Cedric Hählen (19 September 1981 – missing 9 March 2012) was a Swiss mountaineer. During his lifetime, he was the youngest European to climb K2, and climbed five eight-thousanders before the age of thirty.[1]
Cedric Haehlen | |
|---|---|
Cedric Hählen | |
| Born | 19 September 1981 Aargau, Switzerland |
| Disappeared | 9 March 2012 Gasherbrum I |
| Monuments | Gilkey Memorial |
| Occupation(s) | Landscape gardener, trainee mountain guide |
Biography
editCedric Hählen began climbing in the Alps as a child. In his teens, he would spent 30 to 40 weekends a year on mountain tours.[1] He developed his skills in climbing competitions for the Swiss Alpine Club, taking part in sixteen climbing competitions between 1995 and 2003.[2]
Later he began taking part in expeditions to climb eight-thousanders in the Himalayas and Karakoram.
In 2002, at age 19, he travelled to climb in South America. There, he made a number of ascents across Peru and Bolivia, including Huayna Potosi.[3] Less than six months later, Hählen made his first attempt to climb an eight-thousander, Shishapangma. Hählen reached 7700 m before returning to base camp.[4] On his first visit to Pakistan, Hählen became captivated by the country, and would return to climb there again and again.[5]
In 2004, he became the youngest European person to climb K2.[5] The next year, he was part of a Swiss-German team that made the first probable ascent of Central Farol Peak (6,350 m) in the Masherbrum Mountains.[6]
In 2006, Hählen, alongside Hans Mitterer and Ueli Steck made the first ascent of the north face of Gasherbrum II East (7,772m), from China.[7] At the time, the climb was called one of "the finest achievements in the Karakoram".[8]
By the age of 30, Hählen had summitted five eight-thousanders and been on eleven expeditions.[2] Between expeditions, he would return home to his work as a landscape gardener. In an effort to support himself and his climbing, in 2010, Hählen began training to become a certified alpine guide.[9] As a training guide, he brought an expedition of tourists to climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in 2011.[2]
In 2011, Hählen was invited by Gerfried Göschl to take part in an expedition attempting the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum I.[10][11] On 9 March 2012 the expedition team (Hählen, along with Gerfried Göschl and Nisar Hussain Sadpara) lost contact with base camp after relying that they were 450m below base camp.[12][13] Multiple search and rescue expeditions were launched for the missing climbers.[14][15] Despite considerable efforts,[16] no trace of the climbers has ever been found.[17][18]
During the expedition, a film crew was following the climb for a mountain film documentary.[19] After the climbers were lost, the footage was turned into a tribute, Der letzte Weg, produced by Red Bull Media House.[20][13]
Mountaineering
editSource:[21]
- 2003 - Shishapangma
- 2004 - K2 8611 m[22]
- 2004 - Aconcagua[23]
- 2006 - Gasherbrum II East[24] First ascent from China[7]
- 2006 - Broad Peak[25]
- 2011 - Kangchenjunga[26]
- 2011 - Kilimanjaro[27]
- 2012 - Gasherbrum I[17]
References
edit- ^ a b Kramer, Pirmin (2014-02-14). "Baden - Vor zwei Jahren verschollen: Nun erinnert ein Film an Cedric Hählens letzte Tour". Aargauer Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ a b c Hugentobler*, Michael (2013-02-09). "Extremsport - Seine letzte Tour führte ihn senkrecht den Berg hinauf". Solothurner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2002 – Peru & Bolivien". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2003 – Shisha Pangma". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ a b "Portrait". Cedric Hählen (in German). 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "AAC Publications - Asia, Pakistan, Masherbrum Range, Charakusa Valley, Central Farol Peak, Probable First Ascent". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ a b "AAC Publications - Asia, China, Karakoram, Gasherbrum II East, First Ascent from China". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Griffin, Lindsay (2006-09-22). "THE CHINESE FACE OF GASHERBRUM II EAST CLIMBED". Alpinist. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "Bergführer Aspirant + Kalender 2011". Cedric Hählen (in German). 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Hugentobler, Michael (2011-11-21). "Hausen - Dieser Mann will hoch hinaus, sehr hoch hinaus". Badener Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "Tragedia su Gasherbrum,morti 3 alpinisti". www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Binz, Simon (2012-03-13). "Extremsport - Das ist das letzte Video des Bergsteiger-Teams von Cedric Hählen". St. Galler Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ a b "Gerfried Göschl: Der letzte Weg". ALPIN.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Binz, Simon (2012-04-02). "Erfolglose Suche - Weiterer erfolgloser Suchflug nach Aargauer Bergsteiger Hählen". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Binz, Pirmin Kramer, Simon (2012-03-15). "Pakistan - Suche nach Bergsteigern blieb erfolglos". Appenzeller Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ gripped (2012-03-21). "Gasherbrum Search for missing climbers called off | Gripped Climbing Magazine". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ a b "AAC Publications - Gasherbrum I (8,068m), Winter Tragedy". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Binz, Simon (2012-04-04). "Abschied - Familie Hählen: «Werden Cedric in seinen geliebten Bergen ruhen lassen»". Oltner Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "TV-Tipp: Hidden Peak - Ein unerfüllter Traum - Bergwelten". www.bergwelten.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "Der letzte Weg (2012) - MNTNFILM". www.mntnfilm.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ Cedric Hählen: expeditionsnews.ch[dead link] (Offizielle Webseite)
- ^ "2004 – K2". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2004 – Aconcagua". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2006 – Gasherbrum II". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2009 – Broad Peak". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2011 – Kangchendzönga". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
- ^ "2011 – Kilimandscharo". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.