Hans Kammerlander on Manaslu

That’s it. Hans Kammerlander closes the book Manaslu. “I had a nice, very good time here on this mountain. That was worth it,” said the 60-year-old South Tyrolean, after he and his North Tyrolean team partner Stephan Keck had decided last weekend to abandon their late fall expedition to the eighth highest mountain in the world (8,163 m). “I have made peace with Manaslu. Above all, I’ve finished this part of my way. That was what I had planned. It was never really about the summit itself. That would have been a highlight at best.”

High avalanche danger

Above camp 1 (© Stephan Keck)

The two climbers were on Saturday on their way to Camp 2 at 6,600 meters, when they, in Stephan Keck’s words, “sunk in the powder snow up to the armpits”: “I probably do not have to explain to anyone how strenuous, slow and therefore dangerous it is to move under these conditions.” Because of the snow masses and the consequential high avalanche danger, they pulled the emergency brake. “If we tried it, it would have been Russian roulette and probably all of us would have lost our lives,” Kammerlander said.

Coping with trauma

His team partner also realized that Hans’ main goal was to cope with his Manaslu trauma of 1991. Kammerlander had taken the decision to end the expedition “quite relaxed”, Stephan Keck wrote in his blog: “It becomes clear that he rather wanted to return to Manaslu itself than to scale his 13th main summit of an eight-thousander.”

With ups and downs

Too much snow on Manaslu (© Stephan Keck)

On an expedition led by Kammerlander 26 years ago, his two friends Friedl Mutschlechner and Karl Großrubatscher had been killed in severe weather during a summit attempt. Hans had declared at the time that he would never return to Manaslu. He now revised his decision for shootings for a film that is to be released in the cinemas in November 2018 – “a portrait of my life, with ups and downs,” as Kammerlander had told me last spring.

No further attempt

Even if a summit success of Kammerlander more than a quarter of a century after the 1991 tragedy would had given the film a special point, the film crew will nevertheless return with impressive footages: of a base camp that was no longer overcrowded like just a few weeks earlier, of a lonesome Manaslu in a snow dress – and of a protagonist who returns home safe and sound and has made peace with the “Mountain of the Spirit”. Kammerlander definitely ruled out another summit attempt next spring.

Hans Kammerlander

He wants to draw a final line. Late next fall, the South Tyrolean Hans Kammerlander wants to climb the 8163-meter-high Manaslu in Nepal, leaving his trauma of 1991 behind. During a summit attempt, his two friends Friedl Mutschlechner and Karl Großrubatscher had died in a thunderstorm. At that time Kammerlander declared that he would never return to Manaslu. In the years before, Hans, at the side of Reinhold Messner, had written alpine history. Thus the two succeeded the first eight-thousander double traverse on Gasherbrum I and II in Pakistan in 1984 – in Alpine style.

“No alpinism”

Kammerlander has so far climbed twelve of the 14 eight-thousanders. In 1996, he skied down from the summit of Mount Everest via the Tibetan north side. Hans, however, had to take off his skies several times because it was a season with little snow. Meanwhile the 60-year-old has lost any interest in what happens on Everest. “I’m not following this. For me normal Everest ascents have nothing to do with alpinism. Supplemental oxygen, prepared mountains and the Sherpas make everything clear,” the 60-year-old told me. “But everyone should do it as he thinks it’s right. But he should leave no garbage there. He has to leave the mountain clean, then it’s okay for me.” I spoke to Kammerlander about his upcoming Manaslu project, which he wants to realize along with the North Tyrolean mountain guide Stephan Keck.

Hans, Manaslu means “mountain of the spirit”. Does Manaslu still weigh heavily on you?

Manaslu (l.) and Pinnacle East (r.)

Yes of course. If you face such severe blow of fate as I did on Manaslu, where I have lost my two very close friends at that time, such a mountain weighs heavier on you than mountains where you experienced your greatest successes, such as Everest or Nanga Parbat.

You said at the time: This experience was so traumatic that I never want to return the Manaslu. Why now this change of mind?

I really did not want to go back. I always thought this would only reopen the old wounds. A few years ago (in 2006) in an attempt on (the 7350-meter-high) Jasemba in Nepal – we were a team of two – a very good friend of mine (Luis Brugger) fell to death when abseiling. The next year I was there again, and I successfully completed the ascent along with Karl Unterkircher. I’ve found: It’s better to go forward instead of sticking your head in the sand and stop everything. The idea arose to return to Manaslu, without any pressure to perform, trying quite relaxed to scale to the mountain thus finishing a path. This is what we will try this year. We’re gonna make a big movie. It should not be sensational but go in depth. It will be a portrait of my life, with ups and downs. And Manaslu will be the main theme.

