Reinhold Messner

Many may perceive Edmund Hillary to be the best climber ever but there is somebody else who has surpassed him in many ways. Reinhold Messner was climbing mountains since the age of 5. Since then he has become the first man to summit Everest with his teammate Peter Habeler without supplemental oxygen in 1978. He then summited by himself without supplemental oxygen in 1980.

Since then he has become the only man to summit all fourteen 8,000 meter mountains. He tackles every mountain with a style called 'Alpine style' (meaning he brought only his clothes and a backpack carrying the essentials).

In 1970, he and his brother, Gunther, went on their first major Himalayan climb, Nanga Parbat, where they both reached the summit but Gunther died two days later on the descent due to an avalanche. Reinhold also lost seven of his toes due to frostbite. He has altered the climbing world entirely and give many kids someone to look up to. His courage, physical ability and knowledge of the mountains has helped him stay alive through all of his ascents. He has attacked the hardest mountains from the hardest side and did it all with minimal equipment.

It is great to see people like him push the limits that people thought to be impossible. It shows that nothing is impossible and all that we have to do is try, because if we don't try than it will be impossible.

Reinhold Messner

Have A Fantastic Day!