Conrad Anker
Encyclopedia
Conrad Anker is an American
rock climber
, mountaineer
, and author
famous for his challenging ascents in the high Himalaya and Antarctica. He is a member of The North Face
climbing team and also works closely with Timex Expedition as brand ambassador. In 1999 he was a key member of the search team which located the remains of legendary British
climber George Mallory
on Mount Everest
. Anker is the climber who spotted Mallory's body. He lives in Bozeman, Montana
.
Anker has also climbed notable routes in Yosemite Valley
(California
), Zion National Park
(Utah
), Baffin Island
(Canada
), and the Ellsworth Mountains
in Antarctica.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock climber
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, mountaineer
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...
, and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
famous for his challenging ascents in the high Himalaya and Antarctica. He is a member of The North Face
The North Face
The North Face, Inc. is an American outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, fleece, shirts, footwear, and equipment such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags....
climbing team and also works closely with Timex Expedition as brand ambassador. In 1999 he was a key member of the search team which located the remains of legendary British
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
climber George Mallory
George Mallory
George Herbert Leigh Mallory was an English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s....
on Mount Everest
Mount 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...
. Anker is the climber who spotted Mallory's body. He lives in Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
.
Ascents and expeditions of note
- 1987 Southeast Face Gurney Peak, Kichatna MountainsKichatna MountainsThe Kichatna Mountains are a small mountain range in the northwestern part of Matanuska-Susitna Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, approximately southwest of Mount McKinley...
, Alaska RangeAlaska RangeThe Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, 650-km-long mountain range in the southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest end to the White River in Canada's Yukon Territory in the southeast...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, USA. FA with Seth 'S.T.' Shaw, Robert Ingle and James Garrett; summit attained May 8, 1987. - 1989 Northwest Face Mount HunterMount Hunter (Alaska)Mount Hunter, or Begguya, is a mountain in Denali National Park in Alaska. It is approximately 8 miles south of Mount McKinley, or Denali, the highest peak in North America. "Begguya" means child in the Dena'ina language...
, Alaska RangeAlaska RangeThe Alaska Range is a relatively narrow, 650-km-long mountain range in the southcentral region of the U.S. state of Alaska, from Lake Clark at its southwest end to the White River in Canada's Yukon Territory in the southeast...
, AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, USA. FA with Seth 'S.T.' Shaw, summit attained July 3, 1989. - 1990 Rodeo Queen, Streaked Wall, Zion National ParkZion National ParkZion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
, FA with Mugs StumpMugs StumpMugs Stump was a noted American rock climber and mountaineer, active in establishing difficult first ascents in the Alaska Range and the Canadian Rockies... - 1992 East Buttress, Middle Triple Peak, Kichatna Spires, Alaska, USA, 2nd ascent with Seth Shaw
- 1992 Shunes Buttress, Red Arch Mountain, ZionZion National ParkZion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
, USA, FFA with Dave Jones - 1994 Badlands (YDS VI 5.10 A3 WI4+, 1000m), South East Face, Torre EggerTorre EggerTorre Egger is one of the mountains of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in South America. It is located in a region which is disputed between Argentina and Chile, west of Cerro Chalten...
, PatagoniaPatagoniaPatagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
. Conrad Anker, Jay Smith and Steve Gerberding (USA), FA 12 December 1994. - 1997 The Northwest Face (V 5.8, 2100m), Peak Loretan, Ellsworth MountainsEllsworth MountainsThe Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a long and wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the northern Sentinel Range and the southern Heritage...
, Antarctica (solo) Jan 15-16, 1997 - 1997 RakeknivenRakekniven PeakRakekniven Peak is a peak, 2,365 m, at the north end of Trollslottet Mountain in the Filchner Mountains, Queen Maud Land. Plotted from surveys and air photos by Norwegian Antarctic Expedition and named Rakekniven ....
, Queen Maud LandQueen Maud LandQueen Maud Land is a c. 2.7 million-square-kilometre region of Antarctica claimed as a dependent territory by Norway. The territory lies between 20° west and 45° east, between the British Antarctic Territory to the west and the Australian Antarctic Territory to the east. The latitudinal...
, Antarctica, FA with Alex LoweAlex LoweStuart Alexander "Alex" Lowe , was widely considered one of his generation's finest all-around mountaineers...
and Jon KrakauerJon KrakauerJon Krakauer is an American writer and mountaineer, primarily known for his writing about the outdoors and mountain-climbing...
