Who do you think is the most accomplished mountaineer in climbing history?

My personal opinion is Reinhold Messner. Having read several of his books, and taking in everything he's ever done in mountaineering, I'd throw his name into the ring as the best overall mountaineer. The first to climb all 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen; his Nanga Parbat adventures, his off-season solo of Everest by a new route in 36 hours from top to bottom and many other very out there exploits. Also, he managed to cross Antarctica on skis. Most importantly he's still alive after all that he's done, lives in a castle and has been a successful businessman through his alpine endeavors. Share your thoughts!

I'd have to say Tomaz Humar. Guy did crazy, solo ground breaking stuff in the 80s and 90s. I'd also throw in Willi Unsoeld and Tom Horbein for the first Everest traverse. Pretty before-your-time kinda shit. Unsoeld also lost 9 toes to frostbite and continued to climb haha.. Maybe even Ed Webster. Big wall climbing on Everest is insane stoke if you ask me

I would have to say THE Wesley Summers. His insight into the climbing world has made me completely rethink my rock climbing life. He has even recently progressed to outdoor climbing. Http://rockclimbinglife.wor…

I've got to throw the Ice Warrior: Jerzy Kukuczka, into the ring. 2nd person to climb the 8000ers after Messner and did so in far shorter time with far fewer resources, Kukuczka established ten new routes and climbed four summits in winter (compared to 6 new routes of Messner's, none of them during winter) and established a yet unrepeated line on K2. He climbed all summits, except for Mount Everest, without the use of supplemental oxygen.

This guy

Bonatti? Sir Chris? Terray?

Long Live FRED BECKEY !!!!

youtube.com/watch?v=U8y0aNl…

Bonatti just called, he was wondering who all these panty-waists y'all are mentioning are...

Messner. Everest solo winter. Nuff said

Uli Steck at the moment.

Chuck Norris or Jeff Lowe

Without doubt Bonatti look at equipment, what had been done previously, boldness of the ascent, and just plain balls. eg. north face of Matterhorn in winter solo, and many more.

Me.

Maestri?

Bonnington definitely deserves some serious recognition because he was such a great writer and photographer, on top of the fact he had some pretty sweet ascents. I've got a few of Bonningtons books, and always enjoy thumbing through them when I'm feeling a little mountain sick.

My personal idol, Alex Lowe. Probably the best all around climber in the world for a period of time. He could do it all. And the Denali rescue is something that is almost larger than life.

At 19,200ft on Denali:

"By the time we got to them, one of the Spaniards had already fallen to his death. The other two weren't wearing gloves or hats. They were in the last stages of hypothermia -- they were delirious -- and their hands were frozen way up past the wrist." While Lowe's climbing partners assisted one man up the steep slope, Lowe determined that the other man had to be evacuated immediately. Amid snowy conditions, he at first dragged, then carried him on his back up the steep slope at high altitude, in an incident that was photographically documented. Observing the dramatic rescue in adverse conditions, a Park ranger commented, "[Lowe] literally, single-handedly, saved several people. He picked one guy up who had frozen hands and feet and couldn't move and was literally inches from death."

An endless debate for sure:

"The best climber is the one having the most fun"

Alex Lowe

^^^^^ dumbest quote ever. ^^^^^

Choose One ??? there have been quite a few who have had a vision and what it took to carry it out. Two of my favorites Fritz Wiessner, Mike Libecki but to mention only two is to dis the others.

Most badass climb--the sourdough boys:
"The other two, Taylor and Anderson, climbed on still lugging the flagpole. At 3.25 p.m. on April 3rd, 1910 they were standing on the North Peak. They had made the summit push from 11,000 feet (3352m). Encumbered with the flagpole they climbed more than 8,000 feet (about 2500m) and then returned to their camp site in eighteen hours. An extraordinary feat of mountaineering."

Mt. McKinley.

Fritz Wiessner +1