Benoît Chamoux
French mountain climber (1961–1995)
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Benoît Chamoux (19 February 1961 – 6 October 1995) was a French Alpinist, who claimed to have summited 13 of the Eight-thousanders in the Himalayas.
Himalaya
Benoît Chamoux | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 February 1961 |
| Disappeared | 6 October 1995 (aged 34) Himalaya |
| Status | Missing for 30 years, 5 months and 9 days |
Three of these climbs are disputed and are not formally recorded (Makalu in 1995, Cho Oyu in 1990 and Shishapangma in 1990). His official recorded number of ascents is 10.[1][2]
Biography
Chamoux was born in La Roche-sur-Foron near Mont Blanc in the department of Haute-Savoie, France. He disappeared near the summit of his 14th Himalayan peak, Kangchenjunga (8586m) on 5 October 1995 with photographer Pierre Royer and their Sherpa Riku.[3] Three of his eight-thousander ascents were to either their fore-summits or the plateau, and are disputed.
The non-profit "Foundation Benoît Chamoux" was created under the auspices of the Foundation of France with the mission to educate Sherpa children who have lost their fathers in mountain expeditions.[4]
Principal achievements
- 1982: Diamond couloir on Mount Kenya
- 1983: Huascaran South in Peru
Solo ascents
- 1985: Gasherbrum II (8036m) on 15 June and Gasherbrum I (8068m) on 22 June.
- 1986: Broad Peak (8051m) at 16:00 on 20 June and K2 (8611m) arête des Abruzzes at 23:00 on 7 July in just 23 hours of climbing.[5]
- 1987: Nanga Parbat (8126m) via Diamir at 23:00 on 7 July.
Expeditions leading the team l’Esprit d’Équipe
- 1988: Annapurna (8091m) via the South Face on 10 May. Five men of the six-man team reached the summit.
- 1989: Manaslu (8156m) via the South Face on 12 and 15 May. Everyone in the eight-man team reached the summit in four teams of two.
- 1990: Cho Oyu (8201m) on 30 April. Everyone in the seven-man team reached the summit (this ascent has been disputed by Elizabeth Hawley).
- 1990: Shishapangma (8013m) on 12 May. Everyone in the seven-man team reached the summit. (this was the central (west) summit and not the true summit, and is not recorded).[6]
Scientific expeditions
- 1992: Measurement of Everest (8848m) on 29 September.
- 1993: Dhaulagiri (8167m) on 6 October.
- 1994: Lhotse (8516m).
- 1995: Makalu (8481m) on 7 May (this is disputed by Elizabeth Hawley and is not formally recorded).
- 1995: Disappeared on Kangchenjunga (8586m) with Pierre Royer and their Sherpa on 6 October near the summit.