. Featured in the cover article of the February 1998 National Geographic MagazineNational Geographic MagazineNational Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
. - 1997 Tsering Mosong, Latok II, KarakorumKarakorumKarakorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, and of the Northern Yuan in the 14-15th century. Its ruins lie in the northwestern corner of the Övörkhangai Province of Mongolia, near today's town of Kharkhorin, and adjacent to the Erdene Zuu monastery...
, FA with Alexander HuberAlexander HuberAlexander Huber , is a German physicist, climber and mountaineer. He lives in Traunstein.When they were still young Alexander Huber and his brother Thomas Huber were taken into the mountains by their father, Thomas Huber, himself a noted climber known for early fast ascents of now classic climbs...
, Thomas HuberThomas HuberThomas Huber , is a German climber and mountaineer. He lives in Berchtesgaden with his family. His brother and climbing partner is the German climber Alexander Huber....
and Toni Gutsch - 1997 Continental Drift, El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
, Yosemite, CA, USA FA with Steve Gerberding and Kevin ThawKevin ThawKevin Thaw British rock climber and mountaineer.Thaw has climbed notable routes and added many first ascents since commencing in Britain’s Peak District then relocating to California and journeying extensively through: Yosemite, El Capitan, Argentine Patagonia, the Himalaya, Alaska, Canadian... - 1999 Mallory and Irvine Research ExpeditionMallory and Irvine Research ExpeditionThe goal of the Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition of 1999 was to discover evidence of whether George Mallory and Andrew Irvine had been the first to summit Mt. Everest in their ill-fated attempt of 8–9 June 1924...
, Mount EverestMount EverestMount 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...
, NepalNepalNepal , 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...
/ TibetTibetTibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people... - 1999 ShishapangmaShishapangmaXixabangma, frequently spelled Shishapangma or Shisha Pangma , also called Gosainthān , is the fourteenth-highest mountain in the world and, at 8,013 m , the lowest of the eight-thousanders...
American Ski Expedition, Tibet. Survived a massive avalancheAvalancheAn 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...
which killed climbing partner Alex Lowe and cameraman David Bridges. - 2001 East Face of Vinson MassifVinson MassifVinson Massif is the highest mountain of Antarctica, lying in the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, which stand above the Ronne Ice Shelf near the base of the Antarctic Peninsula. The massif is located about from the South Pole and is about long and wide. At the highest point is Mount...
, Ellsworth MountainsEllsworth MountainsThe Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a long and wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the northern Sentinel Range and the southern Heritage...
, Antarctica, FA with Jon Krakauer. Featured on PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
series NOVANOVA (TV series)Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
in February 2003. - 2005 Southwest Ridge, CholatseCholatseCholatse is a mountain in the Khumbu region of the Nepalese Himalaya. Cholatse is connected to Taboche by a long ridge. The Chola glacier descends off the east face...
, KhumbuKhumbuKhumbu is located in northeastern Nepal on the Nepalese side of Mount Everest. It is part of the Solukhumbu District, which in turn is part of the Sagarmatha Zone. Khumbu is one of three subregions of the main Khambu and Sherpa settlement of the Himalaya, the other two being Solu and Pharak...
region, NepalNepalNepal , 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...
- summit attained with Kevin ThawKevin ThawKevin Thaw British rock climber and mountaineer.Thaw has climbed notable routes and added many first ascents since commencing in Britain’s Peak District then relocating to California and journeying extensively through: Yosemite, El Capitan, Argentine Patagonia, the Himalaya, Alaska, Canadian...
, Kris Erickson, John Griber and Abby Watkins on May 12, 2005. - 2007 Leads Altitude Everest Expedition 2007Altitude Everest Expedition 2007The 2007 Altitude Everest Expedition, led by the American climber Conrad Anker, arrived at Base Camp below the north face of Everest in May 2007 and retraced the last journey of British climber George Mallory. On 8 June 1924, Mallory, along with his climbing partner Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine, set out...
, joined by Leo HouldingLeo HouldingLeo Houlding is a British rock climber who has climbed the Angel of the North along with more traditional ascents such as some of El Capitan's toughest lines....
