MESSNER, REINHOLD

born Sept. 17, 1944, Bressanone, Italy mountain climber who in 1980 made the first solo ascent of Mount Everest (29,035 feet [8,850 metres]), the world's highest peak, without the use of contained oxygen for breathing. It was Messner's second ascent of Everest; his first climb in 1978 with Peter Habeler of Austria was the first ascent ever accomplished without additional oxygen. Messner was introduced to mountaineering by his father, and from the age of 13 he made numerous difficult climbs in the Eastern Alps. In 1970 he scaled Nanga Parbati I (26,660 feet [8,126 metres]) in the Himalayas by way of its Rupal (south) face; his younger brother Gnther died during the descent. In 1975 Messner and Habeler made the first ascent of the northwestern face of Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak; 26,470 feet [8,068 metres]) in the Karakoram Range, without oxygen or support climbers. In 1978 he again climbed Nanga Parbat I, reaching the summit alone by a new route, and in 1979 he led a team of six to the top of the world's second highest mountain, K2 (28,251 feet [8,611 metres]). In 1983 he led a party on a notable ascent of Cho Oyu (26,906 feet [8,201 metres]) using a new route, the southwest face. Messner was the first man ever to climb all 14 of the world's mountains exceeding a height of 8,000 metres (26,250 feet), and he was also the first to cross Antarctica without either dogs or machines. He also operated a successful Alpine-climbing school and wrote several books, including Die Herausforderung (1976; The Challenge) and Everest (1978).