José Antonio Delgado
Encyclopedia
José Antonio Delgado Sucre (May 13, 1965 — July 22, 2006) was the first Venezuela
n mountaineer
to reach the summit of five eight-thousander
s and one of the most experienced climbers in Latin America. Known as el indio (the "Indian" for his strength), Delgado led the first Venezuelan Everest expedition in 2001. On May 23 of that year, he and Marcus Tobía were the only members of the expedition to summit Everest. He held several records in mountaineering, such as the first paragliding
flight from Pico Humboldt, Pico Bolívar, and Roraima
. Delgado also made the fastest summit for a Venezuelan to the Aconcagua (from the Puente del Inca in 34 hours) and Huascarán (from the base in 14 hours).
, Venezuela
. He studied mechanical engineering
at the Universidad Simón Bolívar
and married Frida Ayala with whom he had two children.
expedition. He and fellow climber Edgar Guariguata flew out to Pakistan
in June 2006. Due to illness Guariguata remained at base camp while Delgado went on. After he reached the summit of the Nanga Parbat on July 11, a snow storm surprised him on his descent. Delgado managed to reach camp four. After being without food or water for two days he attempted to make it to camp three. No further communications were received by base camp, so the Pakistani authorities were alerted. A group of six Pakistan
i mountaineers, consisting of Qurban Ali, Ghulam Rasool, Muhammad, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ghulam Muhammad, and Muhammad Ali, climbed the mountain despite the rough weather. On July 22, they found Delgado's body at an altitude of 7100m between camp three and four in the open near his tent.
During the expedition to Nanga Pabat, he was the subject of a pilot for a television series about mountaineering. Explorart Films, the production company, later developed the project into a feature documentary film, released in South America in January 2008. The film follows Jose Antonio's climbing career and includes footage of several of his expeditions including the Nanga Parbat climb and the rescue attempts that followed the accident. Jose Antonio and his wife Frida were co-producers of the film.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n 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...
to reach the summit of five eight-thousander
Eight-thousander
The eight-thousanders are the fourteen independent mountains on Earth that are more than high above sea level. They are all located in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges in Asia....
s and one of the most experienced climbers in Latin America. Known as el indio (the "Indian" for his strength), Delgado led the first Venezuelan Everest expedition in 2001. On May 23 of that year, he and Marcus Tobía were the only members of the expedition to summit Everest. He held several records in mountaineering, such as the first paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
flight from Pico Humboldt, Pico Bolívar, and Roraima
Roraima
Roraima is the northernmost and least populated state of Brazil, located in the Amazon region. It borders the states of Amazonas and Pará, as well as the nations of Venezuela and Guyana. The population is 400,000 and the capital is Boa Vista...
. Delgado also made the fastest summit for a Venezuelan to the Aconcagua (from the Puente del Inca in 34 hours) and Huascarán (from the base in 14 hours).
Biography
Jose Antonio Delgado Sucre was born in CaracasCaracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. He studied mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
at the Universidad Simón Bolívar
Universidad Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar University or USB, is a public institution located in Miranda State, Venezuela with scientific and technological orientation....
and married Frida Ayala with whom he had two children.
Death and Legacy
Delgado was the leader of the Venezuelan Nanga ParbatNanga Parbat
Nanga 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...
expedition. He and fellow climber Edgar Guariguata flew out to 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...
in June 2006. Due to illness Guariguata remained at base camp while Delgado went on. After he reached the summit of the Nanga Parbat on July 11, a snow storm surprised him on his descent. Delgado managed to reach camp four. After being without food or water for two days he attempted to make it to camp three. No further communications were received by base camp, so the Pakistani authorities were alerted. A group of six 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...
i mountaineers, consisting of Qurban Ali, Ghulam Rasool, Muhammad, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ghulam Muhammad, and Muhammad Ali, climbed the mountain despite the rough weather. On July 22, they found Delgado's body at an altitude of 7100m between camp three and four in the open near his tent.
During the expedition to Nanga Pabat, he was the subject of a pilot for a television series about mountaineering. Explorart Films, the production company, later developed the project into a feature documentary film, released in South America in January 2008. The film follows Jose Antonio's climbing career and includes footage of several of his expeditions including the Nanga Parbat climb and the rescue attempts that followed the accident. Jose Antonio and his wife Frida were co-producers of the film.
Awards
He was awarded the Orden al Mérito Deportivo and the Orden Vicente Emilio Sojo in 2001 by the Venezuelan government. He was a founding member of the Proyecto Cumbre (1997) and the head of the Centro Excursionista Loyola from 1982-83.Eight-thousanders
- 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...
