Ueli Steck
Speed Climbing the Alps

Friday, November 6
Eric Harvie Theatre
Margaret Greenham Theatre (simulcast)
All Tickets $32

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Considered one of the world’s best alpinists, Ueli Steck is known for his ability to climb quickly, his indomitable spirit, and his willingness to take high risks. Over the past three years, Steck has set astonishing speed records while climbing solo on three classic north faces in the Alps. While most would take days to complete these climbs, Steck completed The Eiger in two hours and 47 minutes , Les Grandes Jorasses in two hours and 21 minutes, and the Matterhorn in one hour and 56 minutes.

Born in 1974 in Emmental, Switzerland, Steck’s first passion was hockey, but he was drawn towards climbing and mountaineering. Although a skilled carpenter by trade, he has become a professional climber and continues to astound the climbing world with his athletic prowess as both an alpinist and a free climber.

In June 2009, almost three years after a successful 2006 climb to the east summit of Gasherbrum II, Steck reached the 8035 metre main summit from a new route on the north side. Other recent achievements include a free-climb of Golden Gate on El Capitan (5.13b, 41 pitches) where, slipping on wet rock, he missed only on a single pitch, on-sighting (successfully climbing a route on the first attempt, without any prior knowledge of the moves required, or pre-placed equipment) the rest of the climb which included five 5.12 and three 5.13 pitches.

For his extraordinary achievements in alpinism, Steck was recently honoured with the 2008 Piolet D’Or (the Oscars of the climbing world), for his first ascent of the north face of Tengkampoche (6500 metres), in Khumbu Valley, with climbing partner Simon Anthamatten. He was also a recipient of the 'Spirit of Mountaineering' award from the Alpine Club for his remarkable role in the rescue attempt of Iñaki Ochoa on Annapurna in 2008.

Steck comes back to Banff fresh from his summit of Makalu (8463m) via the normal route.

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Photo credit: Ueli Steck © Robert Boesch