2. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner Makes Pure Ascent Of Nuptse
In May, German climber Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the first woman to climb all fourteen 8000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen, made an unusual ascent of Nuptse along with climbing partner David Gottler. The pair climbed the 7861-meter (25,791 ft) mountain (located in Nepal, not far from Everest) in the alpine style, without the use of Sherpa support, fixed ropes, or bottled oxygen. Each of those elements is crucial to most expeditions in the Himalaya these days, and to go without any of them is almost unheard of. But Kaltenbrunner and Gottler eschewed all of those comforts in pursuit of a more challenging, yet pure, ascent, making it one of the most impressive climbs of the year.
-- Kraig Becker
Image: Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner during her and partner David Gottler's alpine style ascent of Nuptse (Credit: Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner)