Pyro Boy, a. k. a. Wally Glenn doesn’t light himeself on fire, he straps a LOT of fireworks to a proximity suit and lights them on fire.

I’ve helped him do it…

One October morning in 1995, Jay Cochrane stepped onto a thin steel wire a quarter mile above the Yangtze River in China’s legendary Qutang Gorge.

In 53 minutes he skywalked 2,098 feet to the Lion’s Face of the gorge, an accomplishment recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the greatest wirewalk in history.

http://jaycochrane.com/jay1.html

Nice list, but I feel the need to make a correction. Reinhold Messner did indeed reach the summit of Everest in 1978 without the aid of oxygen; he was indeed climbing solo. But he was not the first, and solo here doesn’t mean what you think it does.

The famous picture of Messner approaching the summit was taken by his climbing partner Peter Haebler (how could he photograph himself from above, hmmm?), who reached the summit 20 minutes ahead of Messner and was actually the first to solo without oxygen. You are also mistaken in your interpretation of what “solo” means in this context. Haebler and Messner traveled to the mountain together, climbed the entire thing together, sharing loads and a tent–they were constant companions on the climb, neither was “alone” as you state. In this case, “solo” is a jargon we climbers use to mean “without rope or protection” it does not mean “alone”.

Don’t feel bad, this meme of “Messner as first” is a very common, if completely, untrue one. Read Messner’s own account of the story if you do not believe me.

Peter Haebler is a very, very humble man, but a brilliant alpinist…he told me once it is enough for him to know he was first, he is uninterested in going around correcting all the yahoos and armchair historians–anyone who reads Messner’s book about the climb also knows Haebler made it first–in fact, the troubles Messner had, the mental weakness and physical fatigue that allowed Haebler to get so far in front of him have plagued him for years–he has written extensively about it.

Messner lost his goggles somewhere along the ascent and became snowblind during the descent begging Haebler “Please stay with me, don’t leave me”–of course Haebler did–it’s the only way Messner would have survived. Again, selfless and humble–this is the reason I take the time to correct you–people should know about Peter’s greatness of spirit.

Also, I’ve owed him $1200 francs since 1982 and I don’t want him to come round looking for it…