Ueli Steck, one of the most revered mountaineers of his time, died on 30 April 2017 while on a Himalayan expedition on Mount Nuptse. He was 40 years old.

Ueli Steck’s life ended as the first casualty of the 2017 Everest Season. In the 2017 season, he sought out to traverse a route only once completed before, a connection between Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. This route was so challenging, Steck himself referred to his expectations as only having failed in the attempt if he died and did not return home, not if he didn’t succeed.

Steck died near the base of Nuptse at Camp 1 after falling 3,280 ft. (1000 m.). He had climbed the sister mountain of Everest to acclimate himself to the altitude before traversing Everest and Lhotse in May.

5 Famous Ueli Steck Videos

Enjoy the memory of Ueli Steck by watching the awe-inspiring videos that made one of the greatest mountaineers a household name:

2008 – Ueli Steck Makes History on North Face of the Eiger

Ueli Steck made history in 2008 by traversing the infamous North Face route of the Eiger, a route that killed the entire Toni Kurz team in 1936. Steck completed his climb in just 2 hours and 47 minutes.

2012 – Ueli Steck Returns to Annapurna to Complete First South Face Solo Climb

In 2012 Ueli Steck returned to Annapurna to complete the first solo climb on the mountain’s South Face.

2015 – Ueli Steck Reclaims North Face of the Eiger Record

After gaining the record for fasted speed climb of the North Face of the Eiger, Ueli lost it to fellow Swiss Mountaineer Dani Arnot in 2011. He returned to the Eiger in 2015 to regain his record and succeeded in climbing the North Face in 2 hours and 22 minutes and 55 seconds.

2016 – Ueli Steck in Les Drus “North Couloir Direct”

In the winter of 2016 Ueli Steck was filmed on location in Les Drus North Couloir Direct.

2017 – Ueli Steck’s Everest-Lhotse Project

In what would be his final project, Ueli Steck recorded this video of his Everest-Lhotse project that would complete an ascent route only once completed before. It was on this acclimation training that Ueli Steck fell to his death.

Ueli Steck’s body was transported to a monastery in Nepal. He received a memorial service and his remains were later cremated. His wife spread his ashes in both Switzerland and Nepal.