Interesting portrait. That first ascent of Chacraraju was a true demonstration of perseverance. For the last 800 vertical meters, Terray and his six companions (Sennelier, Martin, Souriac, Davaille, Jenny and Gaudin) needed eleven days! They all reached the summit, like you say, on July 31 of 1956. That same year, he had already made first ascents of Humantay in the Cordillera Vilcabamba and Veronica in the Cordillera Urubamba, two seriously difficult peaks, though obviously not as impossible as Chacraraju. He climbed Humantay and Veronica with his good climbing friends Cees Egeler and Tom de Booy, the same two Dutchmen that had already joined him during his first on Nevado Huantsán. They reached that summit July 7, 1952.
Terray returned to Chacraraju in 1962 to climb the even more difficult East Peak. Yet another first.
Cf. Hermann Kiendler, Die Anden — Vom Chimborazo zum Marmolejo — Alle 6000er auf einen Blick, ISBN 978-3-936740-36-3, p. 54 (Chacraraju) and p. 82 (Huantsán).
He was really a great person... and not only in reason of his climbs.
Thank you for visiting.
p.s. Sorry but SP rules don't allow attaching other owners' pictures to a page, so i can't attach your picture: if you want only you are allowed to attach Lionel's grave picture to the page.
Hello Pablo, finally i have found the way to attach pictures submitted by other users, so i'm attaching your picture of Terray's grave to my article.
Hope you like it!
All the best.
silvia
Of all the great alpinists of this era, Lionel was the nicest, the most generous and the most unselfish one. Here are two small 'anecdotes' about him.
First, a tiny one but which happened to me: In 1962, just 20, I went to climb the Walker spur but as my friends thought my equipmment was too poor for a climb then considered as one of the greatest, they took me to Lionel to borrow some and particularly an 'elephant foot' for our bivouac. When I took it back to Lionel it was punctured with a number of holes made by my crampons! But instead of getty angry, he congratulated me for having completed the ascent and offered me a drink.
The 2nd one happened on Annapurna.
After the bivouac in the crevasse they fell into during the descent, when Louis Lachenal his pal, whose frostbitten feet he had massaged all night long, tried to put back his shoes, he couldn't as they were frozen stiff and his feet too swollen. Lionel then gave him his shoes, two sizes larger and put Louis's ones two sizes smaller! Imagine doing that and at around 8000 m high. For Lionel his climbing pals were like brothers and all mountaineers were his pals.
As we say of him in France, Lionel was a 'Seigneur'. The equivalent in English would be: Lionel was the essence of the 'spirit of mountaineering'.
The closest I came to Lionel Terray was to meet the Dutch climber Tom de Booy who also took part in the 1957 Eiger rescue. He claimed that he was the one who came up with the title “Conquistadors of the Useless” for Terray’s book. Seen up to the left on the picture.
the full movie of his 1rst ski descent of Mont Blanc in 1952, quite well filmed for the time (4 or 5 cameramen): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xi2ml1_la-grande-descente_sport?search_algo=1
The trailer of Gilles Chappaz's movie in memoriam of Lionel (2007) where some of his friends say a few words (all nice) about him: Pierre lesueur, Robert Paragot, Lucien Bérardini, Maurice Herzog, Guido magnone, Jean-Louis Bernezat, Paul Keller, Claude Jaccoux, Pierre Mazeaud,
His 1rst ascent of the Fitz Roy (1952) told by his companion Guido Magnone: http://www.tvmountain.com/video/voyage-expe/6767-fitz-roy-patagonie-lionel-terray-guido-magnone.html
A TV short movie made just after his death in 1965 in memoriam: http://www.tvmountain.com/article/videos-archives-ina/8294-hommage-lionel-terray.html
His ascent of Mount Huntington :http://www.tvmountain.com/article/videos-archives-ina/8276-alaska-mont-huntington-lionel-terray.html
and finally the beginning of another movie made in 1994 showing Lionel as a young child: http://www.ina.fr/economie-et-societe/environnement-et-urbanisme/video/CAC94065611/dossier-lionel-terray-le-conquerant.fr.html
They are in French but the images are still explicit in themselves and at least one can get a feel of the man.
Finally I strongly recommend to anyone who has not seen it 'Les étoiles de midi' (Stars at noon) from Marcel Ichac, one of the best mountain films ever in which Lionel plays the leading part.
Thank you Eric, now i'm very busy because i'm starting for a climbing's trip to Les Calanques. When i'll come back i will add the movies.
