Old Collegians Rugby Union Club

 

 

Mark Auricht


Mark Auricht was a climber who died on the 24th of May on Mount Everest.

He captained the Collegians under 18 junior side in 1981


(Photo courtesy the SMH)


Family tribute to the man who pushed the limits


The Advertiser, Edition 2 - METROSAT 26 MAY 2001, Page 003
By MICHAEL OWEN-BROWN


"Mark was always true to and cared for his mates in life and we all admired him for this"

SOUTH Australian mountaineer Mark Auricht's heartbroken family has taken solace in the knowledge he died trying to conquer the mountain which "fascinated and challenged him".

Mr Auricht, 37, of Adelaide, died on Thursday after taking shelter in an Australian Defence Force camp 7900m up Mt Everest.
"Mark rests in peace, embraced by the mountain that fascinated and challenged him to the ultimate price," said a statement issued yesterday by Mr Auricht's parents, wife and family.

It is believed Mr Auricht did not reach the 8850m summit of the world's highest mountain in the Himalayas.

His companion, Duncan Chessell, 30, became on Wednesday the first South Australian to reach the summit.

Mr Chessell told Seven Nightly News last night that they began their descent together but Mr Auricht wanted to continue farther down the mountain.
"He misinterpreted how much energy he had and he must have fallen asleep on the way down," Mr Chessell said.

Mr Auricht apparently awoke during the night with no oxygen left in his cylinder.
"He became a little bit disorientated and missed our tent, which had more oxygen and another Sherpa there," Mr Chessell said. "He had a radio with him so he could call us if he needed any help but he didn't use the radio."
Mr Auricht eventually spent the night at an Australian Defence Force climbing team's tent.

The ADF climbers had given him hot drinks, a sleeping bag and oxygen, but he collapsed and died the next morning when he tried to stand.
He may have suffered a heart attack or stroke.

The Auricht family's statement said they "understand and respect his desire to climb to the top of the world".
"Mark was always true to and cared for his mates in life and we all admired him for this," they said.
"We congratulate Duncan Chessell and their sherpa, who achieved their joint goal for which Mark had worked so hard and courageously over the past months."

The expedition's medic, David Tingay, said Mr Auricht's family hoped his body could be retrieved but recognised this would be extremely difficult.

Dr Tingay confirmed Mr Auricht was not accompanied by the team's sherpa for the final stage of the climb, although there were 42 other mountaineers in the vicinity.

The weather had been clear, with minimal wind and only patchy cloud below the summit level.
In recent weeks, the team twice climbed to 7500m to acclimatise.

Mr Chessell was recuperating at the 6400m advance base camp last night as 11 ADF climbers began their attempt on the summit.
One member, Air Force Sergeant Brian Laursen reached the summit about 3.30pm yesterday with two Nepalese guides.

Last night, other members of the Tenix Everest 2001 Expedition were attempting to conquer the mountain. Captain Lorraine Mulholland said from the camp Mr Chessell was "absolutely exhausted" when he arrived back at camp on Thursday night.
Justin Hogan, who, with colleague Greg Perks, accompanied Mr Auricht and Mr Chessell part way up the mountain, said it was "much, much more difficult than we'd imagined".
"It's not this macho adrenalin testosterone-driven pursuit, it's quite cerebral," he said. "It's one person against the elements. Thinking about when to turn back, when to go on, that's the fundamental question in mountaineering at that height."

Mr Hogan said Mr Auricht's climbing efforts had been "monumental", and his sense of humour and leadership qualities were always evident.
"Even though it's true it sounds like a platitude, but he was the most amazing guy I've ever met," he said.

* PAGE 52: Everest dead tobe recovered

Caption: CHALLENGE: Mark Auricht in training for the South Australian Everest expedition whose logo is pictured.

Illus: Dinkus: south australian everest expedition 2001
Photo: mark auricht

Section: NEWS

ADV-20010526-2-003-2100586V8


Mt Everest claims SA mountaineer


DEATH AT TOP OF THE WORLD
The Advertiser, Edition 1 - STATEFRI 25 MAY 2001, Page 001
By MELISSA KING and VIVIENNE OAKLEY

MARK Auricht dreamt of conquering the world's highest mountain - and yesterday it cost him his life.

The 37-year-old from Adelaide, who had 20 years' climbing experience, died in a tent 7900m up the north face of Mt Everest. The tragedy occurred just one day after his companion, Duncan Chessell, became the first South Australian to reach the 8850m summit with Mr Auricht reported to be just 200m behind.
"Mark knew the risks, like all mountaineers know the risks," his wife, Catherine Crease, said last night.

"He'd climbed so many mountains and it was a natural progression that he wanted to climb the highest one."
Ms Crease described her husband as a "magnificent human being".

"He touched something in everybody he met," she said.
"He had such a special empathy for people."

It is not yet known if Mr Auricht also reached the summit. Just days before leaving Adelaide, he said he was aware of the dangers.
"It's about pushing the boundaries," Mr Auricht said. "You can't ignore the danger but you don't need to dwell on it."

Details of the circumstances surrounding his death are not yet known, but it is believed he was affected by a virus.
"What we do know is he was under the care of four of the Australian Army climbers who actively attempted to rescue him and resuscitate him, and for that we are forever grateful," expedition medic, Dr David Tingay, said last night.

