Nicolas Jaeger

Nicolas Jaeger (20 October 1946 – 27 April 1980) was a French physician, alpinist, and ski mountaineer.

Early life

Jaeger was born on 20 October 1946 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, the son of photographer Janine Niépce. He made more than 100 solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, including more than a dozen first ascents.

Career

Jaeger became a mountain guide in 1975. On 15 October 1978, he participated in the first French ascent of Mount Everest. The team leader was Pierre Mazeaud. Other team members included Jean Afanassieff and Kurt Diemberger. In 1978, Jaeger and Afanassieff became one of the first to climb and then ski down an eight-thousander mountain, which they did from the south col of Everest. From 27 July to 27 September 1979, he spent 60 days alone at altitude on Huascarán to study the effects of "super-acclimatisation" on himself. He published an account of his experience in Carnets de Solitude the same year.

On 27 April 1980, Jaeger was seen for the last time at altitude during an attempted ascent of Lhotse Shar in Nepal, and is presumed dead.

First solo ascents

1972 – Arête Sans Nom on the Aiguille Verte

1972 – North spur of Les Droites

1973 – North–south traverse of the Chamonix Aiguilles

1975 – Bonatti–Gobbi route on the Grand Pilier d'Angle

See also

List of ski descents of eight-thousanders

List of 20th-century summiters of Mount Everest

References

1946 births

1980 deaths

Alpine guides

French mountain climbers

High-altitude medicine physicians

Lost explorers

Missing person cases in Nepal

Mountaineering deaths

Sport deaths in Nepal

French ski mountaineers