[jwplayer 6JhEaPiw-S5EMYFqt]
Ralf Dujomovits and his wife Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner have successfully summited Denali in Alaska USA.
Ralf Dujomovits is the first German high altitude to buckle up the 14 highest 8000m peaks in the world. Out of the 14 only one was climbed using supplemental oxygen: Everest his first 8000. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria has delivered the fundamental answer of who would become the first woman to equalize Reinhold Messner’s 14 8000 meters non oxygen climbs that ended in 1986. Both Ralf and Gerlinde practice high altitude non ox climbs, in what is known as alpine style. No porters to install the camps and carry the gear needed. You are on your own confronted by the challenge. Briefly the toughest kind of mountaineering in the World.
Gerlinde finished her last 8000m peak by shooting straight up the North pillar of K2 (The savage mountain) in the spring 2012, a memorable climb published in a 26 page article in National Geographic (You can find it here ). And in 2013 she was awarded adventurer of the year by National Geographic.
Denali — also known as Mount McKinley — is a pretty hard climb despite it is only a 6.194m peak (20.320ft). Its situation in Alaska makes it a very cold mountain to climb, and its location up in the northern hemisphere makes the oxygen conditions difficult compared to Everest.
Another difficulty is that the base starts out low, leaving a 5.486m climb to accomplish up to the summit in very cold conditions (-40° C at the summit).
Ralf and Gerlinde was kind enough to send us some photos from the climb, that we naturally want to share with the community. Both of them are totally committed to mountaineering which is a passion.
Sharing the passion is what it is all about.
Cette semaine, Ralf Dujmovits et Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner sont rentrés chez eux dans la forêt noire allemande après une session d’entrainement en Norvège.
Chez Valandré nous avons profité de leur séjour en Norvège pour leur confectionner une Combi customisée à chacun. Nous y avons brodé « Team Valandré » dans le dos et leur prénom sous le logo Valandré. Néanmoins le plus gros du boulot était de coudre les logos de leurs sponsors… vu le nombre de sponsors.
Ralf et Gerlinde étaient impatients d’essayer leur nouvelle combi avant leur prochain challenge et ils nous ont envoyés une photo. Pour nous, ils ont l’air… comment dire… des Professionnelles heureux! Incroyable, nous qui avons parcouru avec Ralf 13 des 14 8000 et tous les 8000 avec Gerlinde depuis qu’ils se sont rencontrés.
Cette fois, ils ont un but différent… Comme ils ont gravit tous les 8000 de leur challenge : l’arête de Cassin de Denali (McKinley) en Alaska est leur prochain sur la liste. Ils ont donc quitté le printemps Allemand pour se confronter au rude froid d’Alaska. On peut imaginer le buzz à leur arrivée au camp de base du Denali lorsqu’ils monteront leur tente !
L’arête de Cassin de Denali (McKinley) en Alaska (20.320ft/6773m)
Et la grande nouvelle pour nos amis du monde c’est que Ralf et Gerlinde seront présents à l’Outdoor Retailor Show de Salt Lake City au stand de Liberty Mountain. On ne peut donc que vivement conseiller à nos amis américains de ne pas louper la chance de rencontrer ces deux grandes personnes….
See you all at the OR!
Denali and the Cassin ridge (20.320ft/6773m)
Ralf Dujmovits and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, returned from a training session in Norway this week to their home in the black forest in Germany.
During their stay in Norway we at Valandré cranked out two custom combi’s for both. We embroided “Team Valandre” across their backs using silver thread and placed their names under the Valandré logo, and sewed on their sponsor logos…..and that was the biggest job….there are so many of them.
Ralf and Gerlinde was kind enough to try the combi’s out before their next challenge and have today sent a photo of how it looks. To us they look….how can I put it….like happy professionals! Incredible we did 13 of the 14 8000’ers with Ralf and all Gerlinds remaining 8000 since she met Ralf.
This time they have a different aim, as they both have no 8000ers left to challenge: The Cassin Ridge on Denali in Alaska. They leave the German spring summer to challenge the rough and bitter cold in Alaska. I can imagine the buzz at the Denali BC as they set up their tent!
[jwplayer 5uJIpM0v-S5EMYFqt]
And the big news to our friends worldwide is, that Ralf & Gerlinde will be present at this year’s OR show in SLC at the Liberty Mountain booth. I can only recommend to our US friends not to miss the chance to meet both in person……
See you all at the OR!
July 31th and august 1th 2012 Paul Régnier, Pierre Olivier Blanc et Francois Ranise entered the foot (3092m) of the 3983m high Grande Pic de la Meije, to Climb the Allain- Leiniger route. This route is a beautiful almost 1000m rock climb on the south face of the Grand Pic de la Meije in the massif des Ecrins south of Grenoble – France. Rated TD (Tres Difficile/Very difficult), it consist of numerous pitches in 5 and one famous icy chimney in 6.
The La Meije was one of the last peaks to be climbed in the French Alpes due to the technical difficulties. It’s an 8 to 10hours climb up and a 4h decent of the glacier on the north side. Paul, Pierre and Francois had a late start waiting for the sun to warm them up, and then they entered the route and climbed up with heavy back packs containing the necessary gear. Having some difficulties finding the route, they were happy to be able to make a bivy at the edge of the squared glacier at 3600m (10.800ft).
……and up the chimney we go!
Just before sunset, after a memorable night, Paul shoot a video at the bivi, as all happened to have spent the night in their Valandré bags. Paul in a Swing 900, PO in his old time Lafayette and Francois in a Bloody Mary. After summiting, Paul sent the video to us in Belcaire.
The famous BLING sticker!
Paul, Pierre Olivier and Francois have received a Bling sticker and our Flipper booklet containing all information’s of the 14 8000m peaks to thank them for the video.
The booklet is “super gear” to bring along. It allows you to play “the 8000m peak quiz” in the bivy or in the camp – EX: Who was the first to climb Kanchenjunga in winter, and what date? and….Who was the first wonan on Nanga….with or without ox?
Send us a Valandré video, and you will receive a BLING STICKER and the FLIPPER BOOKLET!
GOODBYE TO A ROCK STAR
It’s with great sadness that we heard the news of the death of French icon rock climber Patrick Edlinger at the age of 52 in his home in Savoy this morning (16.11.12). Please allow us to present our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones and to all of us who witnessed his amazing performance free climbing in the Verdon gorge.
Back in 1982, we had a gamble going on: “If Patrick is not alive by the end of the year, I will buy a round of beer, and chew my hat”. I never bought that round of beer, and never chewed my hat – because I knew that he was (like others in the early eighties) a top professional breaking the limits.
“Freedom is just another word for nothing left to loose”, so Patrick took this to the edge of the real world, and free climbed some of the most challenging routes in the Verdon gorge.
It was the years of “Think Pink” and Patrick was the inspiratory in France. He infused climbing in France with spirituality, philosophy with an ecological approach……yet still his gymnastic performances was – as his mind of steel – of extremely high performance.
Patrick let his grip loose last night, but this is fine with me. None of us expected an everlasting life, as the thrill was on the edge.
In one of his last statements to a hungry press Patrick stated: “I am a free man and do not regret anything I have done”. Yes life on the edge – with nothing left to loose – is true in its momentary essence, no future in front, no past behind. Just the eternal NOW
Does it really matter, we used to ask? – Your question is now Patrick: Did it really matter?
We at Valandré would like to thank Patrick Edlinger for the fundamentally true impulses he infused into the climbing community in the early 80’ties.
Rest in peace Patrick…..the job was well done!
