Mountain climbing is an exciting adventure. However, it is not for the faint-hearted. Imagine trying to scale Mount Everest; it pushes human endurance to the limits as climbers risk death for a whirl at glory. Yes, thousands have attempted to access the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, but not all of them managed, with hundreds falling tragically short and going on to join the list of those who died while climbing. But it is not Everest alone that is known for taking souls; other mountains have claimed precious lives too. Here are some of the famous people who breathed their last while climbing.
George Mallory
The English mountaineer lived between 1886 and 1924. Having participated in multiple British expeditions to Mount Everest, George and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, embarked on yet on another expedition to reach the mountain summit in 1924. The two were last seen about 245 meters from the summit before their infamous disappearance. No one knows whether they had reached the mountain apex. George’s remains would later be found 75 years after his disappearance (in 1999).
Peter Boardman
Like George and Andrew, Peter was a British mountaineer. He is best remembered for a series of bold expeditions (although lightweight) to the Himalayas. He was also an author who contributed immensely to mountain literature. His death came in 1982 while scaling Mount Everest together with Tasker, another renowned climber. In their memory is the Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature, an annual prize awarded to the best mountain literature author(s). What a befitting way to remember the legends!
Bolf Bae
Bolf Bae hailed from Norway and met his death in 2008 in the so-called K2 disaster, which saw 11 people lose their lives trying to scale the second-highest mountain on the Earth. As reported by his wife and teammate, Bolf was hit by a serac, resulting in a tragic fall. May his soul rest in peace.