Peruvian authorities announced on Tuesday the discovery of the body of an American mountaineer, William Stampfl, who perished 22 years ago in an avalanche while attempting to summit Mount Huascaran, one of the Andes’ highest peaks.
The Ancash region police revealed that Stampfl’s body was located on Friday near a camp situated at an altitude of 17,060 feet.
The 58-year-old climber had been endeavoring to reach the summit of the 22,205-foot Mount Huascaran when the avalanche occurred.
The icy conditions and sub-zero temperatures at that elevation remarkably preserved Stampfl’s body and clothing. Further aiding identification was the presence of his driver’s license.
Hundreds of climbers, accompanied by local guides, venture to ascend Mount Huascaran annually. The journey to the summit typically takes about a week.
Stampfl lost his life along with companions, Matthew Richardson and Steve Erskine, during their 2002 ascent. While Erskine’s body was recovered shortly after the avalanche, Richardson’s remains are yet to be found.
Over the weekend, guides and police officers retrieved Stampfl’s body from the mountain and transported it to a morgue in the city of Huaraz.
