Far as I can tell he has all 10 fingers and 10 toes still, nor visible frostbite on his ears or face. That’s a mountaineer who’s made a lot of correct decisions in his career! It shows through in this presentation - Great talk, great story.
@@Akame4514 Good judgement will save your life. Ego & Summit fever will not. Going back down alive is the most important part of climbing. Summit comes after.
Me neither. Never climbed a thing. But I’ve been reading books and watching films about alpine mountaineering and climbing since I was a kid. The book that started it, aged 11 was Ascent of Everest by John Hunt. Since then the tales of Viesters, Mesner, Honnold and Caldwell et al have fascinated me. Love these videos. It’s a fantastic insight.
One of the things that Ed mentions in his books, is that he carries willow wands. You can tell in the pictures which one he is because of that. It's what saved his life on many of his expeditions, especially on K2.
@@akimbojimbo3763 Neither LOL. A willow wand is simply a stake that you drive into the ground to help track your path in the event you get lost. They can be marked and some have fabric material attached to it so it can be seen on windy days.
Amen to all of that. I so admire his judgment and willingness to turn back when so many others pressed on often at their own peril. He is a legend. In my opinion he has to be the greatest American climber of all time when it comes to high altitude. Amazing.
Totally captivating! The most important words ever said in Mountaineering is what Ed said, that getting to the top is only half the job, getting back down is as important. Following his instincts is what has kept Ed alive on the Himalayas today whereas his contemporaries and climbing legends like Scott Fischer, Rob Hall, Anatoli Boukreev, etc passed into the Himalaya. Ed's remarkable perseverance and "Will to Live" is inspiring. Hats off to Ed Viesturs!
I think one of the reasons he's such a successful mountaineer is he has a good sense of judgment not only in his surroundings, but in choosing who to climb with. His ability to check his ambition and show restraint must have saved his life numerous times. Sometimes your greatest strength can also be your weakness. He has the ability to check that which fuels him.
"In spite of that 100 mph wind, we could smell cigarette smoke. So we knew those guys were fine." The image of two Italians both named Mario smoking cigarettes and eating salami 24,000 feet up on Annapurna makes me laugh.
The only way I'll ever HAVE another cigarette? (as I quit smoking on 9 February 1981) Is if I'm AT 28,000 feet. Much praise to Ed, his partner The-V-Man, also the Mario Bros. What a mission - what a life - feeling so jealous right now. . .
I really respect these guys who go out and do this... they push themselves to the limit, remain humble and within themselves. Incredible achievements. Ed Viesturs is a legend (although he didn't set out to become one). His (and his team - the IMAX guys) efforts to rescue the stranded climbers high on Everest during that terrible sequence of events in May of 1996 is particularly noteworthy.
I am not a climber, but you don't need to be to see how inspirational Ed is to so many people. His determination, common sense and compassion for others translates into aspects of life we all share, he's a top bloke and I'd love to shake his hand.
Love his last words. We all have our own Annapurna. We all have our own huge problems or troubles we at some point in life have to overcome and it takes some people years if not decades to overcome
I ran into Ed Viesturs and Conrad Anker above the cleaver on Rainier last year. it was like 2am, early September and they were turning around from a one day push. Would’ve been a honor to share the summit with you guys.
Amazing sense of judgement and perseverance. Viesturs ability to almost stand outside himself and look at a decision logically, when so much is on the line personally, is phenomenal. As Doug Scott once said, ambition feeds on itself, all you can do is let it go.
+maddierosemusic It really does not matter what you think of Hall and Fisher because they turned climbing into a business but at the end of the day it would have been done regardless and Hall and Fisher were damn good climbers 2 of the very best and stood in places we dream of standing
For some reason, i can't get behind Messner like i can Ed. Messner's ego, maybe? His well-documented hallucinations in the death zone? Ed is so cool-headed and helpful, with total lack of ego, even at altitude. Summit fever? Not in this lifetime. Messner is almost narcissistic, where Ed is to a similar degree, selfless.
Messner is the mad genius, Viesturs is the voice of reason. Both great alpinists, just different. Messner probably remains more influential, just because he was a pioneer. He was doing what the voices of reason had said was impossible.
He climbed with scott Fischer, who died during the 1996 everest tragedy and he also partnered with rob hall who died during the same climb. I remember john mentioning him in his book into thin air.
I think our Veikka Gustafson was also there that year but on different expedition, I have read both books about it but few years a go. Obviously did not die because he shared all these other trips with Ed Viesturs.
