The IMS mourns the death of Kurt Albert, deceased on 28/09/2010.
The International Mountain Summit mourns the death of Kurt Albert, deceased on Tuesday, 28th of September, at 8.45 pm. Kurt Albert was a legendary climber and an important pioneer of free climbing. He is famous for having introduced the idea of redpoint into climbing. The term “Redpoint” is used to mark a route climbed from ground up with no falls, without the use of artificial help. The IMS team offers its sincere condolences to the family. As one of the world’s iconic climbers Kurt Albert was invited to the second edition of International Mountain Summit in Brixen/ Bressanone. His conference, as well as his walk with Jerry Moffatt, planned for Sunday, 7th of November, had already been awaited with great anticipation. The notice of his decease is a shock for mountain lovers around the world.
Kurt Albert, was gravely injured in a 60-foot (18m) fall from the “via ferrata” Hohenglucksteig in Bavaria, Germany, on Sunday. Even though rescue services arrived immediately and Kurt Albert was brought to the intensive care unit of the nearby hospital, he died two days later.
Kurt Albert – pioneer and climbing legend
The climbing scene in Franconia and Germany has lost one of its founding fathers and most beloved members. Kurt Albert was amongst Germany’s leading climbers of his generation. He has done a great number of difficult first ascents around the globe, including Eternal Flame on Nameless Tower, and Royal Flush on Fitz Roy. Notably, Albert is known as the inventor of the term “redpoint,” which he established by painting a red dot at the start of his routes in the Frankenjura area, after he succeeded climbing the route without artificial help, falls or stops. Kurt Albert was a free spirit and enthusiastic climber and person. He will be missed dearly.
From teacher to alpinist
Originally a maths and physics teacher, Kurt Albert has become one of the world’s most successful mountaineers after deciding to devote his life to professional climbing. His talks and training seminars are very popular with managers or leader all over the world, and his slide shows and films are packed with adventures.
At the limit…
Kurt Albert characterized his particular attitude and his sense of mountaineering through extraordinary adventurous attempts. On mountains in Patagonia, Himalaya, Greenland, Canada, Antarctica ecc. he made numerous first ascents with a high difficulty level. He battled against polar bears, high waves in kayak and difficult rocks at Baffin Island. He sailed with a 14 meter long yacht trough stormy sea in the Antarctic to ascend the 900 meter high face of the Renard Towers.
The all-round Talent
His activities include different aspects of the climbing sport – from bouldering to the ascent of Himalaya summits or exotic climbing in Madagascar, Namibia, Vietnam and Mexico.
Nevertheless, in the focus of his interest there is always the ascent of a big face according to sport climbing rules. So he reached awesome free climbs like the Royal Flush, Hart am Wind, Odyssee, Fitzcarraldo, Nordlicht,… which are all embedded in exclusive adventures in faraway landscapes.
Climbing „By Fair Means“
What counts for Kurt Albert at the moment of ascending a “World Mountain” is the way of doing it: His dogma says “by fair means”. He basically declines any technical aid. Not only when he climbs up the mountain, but also on the way to the starting point of the tour – this means that he does not use water planes, helicopters or something similar. Waiver is an important part of his activities.
The Pioneer of the free climbing movement
Kurt is a living legend. Beginning the seventies he brought the idea of climbing without technical aids to Germany and was therefore the pioneer of the free climbing movement. He lives in the francophone Switzerland and many first ascents in his home rocks bear his name.
The mountains are his home. His goal is to realize the first ascent of the “Big Walls”. In his favorite area Patagonia, at the famous Fitzroy, he climbed the first ascent “Royal Flush”. This route is one of the most brilliant alpine attempts of last year.
Alpine Profile
He began climbing in the rocks of the francophone Switzerland when he was 14 years old..Kurt Albert realized his first alpine mountain tour at the age of 16 (Dolomites – Walkerpfeiler – Eiger Nordwand). Free climber pioneer in Germany – deviser of the red point ideology (1975): climbing without technical aids.
Website of Kurt Albert:
www.kurt-albert.de
