On September 20, Chris Warner scraped the ceiling of the Earth for the fifth time this season, summiting Manaslu (26,781 feet), the eighth highest mountain in the world. The 58-year-old is now the second American to summit all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, after renowned mountaineer Ed Viesturs completed the list in 2005. A lifelong mountaineer, Warner has contributed to the growth of climbing in the United States. The Marylander founded Earth Treks, a chain of climbing gyms that is now one of the largest in the nation.
Warner had an impressive season, taking advantage of accommodating weather windows to summit four 8,000-meter peaks in just over a month. Prior to Manaslu, Warner summited Nanga Parbat (26,660 feet), Gasherbrum II (26,362 feet), Gasherbrum I (26,510 feet), and Broad Peak (26,414 feet) between July 2 and August 4.
Manaslu has seen exceptional climbing conditions this year, a stark contrast to last year when three climbers, including the legendary Hilaree Nelson, died in various accidents. Warner reported perfect temperatures and easy travel to the true summit. His trip from camp three to the summit and back to base camp took just 13 hours.
“Over the last few years Chhiring Sherpa and I have been climbing together, we’ve practiced this style of super fast ascents and descents, taking advantage of weather windows and our fitness to pull off big objectives,” said Warner, whose passion for climbing borders on religious. “Not sure it can be proven but just maybe it is my background as a Catholic school kid and altar boy and Chhiring’s years at a monastery in India that ‘inspires’ us,” he says.
This astonishing season is one for the record books in the Himalaya and Karakoram. Earlier this summer, Kristin Harila of Norway busted the speed record for the 14 peaks by more than three months, completing the feat in just 92 days. Her record was met with some controversy, as her team used helicopters to stock many of the upper camps on Manaslu before her summit push.
“I’ve been climbing in the Himalaya since 1989, and so much has changed. But for the better: the mindset of what is possible is so much better now,” Warner says. “Based on my recent experience, we’ve held ourselves back. Just as the trail running crowd has transformed the outdoor world, I’ve learned so much from climbers like Nims and Kristen Harila.”
Known for bold ascents in his 24-year quest to climb every 8,000er, Warner was the first American to solo any 8,000-meter peak. In 2001, he had planned to climb Shishapangma via the Polish-Swiss route, but pivoted due to poor conditions. Instead, he chose to climb a variation of the British descent route from the peak. He climbed alpine style, carrying just a light pack. “Unroped and 1,000 feet up the 60-degree face, I broke an ice axe (sic), shearing the bolt and rendered it useless,” said Warner in a He rappelled down the face and regrouped for an attempt four days later. Warner reached the summit after climbing 7,000 vertical feet of steep rock and ice. By the time he got back to his tent at advanced base camp, he’d been pushing for 34 hours straight, all alone.
During an ill-fated Everest attempt in 2003, Warner and his team–who were mostly contestants in a reality TV show Warner was hosting–mounted a heroic rescue effort when a number of parties attempted to summit in marginal conditions and were caught in the Death Zone, above 25,000 feet the risk for cerebral and pulmonary edema skyrockets, after dark. Warner led the rescue and helped get every climber out alive even though he was during his efforts.
Unlike Viesturs, who climbed every 8,000er without supplemental oxygen, Warner carried bottled oxygen to reduce his exposure to risk on Manaslu. According to Exporersweb.com, Warner has always been forthright about his current style, well-supported and with supplementary O2. “Now I don’t have to worry about anything other than enjoying the mountains, and I am having a blast,” he told the online title. In 2007, however, Warner accomplished his summit of K2 (28,261 feet) in alpine style without oxygen or the help of Sherpas. But since that K2 ascent, Warner has pivoted from daring alpine-style ascents, and is content to climb “just for the fun of it,” he says.