Teja ed was the guy on the radio trying to motivate rob hall to start moving not someone called guy the movie has changed stuff like beck weathers chopper rescue the chopper landed at camp 1 and beck weathers actually let a guy go first in the chopper because he was more badly injured you hear some amazing compassion on Everest but there's a lot of selfish people who step over dead and dying people to get to the summit
I'm scared of heights and I will never survive climbing those mountains...some people are not meant to and I'm one of them, but people like Viesturs are amazing to me. Inspiring stuff and I'm a new fan!
You'll never know, i thought climbing wasn't for me either, until i trekked to the Base of Everest and Annapurna. Looking up at the peak, i knew i have to be up there one day.
The part thats scary to me is when they have to use the ladders to cross between the crevasses, you have to look down at your feet and as you’re looking down at your feet you looking down a crevasse that is so deep you can’t even see the bottom.
One of the all-time great mountaineers...in history. He said that he'd pick K2 to climb "any day" over Annapurna because it was "the lesser of two evils". When Ed Viesturs is saying that about Annapurna...pretty easy to see why Annapurna carries the notorious reputation that it does and remains the least climbed of all the 8,000ers.
Ed guided me on Rainer in the 1990s. I flew to Seattle from Chicago. Not much experience. Near the summit I was feeling pretty awful. Vomited a few times (didn’t let Ed see that). He kind of assessed me and was clearly debating in his mind about maybe turning me around. But after a talked he decided to let me continue. I was quite fit , a rower, but not much time at high altitudes. His faith in my was just the boost I needed. Made it to the top and safely down. A great experience. His assessment of me was spot on and I appreciate his willingness to let me struggle on, suffer a bit, but achieve my goal, safely. A very memorable experience.
You have to read his books. I own both paperback and audiobooks by Ed. It's motivating and his level of safety is like no other. Much respect to Ed for knowing when to hold em, and knowing when to fold em. His books on K2 and Annapurna are my favorites. Annapurna was also his nemesis, and you'll learn of people who fell thousands of feet from Annapurna and survived.
Ed, your wisdom on decision making skills has certainly had a profound impact on my own mountaineering career. I think that I can say with confidence, that I am still alive because of your words: "Getting to the top is optional. Getting back home is mandatory". Thank you, Ed.
great talk by one of the greatest climbers. I'm lucky to have came close to Annapurna, only reaching the base camp but the view of Annapurna was breathtaking, what a powerful mountain.
The juxtaposition of the amazing green valley, with the monstrous white mountain looming over it never ceases to take my breath away. You are very fortunate to have been there in person. I wish I could say the same =)
ABC was the first serious trek i have ever undertaken and I barely have words. Mid-January weather coupled with a heavy snowfall made for a view unlike anything I have ever witnessed. I'm completely hooked.
He's not well-spoken, and he mispronounces words and names. But he is wise and patient, and intelligent, and as a result you are probably right about the fingers and toes.
Great speaker, so inspirational and motivational, Ed is a legend of the mountaineering world. It must be a truly magical feeling to know that you are one of the few to have summited all 14 peaks over 8000m, and without using supplemental oxygen! Ed is the ideal role model for any prospective mountaineer or adventurer.
I have read Ed's books and get so much out of them. "Summiting is optional; descending is not" A wonderful writer and speaker. I cannot get enough of the 14 mountains.
Great video and another inspiring lecture from N.G. "Despite the wind we could still smell the cigarette smoke so we knew they were fine." Italians - gotta love em
That very same book, by Herzog, Annapurna, I read when I was 15! It was my father's who was an alpinist in Europe, one of the few Hungarians (we have no high mountains..). Amazing book...
At the start of 2016 i was doing small hikes on hills with about 2 mile round trips. In July I made it to the top of Mt San Gorgonio an 11,503 ft peak (3505 meters) & in August Mount Whitney a 14,505 foot (4420 meter) peak its literally half the size of K2 but obviously a lot lot less technical. It'll would be a dream to at least visit Everest base camp one day
You should definitely go - just back from the Annapurna base camp trek, it is an amazing experience having so many high peaks around you, and the Nepali countryside is beautiful!! Just be prepared for a lot of walking and an unbelievable number of stairs....
You cant just help liking someone like Ed. His personality comes across in his delivery and you can tell he is a genuine nice guy. i got interested in climbing on a BA flight in 2015 when I watched the film everest. After the film I ordered 3 books from amazon, Into Thin air, The Climb and Left for dead. I also watched miracle on everest and several documentary's about climbing. What makes Ed really good is his philosophy that getting to the summit is optional but getting down is mandatory and so he turned back even when he was 300 ft away from the summit because he knew he would not make it back. Too many people have died because they dont have that same philosophy. Rob Hall died because he did not turn back Doug Hansen when he should have.
