Rick Allen (mountaineer) explained

Richard Frank "Rick" Allen (6 November 1954 – 25 July 2021) was a Scottish mountaineer. Allen summitted six eight-thousanders and was the first British climber atop some of Tajikistan's biggest mountains.^{[1] [2]} He had over 40 years experience climbing in the Himalayas at the time of his death.

Background

Allen was from Aberdeen.^[3] He began climbing while a student at the University of Birmingham in 1973.^[4] After university, Allen went to work in the oil and gas industry.^[5]

Allen began climbing in the Himalayas in the early 1980s. After several attempts, Allen summitted Mount Everest via the South East Ridge on May 26, 2000. He was the 960th person to summit Everest, summitting 15 years after his first attempt on the mountain.^[6] In 2013, he was awarded the Piolet d’Or for his 18-day traverse of Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge alongside Sandy Allen.^[7] The 2012 climb was the first summit of the ridge, named the "last great unclimbed route in the Himalayas".^{[5] [8]}

In 2018, Allen was presumed dead after falling from an ice cliff during a solo climb to the summit of Pakistan's Broad Peak. He was rescued when his rucksack was spotted by personnel at base camp.^[9] A drone operated by Bartek Bargiel, who was filming his brother Andrzej Bargiel's ski descent, located Allen on the mountain and helped guide rescuers to Allen's recovery.^{[10] [11]} Allen had fallen over and had been exposed to the elements for 36 hours before he was rescued.^[12]

Allen died in an avalanche on K2 as he attempted to take a new route to the summit in July 2021.^[13] At the time of his death, he was climbing to raise funds for the charity Partners UK.^[14] He was buried at the base of K2, in accordance with his family's wishes.^[15]

Allen was noted as a careful and safe climber. In 2024, the Alpine Club instituted the Rick Allen Skills Award in his honor.^[16]

Notable climbs

• 1982 - First ascent, Kirti Stambh (6,271m)^[17]
• 1984 - First ascent, South Face of Ganesh II^[18]
• 1985 - First attempt of North-East Ridge of Everest (8,170m)^{[19] [20]}
• 1986 - First ascent, establishing the "Scottish Route" on the South Face of Pumori with Sandy Allen^{[19] [21]}
• 1988 - British expedition of the West Face of Makalu^{[22] [23]}
• 1991 - First British ascent of Khan Tegri^[24]
• 1993 - First ascent, North Face of Dhaulagiri^[25]
• 1995 - Attempt to cross Nanga Parbat's Mazeno Ridge by bicycle^[26]
• 1996 - First ascent attempt of the East Face of K2 (made it up to 6,200m)^[27]
• 1997 - South Ridge of Broad Peak (7,200m)^[28]
• 2000 - Everest, successful summit
• 2006 - First British ascent of Karl Marx Peak, Tajikistan^{[29] [30]}
• 2007 - First ascent, East Face and North Ridge of Pik Ovalnaya, Tajikistan^[31]
• 2009 - Diamir Face, Nanga Parbat^[32]
• 2011 - Hidden Peak, Gasherbrum I^[33]
• 2012 - First ascent of Mazeno Ridge, Nanga Parbat^[34]
• 2017 - Ascent of Tilicho,^[35] after aborted attempt on Northwest Face of Annapurna^[36]
• 2018 - Broad Peak, solo summit^{[37] [38]}
• 2019 - K2 Abruzzi spur up to 8,300m, without oxygen^[39]

See also

• List of deaths on eight-thousanders
• Mick Fowler, British multiple Piolet d'Or winner
• Paul Ramsden (climber), British multiple Piolet d'Or winner

