Gaston Rébuffat
Encyclopedia
Gaston Rébuffat was a well-known French alpinist
and mountain guide
. The climbing technique, to gaston
, was named after him. He was a recipient of France's prestigious Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur
in 1984.
, the highest peak then summitted. His most famous mountaineering feat was to be the first man to climb all six of the great north faces of the Alps
--the Grandes Jorasses
, the Piz Badile
, the Petit Dru, the Matterhorn
, the Cima Grande di Lavaredo, and the Eiger
. His insistence on seeing a climb as an act of harmonious communion with the mountain, not a battle waged against it, seemed radical at the time, though Rébuffat's aesthetic has since won the day. He put up more than 40 new routes
in the Alps
.
Rebuffat also was second unit
director on the Walt Disney
mountain film
Third Man on the Mountain
.
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 mountain guide
Mountain guide
Mountain guides are specially trained and experienced mountaineers and professionals who are generally certified by an association. They are considered experts in mountaineering.-Skills:Their skills usually include climbing, skiing and hiking...
. The climbing technique, to gaston
Gaston (climbing)
In climbing, "to gaston" refers to a technique involving pulling to the side with the elbow pointed outwards and the thumb pointed down. It can be visualised as being similar to the motion involved if one were to pull open a closed elevator door...
, was named after him. He was a recipient of France's prestigious Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1984.
Career
Rébuffat began climbing in the Calanques becoming a mountain guide in 1942. He rose to international prominence in 1950 as one of the four principals of a French expedition during the first ascent of AnnapurnaAnnapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
, the highest peak then summitted. His most famous mountaineering feat was to be the first man to climb all six of the great north faces of the Alps
Great north faces of the Alps
In mountaineering, the six great north faces of the Alps are known for their difficulty and great height. They are:*Cima Grande di Lavaredo*Eiger*Grandes Jorasses*Matterhorn*Petit Dru*Piz Badile...
--the Grandes Jorasses
Grandes Jorasses
The Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
, the Piz Badile
Piz Badile
Piz Badile is a mountain in the Bregaglia range in the Swiss canton of Graubünden and Italy, the border between the two countries running along the summit ridge. Its northeast face is considered one of the six great north faces of the Alps....
, the Petit Dru, the Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
, the Cima Grande di Lavaredo, and the Eiger
Eiger
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
. His insistence on seeing a climb as an act of harmonious communion with the mountain, not a battle waged against it, seemed radical at the time, though Rébuffat's aesthetic has since won the day. He put up more than 40 new routes
Climbing route
A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and, once committed to that ascent, can be difficult to stop or return. Choice of route can be critically important...
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....
.
Writing
Known for his lyrical writing and his ability to convey not only the dangers of mountaineering but the pure exaltation of the climb, Rébuffat authored several books. His most famous written work is Etoiles et Tempêtes (Starlight and Storm), first published in French in 1954, and in English in 1956.- Mont Blanc To Everest Thames & Hudson, 1956. Translated from the French Du Mont Blanc a l'Himalaya 1955.
- Calanques (with Gabriel M. Ollive) Arthaud, Paris 1957.
- On Ice and Snow and Rock Nicholas Kaye Ltd 1963 translated from the 1959 French Edition published by EGI. ISBN 0-195-19149-8
- Un Guide Raconte Hachette, Paris, 1964.
- Men and the Matterhorn Oxford University Press 1967.
- Between Heaven and Earth (with Pierre Tairraz). Kaye and W, 1970. ISBN 0-718-20513-8
- Les Horizons Gagnés Editions Denoël, 1975.
- La Montagne Est Mon Domaine Éditions Hoëbeke, Paris 1994.
- The Mont Blanc Massif: The Hundred Finest Routes. Bâton Wicks, 2005. ISBN 1-8985-7369-7
- Starlight and Storm: The Conquest of the Great North Faces of the Alps. New York: Modern Library, 1999. ISBN 0-375-75506-3
Filmography
Rebuffat produced three colour films depicting himself and others climbing in the Alps. These are a testament to his skill as a climber, and his love of the mountains. Étoiles et Tempêtes won the Grand Prix at the Trento Filmfestival in Italy. Trente.- Flammes de Pierres 1953.
- Étoiles et Tempêtes with Maurice Baquet and Georges Tairraz 1955 90 mins
- Entre Terre et Ciel with Pierre Tairraz 1960-61 90 mins
- Les Horizons Gagnés with René Vernadet 1974 90 mins
Rebuffat also was second unit
Second unit
In film, the second unit is a team that shoots subsidiary footage for a motion picture. Its work is distinct from that of the first unit, which shoots all scenes involving principal actors...
director on the Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
mountain film
Mountain film
A mountain film is a film genre that focuses on mountaineering and especially the battle of man against nature. In addition to mere adventure, the protagonists who return from the mountain come back changed, usually gaining wisdom and enlightenment....
Third Man on the Mountain
Third Man on the Mountain
Third Man on the Mountain is a 1959 American Walt Disney Productions movie set during the golden age of alpinism about a young Swiss man who conquers the mountain that killed his father. It is based on Banner in the Sky, a James Ramsey Ullman novel about the first ascent of the Matterhorn, and was...
.