21 July

Born on this day

1937 Zygmunt Andrzej Heinrich, Polish climber, who ascended Kunyang Chhish (first ascent) in 1971, Kangchenjunga Central-Peak (first ascent) in 1978, Lhotse in 1979, Masherbrum SW-Peak (first ascent) in 1981, Cho Oyu and Nanga Parbat in 1985 and Batura Sar in 1988. He died in an avalanche on Everest in 1989, aged 51.
1937 Paul Hinterwimmer, German climber, who ascended Gurla Mandhata (7694 m) in 2004.
1946 Hamish Fulton, British climber, who ascended Everest in 2009.
1949 Christopher Pizzo, American climber, who ascended Everest in 1981, Shisha Pangma in 1983 and Makalu in 1987.
1953 Peter Gloggner, German climber, who ascended Broad Peak in 1982.
1953 John Long, American free-climber.
1955 Michael Zarl, Austrian climber, who ascended Gasherbrum II in 2006.
1956 Zac Zaharias, Australian climber, who ascended Broad Peak in 1986, Dhaulagiri I in 1997, Shisha Pangma Central-Peak in 1999, Cho Oyu in 2004, Gasherbrum II in 2005 and Everest in 2010.
1957 Dean H. Smith, Canadian climber, who ascended Everest in 2008.
1961 Akira Saito, Japanese climber, who ascended Manaslu RP in 2001.
1961 Shim Yeom-Bo, Korean climber, who ascended Gyachung Kang (7952 m) in 1988.
1962 Andreas Kraus, German climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1995.
1963 Ladislav Kamarád, Czech climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1994 and Gasherbrum II in 1997.
1964 Robert Rackl, German climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1998. He died on Ama Dablam in 2003, aged 39.
1964 Josef Šimůnek, Czech climber, who ascended Shisha Pangma Central-Peak in 1995, Makalu in 1998, Lhotse in 1999 and Cho Oyu in 2011.
1966 Erwin Theodoor Bernardus Visser, Dutch climber, who ascended Everest in 2023.
1967 Frits Vrijlandt, Dutch climber, who ascended Everest in 2000 and Gasherbrum II in 2006. He also finished the Carstensz-version of the Seven Summits in 2003 and the Kosciuszko-version in 2005.
1968 Yu Fei, Chinese climber, who ascended Everest in 2013.
1968 Rashid Gadzhiiasulov, Russain climber, who ascended Everest in 2017.
1969 Neil Roderick McDonald, British (Scottish) climber, who ascended Everest in 2012.
1970 Klaas Harm (Harry) Kikstra, Dutch climber, who ascended Everest in 2005. He also finished the Carstensz-version of the Seven Summits in 2006 and the Kosciuszko-version in 2008.
1971 Aznor Khadzhiev, Russian climber, who ascended Everest in 2012.
1972 John Hall, British climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2009.
1973 Pasang Kami I, Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Everest four times (1993, 1995, 1996 and 1998) and Cho Oyu in 1995.
1973 Gheorghe-Marius Ticala, Romanian climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2025.
1975 Luke Timmerman, American climber, who ascended Everest in 2018 and Manaslu M in 2023.
1975 Efraim Hingally, Israeli climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2025.
1977 Pasang Sona (Ang Sonam/Sona), Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Everest eight times (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011) and Cho Oyu in 2003.
1978 Sebastián Irrarázaval, Chilean climber, who ascended Lhotse in 2006 and Everest in 2012.
1978 Andreas Marklund, Swedish climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2005.
1978 Justin Reese Merle, American climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2005 and Everest nine times (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022).
1978 Slavomir (Slavo) Fila, American climber, who ascended Lhotse in 2013.
1978 Pema Chhumbi, Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Makalu in 2023.
1979 John Furneaux, Canadian climber, who ascended Everest twice (2008 and 2010).
1979 Markus Allesch, Austrian climber, who ascended Everest in 2021.
1981 Muhammad Hassan, Pakistani climber, who ascended K2 in 2021.
1982 Altansukh Tserendorj, Mongolian climber, who ascended Gasherbrum II in 2023.
1983 Miki Nakayama, Japanese lady climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 2006.
1984 Zhang De-qi, Chinese climber, who ascended Everest in 2025.
1985 Roxanne Vogel, American lady climber, who ascended Everest in 2019.
1990 Siti Hanisah Sharudin, Malaysian lady climber, who ascended Everest in 2013.
1992 Alireza Abednezhad, Iranian climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2022.
2001 Nim Lamu, Nepalese Sherpani, who ascended Everest in 2026.
2006 Ang Dawa (g), Nepalese Sherpa climber, who ascended Manaslu M in 2025.

First ascents on this day

1936 Waddington (4016 m) by an American party.
1950 Tirich Mir (7706 m) by a Norwegian party.
1974 Shisparé Sar (7611 m) and Ghenta Sar (7090 m) by a Polish party.
1976 Payu (6621 m) by a party from Pakistan.
1977 Great Trango Tower (~6145 m) by an American party.
1978 Tasa Kangri (aka Trinity Peak) SW-Peak (6614 m) by a Japanese party.

Gone on this day

1967 Marcel Kurz, Swiss Himalayan pioneer and chronicler, died, aged 80.
2002 Mikel Ruiz de Apodaka, Spanish Basque climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1985 and Nanga Parbat in 1992, died in a climbing accident on Pik Lézat in the Pyrenees, aged 45.
2003 Klaus-Dieter Grohs, German climber, who ascended Cho Oyu in 1998, Broad Peak Foresummit in 1999 and Nanga Parbat in 2001. He died by a fall on K2, aged 48.
2007 Stefano Zavka (35), Italian climber, who ascended K2 the day before, went missing on this day.