I've followed Viesturs' career with interest. I read the article in Outdoor Magazine, "Ed WHO?" and he's quietly made records while splashier media-hogs get the notice. Great talk!
twotwentyswift His books the will to climb (especially) and k2 are, in my humble opinion, way better books than no shortcuts. Maybe I just knew too much about him already, he's definitely one of my favorite, but his other books just tell the coolest stories
Have a lot of respect for Mr. Viesters and it would seem he is a blessed individual to have survived so much. I know he was prepared and wise in his accomplishments. Smart decisions are a big part of success and survival....
I met Ed at Everest base camp and took a picture with him. Very gracious with his time. He gave a lecture for my hospital several yrs later and signed that picture. Thanks Ed.
He captivated me with every word. I could've listened to hours more of that. Great speaker, serious moments where you couldn't hear a pin drop in the room to timely quips of very funny humour.
I am just a humble amateur climber and the highest i reached was over 4000m, in the Alps. I know that i will never achieve nothing not even close to 8000m and that, like Viesturs, Messner, Hillary and such, but as long i can travel and climb some of those amazing places that mountains are, i will be glad for each moment. Mountains are some of the most beautiful, outstanding, breathtaking, (even somtimes) dangerous and deadly, stunning places on Earth..
This guy is an incredible climber. Climbed all (14) 8000 meter peaks without supplemental O2, a phenomenal feat, not to mention summiting Everest 7x, also without 02. He's probably still alive because he never succumbed to summit fever, and had his safety in mind first by not letting his ego get in the way.
amazing stuff. i just read about this guy who did the 14 peaks in 6 months, crazy. Nims Purja blasted through the world’s 14 highest mountains in little more than six months in 2019 - which certainly gives him some pretty high credentials in the world of mountaineering.
> " Nims Purja blasted through the world’s 14 highest mountains in little more than six months in 2019 - which certainly gives him some pretty high credentials in the world of mountaineering." I'm more impressed by climbers like Ed Viesturs who focused on safety and compassion, instead of speed and ego.
Ed is a real mountaineer, no bs but also appears to be a really genuine human being. unlike many of the greedy millionaires throwing bottles of 02 away on the route up everest, ruining such a beautiful part of the world
I live fifty miles from Mt. Rainier. The Cascades have more of than enough climbing in them for me. I'm not even interested in the so-called 8,000m peaks.
So great to see this. To really see Ed present this just gives me more encouragement to reach goals and know people die all the time climbing. He points out climbing a mountain is a round trip! Just classic and I loved the photography! Great lessons learned! Just inspiring!
Hats off. Saddened to read the uncharitable comments. If you cannot applaud this man, but find faults, I can only say that you see your own faces in the mirror.
As coincidence would have it, Nat Geo (I think) was shooting an IMAX feature on Everest and Ed in '96. There is a heartbreaking scene that shows Ed speaking to Scott via radio after he had sat down and wasn't able to move. He tries to motivate Scott to keep decending, but it's too late. He had been in the "Death Zone" for about 36 hours. They link Scott to his wife via satellite phone and they pick a name for his unborn child before saying goodbye to each other. It's hard to watch
Wow! What a legend! Ed Viesturs has to be the greatest American high altitude climber of all time. To climb all of the highest peaks in the world without supplemental oxygen is an amazing feat. For a former much lower and much worse climber like me Ed is like a god of sorts. He is my favorite climber. Love his storytelling. Wow!!!
What a great guy with extraordinary skills and accomplishments.He was raised in the same town that I was and still live in, Rockford Illinois, which is anything BUT, high altitude environment ! Machine Tools and cornfields ! We did cheer Ed on as we heard about his latest exploits. Cheers ! Dana WN6OHG
+Dana Brinkmeier I grew up in Milwaukee and have been to Rockford. They were once great. I figured Ed was from suburban Chicago but he is 100% legit. Great passion and I would also be prideful having him from same stomping grounds. Not like other mid westerners
+Colonel Duke Lacross Duke...everyone outside of Rkfd tend to lump it in with Chicago but, it has it's own history , culture and heritage that is anything but Chicago.It was, for decades, the Machine Tool Capital of the World but has been devastated by Corporations moving Production to Asia.Such is the status Qua. I recently retired from the Gov. as a Veteran Employment and Training Rep for the last 26 years and so have an inside view of the Employment situation in Rockford and the midwest as a whole..db
Just finished reading, No Shortcuts to the top, for the second time. Thrilling book! Thanks for the time in preparing and writing the book Ed. Just ordered your second from Amazon.
fascinating to hear. thank you for sharing your story. so humble too. I love the\ concept of adapting to the mountain instead of the mountain adapting to you; shows alot of respect for it, and humility
Amazing. Wish there had been some questions and answering. He knew Rob Hall, would have been interested to know what he thought of the commercialization of Everest.
Wow this dude is super healthy Most people climb Everest and are done for life. He climbed Everest and took off to climb another mountain 3 days later. Wow 😯
Far as I can tell he has all 10 fingers and 10 toes still, nor visible frostbite on his ears or face. That’s a mountaineer who’s made a lot of correct decisions in his career! It shows through in this presentation - Great talk, great story.
I love Ed's quote: Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory. I've always reminded myself of that when climbing.
Words to live by!
@@leesherman100 what do they mean?
It means that the road to survival is not up, but down.
@@Akame4514 Good judgement will save your life. Ego & Summit fever will not.
Going back down alive is the most important part of climbing. Summit comes after.
I always say that when fixing my satellite dish.
I can't get enough of these mounteneering stories
Iyed Bennour I had to search so bad for this particular video.
@@tokas-kb6rb You cant believe same here dude !!
@@asifafarooqi6417 thats what we call love of mountains....
Just loveeeeeee hamalayas and karakoram
Me neither. Never climbed a thing. But I’ve been reading books and watching films about alpine mountaineering and climbing since I was a kid. The book that started it, aged 11 was Ascent of Everest by John Hunt. Since then the tales of Viesters, Mesner, Honnold and Caldwell et al have fascinated me. Love these videos. It’s a fantastic insight.
Same , love These
what a pro, only a pro like him will turn away so close to the summit because the risk is to high. What a great speaker
That's the difference in a mountaineer and a mountain climber
One of the things that Ed mentions in his books, is that he carries willow wands. You can tell in the pictures which one he is because of that. It's what saved his life on many of his expeditions, especially on K2.
@@Yuuphonixx Is that a spiritual thing, or something like a brand name for an emergency oxygen bottle? Kinda like Spare Air for diving
@@akimbojimbo3763 Neither LOL. A willow wand is simply a stake that you drive into the ground to help track your path in the event you get lost. They can be marked and some have fabric material attached to it so it can be seen on windy days.
Amen to all of that. I so admire his judgment and willingness to turn back when so many others pressed on often at their own peril. He is a legend. In my opinion he has to be the greatest American climber of all time when it comes to high altitude. Amazing.
Totally captivating! The most important words ever said in Mountaineering is what Ed said, that getting to the top is only half the job, getting back down is as important.
Following his instincts is what has kept Ed alive on the Himalayas today whereas his contemporaries and climbing legends like Scott Fischer, Rob Hall, Anatoli Boukreev, etc passed into the Himalaya.
Ed's remarkable perseverance and "Will to Live" is inspiring. Hats off to Ed Viesturs!
I totally respect Ed Viesturs! I respect his skill, his judgment, his humility, his tenacity! He's awesome!
I think one of the reasons he's such a successful mountaineer is he has a good sense of judgment not only in his surroundings, but in choosing who to climb with. His ability to check his ambition and show restraint must have saved his life numerous times. Sometimes your greatest strength can also be your weakness. He has the ability to check that which fuels him.
amdturion123 NBC,,👨 that
that is really well put
Absolutely!! That's very well put.
I get chills when I read a mountaineering book and Ed comes in to save people. His books are all excellent. Huge fan!
"In spite of that 100 mph wind, we could smell cigarette smoke. So we knew those guys were fine." The image of two Italians both named Mario smoking cigarettes and eating salami 24,000 feet up on Annapurna makes me laugh.
Same here. I repeatedly watch this video just for that bit hahaha
Yeah, Chris, adds SO MUCH COLOR to this great climber - Ed Viesturs - wow...
...
Salami MUST taste good at 28,000 feet - also a STRONG cigarette.
...
The only way I'll ever HAVE another cigarette?
(as I quit smoking on 9 February 1981)
Is if I'm AT 28,000 feet.
Much praise to Ed, his partner The-V-Man, also the Mario Bros.
What a mission - what a life - feeling so jealous right now.
.
.
