원정 개요

"Soloist" Vollmer made unauthorized attempt. Pitched a tent at about 6850m. Visited US expedition's C4 at 7500m on 12 May and told Americans back in BC on 13 May he had gone to the summit on 12th and back to his tent.

The US leader Jim Frush doubts Vollmer could have reached summit in time available to him (Frush did not actually know German's name). An Italian, Anders Bolinder, who investigated 8000m claims was sure Vollmer, whose name was revealed in an article in Alpin Magazine (Dec 86), did not reach summit.


Schleypen - 3 Nov 1995

Schleypen does not know Vollmer; never heard of him (Schleypen was with Woerner's spring 1986 Cho Oyu tam).


Frush, US Cho Oyu - 30 May 86

Cho Oyu spr 1986, Tichy route

A solo German had tent pitched 500 ft above Americans C3 and visited Americans C4 on 12th. He later climbed he we went to top on 12 May from Americans C4 and down to his tent, but Frush doubts he could have down this in time available. He was in American's BC on 13th and told them there.

Name unknown - said he was German.


Letter to Miss Hawley from Stefan Woerner - March 12, 1987

Of course it is very hard to judge whether Vollmer can claim to have reached the summit or not. Nobody will ever know the truth. The same is with the claims of Mischa Salecki. Has he ever reached the summit? How many times really? What concerns Vollmer's former attempt, I have no knowledge at all.

You mention about solo climb interpretation. My opinion is that a climb is only a solo climb if nobody else is at any place on the mountain at the same time and if there are no assisting factors such as steps, tents, fixed ropes, etc. from former or actual mountaineers. If you looked at this from this side, almost none of the solo climbs of eight thousanders were really solo climbs. Was no other team on Everest when Messner soloed it from Tibet? What about Franz Oppurg on Everest in 1978? And even Buhl 1953 made only the last section on Nanga Parbat solo. Of course Messners second success on Nanga Parbat was a real solo climb. There is no doubt.