, 8125 m, Pakistan, 2006 (first Venezuelan) - 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...
, 8848 m, Nepal-China, 2001 - 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...
, 8035 m, Pakistan-China, 2000 (first Venezuelan) - 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...
8008 m, China, 1998 (first Venezuelan) - 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...
, 8153 m, Nepal-China, 1994 (first Venezuelan)
Mountain Summits
- 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...
8125 m, Pakistan, 2006 - Khan TengriKhan TengriKhan Tengri is a mountain of the Tian Shan mountain range. It is located on the China—Kyrgyzstan—Kazakhstan border, east of lake Issyk Kul. Its geologic elevation is , but its glacial cap rises to...
, 7010 m, Kazajstan, 2005 - Chapaev North, 6100 m, Kazajstan, 2004
- Tsacra Chico Norte, 5513 m, Perú, 2002
- Mont BlancMont BlancMont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
, 4807 m, France-Italy, 2001 - AconcaguaAconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
, 7021, Argentina, 2001 - Ojos del SaladoOjos del SaladoNevado Ojos del Salado is a massive stratovolcano in the Andes on the Argentina-Chile border and the highest volcano in the world at . It is also the second highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere and the highest in Chile...
, 6908 m, Chile-Argentina, 2001 - Muztagh AtaMuztagh AtaMuztagh Ata, or Muztagata , is the second highest of the mountains which form the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau . It is sometimes regarded as being part of the Kunlun Shan, although physically it is more closely connected to the Pamirs...
, 7546 m, China, 1999 - BreithornBreithornThe Breithorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, located close to the Matterhorn. It is considered the most easily climbed 4,000 m Alpine peak. This is due to the Klein Matterhorn cable car which takes climbers to over 3,820 m for a starting point. The standard route continues over a glacial...
, 4165 m, Switzerland-Italy, 1999 - Denali-McKinley, 6229 m, Alaska-USA, 1998
- CayambeCayambe (volcano)Cayambe is the name of a volcano located in the Cordillera Oriental, a branch of the Ecuadorian Andes. It is located in Pichincha province some 70 km northeast of Quito. It is the third highest mountain in Ecuador....
, 5840 m, Ecuador, 1997 - HuascaránHuascaránHuascarán or Nevado Huascarán is a mountain in the Peruvian province of Yungay, situated in the Cordillera Blanca range of the Western Andes. The highest southern summit of Huascarán is the highest point in Peru, and all the Earth's Tropics...
Norte, 6654 m, Perú, 1996 - PiscoPiscoPisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Chile and Peru. Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain...
, 5300 m, Perú, 1996 - Stock Kangri, 6100, India, 1994
- Adam's PeakAdam's PeakSri Pada , is a tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka...
, 2233 m, Sri Lanka, 1994 - Ama DablamAma DablamAma Dablam is a mountain in the Himalaya range of eastern Nepal. The main peak is , the lower western peak is . Ama Dablam means "Mother's necklace"; the long ridges on each side like the arms of a mother protecting her child, and the hanging glacier thought of as the dablam, the traditional...
, 6812 m, Nepal, 1993 - IllampuIllampuIllampú is the fourth highest mountain in Bolivia. It is located in the northern section of the Cordillera Real, part of the Andes, east of Lake Titicaca. It lies just north of the slightly higher Ancohuma, near the town of Sorata...
, 6362 m, Bolivia, 1992 - Pan de AzúcarPan de AzúcarClub Deportivo Pan de Azúcar is a Panamanian football team playing in Liga Nacional de Ascenso. It was founded in 1974 and it is based in San Miguelito....
, 5180 m, Colombia, 1992 - Cóncavo, 5200 m, Colombia, 1992
- ChimborazoChimborazo (volcano)Chimborazo is a currently inactive stratovolcano located in the Cordillera Occidental range of the Andes. Its last known eruption is believed to have occurred around 550 AD....
, 6310 m, Ecuador, 1991 - CotopaxiCotopaxiCotopaxi is a stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains, located about south of Quito, Ecuador, South America. It is the second highest summit in the country, reaching a height of...
, 6005 m, Ecuador, 1991 - AconcaguaAconcaguaAconcagua is the highest mountain in the Americas at . It is located in the Andes mountain range, in the Argentine province of Mendoza and it lies west by north of its capital, the city of Mendoza. The summit is also located about 5 kilometres from San Juan Province and 15 kilometres from the...
, 7021 m, Argentina, 1991 - Volcán San PedroVolcán San PedroVolcán San Pedro is a stratovolcano in Guatemala, on the shores of Lago de Atitlán. At its base is a village of the same name: San Pedro La Laguna.- External links :* showing the view from the top....