@@josephkelley8641 lol, I like that, I havent had a cigarette in about 5 1/2 years. Next one I have, it'll be in the death zone. Im good with that :)
I really respect these guys who go out and do this... they push themselves to the limit, remain humble and within themselves. Incredible achievements. Ed Viesturs is a legend (although he didn't set out to become one). His (and his team - the IMAX guys) efforts to rescue the stranded climbers high on Everest during that terrible sequence of events in May of 1996 is particularly noteworthy.
I am not a climber, but you don't need to be to see how inspirational Ed is to so many people. His determination, common sense and compassion for others translates into aspects of life we all share, he's a top bloke and I'd love to shake his hand.
Love his last words. We all have our own Annapurna. We all have our own huge problems or troubles we at some point in life have to overcome and it takes some people years if not decades to overcome
Such a gentle giant.
This man can speak! Amazing speech. Immense respect.
I ran into Ed Viesturs and Conrad Anker above the cleaver on Rainier last year. it was like 2am, early September and they were turning around from a one day push. Would’ve been a honor to share the summit with you guys.
Ed Viesturs is my role model! It is so inspiring to listen to stories of legends like him, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer!
Amazing sense of judgement and perseverance. Viesturs ability to almost stand outside himself and look at a decision logically, when so much is on the line personally, is phenomenal.
As Doug Scott once said, ambition feeds on itself, all you can do is let it go.
What a legend! He's even trekked with scott fisher and rob hall! Inspiring!
+CueJumper | Travel Vlogs
He's even trekked with scott fisher and rob hall!
Not in quite a while. Hall and Fisher are whats wrong with climbing.
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+maddierosemusic It really does not matter what you think of Hall and Fisher because they turned climbing into a business but at the end of the day it would have been done regardless and Hall and Fisher were damn good climbers 2 of the very best and stood in places we dream of standing
+maddierosemusic What?
Rob Hall is a legend and Scott Fischer,too!
he climed k2 with scott and charlie mace
Can't forget the legend that started it all, when it comes to climbing without oxygen...Reinhold Messner.
For some reason, i can't get behind Messner like i can Ed. Messner's ego, maybe? His well-documented hallucinations in the death zone? Ed is so cool-headed and helpful, with total lack of ego, even at altitude. Summit fever? Not in this lifetime. Messner is almost narcissistic, where Ed is to a similar degree, selfless.
Messner is the mad genius, Viesturs is the voice of reason. Both great alpinists, just different. Messner probably remains more influential, just because he was a pioneer. He was doing what the voices of reason had said was impossible.
He climbed with scott Fischer, who died during the 1996 everest tragedy and he also partnered with rob hall who died during the same climb. I remember john mentioning him in his book into thin air.
+phaniteja chintalapudi Anatoli Boukreev was also on that 96' Everest climb....and he sadly died on Annapurna in 1997.
I think our Veikka Gustafson was also there that year but on different expedition, I have read both books about it but few years a go. Obviously did not die because he shared all these other trips with Ed Viesturs.
Teja ed was the guy on the radio trying to motivate rob hall to start moving not someone called guy the movie has changed stuff like beck weathers chopper rescue the chopper landed at camp 1 and beck weathers actually let a guy go first in the chopper because he was more badly injured you hear some amazing compassion on Everest but there's a lot of selfish people who step over dead and dying people to get to the summit
Ed Viesturs was leading the IMAX team who filmed the documentary on Everest in 1996. They were the ones to spot Hall's lifeless body.
I'm scared of heights and I will never survive climbing those mountains...some people are not meant to and I'm one of them, but people like Viesturs are amazing to me. Inspiring stuff and I'm a new fan!
I think the same actually
You'll never know, i thought climbing wasn't for me either, until i trekked to the Base of Everest and Annapurna. Looking up at the peak, i knew i have to be up there one day.
So much to learn, so much to teach!
The part thats scary to me is when they have to use the ladders to cross between the crevasses, you have to look down at your feet and as you’re looking down at your feet you looking down a crevasse that is so deep you can’t even see the bottom.
One of the all-time great mountaineers...in history. He said that he'd pick K2 to climb "any day" over Annapurna because it was "the lesser of two evils". When Ed Viesturs is saying that about Annapurna...pretty easy to see why Annapurna carries the notorious reputation that it does and remains the least climbed of all the 8,000ers.
