Dani Arnold

Dani Arnold
Personal information
Born (1984-02-22) 22 February 1984
Canton of Uri, Switzerland

Dani Arnold (born 22 February 1984)[1] is a Swiss extreme mountaineer.

Life and career

Arnold grew up in the Canton of Uri and developed a passion for mountaineering at an early age. He first completed training as a mechanical engineer and then as a mountain guide. He quickly specialized in solo climbing and extremely fast ascents of major walls. In addition to his solo projects, he also works as a professional alpinist for various sponsors and gives lectures about his expeditions.

Dani Arnold is a mountain guide, married, father of a daughter, and lives in Bürglen.[2]

Records

Arnold holds several speed records on the five of the six great north faces of the Alps:

  • Matterhorn North Face (2015) – Fastest ascent via the Schmid route in 1 hour 46 minutes.[3][4]
  • Grandes Jorasses (2018) – New speed record via the Walker Spur route in 2 hours 4 minutes.[5][6][7]
  • Cima Grande di Lavaredo (2019) – New record for the "Comici-Dimai" route with 46 minutes 30 seconds.[8][9]
  • Piz Badile (2020) – Solo ascent of the north face via the classic Cassin route in 52 minutes.[10][11]
  • Petit Dru (2021) – Fastest ascent of the north face via the classic route in 1 hour 43 minutes.[12][13]

Between 2011 and 2015, Arnold held the record for the fastest solo ascent of the Eiger North Face via the Heckmair route in 2 hours 28 minutes, breaking Ueli Steck's previous record.[14][15] In 2015, Steck set a new record at 2 hours 22 minutes.[16]

Other notable climbs

  • The Hurting (XI, 11) (2012) – Mixed route on Ben Nevis with high "ground fall" potential.[17]
  • Crack Baby Speed Record (2014) – Crack Baby 360m WI6 in 27 min 13 sec.
  • First repeat of "Anubis" (XII, 12) in Scotland (2016) – First repeat of the mixed route "Anubis" on Ben Nevis, then the hardest mixed route in the UK.[18]
  • Free solo ascent of Beta Block Super WI7 in 1h 03min (2017) – First and only free solo ascent of the ice route Beta Block Super on Breitwangfluh.[19]
  • Ritter der Kokosnuss M12 (2017) – Mixed climbing of the "Ritter der Kokosnuss" M12 route on Breitwangfluh.[20]
  • First ascent "Schweizernase" on the Matterhorn North Face (2017)[21]
  • First ascent Uristier (WI6+/M8) Schöllenen (2019)[22]
  • Salbitschijen Solo Speed Record (2023) – New record with 9 hours, 36 minutes, and 55 seconds for West, South, and East ridges.[23]

Expeditions and first ascents

Arnold has undertaken numerous expeditions and first ascents. Notable achievements include:

  • Patagonia (2010) – First winter ascent of Torre Egger.[24]
  • Patagonia (2013) – Cerro Torre in winter – Successful winter ascent.[25]
  • Alaska (2016) – First ascent of "Bird of Prey" in the Mooses Tooth Towers.[26]
  • Canada (2019) – Power Shrimps Helmcken Falls – First ascent of the extreme ice route at the 140m high Helmcken Falls.[27][28]
  • Pakistan (2019) – Broad Peak 8051m – Expedition to the 8051m high Broad Peak.[29]
  • Russia (2020) – Expedition to Lake Baikal in winter – 10 first ascents between WI5 and M8 over the frozen Lake Baikal.[30]
  • Iceland (2022) – Ice expedition – Ice and mixed climbing in Iceland.[31]

Awards

  • Paul-Preuss-Award 2024[32]

Documentaries

  • Matthias Affolter: Berge im Kopf. (in German) Film, 2014, 93 min.[33]
  • Netflix: Race to the Summit Film, 2023, 90 min.[34]
  • NDR: Climber Dani Arnold – Free Solo Records on the North Faces. Documentary (in German), 2024, 30 min.[35]

Publications

  • Why All This? Records & Reflections by Extreme Alpinist Dani Arnold. 2018.
  • 9:39 North – Solo through the Great North Faces of the Alps. (in German) Uli Auffermann & Dani Arnold 2022.
  • HOW not WHAT – Reflections by Dani Arnold 2023.[36]
  • Anti Gravity – Thomas Monsorno & Dani Arnold 2024.

References

  1. ↑ Christian Thiele: Dani Arnold: "Too slow is dangerous" Interview in: alpin.de 6/2016.
  2. ↑ Olivier Joliat: "Yes, I take risks" In: Coopzeitung No. 6 from 4 February 2014, p. 135, (PDF).
  3. ↑ "Matterhorn".
  4. ↑ "Neuer Rekord am Matterhorn".
  5. ↑ "2h 04min Grandes Jorasses".
  6. ↑ "Speed-Rekord an Grandes Jorasses Nordwand".
  7. ↑ "Dani Arnold: Speed-Rekord an Grandes Jorasses Nordwand".
  8. ↑ "Free Solo Speed - Große Zinne-Nordwand in 46min 30sec".
  9. ↑ "Rekord in den Dolomiten - Dani Arnold: In 46 Minuten die Nordwand der Grossen Zinne hoch".
  10. ↑ "Piz Badile 3308m".
  11. ↑ "Zwei Dani Arnold Speed Solos".
  12. ↑ "Petit Dru-Solo Speed".
  13. ↑ "Rekord - 1:43 Stunden an der Nordwand der Petit Dru".
  14. ↑ "Speed record on the north face of the Eiger".
  15. ↑ "Schweizer Kletterer bricht Speed-Rekord von Ueli Steck". 15 August 2018.
  16. ↑ "Fastest time to climb the north face of the Eiger, Guinness world records". 9 August 2026n.
  17. ↑ "The Hurting XI 11 - Tradclimbing im schottischen Hochland".
  18. ↑ "Anubis (Scotland)".
  19. ↑ "Ice climbing- Free Solo- 1h 03min".
  20. ↑ "Knights of the Coconut".
  21. ↑ "Swiss Nose: First Ascent:March 14–17".
  22. ↑ ""Uristier" (WI6+/M8) - Schöllenenschlucht, Andermatt".
  23. ↑ "Solo speed record on the Swiss Salbit".
  24. ↑ "1. Winterbegehung Torre Egger/Patagonien".
  25. ↑ "Cerro Torre, finally!!".
  26. ↑ "Alaska".
  27. ↑ "Helmcken Falls - Canada".
  28. ↑ "Dani Arnold eröffnet "Power Shrimps"".
  29. ↑ "My first eight-thousander - Broad Peak 8051m".
  30. ↑ "Expedition Baikal".
  31. ↑ "Iceland".
  32. ↑ "Paul-Preuss-Preis 2024 awarded to Dani Arnold". Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  33. ↑ Website for the film
  34. ↑
  35. ↑ "Sportclub Story: Kletterer Dani Arnold - Free Solo-Rekorde an den Nordwänden - hier anschauen".
  36. ↑ "HOW not WHAT - Reflections by Dani Arnold".
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