Adventurer Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto never shied away from a challenge – in fact, he was inspired by them.
As the Guinness World Records title holder for the fastest double-header of the higher 8,000ers without supplementary oxygen, he made history in 2019 by becoming one of the few individuals to have ever summited the two of the world’s highest peaks back-to-back, in record time.
There are 14 mountain peaks on Earth that exceed an altitude of 8,000 m (26,246 ft) but there is a considerable gap between the fifth and sixth peaks, hence the identification of the "Higher Eight-thousanders". These five peaks are Everest (8,848 m), K2 (8,611 m), Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), Lhotse (8,516 m) and Makalu (8,485 m).
Prieto was the first Chilean to ever reach the top of Everest, and therefore the only one to do so without any oxygen tanks to assist with the altitude and climb on his journey.
In a matter of 6 days and 20 hours, he managed to climb to the summit of Lhotse (8,516 meters above sea level) and then reach the top of Everest at (8,848 meters above sea level) by way of Base Camp 2 which is shared by both mountains.
Sadly, Prieto passed away February of this year, after attempting to ascend Everest’s peak K2 during its treacherous winter season.
Although he will no longer be able to continue his mountaineer missions, his team, with support from North Face Chile, have teamed up to release a documentary of his record-breaking climb to honour his legacy and achievements.
Expedición Lhotse - Everest sin oxígeno, produced by Fundación Deporte Libre, showcases the grit, determination, and danger Prieto faced in order to accomplish his dream of breaking a record.
Tickets can be purchased for the film here, and they will be available until June 24th, 2021 at 22:45 p.m EST. All proceeds from the tickets will go directly to support his three children, Pedro, Elisa and Juan Pablo, who share the same love for nature and climbing as their late father.
The film showcases all facets of the trip, including the emotional and unexpected circumstances that arose on the expedition.
Some of these included ice falls, which are always a risk summiting these mountains, but one included a rescue mission of two separate climbers who were suffering from pulmonary edema on the mountainside.
Prieto and his team tried to help Bulgarian Ivan Yuriev Tomov and Russian Nastya Runova by bringing them to safety, but they were sadly too late.
In the midst of the dangerous hike, Tomov passed away in Prieto’s arms from the extreme conditions of the environment.
The Chilean mountain man never forgot that experience or the others he faced prior to his record-breaking achievement.
Before climbing Lhotse and Everest, he also conquered five of the highest peaks in the world: Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Manaslu.
Preparation for each journey is key for success, and Prieto felt that it was always best to acclimate one’s body to the physical challenges endured on extreme climbs, such as altitude sickness, thin air, long bouts of exhaustion and more.
But for him, the training was worth it for the rewards each hike provides.
“The mountains give me everything, it is a form of meditation. When you have already been walking for 10 hours, your mind is blank. You are focused only on the mountain, you forget about all the daily problems."
Now, Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto is remembered by his loved ones and those in the mountaineering community – who share that he was one of the most positive and uplifting individuals they had ever met.
His cousin, Sergi Mingote, mentions his passion for life, which he learned from his father.
“Juan Pablo was a humble and cheerful guy, with excellent physicality. He was always prepared to do a mission. I am his cousin, and he always told me how important it was to complete my dreams. He firmly believed that anything is possible.”
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