Strong rope team: Hans (l.) with Reinhold Messner in 1991

You once wrote that you felt complicit in the death of your two friends for many years, and that you were no more able to feel happy in the mountains. Are you meanwhile at peace with yourself?

Yes, absolutely. But, of course, it’s clear: As an expedition leader, you always feel a little guilty. I wanted to give my friends the chance to climb an eight-thousander, as Reinhold Messner did with me when I was a young climber. Then we do not reach the summit and the two top friends have accidents. Though it’s not your fault, you are very depressed. Nevertheless I would like to tell people now: No matter what happens to you in life, go forward! If someone falls down the stairs and gets injured, he can not avoid stairs for a lifetime. In this cinematic portrait we will show not only brilliant successes but also the deep pain I suffered very often in life: by the loss of friends, by a serious car accident for which I had to take the blame. These were very serious, unintended cuts. They all will come to light in this film.

You brought up the car accident at the end of 2013, when a young man was killed. You drove under the influence of alcohol, and you received a two-year suspended sentence in 2015. Can one get rid of such a story at all?

If you make a mistake, you do not want to make it. Then it happened, and you have to try to live with it. Of course, no one in the world knows how many people’s lives I’ve saved as a mountain rescue man. And then you make a mistake and you are blamed, not for everything, but a big part of. It was unintended, and that’s what you also must be able to live with. That’s hard. If you made a mistake and something dramatic happened, this is very, very, very hard. Because you have no credit from the public. As a well-known person you are reduced on this mistake. This is very, very bitter.

Camp 1 on the north side of Manaslu

Let’s go back to Manaslu. Since last December you are 60 years old. How do you prepare for your first eight-thousander expedition for over 15 years?

I will not prepare in a special way. I have an incredible routine. I know exactly what my body is able to do and what not. This expedition should have nothing to do with performance. For me personally it should only be a path that I would like to finish. Perhaps I will be successful. In this case I would be very well balanced in my mind and could say: Now you can retire. Now you have reached your great goals on the mountains. Over the years, I just stalled the Manaslu project, postponed it and never again set myself this task.

Are you going to climb without bottled oxygen?

Supplemental oxygen was always out of question for me. I do not need it. Of course, I trust myself to climb this mountain, otherwise I wouldn’t have taken the project into consideration. I am still relatively fit. And there have been many older ones at great altitudes, who have not had much experience. I have it. So I do not have to run like mad now to get me into shape.

Do you want to ascend via the north side of Manaslu, as in 1991?

I would like to go to the South Face. I still prefer a steep wall rather than a long and easy but exhausting walk.

Climbing via the south side would also have the advantage that you could avoid the masses, which you will surely meet on Manaslu in fall. For sure 99 percent of the climbers will be on the north side.

This has really changed a lot. At the time we were alone on Manaslu. But that’s not an issue for me, anyway, because I will leave only in November and go into the winter. Then there is no one left, and we will have the mountain for ourselves. There will certainly be more wind and coldness, but the weather will probably be more stable. I took all this into account. I do not want to ascend in such a mass.

In case of success, the 14 eight-thousanders would be within your reach. Besides of Manaslu, you are still lacking Shishapangma, where you were “only” on the Central, not the Main Summit. Would that be an issue for you?

If I reach the summit of Manaslu, I – for me personally – would have completed the 14 eight-thousanders. Because the (8008 meters high) Central Summit of Shishapangma indeed is an eight-thousander. At that time Shishapangma was my training summit for Everest. I really blew it. I climbed directly to the Central Summit, saw a few prayer flags on an ice axe and didn’t cross via the ridge to the Main Summit, which is a few meters higher. I am not interested in it, the number 14 was never an issue for me. In case of success at that time I had the chance to become the fourth climber on all 14 eight-thousanders. I am interested in other stories, trying something new, not only being listed.

Hans Kammerlander

The South Tyrolean mountaineer Hans Kammerlander has been involved in a car accident with a tragic end near his home village Sand in Taufers. According to media reports from South Tyrol, a 21-year-old man lost control of his car. It grazed three oncoming cars before it crashed head-on into a van that was driven by Kammerlander. The 21-year-old died at the scene. Kammerlander and four other persons, who were injured too, were taken to hospital. Stol.it reports that Kammerlander broke his right leg. The 56-year-old was under shock, it said. His van was completely destroyed.

