Carlos Buhler

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Carlos Buhler (born in Harrison, New York in 1954) is one of America's leading high altitude moutaineers. Buhler's specialty is extreme mountaineering, practiced mostly by Russians and Eastern Europeans, where he climbs with small teams, no oxygen, minimal gear and equipment, relatively low amounts of funding, yet manages first ascents of new and extreme routes under particularly challenging conditions, such as the Himalayan winter season.

Of note, Buhler was the first American to summit two of the fabled fourteen 8,000 meter Himalayan peaks (the 3rd highest, Kangchenjunga and the ninth highest, Nanga Parbat). Kangchengjuna was a particularly plum mountaineering achievement, since it had been attempted many times by large, well funded teams of Americans trying its "easiest" route. When Buhler summitted the mountain, he did so on an extreme route and in very light weight style, with a small, self sufficient and leanly funded team. Buhler is also responsible for putting up numerous extreme and dangerous first ascents in his thirty-five plus mountaineering career that has spanned five continents.

Buhler is a 1978 graduate of Western Washington University, one of only 66 recipients of the school's highest honor (Distiniguished Alumni Award), and currently resides part time in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. He is married and the father of two.

[edit] Notable ascents

  • 1st ascent, Everest’s Kangshung (East) Face, 1983. Everest's last unclimbed face, still its technically most demanding route; to this day, never repeated.
  • 2nd expedition to K2, world’s 2nd highest peak: Made the tough decision to retreat just 60 feet below the summit, due to late hour and conclusion he could summit but not necessarily survive the descent. Saved life of Rob Hall, who had continued to the top, but later died in 1996 on Everest (INTO THIN AIR).
  • On 3rd K2 attempt, summitted via its North Face, 1 of only 2 North Americans ever. Unrepeated since Carlos’ summit in 1996, although attempted many times).
  • 1st American ascent of Kangchenjunga, world's 3rd highest peak, via rarely summitted North Wall, although the peak had been tried many times, including by large, well funded American teams.
  • 3rd ascent, West Pillar of Makalu, world's 5th highest peak. Decided to retreat literally 100 yards from the top, due to bad weather/concern that could reach the summit, but not survive descent. Became a Harvard Leadership Program case study.
  • Summited Cho Oyu, world's 6th highest peak, via the difficult Polish West Ridge, “in a remarkably bold, two-man alpine-style ascent,” Climbing Magazine wrote
  • 1st North American to summit four of the world’s fourteen peaks over 8000 meters (26,250 feet), all in extreme style. Decided not to compete in “race” to summit all fourteen, preferring more extreme although lesser known summits.
  • Summitted Dhaulagiri, world’s 7th highest peak, losing half a toe to frostbite.
  • 1st American ascent of Nanga Parbat, world's 9th highest peak.
  • 1st ascent, N.E. Face of Ama Dablam, Khumbu region of Nepal, in totally committing style (one other climber/ dangerous winter season).
  • 1st solo ascent of Dorje Lhakpa by its demanding West Ridge, which he happened to make “solo” (no rope/no partner) when partner became sick in base camp before summit attempt.
  • 1st American ascent of Baruntse by any route; 1st ascent of its striking East Ridge.
  • 1st ascent of sheer, 5,200 foot North Face of Changabang, Indian Himalaya. Lived 16 days on a vertical wall in a portaledge, establishing perhaps hardest "big wall" route ever in the Himalayas.
  • 1st ascent of new route on West Face of Siula Grande, Peru, mountain in Joe Simpson's best seller/movie, "Touching the Void". When on TV, David Letterman asked Joe to assess route’s difficulty, Joe referred to Carlos as a reference point.
  • 1st ascent of Milarepa, by East Face, in Rowaling Himalaya of Tibet.
  • 1st ascent of Dhiang Peak in Nangma Valley, Eastern Karakoram, by direct route up N.W. Face (highly sought summit), in remote Ishkoman Valley in Hindu Kush Mountains, N.W. Pakistan.
  • Several other 1st ascents in Ishkoman Valley. Area is along remote Chiantar Glacier. (Base camp is a two-day walk north of the village of Gotolti, reached via seven-hour jeep ride from closest town of Gilgit.)
  • 1st ascent of Sepu Kangri, in Nyangchen Tanglga Himalayan Mountains of Eastern Tibet, called by some renowned mountaineers, a “Last Great Climb.” Summitted during fierce snowstorm.
  • 1st ascents of extreme routes in Alaska (such as Gunnar Naslund’s East Face and in Peru (on Pucahirca's Northwest Face).
  • First exploration and got very high on the North Face of Menlungtse, in Tibet, but chose to retreat near the summit to save life of an ill teammate. Retreat required descending a dangerous 5000 foot wall.
  • Fulfilled dying wish of great Russian composer, Alexander Scriabin, to have his last composition, Mysterium , performed in the Himalayas (at Milarepa base camp).
  • Selected by the American Alpine Club at age 23 to join a prestigious, high-profile Soviet-American team to climb in the Pamir Range of Central Asia.

[edit] Highest honors in American mountaineering

  • Robert and Miriam Underhill Award 2007 (highest honor in U.S. mountaineering, awarded by the American Alpine Club)
  • Lyman Spitzer Cutting Edge Award 2004 (awarded for cutting edge “bold first ascents or difficult repeats of most challenging routes”)
  • Ranked “Best of the Best” 2002, and only American among the top four for all international high altitude climbers, by Everestnews.com. (2002 was the last year ranking was compiled.)
  • Polartec Challenge Award, 2001 for “vision, commitment, credibility and respect for the local culture and environment [which] serve as role models to outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.”
  • Mugs Stump Award 1998, first year awarded. (Award honors “climbers attempting alpine climbing objectives that exemplify fast, light and clean tactics.”)
  • American Mountain Foundation Award, 1988, for 1st American ascent of Kangchenjunga, world’s 3rd highest mountain.
  • Western Washington University, Distinguished Alumni Award (1 of only 66 recipients, out of about 87,000 alum).
  • Keynote speaker at leading mountain and wilderness film festivals:
    • 2002 Telluride Mountain Film
    • 2003 Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival
    • 2004 Banff Mountain Film Festival
    • Juror, Trento Mountain Film Festival, 2006, (great honor in mountaineering)
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