1948
Larmkogl (3,014 metres) in the Hohe Tauern, Austria,my first mountain climb, when I decided to go for the top instead of making a crystal hunt (alone), at the age of sixteen.
1952
Matterhorn, Breithorn, Monte Rosa, Bernina-Biancograt, Piz Roseg, with two companions, Erich Warta and Gundl Jabornik, travelling on my grandfather’s robust 1909 bicycle.
1953-55
Many difficult climbs in the Alps on rock and ice with my friend Wolfgang Stefan as a steady team of two.
1956
Matterhorn North Face (among others), first climb of the Königswand Direttissima. The Giant Meringue was the most difficult crux on snow and ice at the time in the Alps.
1957
My first Himalayan expedition to Broad Peak (8,047 metres) with Hermann Buhl, Markus Schmuck, Fritz Wintersteller; this was the first ascent of an eight-thousander in Westalpenstil (no high-altitude porters, no oxygen-aided climbing). The term, as well as the idea, was created by Hermann Buhl.
1958
Eiger Nordwand, Jorasses Nordwand (Walker Spur) and integral Peuterey Ridge of Mont Blanc, filming with Franz Lindner, still the only existing documentary of the five-day traverse of the greatest ridge in the Alps; first award at the International Trento Film Festival, 1962.
1960
First ascent of Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres) with an international Swiss expedition; climbed without oxygen apparatus. The assisting Pilatus-Porter aircraft crashed without loss of life.
1965-69
Himalaya and Karakorum unavailable for mountaineering. Expeditions to Africa (Mount Kenya and High Semyen mountains), to Greenland (three times), to the Hindu Kush (twice); in 1967 several two-man alpine-style enterprises, including the first ascent of Tirich West IV (7,338 metres) from the north; also Tirich Mir (7,706 metres) and five other peaks.
1974
First ascent of Shartse or Junction Peak (c.7,500 metres).
1978
Ascent of Makalu (8,481 metres) in the spring and of Everest (8,848 metres) in the autumn.
1979
Ascent of Gasherbrum II (8,035 metres).
1980
Another Everest expedition, filming as far as the South Col. Because of my film work I missed out on the possible ascent of Lhotse. Since the first sync-sound filming from the top of Everest two years earlier, I had become the cameraman of the eight-thousanders.
1981
Film director of the American Everest Expedition to the unclimbed East Face. Received Emmy Award 1982-83.
1982
Exploration of K2 (8,611 metres) and the Gasherbrums from the Shaksgam, afterwards filming the French Nanga Parbat Expedition. This was the first film I made with Julie Tullis; its awards included the Grand Prix of the Diablerets Film Festival, 1983.
1983
Italian K2 Expedition from the Shaksgam side; Julie and I established ourselves as the highest film team in the world, climbing and working together up to 8,000 metres; another exploration of the Gasherbrums from the north.
1984
Filming and climbing with Julie to 7,350 metres on the Abruzzi Ridge of K2, making the film K2, the Elusive Summit, and climbing Broad Peak again with her.
1985
Filming and climbing with Julie on Everest North-East and North Ridge, and later on Nanga Parbat (8,125 metres) up to 7,600 metres; filming Tashigang, a Tibetan village.
1986
Filming Tashigang again, then went to K2 with Julie, the third expedition together to our dream mountain. At the second attempt we reach the summit, but – for the loss of one day – we end up imprisoned by a terrible blizzard at 8,000 metres. Julie and four other mountaineers die.
1987-1991
Mainly scientific expeditions and exploration in the Himalaya and Karakorum. Filming the GPS measurements of K2 and Everest (to establish which is the highest mountain in the world) of Prof. Ardito Desio’s Everest-K2-CNR Expedition 1987 and returning to the Shaksgam and Nanga Parbat.
1991-2
Participating in two expeditions with Catalan mountaineers to the Shaksgam, first exploration and then first ascent of East Face of Broad Peak. I also explored for the future in this area. Filming an Italian Expedition to the top of Cristobal Colon (5,800 metres) in Columbia.
1993
Filming with daughter Hildegard in winter on ethnological research in Tibet.
1994
China, Shaksgam: first traverse from the North Gasherbrum Glacier over a nameless saddle and unexplored glacier area to the Northern K2 Glacier. Exploring also the possibilities of climbing the Gasherbrum Wall from China.
1998
Taking part as a photographer in an Italian Nanga Parbat expedition to the Diamir Face. Soloed to c.6,000 metres on the Kinshofer Wall.
1999
My seventh Shaksgam expedition, with an American team, as cameraman and local expert. Exploration included possible route on Hidden Peak. Together with Greg Child reached the distant Kyagar glacier, seventy years after Desio.
2000-2004
Expeditions to South America and return to K2. Climbed Cotopaxi (5,897 metres).
2005 – 2014
Travels to South America (El Cocuy), Nepal, Australi, New Zealand, Colorado and more. Some climbs of lower peaks, mostly lecturing. Writing and filmmaking guarantee a busy life. 2013 Piolet d’Or for lifetime achievement.