Double traverse

Kammmerlander has climbed twelve of the fourteen 8000ers, all without bottled oxygen, seven of them together with Reinhold Messner. With him Kammerlander succeeded in 1984 the first (and till this day not repeated) double traverse on 8000ers, in Alpine style, i.e. without the help of Sherpas, without high camps, fixed ropes and oxygen mask. In the Karakoram in Pakistan Messner and Kammerlander summited Gasherbrum I, descended on another route to a col, from where they directly climbed up to the top of Gasherbrum II and downhill via another route. After eight days, they returned to basecamp. It was a milestone of climbing on the 8000ers. Get well soon, Hans!

Hans Kammerlander

The phone rings. At the other end: „Hans Kammerlander!” I had asked the South Tyrolean extreme mountaineer by email for his thoughts on the 60-year-anniversary of the first ascent of Everest. Hans prefered to answer directly. The 56-year-old has climbed twelve of the fourteen 8000ers, all without bottled oxygen, seven of them together with Reinhold Messner. With him Kammerlander succeeded in 1984 the first (and till this day not repeated) double traverse on 8000ers, in Alpine style, i.e. without the help of Sherpas, without high camps, fixed ropes and oxygen mask. In the Karakoram in Pakistan Messner and Kammerlander summited Gasherbrum I, descended on another route to a col, from where they directly climbed up to the top of Gasherbrum II and downhill via another route. After eight days, they returned to basecamp. It was a milestone of climbing on the 8000ers.

In the morning hours of 24th May 1996 Hans reached the summit of Mount Everest, after climbing up from the Tibetan north side of the mountain. He was alone then. Afterwards he skied down, only in a few passages without snow he had to put off his skies. We talked not only about this day but also about the recent events at the highest mountain on earth.

Hans, what kind of mountain is Everest for you today?

It has always been important for me as a high altitude climber. For years I’ve dreamed of him because I have had two hobbies since I was a child: climbing and skiing. I had the idea to combine both on the highest mountain in the world. For me, Everest stands for extraordinary memories: especially the moment when I started with skies from the highest point – and the loneliness. I had climbed up alone from 7000 metres, I could really feel the mountain. I have good memories of Everest and I’m glad that I had this adventure many years ago. Nowadays, it wouldn’t be possible. Climbing Everest has become tourism. What’s happening on the normal routes has nothing to do with alpinism.

Hans (l.) with Reinhold Messner in 1991

Has Everest lost its appeal for you as an extreme mountaineer?

There are still interesting routes on Everest, where you can surely climb alone. But an ascend on the normal route among hundreds of people would be a horror for me. The mountain has been enchained, that’s nothing. But everyone has to decide for themselves. Such attacks as recently against Ueli Steck and Simone Moro puts me in a very, very reflective mind.

Do you agree with Ueli and Simone who said that the attack was a indication for a conflict that has been brewing over years.

Yes, sure. I admire both of them. Ueli Steck is an exceptionally fast, good high altitude mountaineer. It is quite clear that Simone Moro and Ueli Steck don’t need any fixed rope. Even the Sherpas have to understand that the top climbers of the world should not be forced to move in these crowds. Of course the Sherpas do a great job on Everest. But they have also become managers, corrupted by mass tourism, by people throwing money around. The Sherpas do their work to get money which is as cold as ice. They don’t want to see anybody who doesn’t use the fixed ropes. They are afraid that this could lead to a chain reaction, that other climbers could say, I don’t need the ropes too. If the Sherpas attack such top alpinists, it’s below the belt. 

Were you surprised by the level of violence?

Yes, of course. That’s mediocre. I know that especially Moro has a social conscience. He has done a lot for the Sherpas, for example with his helicopter rescue flights. That also applies to Ueli Steck. And if the Sherpas attack such people they have to be reprimanded. This is not okay.

Do you think that it is possible to regain trust?

It will be very difficult, because for years climbing on the normal routes has become a puppet theater. It’s an important source of income for the country. Think of the permits which have to be paid! It would be possible to introduce new laws or rules, but Nepal or Tibet are not interested.

We expect the 60-year-anniversary of the first ascent of Everest. What do you wish Mount Everest for the future?

I would wish the mountain a bit more rest – and other candidates. Just now there are climbers for which an ascent of Mont Blanc on the normal route would be a sufficient challenge. Everest is no place for them. For these climbers the Sherpas prepare the routes. I wish that people look for other beautiful, lonely destinations and that as many as possible stay away from the beaten path on Everest.