Chantal Mauduit
Encyclopedia
Chantal Mauduit was a French
alpinist
. Born in Paris, she arrived in the French Alps
at age five and started climbing at the age of 15. After several difficult routes in the Alps
, she focused her attention on the Andes
, and then the Himalayas, where she climbed K2
(1992; fourth woman overall, and solo climb), Shisha Pangma (1993), Cho Oyu
(1993), Lhotse
(1996; first woman solo), Manaslu
(1996), and Gasherbrum II
(1997), all without supplemental oxygen. Along with her Sherpa partner Ang Tsering, she was killed by an avalanche
on Dhaulagiri
on May 13, 1998 while asleep in their tent. In honor of her generosity, her friends and family created a foundation to help needy Nepalese
children, especially with schooling: The Association Chantal Mauduit Namasté.
in 1995. Some climbers perceived her as ungrateful for never acknowledging the lifesaving assistance that she had been given. She was also accused of not pulling her weight on climbing expeditions, leaving it to others to fix ropes on difficult sections of mountain or stock higher camps with food and other provisions, and then taking advantage of their work.
American mountaineer Ed Viesturs
also raised questions about the cause of Mauduit's death, suggesting either suffocation or carbon monoxide
poisoning as other possible causes, implying that Mauduit and her sherpa were incompetent. Viesturs was on Dhaulagiri at the time of Mauduit's death, but had no first hand knowledge of the situation where Mauduit died. The French autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a broken neck as a result of an ice or rock strike, and Viesturs does not formally question the autopsy's findings. Frederique Delrieu, a climbing companion of both Viesturs and Mauduit, saw Mauduit's body first-hand and confirmed that she had a broken neck.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
alpinist
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
. Born in Paris, she arrived in the French Alps
French Alps
The French Alps are those portions of the Alps mountain range which stand within France, located in the Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions....
at age five and started climbing at the age of 15. After several difficult routes in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, she focused her attention on the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
, and then the Himalayas, where she climbed K2
K2
K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
(1992; fourth woman overall, and solo climb), Shisha Pangma (1993), Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu
Cho Oyu is the sixth highest mountain in the world at above sea level. Cho Oyu lies in the Himalayas and is 20 km west of Mount Everest, at the border between China and Nepal...
(1993), Lhotse
Lhotse
Lhotse is the fourth highest mountain on Earth and is connected to Everest via the South Col. In addition to the main summit at 8,516 metres above sea level, Lhotse Middle is and Lhotse Shar is...
(1996; first woman solo), Manaslu
Manaslu
Manaslu , also known as Kutang) is the eighth highest mountain in the world, and is located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese Himalayas, in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means "Mountain of the Spirit", comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning "intellect" or "soul"...
(1996), and Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II
Gasherbrum II , also known as K4, is the 13th highest mountain on Earth, located on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan province, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China...
(1997), all without supplemental oxygen. Along with her Sherpa partner Ang Tsering, she was killed by an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
on Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri
Dhaulagiri is Earth's seventh highest mountain at ; one of fourteen over eight thousand metres. Dhaulagiri was first climbed May 13, 1960 by a Swiss/Austrian expedition....
on May 13, 1998 while asleep in their tent. In honor of her generosity, her friends and family created a foundation to help needy Nepalese
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
children, especially with schooling: The Association Chantal Mauduit Namasté.
Controversy
Mauduit needed to be rescued by other climbers on descent from K2 in 1992, and again after collapsing during a failed summit attempt on Mount EverestMount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
in 1995. Some climbers perceived her as ungrateful for never acknowledging the lifesaving assistance that she had been given. She was also accused of not pulling her weight on climbing expeditions, leaving it to others to fix ropes on difficult sections of mountain or stock higher camps with food and other provisions, and then taking advantage of their work.
American mountaineer Ed Viesturs
Ed Viesturs
Edmund Viesturs, known as Ed Viesturs is one of the world's premier high-altitude mountaineers. He is one of only 26 people and the only one from the United States to have climbed all eight-thousander peaks...
also raised questions about the cause of Mauduit's death, suggesting either suffocation or carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
poisoning as other possible causes, implying that Mauduit and her sherpa were incompetent. Viesturs was on Dhaulagiri at the time of Mauduit's death, but had no first hand knowledge of the situation where Mauduit died. The French autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a broken neck as a result of an ice or rock strike, and Viesturs does not formally question the autopsy's findings. Frederique Delrieu, a climbing companion of both Viesturs and Mauduit, saw Mauduit's body first-hand and confirmed that she had a broken neck.
External links
- Association Chantal Mauduit Namaste (in French)