Maurice Herzog, 1st to Climb 8,000-Meter Peak, Dies at 93
By Michael Frank on December 17th, 2012
With so many alpinists dying young in the mountains from falls, avalanches, and other hazards, it’s good to give thanks for those who survive into old age and then pass away gently. Maurice Herzog escaped all kinds of threats in his climbing career, including on the successful French expedition on Annapurna of 1950, when he lost fingers and toes, and passed away last week at age 93. Herzog’s book, Annapurna: The First Conquest of an 8,000-Meter Peak, is a gripping tale of pioneer high-altitude climbing. But like so many climbers’ autobiographical claims was controversial. He was accused of being a “glory hog” and his own daughter said that he was a man who “rewrote history, betrayed and neglected his entourage without ever having the sense of hurting anyone because society judged him to be so good.” Via NY Times.
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Tags: Climbing