All the best also to you.
silvia
Terray was one of the heroes of my teenage years, I have several books where he figures large, and appreciate getting more information about him. Sad that he should die at such a young age.
One of my books is about the 1952 climb of Huantsan, which was unusual as he was actually hired as a guide for two Dutch geologists, C.C. Egeler and T. de Booy who wanted to do this first ascent. They wound up becoming great friends, on the climb, which was not without dramatic incidents, as Egeler describes in his book "The Untrodden Andes" (Faber and Faber, London 1954)
My very first serious book about mountaineering was "Cuceritorii inutilului", the romanian version of "Les conquerants de l'inutile". I still have it in my library. Me too I have an very short and insignificant anecdote with Terray familly. When In 1979 I participated at the first exams to become trekking guide, one of my team mates was Nicolas Terray, Lionel's first son.
Tijs - Apr 17, 2012 3:11 pm - Voted 10/10
Eleven days for 800 vertical meters!Interesting portrait. That first ascent of Chacraraju was a true demonstration of perseverance. For the last 800 vertical meters, Terray and his six companions (Sennelier, Martin, Souriac, Davaille, Jenny and Gaudin) needed eleven days! They all reached the summit, like you say, on July 31 of 1956. That same year, he had already made first ascents of Humantay in the Cordillera Vilcabamba and Veronica in the Cordillera Urubamba, two seriously difficult peaks, though obviously not as impossible as Chacraraju. He climbed Humantay and Veronica with his good climbing friends Cees Egeler and Tom de Booy, the same two Dutchmen that had already joined him during his first on Nevado Huantsán. They reached that summit July 7, 1952.
Terray returned to Chacraraju in 1962 to climb the even more difficult East Peak. Yet another first.
Cf. Hermann Kiendler, Die Anden — Vom Chimborazo zum Marmolejo — Alle 6000er auf einen Blick, ISBN 978-3-936740-36-3, p. 54 (Chacraraju) and p. 82 (Huantsán).
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 18, 2012 10:26 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Eleven days for 800 vertical meters!Thank you for your comment.
Cheers
silvia mazzani
rgg - Apr 18, 2012 11:18 am - Voted 10/10
Great article... about an amazing man!
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 18, 2012 11:33 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great articlethanks Rob!
cheers
silvia
pablo - Apr 19, 2012 4:48 am - Voted 10/10
InspireSuper article Silvia. Lionel inspires me the best of mountaineers spirit.
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 19, 2012 1:27 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: InspireHe was really a great person... and not only in reason of his climbs.
Thank you for visiting.
p.s. Sorry but SP rules don't allow attaching other owners' pictures to a page, so i can't attach your picture: if you want only you are allowed to attach Lionel's grave picture to the page.
Silvia Mazzani - Dec 7, 2012 4:22 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: InspireHello Pablo, finally i have found the way to attach pictures submitted by other users, so i'm attaching your picture of Terray's grave to my article.
Hope you like it!
All the best.
silvia
ericvola - Apr 19, 2012 7:49 am - Voted 10/10
The spirit of mountaineeringOf all the great alpinists of this era, Lionel was the nicest, the most generous and the most unselfish one. Here are two small 'anecdotes' about him.
First, a tiny one but which happened to me: In 1962, just 20, I went to climb the Walker spur but as my friends thought my equipmment was too poor for a climb then considered as one of the greatest, they took me to Lionel to borrow some and particularly an 'elephant foot' for our bivouac. When I took it back to Lionel it was punctured with a number of holes made by my crampons! But instead of getty angry, he congratulated me for having completed the ascent and offered me a drink.
The 2nd one happened on Annapurna.
After the bivouac in the crevasse they fell into during the descent, when Louis Lachenal his pal, whose frostbitten feet he had massaged all night long, tried to put back his shoes, he couldn't as they were frozen stiff and his feet too swollen. Lionel then gave him his shoes, two sizes larger and put Louis's ones two sizes smaller! Imagine doing that and at around 8000 m high. For Lionel his climbing pals were like brothers and all mountaineers were his pals.
As we say of him in France, Lionel was a 'Seigneur'. The equivalent in English would be: Lionel was the essence of the 'spirit of mountaineering'.
Thanks for that article on this great man!
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 19, 2012 1:17 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: The spirit of mountaineeringI'm according with you about him! A answer: can i add this two small anecdotes inside the article?
