Professional paraglider Chrigel Maurer and mountain guide Peter von Kanel, both from Switzerland, have climbed all 82 of the 4,000m peaks in the Alps in 51 days. Uniquely, they linked all the peaks by paraglider and foot. They began and ended their epic in the pair’s hometown of Frutigen, in the canton of Bern.
Kanel and Maurer travel between the peaks. Photo: Peter von Kanel and Chrigel Maurer
Von Kanel and Maurer on one of the 82 summits. Photo: Chrigel Maurer and Peter von Kanel
They had no support vehicle and used the same equipment throughout the adventure. “The pair both flew Advance’s new Theta ULS (EN B), which is billed as an ultralight mid-B adventure tourer,” reports Cross Country magazine.
The abundant snowfall in the Alps enabled them to ski at least partway up the first 30 peaks.
Chrigel Maurer during their alpine climb-and-fly adventure. Photo: Chrigel Maurer and Peter von Kanel
From the Kander Valley, their climb-and-fly adventure moved onto the Jungfrau region, then the Monte Rosa and Breithorn groups, and finally, west of the Mont Blanc massif.
This seems to be the first time that anybody has linked all 82 4,000′ ers by paraglider.
In 2015, the late Ueli Steck climbed all 82 peaks in 62 days, hiking and climbing between each one.
Maurer and von Kanel celebrate. Photo: Chrigel Maurer and Peter von Kanel