, 5800 m, Chile-Argentina, 1991 - MarmolejoMarmolejoVolcán Marmolejo is a high Pleistocene stratovolcano in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. It is located NNE of the active San José volcano, and has the distinction of being the southernmost -plus peak in the world.- See also :...
, 6100 m, Chile-Argentina, 1991 - Citlatepetl, 5760 m, México, 1991
- IztaccíhuatlIztaccíhuatlIztaccíhuatl , is the third highest mountain in Mexico, after the Pico de Orizaba, , and Popocatépetl, . Its name is Nahuatl for "White woman"....
, 5286 m, México, 1991 - PopocatepetlPopocatépetlPopocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
, 5452 m, México, 1991 - Pikes PeakPikes PeakPikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County in the United States of America....
, 4302 m, USA, 1990 - Long PeakLong PeakLong Peak is a bare rock peak on the extended ridge line, 7 nautical miles east-northeast of Mount Landolt in Petvar Heights, southeast Sentinel Range in Ellsworth Mountains, Antarctica. It is surmounting the lower course of Drama Glacier to the north. Mapped by United States Geological Survey ...
, 4345 m, USA, 1990 - Maroon BellMaroon BellsThe Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, separated by about a third of a mile. The mountain is on the border between Pitkin County and Gunnison County, Colorado, United States, about 12 miles southwest of Aspen. Both peaks are counted as fourteeners...
and North MaroonMaroon BellsThe Maroon Bells are two peaks in the Elk Mountains, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak, separated by about a third of a mile. The mountain is on the border between Pitkin County and Gunnison County, Colorado, United States, about 12 miles southwest of Aspen. Both peaks are counted as fourteeners...
, 4316 y 4272 m, USA, 1990 - Ilimani Central, 6882 m, Bolivia, 1987
- Huayna PotosíHuayna PotosíHuayna Potosí is a mountain in Bolivia, located about 25 km north of La Paz in the Cordillera Real.Huayna Potosí is the closest high mountain to La Paz, a city which is surrounded by high mountains, and itself is the highest capital city in the world. Huayna Potosí is roughly fifteen miles due...
Sur, 6050 m, Bolivia, 1987 - Ritacuba Negro, 5200 m, Colombia, 1987
- ArtesonrajuArtesonrajuArtesonraju is a peak in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, a part of the Peruvian Andes, is also known as Arteson. To reach the lake there is a dirt road from Caraz which climbs +2000m along 32km in about 1:40 hours. At Pueblo Paron there's a check point and a gate, where visitors must pay...
, 6010 m, Perú, 1986 - Ranrapalka, 6162 m, Perú, 1986
- HuascaránHuascaránHuascarán or Nevado Huascarán is a mountain in the Peruvian province of Yungay, situated in the Cordillera Blanca range of the Western Andes. The highest southern summit of Huascarán is the highest point in Peru, and all the Earth's Tropics...
Sur, 6768 m, Perú, 1986 - Ritacuba BlancoRitacuba BlancoRitacuba Blanco is the highest peak of Cordillera Oriental, in the Andes Mountains of Colombia. It's also named Ritak'uwa, an ancient name from the Uwa indigenous people that live in the lowlands of the National Park Sierra Nevada del Cocuy y Güicán, where the Ritacuba Blanco is located.The summit...
, 5300 m, Colombia, 1986 - ArtesonrajuArtesonrajuArtesonraju is a peak in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, a part of the Peruvian Andes, is also known as Arteson. To reach the lake there is a dirt road from Caraz which climbs +2000m along 32km in about 1:40 hours. At Pueblo Paron there's a check point and a gate, where visitors must pay...
, 6010 m, Perú, 1985 - Chopikalqui, 6320 m, Perú, 1985
- Pico BolívarPico BolívarPico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, at 4,981 metres. Located in Mérida State, its top is permanently covered with névé snow and three small glaciers. It can be reached only by walking; the Mérida cable car, the highest cable car in the world, only reaches Pico Espejo. From there it...
, 5007 m, Venezuela, 1983 - Pico HumboldtPico HumboldtPico Humboldt is Venezuela's second highest peak, at 4,940 metres above sea level. It is located in the Sierra Nevada de Merida, in the Venezuelan Andes of...
, 4942 m, Venezuela, 1982
External links
- The Venezuelan Nanga Parbat expedition website.
- http://www.ascenso.org.ve/
- Proyecto Cumbre
- http://www.explorersweb.com/news.php?id=15130
- http://www.nangaparbat2006.explorart.com/
- http://www.masalladelacumbre.com/