Already on December 3, on the first day of the 19th edition of the Challenge Days, we will welcome the German legend in speed and big wall climbing Thomas Huber, known for his achievements from Patagonia and Yosemite through Antarctica to Pakistan.
Thomas, most often mentioned in super tandem with his brother Alex Huber, has some of the hardest climbs on the world's most popular rock faces to his credit. He is a certified mountain guide and ski instructor, and practices the risky discipline of BASE jumping.
Initiated into the mysteries of the mountains and climbing from an early age by his father, an excellent mountaineer, Thomas often took serious routes with him around the Alps, and was later joined by the younger Alex.
At the age of 15, Thomas first took on the responsibility of leading his brother Alex in a crossover and the two soon formed a strong duo that became popular as Huberbuam (Bavarian dialect for "The Huber Boys"). They achieved their first major success with the first alpine ascents of "Gone with the Whirlwind" (X-) and Scaramouch X-, probably the first alpine routes of the tenth category at all.
In 1997, Thomas and Alexander Huber, together with Tony Gooch and Conrad Anker, decided to climb Pakistan's Latok II on their first trip to Karakoram. The decision to become a professional mountaineer was made.
In 1998, Thomas gained international fame when he completed the first ascent of The End of Silence (X), one of the world's most difficult alpine rock routes. He methodically used this skill in the following years and together with Alex he made the first free ascents of El Niño (5.13b/X-), Golden Gate (5.13a/X-) one after the other on the huge face of El Capitan, Freerider (5.12d/IX) and the famous Zodiac (5.13d/X+).
Thomas Huber in conjunction with Switzerland's Ivan Wolff get "Golden Pickel" for the premiere 1,500 m line along the northern edge of Schivling in 2000.
The Huberbuam brothers show brilliant technique and synchronicity in the speed climbing challenge. In 2004 and the following years they achieved numerous records for the fastest traverse of tours like Zodiac, but also of the legendary 2h45min45sec "The Nose" tour on El Capitan.This is the moment when the record fever on El Cap really starts. A milestone in his career was the first free passage of the mythical Eternal Flame, the Trango Towers in Karakoram in 2009 with his brother Alex, which is also talked about in the film Keep it burning, in the free program of the Days of 4 December.
Not all the Big Wall "problems" in the Himalayas have been solved. In 2024, without much ado, Thomas returned once again to his directive project on the North Face of Latok I (7145m) in conjunction with two Americans.
Thomas Huber is the face of Deuter and Komperdell
Thomas himself will talk about all this on the evening of 3 December at the 19th "Challenge Days". Be with us!