Iñaki Ochoa de Olza
Encyclopedia
Iñaki Ochoa de Olza is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- May 23, 2008 Annapurna
Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
, Nepal
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...
) was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
, alpinist
Alpinist
Alpinist is a quarterly American magazine focused on mountaineering ascents worldwide. It was originally published out of Jackson, Wyoming and was founded in 2002...
and climber
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
. Ochoa de Olza had taken part in over thirty separate climbing expeditions in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
over the course of his career, he was involved in more than 200 expeditions as guide and he climbed 15 moutains of over 8,000 meters. His records included climbing 12 of 14 of the world's tallest mountains without the aid of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
or oxygen tank
Oxygen tank
An oxygen tank is a storage vessel for oxygen, which is either held under pressure in gas cylinders or as liquid oxygen in a cryogenic storage tank.Oxygen tanks are used to store gas for:* industrial processes including the manufacture of steel and monel...
s. Ochoa went on record as saying that he did not believe in using oxygen to climb mountains saying, "If you use oxygen, you are not an 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...
, you are more of an astronaut
Astronaut
An astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
or a scuba diver."
Iñaki Ochoa de Olza was born in Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, on May 29, 1967. He completed his first climb over 8,000 meters when he ascended to the peak of Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga
Kangchenjunga is the third highest mountain of the world with an elevation of and located along the India-Nepal border in the Himalayas.Kangchenjunga is also the name of the section of the Himalayas and means "The Five Treasures of Snows", as it contains five peaks, four of them over...
at the age of 22. He also worked as a high altitude guide
Guide
A guide is a person who leads anyone through unknown or unmapped country. This includes a guide of the real world , as well as a person who leads someone to more abstract places .-Guide - meanings related to travel and recreational pursuits:There are many variants of...
and cameraman. His most recent achievements included a solo climb on a new route on Shishapangma
Shishapangma
Xixabangma, 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...
in 2005.
Very apart from sportive challenges, Iñaki Ochoa de Olza had a dream to fulfill in his life. He wanted to give back to the people who live in needy countries with mountains over 8,000 m part of what he had received along his life in these places. So, he wanted to raise funds to build an orphanage in Khatmandu, a children's hospital in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and a school in Dharamsala
Dharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
(home of the Tibetan exile). Unfortunately, he could not see his dream fulfilled because of his premature death at Annapurna.
However, his goal of helping needy children continues today, through the Foundation Iñaki Ochoa de Olza - SOS HIMALAYA (www.soshimalaya.org). That is the legacy of Iñaki.
In recognition of his sporting career he was awarded with the Gold Medal of Sports Merit of the Governement of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, in his homeland. Also all the alpinists who contributed and took part in his rescue were awarded.
Death
Ochoa de Olza died in 2008 while attempting to climb the 8091 metres (26,545 ft) NepalNepal
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...
ese mountain, Annapurna
Annapurna
Annapurna is a section of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal that includes Annapurna I, thirteen additional peaks over and 16 more over ....
. Ochoa was trying to climb to the peak of Annapurna with his climbing partner, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n alpinist Horia Colibăşanu
Horia Colibăşanu
Horia Colibăşanu is a Romanian mountain climber. He is the first Romanian to reach the summit of K2, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna...
. They were forced to halt their climb near the summit of the mountain because of dangerous weather conditions near the peak. Ochoa had also suffered severe frostbite to his hands, which also forced the duo to halt the climb. Upon their descent back down the mountain, Ochoa collapsed and suffered a seizure near Annapurna's Camp 4. He and his partner were unable to descend any further due to Ochoa's sudden illness and incapacitation. Ochoa suffered from lung and brain damage due to the seizure. His condition was further complicated by pulmonary edema
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema
High altitude pulmonary edema is a life-threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema that occurs in otherwise healthy mountaineers at altitudes typically above ....
.
Attempts were made to save Ochoa's life. Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
climber Ueli Steck
Ueli Steck
Ueli Steck is a Swiss climber. He is also a skilled carpenter and lives in Ringgenberg in Interlaken.- Career :...
, who had abandoned his own attempt with Simon Anthamatten to climb Annapurna's south face due to 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...
threat the previous week, climbed to Ochoa's position to administer emergency medical aid. Doctors from the Hospital of Navarre also tried to help Ochoa remotely from Spain. However, heavy snow conditions and the high altitude made all rescue attempts impossible. (Rescues above 7400 metres are usually impossible because helicopters cannot fly that high and few people are able to handle the altitude.) Steck and Colibasanu were left to administer first aid to Ochoa.
Iñaki Ochoa de Olza died on May 23, 2008, at 6:45 a.m. GMT in an emergency tent on Annapurna, where he had been trapped in a semiconscious and immobile state for five days. He died from a suspected pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema
Pulmonary edema , or oedema , is fluid accumulation in the air spaces and parenchyma of the lungs. It leads to impaired gas exchange and may cause respiratory failure...
, as well as a brain lesion
Lesion
A lesion is any abnormality in the tissue of an organism , usually caused by disease or trauma. Lesion is derived from the Latin word laesio which means injury.- Types :...
, according to the Spanish newspaper, Diario de Navarra. His body still remains there, at 7,400 meters in the Annapurna, because of his family desire.
He was almost 41 years old.
Notable ascents
- Cho OyuCho OyuCho 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...
(8,201 m): in 1993. - Gasherbrum IGasherbrum IGasherbrum I , also known as Hidden Peak or K5, is the 11th highest peak on Earth, located on the Pakistan-China border in Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan and Xinjiang region of China. Gasherbrum I is part of the Gasherbrum massif, located in the Karakoram region of the Himalaya...
(8,068 m): in 1996. - Gasherbrum IIGasherbrum IIGasherbrum II , also known as K4, is the 13th highest mountain on Earth, located on the border of Gilgit-Baltistan province, Pakistan and Xinjiang, China...
(8,035 m): in 1996. - LhotseLhotseLhotse 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...
(8,516 m): in 1999. - 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...
(8,848 m): in 2001. - Nanga ParbatNanga ParbatNanga Parbat is the ninth highest mountain on Earth, the second highest mountain in Pakistan and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters...
(8,125 m): in 2003. - Broad PeakBroad PeakBroad Peak , is the 12th highest mountain on Earth, with an elevation of 8,051 meters . The literal translation of "Broad Peak" to Faichan Kangri is not accepted among the Balti people.- Geography :...
(8,046 m): in 2003. - MakaluMakaluMakalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at and is located southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China...
(8,463 m): in 2004. - K2K2K2 is the second-highest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest...
(8,611 m): in 2004. - ManasluManasluManaslu , 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"...
(8,163 m): in 2006. - Shisha Pangma (8,027 m): in 2006.
- DhaulagiriDhaulagiriDhaulagiri 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....
(8,167 m): in 2007.