Ed guided me on Rainer in the 1990s. I flew to Seattle from Chicago. Not much experience. Near the summit I was feeling pretty awful. Vomited a few times (didn’t let Ed see that). He kind of assessed me and was clearly debating in his mind about maybe turning me around. But after a talked he decided to let me continue. I was quite fit , a rower, but not much time at high altitudes. His faith in my was just the boost I needed. Made it to the top and safely down. A great experience. His assessment of me was spot on and I appreciate his willingness to let me struggle on, suffer a bit, but achieve my goal, safely. A very memorable experience.
You have to read his books. I own both paperback and audiobooks by Ed. It's motivating and his level of safety is like no other. Much respect to Ed for knowing when to hold em, and knowing when to fold em. His books on K2 and Annapurna are my favorites. Annapurna was also his nemesis, and you'll learn of people who fell thousands of feet from Annapurna and survived.
Ed, your wisdom on decision making skills has certainly had a profound impact on my own mountaineering career. I think that I can say with confidence, that I am still alive because of your words: "Getting to the top is optional. Getting back home is mandatory".
Thank you, Ed.
great talk by one of the greatest climbers. I'm lucky to have came close to Annapurna, only reaching the base camp but the view of Annapurna was breathtaking, what a powerful mountain.
The juxtaposition of the amazing green valley, with the monstrous white mountain looming over it never ceases to take my breath away. You are very fortunate to have been there in person. I wish I could say the same =)
Me too and I share you sentiment. I stood awestruck, rooted, at the monument area facing the glacier and the south face of Annapurna.
One of my bucket list things is to do the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. I must see the south face of that mountain.
ABC was the first serious trek i have ever undertaken and I barely have words. Mid-January weather coupled with a heavy snowfall made for a view unlike anything I have ever witnessed. I'm completely hooked.
I just returned back from Annapurna Base Camp a week ago. It was breath taking. No words describe it.
Wow, he is incredibly well spoken. I bet he still has all his fingers and toes too
He's not well-spoken, and he mispronounces words and names. But he is wise and patient, and intelligent, and as a result you are probably right about the fingers and toes.
Yes, he does still have all of his fingers and toes.
@@chrysology No, he is well spoken.
Great speaker, so inspirational and motivational, Ed is a legend of the mountaineering world. It must be a truly magical feeling to know that you are one of the few to have summited all 14 peaks over 8000m, and without using supplemental oxygen!
Ed is the ideal role model for any prospective mountaineer or adventurer.
I love that he didn't take advantage of Sherpas but actually spent the time training and acclimatizing.
I have read Ed's books and get so much out of them. "Summiting is optional; descending is not" A wonderful writer and speaker. I cannot get enough of the 14 mountains.
Great video and another inspiring lecture from N.G.
"Despite the wind we could still smell the cigarette smoke so we knew they were fine."
Italians - gotta love em
Only one word
Brilliant.
I watch it over and over....
Same here. Especially the part about the Italians and the cigarette smoke LoL
"We all have our own Annapurna in our lives"
Getting to the top is optional, staying alive is mandatory. Ed succeeded at both, that's impressive.
That very same book, by Herzog, Annapurna, I read when I was 15! It was my father's who was an alpinist in Europe, one of the few Hungarians (we have no high mountains..). Amazing book...
+Gábor Kalman Becht wow
Nagyszeru
He's a good speaker. (=
At the start of 2016 i was doing small hikes on hills with about 2 mile round trips. In July I made it to the top of Mt San Gorgonio an 11,503 ft peak (3505 meters) & in August Mount Whitney a 14,505 foot (4420 meter) peak its literally half the size of K2 but obviously a lot lot less technical. It'll would be a dream to at least visit Everest base camp one day
Everyone has to start somewhere TVinmyEyeKeep. Just keep climbing--you'll get there!
Good job, bud.
I love to climb also and feel like you would love to go to Everest base camp on my bucket list!
You should definitely go - just back from the Annapurna base camp trek, it is an amazing experience having so many high peaks around you, and the Nepali countryside is beautiful!! Just be prepared for a lot of walking and an unbelievable number of stairs....
Whenever I have nothing to watch on UA-cam, I have one thing that I can watch for sure. That's this amazing story.
You cant just help liking someone like Ed. His personality comes across in his delivery and you can tell he is a genuine nice guy.
i got interested in climbing on a BA flight in 2015 when I watched the film everest. After the film I ordered 3 books from amazon, Into Thin air, The Climb and Left for dead. I also watched miracle on everest and several documentary's about climbing. What makes Ed really good is his philosophy that getting to the summit is optional but getting down is mandatory and so he turned back even when he was 300 ft away from the summit because he knew he would not make it back. Too many people have died because they dont have that same philosophy. Rob Hall died because he did not turn back Doug Hansen when he should have.
