Carlos Buhler (born October 17, 1954, in Harrison, New York) is one of America's leading high altitude mountaineers. Buhler's specialty is high-standard mountaineering characterized by small teams, no oxygen, minimal gear and equipment, and relatively low amounts of funding; yielding first ascents of difficult routes in challenging conditions, such as the Himalayan winter season.
Early life, education, and personal life
Buhler graduated from The Putney School in Putney, Vermont. As a junior in high school, he attended a School Year Abroad (SYA) program in Barcelona, where his exposure to the Spanish climbing community sparked his lifelong mountaineering career. In 2024, he received a distinguished alumni award from SVA for his outdoor expeditions as well as his work that draws on his mountaineering experience to enhance cross-cultural communication in corporate settings.
In 1978, Buhler graduated from Western Washington University's College of the Environment. He later received the university's distinguished alumni award.
Buhler lives in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. He has two children.
1977 North Face, Mount Temple (Alberta), Canadian Rockies, Canada. First winter ascent of face with Phil Hein (Canada). January, 1977.
1977 Super Couloir (North Face), Deltaform Mountain, Canadian Rockies, Canada. First winter ascent of face with Mark Whalen (Canada). February, 1977.
1977 West Face, Extremo (Huayna) Ausangate, Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru. First ascent of face with Lorenzo Ortas (Spain). June, 1977.
1980 East Ridge, Baruntse, Barun Valley, Himalaya, Nepal. New route and 2nd ascent with Lorenzo Ortas, Javier Escartin, and Jeronimo Lopez (all Spain). April 27, 1980. Gonzalo Prado and Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa reached summit next day.
1981 South Face to East Ridge Traverse, Obispo, East Ridge to West Ridge Traverse, Fraile Grande, El Altar, Sangay National Park, Ecuador, with (Obispo) David Jones (America). November, 1981 and (Fraile Grande) Michael Orr (Great Britain). December 1981.
1983 Kangshung Face, Mount Everest, Himalaya, Nepal/Tibet. First ascent of face and route with Kim Momb and Louis Reichardt (both America). October 8, 1983. George Lowe, Dan Reid and Jay Cassell (all America) reached summit next day.
1984 French Route, South Face, Aconcagua, Principal Cordillera, Andes, with Sharon Wood (Canada), December 17-22, 1984.
1985 Southern Cross, Anqosh (North) Face, Huascarán Sur, Cordillera Blanca, Peru. First ascent of route with Sharon Wood (Canada), July 24-29, 1985.
1985 Northeast Face, Ama Dablam, Himalaya, Nepal. First ascent of face and route with Michael Kennedy (America), Dec 1-7, 1985.
1987 | East Face, Pumasillo, Southeast Face, Mellizos, Vilcabamba mountain range, Andes, Peru. First ascent of both faces with Paul Harris (Great Britain). August 23-29, 1987.
1988 Northwest Face/North Ridge, Kangchenjunga, Himalaya, Nepal. First American ascent with Peter Habeler (Austria) and Martin Zabaleta (Spain/Basque). May 3, 1988.
1989 West (Polish) Ridge, Cho Oyu, Himalaya, Tibet/Nepal. First alpine style ascent with Martin Zabaleta (Spain/Basque). April 8, 1989.
1990 Northeast Ridge, Dhaulagiri, Himalaya, Nepal. Summit reached with Nuru Sherpa (Nepal) and Dainius Makauskas (Lithuania), October 31, 1990. Makauskas disappeared on the descent. Buhler and Nuru Sherpa suffered severe frostbite.