Dr. Gary Ziegler

Gary Ziegler Mountaineering/climbing history

COLORADO and Southwest US:
Many first ascents, new routes over thirty years. Examples: All major towers Colorado National Monument (first ascents) Monument Valley, several first ascents and routes on Spider Rock, Totem Pole, Ship rock. Utah: Fisher Towers, the lighthouse (first ascent) Zororaster's Temple, Grand Canyon (second ascent and 1st winter ascent)...many others. 1st winter ascents: 3rd Buttress, Hallet's Peak. Ellingwood ridge, La Plata Peak. Garden of the Gods: Many new rotes. Over 50 ascents of Crestone Peak and needle. First climbed Ellingwood ridge with Robert Ormes at age 13. New routes in Wind River Range, Sundance Buttress etc.

MEXICO: all the major Volcanoes several times (guiding)

PERU: Cordillera Blanca; Nv. Ranrapalca, Nv. Copa, Nv. contrahierbas, Nv,
Aquilpo, Nv, Atlante (1st ascent)
Cordillera Raura: Siete Caballeros (three first ascents) Nevado Rosa,
Torre Crystal, Nev Yarupa, Nev Condor Cenca, Tinquicocharaju (1st ascent),
Nv Kiaco ( 1st ascent), Nv Patron, Nino Perdido.
Cordillera Huaywash: Yarupaja (New route)
Codillera Sur Nv, Chicani, Nv, Ampato
Cordillera Urubamba: Nv. Huancatani, Nv Halancoma
Cordillera Vilcabamba: Nv. Huayanay (1st ascent) October 1996

First Ascent in Peru 1997 (latest) Success....A Colorado Mountain Club team led by Adventure Specialist's Gary Ziegler reached the summit of an unclimbed 18,000 ft, peak in Peru's Cordillera Vilcabamba on October 12 . Jim and Megin Mauch, Bill Landsburg and Gary, all from Colorado, climbed the central summit in the Huayanay Massive, a group of Ice peaks near Machu Picchu, From a mule supported camp at 15,000 ft. the group reached the summit in a nine hour climb up steep rock and ice.

Short bio::

Gary Ziegler has a far-flung history which includes a Ph.d in archaeology, archaeological expeditions into remote Peru and Mexico, work for National Geographic, museums and universities. Gary has been organizing and leading expeditions and groups in Peru since 1964. His accomplishments include the first ascent of seven peaks over 18,000 ft. and the discovery of new archaeological sites. He led the first group to bicycle to Machu Picchu in 1982. He leads horse pack trips and guided climbs from his Bear Basin Ranch in Colorado during summer months and exploratory treks into Mexico's Copper Canyon in the winter.

As a teenager, he first climbed the classic Elingwood route on Crestone needle with pioneer Colorado mountaineer, Robert Ormes. He estimates that he has now made more than 50 ascents of this peak. During student years as a climber at nearby Colorado College, Gary and friends pioneered many first ascents and new routes in the Garden of the Gods, Colorado National Monument, Canyon Lands, and the Grand Canyon. His later accomplishments in the Peruvian Andes include the first ascents of seven ice peaks over 18,000', a new route on Yarupaja 21,648' and the ascents of 14 other major peaks above 20,000 . Along the way, he has collected a Phd. in archaeology, earns a part of his income from ranching and cowboying and is a recognized authority on the Inca civilization.

He has taught climbing and mountain survival to the peace corps, Colorado Outward Bound School, US Army Special forces and National Geographic expeditions.

Principal climbing partners since 1960: Layton Kor, Jeff and Mike Lowe,
Harvey Carter, (Peru climbs) Dougal Haston, Don Whillans, Tom Frost