, Jimmy ChinJimmy ChinJimmy Chin was born and raised in Mankato, Minnesota and is an accomplished climber, mountaineer, skier and photographer. He has organized and participated in numerous climbing, ski-mountaineering and exploratory expeditions to China, Pakistan, Nepal, Tanzania, Chad, Mali, South Africa and...
and Kevin ThawKevin ThawKevin Thaw British rock climber and mountaineer.Thaw has climbed notable routes and added many first ascents since commencing in Britain’s Peak District then relocating to California and journeying extensively through: Yosemite, El Capitan, Argentine Patagonia, the Himalaya, Alaska, Canadian...
, retracing Mallory's last steps on Everest.
Anker has also climbed notable routes in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
(California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
), Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
(Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
), Baffin Island
Baffin Island
Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut is the largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the largest island in Canada and the fifth largest island in the world. Its area is and its population is about 11,000...
(Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), and the Ellsworth Mountains
Ellsworth Mountains
The Ellsworth Mountains are the highest mountain ranges in Antarctica, forming a long and wide chain of mountains in a north to south configuration on the western margin of the Ronne Ice Shelf. They are bisected by Minnesota Glacier to form the northern Sentinel Range and the southern Heritage...
in Antarctica.
Films
- Shackleton's Antarctic AdventureShackleton's Antarctic AdventureShackleton's Antarctic Adventure is an IMAX film about the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton between 1914 and 1917. Directed by George Butler, the film was released in February 2001 and was narrated by Kevin Spacey...
(2001). - Light of the Himalaya (2006) is a 9 time Award-winning documentary film by Michael Brown, produced by David D'Angelo in collaboration with Rush HDRush HDRush HD was an adventure sport-oriented television channel that broadcasted exclusively in high definition television in Central Europe, Scandinavia and Latin America. Programming features coverage of Extreme Action Sports such as BASE jumping, snowboarding, windsurfing, bungee jumping, and cliff...
and The North FaceThe North FaceThe North Face, Inc. is an American outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, fleece, shirts, footwear, and equipment such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags....
. At the heart the most formidable mountain range on earth lives a gracious people who suffer from the highest rates of cataract blindness on the planet. The North FaceThe North FaceThe North Face, Inc. is an American outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, fleece, shirts, footwear, and equipment such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags....
athlete team joins eye surgeons from Nepal and America in hopes of making a difference. This spectacular film follows the doctors' work on the Himalayan Cataract ProjectHimalayan Cataract ProjectThe Himalayan Cataract Project was created in 1994 by Dr. Geoffrey Tabin and Dr. Sanduk Ruit with a goal of establishing a sustainable eye care infrastructure in the Himalaya. HCP empowers local doctors to provide ophthalmic care through skills-transfer and education. From its beginning, HCP...
all the way to the summit of a 21,000-foot Himalayan giant. - The Endless Knot (2007), directed by Michael Brown and produced by David D'Angelo, is an HDTV documentary film with The North FaceThe North FaceThe North Face, Inc. is an American outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, fleece, shirts, footwear, and equipment such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags....
and Rush HDRush HDRush HD was an adventure sport-oriented television channel that broadcasted exclusively in high definition television in Central Europe, Scandinavia and Latin America. Programming features coverage of Extreme Action Sports such as BASE jumping, snowboarding, windsurfing, bungee jumping, and cliff...
. In October 1999 best friends Alex Lowe and Conrad Anker were overcome by an avalanche in the Tibetan Himalaya. Conrad barely survived the avalanche and soon began to suffer from Survivor's Guilt. In the months following the tragedy, Conrad and Alex's widow, Jennifer tried to comfort each other and unexpectedly found love. Now their bond is tested as Alex's three boys try to accept Conrad as a father. Alex's death was but one of many tragedies that unfold when families lose loved ones in the mountains. The celebrated high altitude Sherpa families suffer this same fate. In honor of Alex's legacy Jennifer and Conrad seek meaning beyond tragedy with a mountaineering school for Sherpas and high altitude workers. - The Wildest DreamThe Wildest DreamThe Wildest Dream is a 2010 theatrical-release feature documentary film about the British climber George Mallory who disappeared on Mount Everest in 1924 with his climbing partner Andrew Irvine...
(2010), IMAX, directed by Anthony Geffen, Altitude Films, US distribution, National Geographic Entertainment releasing.
External links
- Conrad Anker's website
- Conrad Anker on the North Face website
- Altitude Everest Expedition 2007
- The Endless Knot / Official Website
- Light of the Himalaya / Official Website
- Dave Reuss, "Gallatin to the Ganges", Outside Bozeman magazine