Stunning photography
Nepal is really beautiful and surprisingly underrated i would say..
Very cheap country too.
Extraordinary story and such modesty. Ed Viesturs I salute you sir.
He and anatoli .. are one of the greatest !
two of the greatest ;)
Another great lecture by Ed Viesturs! Maybe the smartest and most practical climber ever.
My all-time mountaineers are this guy and my fellow Finnish hero Veikka. Amazing lecture, loved it! Thanks for sharing this incredible story.
I've followed Viesturs' career with interest. I read the article in Outdoor Magazine, "Ed WHO?" and he's quietly made records while splashier media-hogs get the notice. Great talk!
This is the best thing I have ever seen in my life.
I am awestruck and inspired every time I hear these adventure stories on the toughest mountains on this planet ..wow !!!!!
Wow, climbed all 14 without oxygen tanks. Here I am debating the process of getting up and grabbing another beer. Sheesh.
Not only has he the perfect climbing skills, but also the best story telling skills.
No Shortcuts To The Top by Ed Viesturs. Put it on your must read list guys! (also available on audio book)
ty, just ordered it:)
twotwentyswift His books the will to climb (especially) and k2 are, in my humble opinion, way better books than no shortcuts. Maybe I just knew too much about him already, he's definitely one of my favorite, but his other books just tell the coolest stories
I haven't read either but it sounds like I need to. Thanks for the info. Amazon here I come!
twotwentyswift I read it. It was very poorly written in my opinion. It was also pretty boring
Sorry you didn't enjoy it. I certainly did.
Have a lot of respect for Mr. Viesters and it would seem he is a blessed individual to have survived so much. I know he was prepared and wise in his accomplishments. Smart decisions are a big part of success and survival....
Its so great to see him actually tell the stories. Truly incredible and inspirational.
Ed Viesturs is a legend...
I met Ed at Everest base camp and took a picture with him. Very gracious with his time. He gave a lecture for my hospital several yrs later and signed that picture. Thanks Ed.
So many mountaineers look amazingly young and vital. They almost have a glow about them.
great story. hes obviously a very safe, calculated guy without a massive ego, hence why hes alive to tell the story and so many others aren't.
Ed gave this speech at my Hotel not too long ago. It was great. Seems like a good guy.
Safari which hotel?
Such an inspirational speech, even for someone who's never gonna attempt any of the 8,000 meter peaks! Love the mentality!
His book No Shortcuts to the Top is brilliant! Patient, methodical, knowledgeable climber with strong morals.
Ed thanks for sharing this truly epic adventure and congrats!!!
Excellent speech from an amazing mountaineer
He captivated me with every word. I could've listened to hours more of that. Great speaker, serious moments where you couldn't hear a pin drop in the room to timely quips of very funny humour.
I am just a humble amateur climber and the highest i reached was over 4000m, in the Alps. I know that i will never achieve nothing not even close to 8000m and that, like Viesturs, Messner, Hillary and such, but as long i can travel and climb some of those amazing places that mountains are, i will be glad for each moment. Mountains are some of the most beautiful, outstanding, breathtaking, (even somtimes) dangerous and deadly, stunning places on Earth..
one of the greatest speechs ive heard. thank you very much
This guy is an incredible climber. Climbed all (14) 8000 meter peaks without supplemental O2, a phenomenal feat, not to mention summiting Everest 7x, also without 02. He's probably still alive because he never succumbed to summit fever, and had his safety in mind first by not letting his ego get in the way.
amazing stuff. i just read about this guy who did the 14 peaks in 6 months, crazy.
Nims Purja blasted through the world’s 14 highest mountains in little more than six months in 2019 - which certainly gives him some pretty high credentials in the world of mountaineering.
> " Nims Purja blasted through the world’s 14 highest mountains in little more than six months in 2019 - which certainly gives him some pretty high credentials in the world of mountaineering."
I'm more impressed by climbers like Ed Viesturs who focused on safety and compassion, instead of speed and ego.
@@Horizon-hj3yc what, Nims is safe. He is in a different league than Ed.
How is it even possible that 152 people gave this a thumbs down? Ed is an amazing and captivating person who has been on one amazing journey.
good man- not climbing for fame and ego/glory but for the right reasons- cool
In any human endeavor, safety is the most important consideration. Mahalo for posting this video.
well that was just flat out awesome! I could listen to him discuss these stories for hours!
