 Walter Bonatti in 1964 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Italian |
| Born | 22 June 1930 Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy |
| Died | 13 September 2011 (aged 81) Rome, Lazio, Italy |
| Climbing career | |
| Type of climber | Mountaineer |
| Known for | Solo climb of Aiguille du Dru |
| First ascents | Gasherbrum IV |
| Major ascents | List of mountaineering achievements |
| Updated on 18 March 2013 | |
Walter Bonatti (Italian pronunciation: [ˈvalter boˈnatti]; 22 June 1930 – 13 September 2011) was an Italian mountaineer, alpinist, explorer and journalist.[1][2][3] He was noted for many climbing achievements, including a solo climb of a new alpine climbing route on the south-west pillar of the Aiguille du Dru in August 1955, the first ascent of Gasherbrum IV in 1958, and, in 1965, the first solo climb in winter of the North face of the Matterhorn on the mountain's centenary year of its first ascent. Immediately after his solo climb on the Matterhorn, Bonatti announced his retirement from professional climbing at the age of 35, and after 17 years of climbing activity. He authored many mountaineering books and spent the remainder of his career travelling off the beaten track as a reporter for the Italian magazine Epoca. He died on 13 September 2011 of pancreatic cancer[4] in Rome aged 81,[5] and was survived by his life partner, the actress Rossana Podestà.
Famed for his climbing panache, he also pioneered little-known and technically difficult climbs in the Alps, Himalayas, and Patagonia. In 2009, Bonatti was awarded the first-ever Piolet d'Or Lifetime Achievement Award. He is widely considered as being one of the greatest climbers in history.
- ^ Walter Bonatti: Ground-breaking mountaineer who played a crucial role in the first ascent of K2
- ^ Walter Bonatti, légende de l'alpinisme italien, est mort - L'alpiniste, écrivain et journaliste Walter Bonatti a signé quelques-unes des ascensions les plus audacieuses et complexes des années 50 et 60
- ^ Walter Bonatti, alpiniste italien. Il est mort d'un cancer, le 13 septembre, à Rome, à l'âge de 81 ans
- ^ Cazzullo, Aldo (11 September 2011). "L' attrice e lo scalatore: trent' anni con Walter dopo un incontro al buio" (in Italian). Corriere Della Sera. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ^ "E' morto il Ragno Bonatti, mito dell' alpinismo mondiale". lecconotizie.com. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2012.