Sad sad day for the mountaineering world, as it has lost one its shinning stars.  The Himalayan Times  reports 40 year old Ueli Steck, nicknamed “The Swiss Machine”, died in the early hours of Saturday.  Details are on the exact circumstances are unclear but he may have slipped and fallen on the icy slope. His body has been recovered from the mountain and reports indicate Steck was climbing alone near Camp II.

The BBC reports Steck was famous for his rapid ascents and had reached Mount Everest’s summit without oxygen in 2012, and in 2015 climbed all 82 Alpine peaks over 4,000m (13,100ft) in 62 days. Steck was in the process of acclimatizing for an attempt on the mountain without oxygen by a new route when he died.

Further details will emerge in coming days and we will be sure to update this story but for now we should pay tribute to a man who redefined alpine speed climbing and set a string of records speed solo ascents of classic routes that blew people’s minds.

Here is “The Swiss Machine” in the pocket, fully at the top of his game hauling ass up the Eyger. This guy was something else:

[images from Ueli’s Facebook Page]

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