Peter Habeler Interviewed by Ed Douglas

From the 2008 BMFF Program: Growing up in Mayrhonfen, Austria, Peter Habeler was naturally drawn to the mountains, and his passion for extreme climbing was sparked at an early age. By 16, he had conquered the most difficult rock and ice routes near his home, and at 21, he was a fully certified mountain guide. In the mid-1960s, Habeler forged a climbing partnership with Reinhold Messner that would make them the founding fathers of lightweight, alpine-style climbing. Using the latest technical equipment, the duo set the standard for fast and light ascents on difficult routes, setting speed records on the Eiger North Face and the Nordwand on the Matterhorn. With each successful climb came the motivation to push the limits further, and in 1978 they achieved what was then believed to be impossible—the first ascent of Mount Everest without the aid of supplemental oxygen. Follow the Banff Centre: Website: https://banffcentre.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheBanffCentre Twitter: https://twitter.com/thebanffcentre iTunes: http://apple.co/1A2DMmx SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/banff-centre-radio