On 11th December Andorra celebrates the “International day of mountains”, the professional Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck is invited to the National concert hall of the Principality

On 11th December Andorra will celebrate the “International day of mountains”. In honor of this event the professional Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck is invited to the National concert hall of the Principality (Ordino parròquia) at 21.00 (free entrance). He will tell the audience about conquering the highest mountain peaks, solo-ascensions and established records.

The alpinist is widely known as “Swiss machine” for his high speed and endurance. Extreme climber has developed a technique, based on quick light-handed ascension, maximum precision of calculations and love to perfectionism—a strain of character that is ironically called by Ueli Steck a typically Swiss feature. Every other ascension is thoroughly prepared by the alpinist, he mulls over every tiny detail, weekly spends 30 hours training (including running, endurance and strength exercises), keeps to a strict diet.

Ueli Steck has been practicing alpinism since he was 12. The only direction he acknowledges is –up, the only way to get there is—to make everything quickly and precisely. His personal records contain an impressive list of conquered peaks:  at the age of 26 Ueli Steck ascended the Eastern slope of Mount Dickey (Alaska, 2909m), in 2007 he conquered the Southern slope of Eiger (Bernese Alps, 3970m), established a personal record—3 hours 54 minutes, in a year he repeated the ascension with a new time record—2 hours 47 minutes. In the same year of 2008 Ueli Steck conquered Grandes Jorasses (one of Mont Blanc peaks on the border of Italy and France, 4208m) and another record—2 hours 21 minutes. In a year the sportsman established an absolute speed record—it took him 1 hour 56 minutes to conquer the Northern slope  of Matterhorn (Alpine peak on the border of Switzerland and Italy, 4478m). The alpinist also implemented the ascension to Gasherbrum II (Pakistan, 8035m), climbed the Southern slope of Shishapangma (Tibet, 8027m) and won Everest (Naple-China, 8848m).

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