Ed is a real mountaineer, no bs but also appears to be a really genuine human being. unlike many of the greedy millionaires throwing bottles of 02 away on the route up everest, ruining such a beautiful part of the world
I live fifty miles from Mt. Rainier. The Cascades have more of than enough climbing in them for me. I'm not even interested in the so-called 8,000m peaks.
Wow!! I loved watching this!
Italians ripping cigs on the side of big mountains. Epic.
RIP Mario Merelli
Thank you for this inspiring speech!
Fantastic
So great to see this. To really see Ed present this just gives me more encouragement to reach goals and know people die all the time climbing. He points out climbing a mountain is a round trip! Just classic and I loved the photography! Great lessons learned! Just inspiring!
Hats off. Saddened to read the uncharitable comments. If you cannot applaud this man, but find faults, I can only say that you see your own faces in the mirror.
its often that way...with judgement
@@ldhorricks some would go so far as to say that when you point the finger, that three fingers will be pointing back at you.
I could listen his story a whole day .Thank you for sharing .
As coincidence would have it, Nat Geo (I think) was shooting an IMAX feature on Everest and Ed in '96. There is a heartbreaking scene that shows Ed speaking to Scott via radio after he had sat down and wasn't able to move. He tries to motivate Scott to keep decending, but it's too late. He had been in the "Death Zone" for about 36 hours. They link Scott to his wife via satellite phone and they pick a name for his unborn child before saying goodbye to each other. It's hard to watch
Do you have a link for the clip?
Rob Hall
That was Rob Hall, not Scott Fischer.
I remember as a small kid Veikka Gustafson coming to our school and giving a big slideshow and talk about his trip to K2 so it must have been with Ed.
Amazing talk. Enjoyed every second of it.
Wow! What a legend! Ed Viesturs has to be the greatest American high altitude climber of all time. To climb all of the highest peaks in the world without supplemental oxygen is an amazing feat. For a former much lower and much worse climber like me Ed is like a god of sorts. He is my favorite climber. Love his storytelling. Wow!!!
So inspiring...I'm 15 and have big dreams for these mountains!
So proud to see a fellow veterinarian have this outstanding of an accomplishment!
Mountain GOAT! ❤ Ed.
Amazing recount of his achievements. Thank you Ed for sharing with so many of us who can only dream...
a true inspiring legend....
Ed Viesturs you are the ultimate climber.
I only wish I had been born with a healthy heart, for I would've joined you there at the top of the world.
Aw good luck im sure you'll reach there one day
+Gustavo A. Rios im so sry
Most inspirational talk i ever listen to.
Thank you Ed.
Wow, truly impressive.
We all have our own Annapurna....just wow
It sums it up nicely
What a great guy with extraordinary skills and accomplishments.He was raised in the same town that I was and still live in, Rockford Illinois, which is anything BUT, high altitude environment ! Machine Tools and cornfields ! We did cheer Ed on as we heard about his latest exploits. Cheers ! Dana WN6OHG
+Dana Brinkmeier I grew up in Milwaukee and have been to Rockford. They were once great. I figured Ed was from suburban Chicago but he is 100% legit. Great passion and I would also be prideful having him from same stomping grounds. Not like other mid westerners
+Colonel Duke Lacross Duke...everyone outside of Rkfd tend to lump it in with Chicago but, it has it's own history , culture and heritage that is anything but Chicago.It was, for decades, the Machine Tool Capital of the World but has been devastated by Corporations moving Production to Asia.Such is the status Qua. I recently retired from the Gov. as a Veteran Employment and Training Rep for the last 26 years and so have an inside view of the Employment situation in Rockford and the midwest as a whole..db
Just finished reading, No Shortcuts to the top, for the second time. Thrilling book! Thanks for the time in preparing and writing the book Ed. Just ordered your second from Amazon.
Great speech, great motivation.
"We all have our own Annapurna"
fascinating to hear. thank you for sharing your story. so humble too. I love the\
concept of adapting to the mountain instead of the mountain adapting to you; shows alot of respect for it, and humility
The Italians always bringing excellency to everywhere, kudos to the cheese and salami ！
Supplemental cheese and salami ! We can all learn from the Italians.
Amazing. Wish there had been some questions and answering. He knew Rob Hall, would have been interested to know what he thought of the commercialization of Everest.
Fantastic Presentation. WoW!
Wow this dude is super healthy
Most people climb Everest and are done for life. He climbed Everest and took off to climb another mountain 3 days later.
Wow 😯
My love for the mountains will never die