Nicolas Jaeger

Nicolas Jaeger (20 October 1946 – ca. 28 April 1980) was a French physician, alpinist, and ski mountaineer.

He made more than 100 solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, including more than a dozen first ascents. He also made several first ascents and solo ascents of peaks over 6000m in South America. in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, the son of photographer Janine Niépce.

The numerous solo ascents (including several first ascents made whilst climbing solo) that he made of notable alpine routes in the early seventies led on to a solo crossing of the Grandes Jorasses and then the first solo traverse of the in 1973. in the light of that accomplishment he has been referred to as "the inventor of modern enchainments".

Mountaineering in Asia and South America

He was a member of a combined Franco-German expedition which was jointly led by Pierre Mazeaud & in 1978. On 15 October 1978 Pierre Mazeaud, Nicolas Jaeger and became the first French nationals to reach the summit of Everest, having ascended by the "normal" South Col route. Kurt Diemberger filmed on the summit, and during the course of the ascent, for the documentary "Everest 78: Les Français sur le toit du monde". A heavy smoker, Jaeger lit and smoked an unfiltered Gitanes cigarette at the summit of Everest, which may be the highest altitude smoke break on record. Jaeger and Afanassieff then became the first to summit an eight-thousander mountain and then descend by skiing down the mountain, which they did from 8200m (below the south summit) to camp 1 at 6200m.

His name is closely linked to mountaineering in the Peruvian Andes, his climbs in the Cordillera Blanca "represent one of the most sustained and serious spells of solo climbing yet accomplished". and published an account of his experience in "Carnets de Solitude" later that year.

On 27 April 1980, Jaeger was seen for the last time at altitude during an attempted ascent of Lhotse Shar in Nepal (8383m), and is presumed dead.

In 1983, climber Roger Marshall claimed to have found Jaeger's body 500m below the summit in a yellow and blue tent.

Notable first ascents and solos 1972 – Arête Sans Nom on the Aiguille Verte, first solo ascent. 1972 – North spur of Les Droites, first solo ascent. 1975 – Bonatti–Gobbi route on the Grand Pilier d'Angle, first solo ascent. 1977 – Santa Cruz Sur (6259m) by the N ridge, first ascent (solo), Cordillera Blanca, Peru. 1977 – Palcaraju (6274m) by the Southeast Ridge, first ascent (solo), Cordillera Blanca, Peru. 1979 – Tsacra Grande Oeste (5774m) - first ascent of peak (with Al Rouse and Brian Hall), Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru. 1979 – Trapecio (5653m) by south-west ridge - first ascent (with Al Rouse and Brian Hall), Cordillera Huayhuash, Peru.