Adelaide businessman Greg Perks, who returned home three weeks ago after accompanying Mr Auricht and Mr Chessell for the earlier part of the climb, said the death was a tragedy.
"We spent the best part of a month with him and he was an amazing fellow," he said.
Mr Chessell and two Sherpa guides were last night descending the mountain to the advance base camp at 6400m.
Mr Perks said more details of Mr Auricht's death would then become clear.

Mr Auricht and Mr Chessell left Adelaide on the 2001 SA Everest Expedition on February 27. They underwent an extensive acclimatisation program before making their first attempt at the summit on May 14 - aborted due to heavy snow.

More than 160 climbers have died on Mt Everest. Mr Auricht's death came only days before the 48th anniversary of the first time the mountain was ever successfully climbed - by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953.
Since then about 650 climbers have equalled their feat.

Mr Auricht, the managing director of outdoor training company Venture Corporate Recharge, had climbed many peaks. "For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to climb big mountains," he said earlier this year. "It is putting your skills and ability to the test in the ultimate way."

In 1995, he became the first Australian to climb the Himalayan peak of Makalu, at 8481m the world's fifth-highest mountain.
During the descent, however, he watched as his climbing partner David Hume, 34, of Sydney, plunged to his death.


Caption: ADVENTURER: Mark Auricht during one of his earlier mountain climbing expeditions.

Illus: Photo (color): mark auricht

Library Heading: Mount Everest, Nepal
Mountain climbing accidents - Nepal

BIOG: AURICHT MARK

Section: NEWS

ADV-20010525-1-001-2104956V27

Australians on the 8000m Peaks by Damien Gildea


The list is below, in descending order of height.

The Shishapangma entry might be a little controversial but it is technically correct, assuming that Lemaire did only go to the Central peak. In the recent "On Top Of The World" by Sale and Cleare there are exhaustive lists of all 8000m summitters and neither Lemaire nor any other Australians are mentioned as having gone to the Main Summit.

More than 20 Australians have been to the Central peak. Summit means the highest point. If you did not go to the highest point then you did not go to the summit. End of story. And I specially use the word Central 'peak'. Again, the 'summit' is the highest point, so there can be only one. Anything else is not the summit.

So technically no Australian has been to the summit of Shishapangma. Just because lots of people stop at the central peak does not alter the geography of the mountain.

Interestingly the only ascent below that was NOT by the accepted 'standard' route was Tim and Greg on Everest (North Face - Great Couloir) and the two Gregs on K2 (North Ridge). ie. the highest and the hardest !

Lock has tried other new routes but always eventually summited via the normal route.

FIRST AUSTRALIAN ASCENTS OF THE FOURTEEN 8000M PEAKS


Australian man dies 800m from Everest summit


SMH ... Date: 25/05/2001

An Australian climber died on Mount Everest yesterday, just short of reaching the summit.

Mr Mark Auricht, 37, died from high altitude exposure on the Tibetan north face of Everest at an altitude of 8,000 metres, a Foreign Affairs department spokeswoman said. The summit is at 8,800 metres.

Mr Auricht's climbing partner, Mr Duncan Chessell, reached the summit yesterday, becoming the first South Australian to do so.

The South Australian Premier, Mr Olsen, who presented Mr Auricht with a State flag before he left for the expedition, said it was a devastating loss.

"I discussed with Mark the challenge and danger of the mission upon which he was embarking. He was typically confident and self assured," he said.

"Mark told me it had been a dream of his for many years to become, along with Duncan, the first South Australian to climb Mount Everest."

In an entry posted on the expedition Web site, Mr Auricht and Mr Chessell said several climbers were preparing for an assault on the summit to beat a storm predicted to strike yesterday.

"Let's hope the weather holds and the mountain allows us a chance to climb," said the entry, dated May 19.

Adelaide-born Mr Auricht was an experienced climber who had scaled several peaks in Nepal.

But his successful 1995 climb of the world's fifth-highest mountain, the 8,481 metre Makalu, was tainted by tragedy.

His climbing partner, Australian expedition leader David Hume, slipped and fell to his death as he began his descent.

In March Mr Auricht and Mr Chessell teamed up for a period with members of the ill-fated Australian Army Alpine Association. Three members of that expedition were killed by an avalanche during an acclimatisation trek in Nepal.

Mr Auricht headed a company providing adventure education and training for corporate groups, schools, the unemployed and the public. His family has been notified of his death.


Friday June 1 2001, The Advertiser


A Tribute to Mark Auricht
From ATSIC staff and regional councillors


"Courage is a special kind of knowledge, the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared, and how to not fear what need not to be feared. From this knowledge comes an inner strength that inspires us to push on in the face of great difficulty. What can seem impossible, is often possible with courage.

Mark, you made us look to our own fears and to face each challenge with courage and belief. You inspired so many people with your own courage, belief and vision so that we could succeed as individuals if we were prepared to believe in ourselves and have the deterination to succeed.

Your courage and achievements are testimony to a man in pursuit of an inner vision and spiritual awareness, to conquer the unconquered. Your passsion for life and the land, and your empathy with indigenous Australians and their struggles made your work with us all the more meaningful.

As a caring, understanding, passionate and sensitive man, you inspired us to stretch ourselves that little bit further. We cherish the moments we shared together. Our lives are enriched by having known you and whenever we decide to take the next challenge in our lives, you will be a guiding light.

To Catherine, Tom and the Auricht family please accept our sincere condolences on the loss of Mark who shall remain an inspiration to us all."