12 August

Born on this day

1928 Günter Hauser, German climber, who made the first ascent of Gangapurna (7454 m) in 1965. He died by a fall on Osorno in Chile in 1981, aged 52.
1949 Richard (Rick) Ridgeway, American climber, who ascended K2 in 1978.
1950 James William (Jim) Morrow, climber from New Zealand, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2014.
1951 Wolfgang Kristinus, Austrian climber, who ascended Gasherbrum II in 2006.
1952 Przemysław Piasecki, Polish climber, who ascended Yalung Kang in 1984 and K2 in 1986.
1954 Mark O'Day, American climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1995.
1960 Siu Lok-Kee, Chinese climber, who ascended Everest in 2018.
1961 Enric Lucas, Spanish Catalan climber, who ascended Annapurna I Central-Peak in 1984.
1962 Pascal de Thiersant, French climber, who ascended Gasherbrum II in 2011.
1962 Günter Beinlich, German climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2004.
1966 Luo Zhen-Bang, Chinese climber, who ascended Manaslu RP in 2017 and Everest in 2018.
1967 Kim Kwon-Rae, Korean climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2023.
1968 Sushen Mahato, Indian climber, who ascended Everest in 2013.
1969 Óscar Arroyo, Spanish Basque climber, who ascended Everest in 2026.
1970 Panagiotis Kotronaros, Greek climber, who ascended Shisha Pangma in 1995, Cho Oyu in 2003 and Everest in 2004.
1973 Ladislav Nosek, Czech climber, who ascended Manaslu RP in 2014.
1974 Benedict Timothy Clowes, British climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2001 and Everest in 2006.
1978 Reza Bahadorani, Iranian climber, who ascended Lhotse in 2002, Everest in 2005, Gasherbrum I in 2011 and Broad Peak in 2012.
1978 Pasang VI, Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Everest seven times (2008, 2010, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2025), Manaslu RP twice (2018 and 2019) and Manaslu M twice (2023 and 2024).
1978 Jing Xiao-Feng, Chinese lady climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2023.
1979 Dmytro Venslavovsky, Ukrainian climber, who ascended Makalu in 2010.
1979 Zhang Xian, Chinese climber, who ascended Everest in 2026.
1980 San Ji-Mu, Chinese climber, who ascended Manaslu RP in 2019 and Everest in 2023.
1981 Paul Jacques Thierry Valin, French climber, who ascended Everest in 2018.
1986 Dinesh Kumar, Indian climber, who ascended Makalu in 2019.
1986 Masato Imai, Japanese climber, who ascended K2 in 2024.
1986 Bahadur Chand, Indian climber, who ascended Makalu in 2025.
1988 Xiao Yu-Lou, Chinese lady climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2024.
1989 Wang Cong, Chinese climber, who ascended Everest in 2019.
1992 Wilhelm Steindl, Austrian climber, who ascended Everest in 2022.
1993 Fura Chheten, Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Manaslu RP in 2017 and Everest in 2018.
2000 Ahmed Baig, Pakistani climber, who ascended Broad Peak in 2019 and Nanga Parbat in 2023.
2003 Dawa XVII, Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Everest in 2026.

First ascents on this day

1934 Sia Kangri (7422 m) by the international party led by G.O. Dyhrenfurth.
1934 Maiktoli (6803 m) by a British party.
1937 Mana I (7272 m) by another British party.
1951 Stok Kangri (6153 m) by a Swiss party.
1969 Istor-o Nal I (7403 m) by a Spanish party.
1971 Aspe Siyah (c. 6250 m) by a Polish party.
1974 Skirish Sar (ca. 6450 m) by an Austrian party.
1975 Teram Kangri II (7406 m) and traversing to Teram Kangri I (7463 m) by a Japanese party.
1984 Sondhi (6480 m) by an Indian party.
1985 Malangutti Sar (7207 m) by a Japanese party.
1989 Lokhzung (6090 m) by an Indian party.
2001 Selik Gulam Muztag (6691 m) by a Japanese party.

Gone on this day

1943 Vittorio Sella, Italian pioneer, who made the first ascents of St. Elias (5489 m) in 1897 and Ruwenzori (5109 m, Point Margherita) in 1906 accompanied by Luigi di Savoia, the Duke of the Abruzzi. He was also a member of the expedition that circumnavigated Kangchenjunga in 1899 and a major expedition to K2 in 1909. First and foremost he was famous for his mountain photographs. He died on that day, aged 83.