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Cedric Hählen

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Cedric Haehlen
Cedric Hählen
BornSeptember 19, 1981
Aargau, Switzerland
DisappearedMarch 9, 2012
Gasherbrum I
MonumentsGilkey Memorial
Occupation(s)Landscape gardener, trainee mountain guide

Cedric Hählen (September 19, 1981 – missing March 9, 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]

Biography

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Cedric 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 March 9, 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

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Source:[21]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "2002 – Peru & Bolivien". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  4. ^ "2003 – Shisha Pangma". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  5. ^ a b "Portrait". Cedric Hählen (in German). 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  6. ^ "AAC Publications - Asia, Pakistan, Masherbrum Range, Charakusa Valley, Central Farol Peak, Probable First Ascent". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  7. ^ a b "AAC Publications - Asia, China, Karakoram, Gasherbrum II East, First Ascent from China". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  8. ^ Griffin, Lindsay (2006-09-22). "THE CHINESE FACE OF GASHERBRUM II EAST CLIMBED". Alpinist. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  9. ^ "Bergführer Aspirant + Kalender 2011". Cedric Hählen (in German). 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  10. ^ Hugentobler, Michael (2011-11-21). "Hausen - Dieser Mann will hoch hinaus, sehr hoch hinaus". Badener Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  11. ^ "Tragedia su Gasherbrum,morti 3 alpinisti". www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ a b "Gerfried Göschl: Der letzte Weg". ALPIN.de (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  14. ^ Binz, Simon (2012-04-02). "Erfolglose Suche - Weiterer erfolgloser Suchflug nach Aargauer Bergsteiger Hählen". Luzerner Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ gripped (2012-03-21). "Gasherbrum Search for missing climbers called off | Gripped Climbing Magazine". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  17. ^ a b "AAC Publications - Gasherbrum I (8,068m), Winter Tragedy". publications.americanalpineclub.org. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  18. ^ Binz, Simon (2012-04-04). "Abschied - Familie Hählen: «Werden Cedric in seinen geliebten Bergen ruhen lassen»". Oltner Tagblatt (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  19. ^ "TV-Tipp: Hidden Peak - Ein unerfüllter Traum - Bergwelten". www.bergwelten.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  20. ^ "Der letzte Weg (2012) - MNTNFILM". www.mntnfilm.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  21. ^ Cedric Hählen: expeditionsnews.ch[dead link] (Offizielle Webseite)
  22. ^ "2004 – K2". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  23. ^ "2004 – Aconcagua". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  24. ^ "2006 – Gasherbrum II". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  25. ^ "2009 – Broad Peak". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  26. ^ "2011 – Kangchendzönga". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  27. ^ "2011 – Kilimandscharo". Cedric Hählen (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-01.
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