For the first time ever, ALPS is providing an glimpse into the original diaries and films of legendary mountaineer Erhard Loretan. In this exhibition, visitors can (almost) physically experience the preparation and feats of strength undertaken by this “maniac” on the mountain, while also learning about the opportunities and limits of what people are prepared to commit to. It includes an online tool to select and trace individual routes.

Erhard Loretan was the first Swiss to climb all fourteen of the world’s eight-thousanders and the second person to do so without supplemental oxygen. His lightweight style – climbing without a backpack – also influenced subsequent generations and made him one of the most important and influential high-altitude mountaineers. After Loretan died in a mountain accident in 2011, his family handed over his mountaineering archive to the Swiss Alpine Museum in 2014. A legacy from René and Alice Lauber has now made it possible to work through his extensive collection of photos, film footage, audio recordings, and diaries.