The achievement was seen as a significant breakthrough in the mountaineering world and was a testament to the strength and skill of the two climbers. They climbed 8.848 meters in a time of 48 hours. It was a climb that will forever be remembered in the annals of mountain- eering history as a true testament to human endurance and determination. Both used poles made from alu- minum for ascent and descent. The most remarkable innovation was the telescopic performance allowing poles to be more compact and stowed away, which is an absolutely critical feature for technical climbs. The expansion bolts Karl and Klaus Lenhart invented ushered in a new era, and the iconic LEKI Makalu was born in 1974. The world's first three-section poles with its ultra- durable anodized golden shaft is still recognized to this day. With continuous improvements, the product stayed in the line until 2001. Even today, the name is given to LEKI's finest high-end trekking series - 45 years of excellence.
The most critical part of Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler's ascent started in the early morning of May 8, 1978. After the storm on the South Col on 7.900m had settled, they crawled out of their tent with the first light while the wind was still strong and cloud banks stood above the Nuptse flank. Habeler was not sure if a climb would be possible that day, but Reinhold pushed him to overcome any doubts, and both pushed on to conquer 950m of climbing inside the "death zone." The two men were exhausted but elated as they reached the summit on May 8 at 1 pm. They had made history, becoming the first climbers to reach the top of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen.
1978 LEKI POLES AT THE EVEREST
REINHOLD MESSNER AND PETER HABELER
MOUNT EVEREST the highest mountain in the world — 8.849m
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