Thanks and best regards.
silvia
ericvola - Apr 19, 2012 1:25 pm - Voted 10/10
AnecdotesPlease do.
Eventually if you want I will later send you some more and from one of his best pal, Jean-Louis Bernezat, but using suummitpost mail.
Best regards
Eric
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 19, 2012 1:31 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: AnecdotesNow i'm going to add this two ones, but if you want i will be happy to receive some more.
Thanks and have a good evening.
silvia
hansw - Apr 19, 2012 1:38 pm - Voted 10/10
Interesting article - and comments!I enjoyed reading this!
The closest I came to Lionel Terray was to meet the Dutch climber Tom de Booy who also took part in the 1957 Eiger rescue. He claimed that he was the one who came up with the title “Conquistadors of the Useless” for Terray’s book. Seen up to the left on the picture.
Thanks,
/Hans
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 19, 2012 1:49 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Interesting article - and comments!Hi Hans, thank you, i enjoy very much reading all your comments and contributions!
I'm really very happy!
Cheers and a good evening
silvia
Antonio Giani - Apr 19, 2012 1:51 pm - Voted 10/10
Grande...e ottimo lavoro Silvia...
Complimenti
Ciao Antonio ((O:
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 20, 2012 4:28 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Grande...Grazie Antonio, è stato un lavoro molto "sentito" perchè da sempre ho una grande ammirazione per lui.
un saluto
silvia
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 20, 2012 4:34 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: wowThank you very much, but i don't think this is really...7 stars!
My congratulations for all your ancient pictures.
cheers
silvia
ericvola - Apr 19, 2012 4:39 pm - Voted 10/10
MoviesDear Silvia,
you could add some movies about Terray:
the full movie of his 1rst ski descent of Mont Blanc in 1952, quite well filmed for the time (4 or 5 cameramen): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xi2ml1_la-grande-descente_sport?search_algo=1
The trailer of Gilles Chappaz's movie in memoriam of Lionel (2007) where some of his friends say a few words (all nice) about him: Pierre lesueur, Robert Paragot, Lucien Bérardini, Maurice Herzog, Guido magnone, Jean-Louis Bernezat, Paul Keller, Claude Jaccoux, Pierre Mazeaud,
His 1rst ascent of the Fitz Roy (1952) told by his companion Guido Magnone: http://www.tvmountain.com/video/voyage-expe/6767-fitz-roy-patagonie-lionel-terray-guido-magnone.html
A TV short movie made just after his death in 1965 in memoriam: http://www.tvmountain.com/article/videos-archives-ina/8294-hommage-lionel-terray.html
His ascent of Mount Huntington :http://www.tvmountain.com/article/videos-archives-ina/8276-alaska-mont-huntington-lionel-terray.html
and finally the beginning of another movie made in 1994 showing Lionel as a young child: http://www.ina.fr/economie-et-societe/environnement-et-urbanisme/video/CAC94065611/dossier-lionel-terray-le-conquerant.fr.html
They are in French but the images are still explicit in themselves and at least one can get a feel of the man.
Finally I strongly recommend to anyone who has not seen it 'Les étoiles de midi' (Stars at noon) from Marcel Ichac, one of the best mountain films ever in which Lionel plays the leading part.
All the best
Silvia Mazzani - Apr 20, 2012 4:40 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: MoviesThank you Eric, now i'm very busy because i'm starting for a climbing's trip to Les Calanques. When i'll come back i will add the movies.
All the best also to you.
silvia
Ejnar Fjerdingstad - Apr 22, 2012 7:17 am - Voted 10/10
Great Article!Terray was one of the heroes of my teenage years, I have several books where he figures large, and appreciate getting more information about him. Sad that he should die at such a young age.
One of my books is about the 1952 climb of Huantsan, which was unusual as he was actually hired as a guide for two Dutch geologists, C.C. Egeler and T. de Booy who wanted to do this first ascent. They wound up becoming great friends, on the climb, which was not without dramatic incidents, as Egeler describes in his book "The Untrodden Andes" (Faber and Faber, London 1954)
macintosh - Apr 25, 2012 2:41 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great Article!My very first serious book about mountaineering was "Cuceritorii inutilului", the romanian version of "Les conquerants de l'inutile". I still have it in my library. Me too I have an very short and insignificant anecdote with Terray familly. When In 1979 I participated at the first exams to become trekking guide, one of my team mates was Nicolas Terray, Lionel's first son.