Stephan Siegrist Sets Highline World Record in Africa

Swiss alpinist Stephan Siegrist realized an extraordinary balancing act in the summit region of Kilimanjaro. He set a world record by walking a highline at 5,700 metres above sea level. The 20-metre long highline stretched between two rock towers on Kilimanjaro. The previous world record was set in 2015 by Bence Kerekes of Hungary with a highline at 5,322 metres in Ladakh, India. Siegrist had already crossed highlines on Matterhorn and Dufourspitze.

“Despite acclimatization, it was difficult to find my balance,” Siegrist said. “At this altitude, everything is slower – and that goes for balance too.” The low oxygen content of the air not only makes breathing difficult, but it also means that you feel dizzy more quickly. Placing one foot on the highline to begin the crossing was particularly difficult. “It was interesting to see how the highline responded to the slightest tension,” said Siegrist. “When I wasn’t completely relaxed, the webbing immediately trembled a bit.” He made the crossing on Kilimanjaro with a very small team, which included only the photographer and filmmaker Thomas Senf, who had discovered the opportunity for a highline between the rock towers on Kilimanjaro on a previous expedition.

Securely anchoring the highline in the volcanic rock of Kilimanjaro was a real challenge. It required a sure eye for stable rock formations and the right preparation. A single missing securing element at this remote location would have spelled the end of the expedition. The pressure was also increased by the weather and a tight schedule. The strong gusts of wind were to be expected, but the news that it would snow on Kilimanjaro was a surprise. The chance of success under these conditions was limited to a small time window – an afternoon under the African sun, during which everything worked.