John Middendorf

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John Middendorf, 2006
John Middendorf, 2006

John Middendorf (born 1959 in New York City) is a big wall rock climber, who achieved world-wide recognition in the rock climbing world when he climbed the East Face of Great Trango Tower in Pakistan with Xaver Bongard in 1992. As a lightweight, two man team, they were the first to climb the 5000 foot vertical rock face of Great Trango Tower to the summit and make it down alive. (The eastern face of Great Trango Tower was previously climbed by a team of Norwegians, who unfortunately died on the descent).

The climb is considered the most difficult big wall in the world, and required 15 days and nights to climb the route, and three days to descend, using portaledges designed and constructed by Middendorf in his shop (A5 Adventures, Inc.) The route ushered in a decade of difficult big wall climbs in remote places around the world.

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