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Lionel TerrayFrench climber, mountain guide
Date of Birth: 25.07.1921
Country:  France |
Content:
- Lionel Terray: A Legendary Alpinist
- Passion for Climbing
- World War II
- Post-War Achievements
- Annapurna Expedition
- Later Expeditions and Achievements
- Controversies and Tragedies
- Legacy and Recognition
Lionel Terray: A Legendary Alpinist
Early LifeLionel-Jules-Henry-Anne Terray was born in Grenoble, France, on July 25, 1921, to wealthy parents. His father made a fortune as a chemical plant owner in Brazil, but returned to France at age 40 to pursue medicine. Terray's mother studied painting and enjoyed horseback riding in the Brazilian prairies. Both parents were avid skiers, with his father being the first Frenchman to master the Telemark skiing style.
When Terray expressed interest in mountaineering, his parents resisted, citing the fate of his cousin René, who became crippled after an accident during a climb. At age 12, during a summer trip to Chamonix, Terray secretly climbed the challenging Dent Gerarde saddle. Later, he said, "I had probably never been so close to death as that day."
Passion for Climbing
In 1935, during another trip to Chamonix, Terray hired a guide to traverse several classic mountain routes, including the traverse of the Grépon. Soon after, his parents divorced, and Terray moved with his mother to a small cottage in the Chamonix Valley. He enrolled in a local boarding school but struggled academically, even being held back a year.
However, Terray excelled in skiing and was invited to participate in the national French skiing championship in the Pyrenees. The school refused to let him go, so Terray left for the competition without permission. Knowing that his absence would result in his expulsion, Terray's father disowned him.
World War II
In 1941, Terray joined the youth organization "Jeunesse et Montagnes," where he met Gaston Rebuffat. Together, they made several climbs, including the first ascent of the Col du Caïman pass. They purchased a farm in the village of Les Houches to raise money for their mountaineering and skiing expeditions, but gave up the venture in 1944.
Terray married Marianne, a schoolteacher from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, that same year. To support his family, he worked as a skiing instructor at a ski school in Les Houches during the winter. In the final year of the war, he fought against the Nazis as a member of the Compagnie Stephane, a mountain guerrilla troop.
Post-War Achievements
In 1945, Terray became an instructor at the French Military Mountain Warfare School. He met Louis Lachenal, with whom he made the second ascent of the east face of l'Aiguille du Moine that summer. They went on to complete a series of speed ascents of difficult routes in the Alps, including the Pointe Walker on the Grandes Jorasses.
In 1947, they made the second ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, followed by a record-breaking ascent of the Piz Badile's Cassin Route in 1949. Terray worked as an instructor at the French National School of Guides (ENSA) and spent three years training the Canadian national ski team.
Annapurna Expedition
In 1950, Terray, Lachenal, and Rebuffat were part of the French Himalayan Expedition led by Maurice Herzog, which aimed to conquer the first 8,000-meter peak. The primary objective was Dhaulagiri (8,167m), with Annapurna (8,091m) as an alternative.
Terray scouted potential ascent routes for Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. During the ascent of Annapurna, he was in excellent physical condition and helped transport gear to higher camps, declining an offer from Herzog to join the summit team. On June 3, while Herzog and Lachenal were ascending to the summit, Terray and Rebuffat remained in the high camp.
The next day, Terray found Lachenal lost on the descent and abandoned his own plans to reach the summit to help his frostbitten companions back to base camp. He traded boots with Lachenal, whose feet were swollen, and temporarily lost his sight due to snow blindness. He was able to reach base camp with the help of Marcel Schatz and Sherpas.
Later Expeditions and Achievements
Soon after returning from Annapurna, Terray and Francis Aubert attempted to ascend the unclimbed and technically difficult west face of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey. However, Aubert fell to his death while approaching the wall.
In 1952, Terray and Guido Magnone successfully ascended Fitz Roy (3,405m) in Patagonia, pioneering the route via the southeast ridge. He described the climb as "the closest I have ever come to the limits of my physical and mental endurance."
Terray traveled to Peru to lead an expedition to climb Huantsan, which had never been summited. He also made the first ascents of Chomo Lonzo (7,790m) and Makalu (8,481m) in 1954 and 1955, respectively.
Controversies and Tragedies
Terray was a key figure in the rescue of Italian climbers Claudio Corti and Stefano Longhi on the North Face of the Eiger in 1957. He faced criticism for his involvement in a fatal accident while traversing the Glacier des Fréney in 1959.
In 1965, Terray and Mark Martinetti died during an ascent of the Aiguille du Gerbier in the Vercors mountains. Their bodies were found at the foot of the wall, still tied together. The impact of their fall indicated a descent of several hundred meters.
Legacy and Recognition
Lionel Terray is widely regarded as one of the greatest mountain guides of all time. He was placed in the top 10 mountain guides list by "The Mountain Encyclopedia." His book "The Conquerors of the Useless" (1961) is considered one of the 100 greatest adventure books by the National Geographic Society.
Terray's exceptional mountaineering skills, dedication to his craft, and willingness to risk his life to save others have left a lasting legacy in the world of mountaineering. He is remembered as a legend who pushed the boundaries of human endurance and whose spirit of adventure continues to inspire generations of climbers.
