things didn’t seem quite so easy any longer. This was perplexing at first, since conditions were perfect, the terrain was relatively easy and Erica’s health was excellent.

"As planned at this point of the climb, where the [Khumbu] Icefall steepens and the avalanche hazard to a group increases, I asked Seth, Melissa and Kent, along with Ang Kaji, to go slowly ahead. We’d stay in contact by radio. Erica and I finished our rest and moved upward, but by then it had become clear that Erica was losing confidence in her ability to climb the mountain.

Utah's Johnny Collinson, 17, has reached summit of Mt. Everest

*Update: Malibu's Johnny Strange also has reached the summit, with his 53-year-old dad and their guide, Scott Woolums. Will post photos on a separate item when they arrive.

Today is summit day on Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak at 29,035 feet. Many climbers have either reached Everest's summit from the South Col route or are close to doing so, while a Chinese climber on the northern route reportedly became the third person to die on Everest this season.

In the video you'll listen to Peter Whittaker and Ed Viesturs of the First Ascent expedition describing what it's like to stand on the top of the world.

Meanwhile, the race between 17-year-olds aspiring to become the youngest Westerner to reach the summit of the Himalayan giant (a 15-year-old Nepalese Sherpa is listed as the youngest person to do so) appears to have been won by Utah's Johnny Collinson, who is resting at Camp 4 after his remarkable achievement as part of a Mountain Madness expedition.

Malibu's Johnny Strange, also 17, presumably is close to reaching the summit. The latest report from guide Scott Woolums, as relayed by a Base Camp supporter, was issued today at 5:50 a.m. PDT. It reads: "They arrived safely into Camp 4 (South Col) they are eating, hydrating, and resting before leaving for the summit in about three hours."

"A few people summited today and are safely headed down the mountain or are resting in Camp 4.  A large crowd in Camp 4 getting ready to go up tonight or tomorrow given that this is the best weather window they have had so far this year."

Congratulations to both Johnnys and to all who made it safely to the top, and here's hoping for a safe return down. Details on the Chinese climber who perished on the remote northern route are scant. The announcement was made on Everestnews.com.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Utah's Johnny Collinson