Going fast to the mountains is not a contemporary activity. If we think that the innovations or tendencies of the lightweight practices in the mountains are recent we are very erroneous, because since the begining of climbing mountains or walking in the valleys, there was someone who wanted it do it quickly.
For some time I has been searching and writing down singnificant events happening in speed mountaineering / climbing / skiing and also competitions who take part in a mountain environement. If you have some more references please tell me and I will add there.
The history of people going fast into mountains is old, almost as the history of people going into mountains. Here an article where I tried to put some context on that, from the old days of En No Ozunu to John Muir. The Golden Age of Henri Bulle, Lionel Terray and Louis Lachenal, Herman Bhuhl or Claudio Barbier. From Messner to the “Enchainements” generation of Proffit & Co and the slovenian and polish climbers. The competiotions in the USSR and the Himalayan locomotives as Loretan, Batard or Chamoux. The Alaskan and Patagonian climbers from Mark Twight and Steve House to Colin Haley or Ueli Steck:
Also I have been trying to draw a picture of the competitions disputed in the mountains. In Trail running from the origin to the boom of Fell Running in the 19th century, or the first up & down races in Vignemale, Fuji or Mount Matathon. The begining of Ultra running and the start of Skyrunning. In ski mountaineering from the first militar races as Troffeo Mezzalama or the civil races in the Pyrenees and Germany to the world cups. In climbing from the USSR and bouldering challenges to Bardoneccia and the ICF, and the iceclimbing world, from the speed competitions in Rusia to Ouray and La Grave:
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Kilian, I liked this post very much. Very good and interesting chronological summary of “fast” activities on the mountain.
Personally, it has made me revive the decades of the 90’s and 00’s when I experienced the explosion of skyrunning.
Certainly, going fast on the mountain is not a contemporary activity.
Be careful and be a happy family,
Pep Gras
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Kilian, m’ha agradat molt aquest post. Molt bon i interessant resum cronològic d’activitats “ràpides” a la muntanya.
Personalment m’ha fet reviure les dècades dels anys 90’s i 00’s quant vaig viure l’explosió del skyrunning.
Certament, anar ràpid per la muntanya no és una activitat contemporània.
Cuida’t i sigueu una familia feliç,
Pep Gras
Bones Pep! Merci, sens dubte semla que el que es fa avui sigui nou i mirant enrere ens en adonem que gens, vosaltres vau ser uns referents en aquell skyrunning auténtic… i gràcies per els consells i inspiració en aquelles primeres curses 😉