References

1. Web site: Allen . Rick . 2009 . The Shakdara range, south-west Pamirs, Tajikistan . Alpine Journal.
2. Web site: Tributes: Rick Allen dies in K2 avalanche . 2024-06-12 . www.thebmc.co.uk.
3. Web site: 2021-07-26 . Tributes to North-East climber killed on K2 . 2024-06-12 . Northern Scot . en.
4. Web site: 2021-07-26 . Remembering Rick Allen . 2024-06-12 . UBMC - University of Birmingham Mountaineering and Climbing Club . en.
5. News: Obituaries . Telegraph . 2021-07-30 . Rick Allen, daredevil climber who specialised in long and demanding routes up the mountains of the Himalayas – obituary . 2024-06-12 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
6. Web site: Official Full List of Mount Everest Climbers:1953 -2021 . 2024-06-12 . High Adventure Expeditions . en-US.
7. News: 2013-04-22 . Aberdeen and Newtonmore climbers win Piolet d'Or . 2024-06-12 . BBC News . en-GB.
8. News: 2012-07-19 . Two climbers complete 'unclimbed' Nanga Parbat Himalayas route . 2024-06-12 . BBC News . en-GB.
9. News: Media . P. A. . 2021-07-25 . Scottish climber Rick Allen dies in avalanche on K2 while on new route . 2024-06-12 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
10. Web site: Drone saves missing 65-year-old climber in the Himalayas . 2024-06-12 . CNET . en.
11. News: 2018-07-25 . Scot's rescuer makes historic descent of K2 on skis . 2024-06-12 . BBC News . en-GB.
12. Web site: Arnette . Alan . 2018-07-19 . How a Drone Rescued a Climber on Broad Peak . 2024-06-12 . Outside Online . en-US.
13. News: 2021-07-25 . Scottish climber Rick Allen dies in K2 avalanche . 2024-06-12 . BBC News . en-GB.
14. Web site: Taylor . Lauren . 2021-07-26 . 'I'm staring into a huge void at the moment': Sandy Allan pays tribute to friend and climbing partner Rick Allen . 2024-06-12 . Press and Journal . en-GB.
15. Web site: Benavides . Angela . 2021-07-26 . Breaking News on K2: Body Found Above Camp 4 » Explorersweb . 2024-06-12 . Explorersweb.
16. Web site: Butterworth . Adam X. . 2023-11-15 . The Rick Allen Skills Award . 2024-06-12 . Alpine Club . en-gb.
17. Web site: AAC Publications - Asia, India-Garhwal, Kirti Stambh Ascent and Kharchakund Attempt, Gangotri Region . 2024-06-13 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
18. Web site: AAC Publications - Asia, Nepal, Ganesh II, South Face . 2024-06-12 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
19. Web site: Routen . Ash . 2021-07-29 . Rick Allen: An Understated Legend » Explorersweb . 2024-06-12 . Explorersweb.
20. Web site: Altos NE Ridge of Everest . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
21. Web site: American-British Pumori (7145m) Expedition . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
22. Web site: The HJ/46/22 EXPEDITIONS AND NOTES . 2024-06-12 . The HJ/46/22 EXPEDITIONS AND NOTES . en.
23. Web site: British Makalu Expedition . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
24. Web site: AAC Publications - Asia, Former USSR, Khan Tengri and Pik Pobedy . 2024-06-12 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
25. Web site: AAC Publications - A Different Way on Dhaulagiri . 2024-06-12 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
26. Web site: British Nanga Parbat 1995 . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
27. Web site: UK International K2 . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
28. Web site: Scottish-Australian Broad Peak 97 . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
29. Web site: UKC Forums - Tajikistan - Karl Marx, Engels etc. . 2024-06-12 . www.ukclimbing.com.
30. Web site: AC Shakhdara 2006 . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
31. Web site: AAC Publications - Asia, Tajikistan, Shakhdara Range, Piks 5.635, Litovskiy North, Karl Marx, Nikoladsye, Ovalnaya, Nikoladsye South, Possible First Ascents and New Routes . 2024-06-12 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
32. Web site: AAC Publications - Determination . 2024-06-13 . publications.americanalpineclub.org.
33. Web site: Gerfried Göschl auf dem Gipfel des Gasherbrum I . 2024-06-12 . ALPIN.de . de.
34. Web site: Sandy Allan and Rick Allen complete Mazeno Ridge . 2024-06-12 . thebmc.co.uk.
35. Web site: Summit attempt on the Annapurna Northwest Face is on Adventure Sports - DW.COM . 2024-06-12 . Adventure Sports - with Stefan Nestler . en-GB.
36. Web site: June 2, 2017 . Felix Berg: "Extremely spontaneous expedition" Adventure Sports - DW.COM . 2024-06-12 . Adventure Sports - with Stefan Nestler . en-GB.
37. Web site: Rick Allen rescued by drone in descent off Broad Peak . 2024-06-12 . PlanetMountain.com.
38. Web site: Broad Peak Expedition . 2024-06-13 . Mount Everest Foundation . en.
39. Web site: Benavides . Angela . 2019-07-17 . Breaking: Mingote Summits GII, "Parasites" on K2 » Explorersweb . 2024-06-12 . Explorersweb.