David Goettler

CHAMONIX, FRANCE/ CANTABRIA, SPAIN

“If I would know everything, if I could control everything and I know the outcome upfront, I probably wouldn't find the motivation to climb. The unknown is part of the drive.”

Many climbers discover the sport in their youth; one route projecting them into it for a lifetime. For David Goettler, the love took longer to build. Introduced to climbing by his father, the decision to pursue the sport came after much deliberation and a year away from the sport.  A few years later, it would be university that he would take time away from, embarking down a path with the International Federation of Mountain Guides. Ultimately David found his home in the high mountains of Spain and Chamonix, France. His approach—climbing fast, light and pure—has both defined and distinguished his ascent of modern alpinism.

“Failure is a chance to learn and get better. Without failure, we wouldn't progress as a person, nor as a society. We all need to be allowed to fail so we can readjust and come back better.”

David’s career has been shaped by his uncompromising commitment to classical alpine style—ascending without supplemental oxygen, fixed ropes, or ladders for support. From early attempts on Kangchenjunga in 2003, through Everest in 2022, to multiple 8000-meter oxygen-free summits, each climb is a chance for David to both refine his technique and stand behind his style.

“At the second pitch, I totally had a meltdown, completely losing it. I didn't trust the rope, the hooks, or my father. We went down and then I took a break from climbing for a year. During that time, I felt something was always missing. So I returned to climbing, and never looked back.”

In the winter, David has tackled revered north faces such as the Eiger, Grand Jorasses, and Matterhorn, demonstrating that humility, judgment, and discipline remain the climber’s greatest safeguards. As in his youth, David is often questioning his pursuits and respecting his inner notions of when to summit and when to turn around. This can mean years go by without reaching the top of a peak, but David is interested in longevity. His long game has paid off with a stacked resume, including his latest feat on Nanga Parbat: A pure alpine ascent in mid-2025, followed by a paraglide descent from 7,700 meters—an almost poetic fusion of vertical alpinism and aerial freedom. David’s ultimate goal is to follow the ethos of his parents who are still climbing, hiking and paragliding in their 80s.

Career Highlights
●    First Ascent & Paraglide Descent, Nanga Parbat (Schell Route), Alpine-style ascent and paraglide from 7,700 m, Pakistan (2025)
●    Summit without oxygen, Everest, 8,849 m, Nepal (2022)
●    Single-push Alpine Ascent, Shishapangma South Face, 13 hours, 8,013 m, Tibet (2017)
●    Summit without Oxygen, Makalu, 8,485m, Nepal (2013)
●    Summit without Oxygen, Lhotse, 8,516m,Tibet (2009)
●    Summit without Oxygen, Dhaulagiri, 8,167m, Nepal (2008)
●    Summit without Oxygen, Broad Peak, 8,051m, Pakistan (2007)
●    Summit without Oxygen, Gasherbrum II, 8,035m, Pakistan (2006)
●    First Himalayan Expedition, Kangchenjunga,  Attempted 8,000 m climb (2003)
●    Winter Ascents, North Faces, Eiger, Grand Jorasses, Matterhorn (Various Years)

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