Eiger
The north face of Eiger
Elevation	3,970 metres (13,025 ft)
Location	Switzerland
Range	Bernese Alps
Prominence	356 m
Coordinates	46°34′39″N, 8°00′19″E
First ascent	August 11, 1858
Easiest route	basic rock/snow/ice climb

The Eiger is a mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Swiss Alps (Schweizer Alpen Alpes suisses Alpi svizzere Alps svizras are the central portion of the Alps Mountain range that lies within It is the easternmost peak of a ridge-crest that extends to the Mönch (4,107 m) and across the Jungfraujoch to the Jungfrau (4,158 m). The Mönch ( German: "monk" is a Mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Jungfrau ( German: "maiden/virgin" is the highest peak of a mountain Massif of the same name located in the Bernese Oberland region of the The peak is mentioned in records dating back to the 13th century but there is no clear indication of how exactly the peak gained its name. The three mountains of the ridge are sometimes referred to as the Virgin (German: Jungfrau, lit. "Young Woman" - roughly translates to "Virgin" or "Maiden"), the Monk (Mönch) and the Ogre (Eiger). The name has been linked to the Greek term akros, meaning "sharp" or "pointed", but more commonly to the German eigen, meaning "characteristic". Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages.

The first ascent of the Eiger was made by Swiss guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren and Irishman Charles Barrington who climbed the west flank on August 11, 1858. In Climbing, a first ascent (FA is the first modern recorded climb to reach the top of a Mountain, or the first to follow a particular Climbing route Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Christian Almer ( 29 March 1826, Grindelwald – 17 May 1898, Grindelwald) was a Swiss mountain guide and the Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Sir Charles Barrington was a mountaineer who is famous for his 1858 first ascent of the Eiger, a noted mountain peak in Switzerland Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1858 ( MDCCCLVIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common

The Jungfraubahn railway runs in a tunnel inside the Eiger, and two internal stations provide easy access to viewing-windows in the mountainside. The Jungfraubahn (JB is an gauge Rack railway electrified at 3-phase 1125 Volts which runs 9 kilometres from Kleine Scheidegg to the highest railway The railway terminates at Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe, located in the col between the Mönch and the Jungfrau. Jungfraujoch (el 3471 m is a col or saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps on the boundary between the cantons The Mönch ( German: "monk" is a Mountain in the Swiss Alps. The Jungfrau ( German: "maiden/virgin" is the highest peak of a mountain Massif of the same name located in the Bernese Oberland region of the

In July 2006, a piece of the Eiger, amounting to approximately 700,000 cubic metres of rock, fell from the east face. As it had been noticeably cleaving for several weeks and it fell into an uninhabited area, there were no injuries and no buildings were hit. [1]

Contents 1 The Nordwand 2 Timeline 3 Pictures 4 Popular culture 5 Climbing accounts 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

The Nordwand

The Nordwand, German for "north wall", is the spectacular north (or, more precisely, north-west) face of the Eiger (also known as the Eigerwand, "Eiger wall"). The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. It is one of the six great north faces of the Alps, towering over 1,800 m (5,900 ft) above the valley in the Bernese Oberland below. The six great north faces of the Alps (also called the six 'classic north faces' are known for their difficulty and great height The Bernese Oberland (Bernese highlands is the higher part of the Canton of Bern, Switzerland, in the south of the canton The area around Lake Thun and

It was first climbed on July 24, 1938 by Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg, Heinrich Harrer and Fritz Kasparek of a German–Austrian group. Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Andreas Heckmair (known as Anderl (born October 12, 1906, Munich, Germany Ludwig 'Wiggerl' Vörg (born 19 October 1911 died 22 June 1941 was a notable German mountaineer Heinrich Harrer ( July 6, 1912 – January 7, 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer sportsman Geographer Fritz Kasparek ( July 3, 1910, Vienna - June 6, 1954, Salcantay) was an Austrian mountain climber Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The group had originally consisted of two independent teams; Harrer (who didn't have a pair of crampons on the climb) and Kasparek were joined on the face by Heckmair and Vörg, who had started their ascent a day later and had been helped by the fixed rope that the lead group had left across the "Hinterstoisser Traverse. Crampons are outdoor footwear that are made from spikes and are worn on boots to provide traction on snow and Ice. " The two groups, led by the experienced Heckmair, co-operated on the more difficult later pitches, and finished the climb roped together as a single group of four. A portion of the upper face is called "The White Spider", as snow-filled cracks radiating from an ice-field resemble the legs of a spider. Spiders are Predatory Invertebrate Animals that have two body segments, eight legs no chewing mouth parts and no wings Harrer used this name for the title of his book about his successful climb, Die Weisse Spinne (translated into English as The White Spider: The Classic Account of the Ascent of the Eiger). The White Spider (1959 with chapters added in 1964 original title Die Weisse Spinne) by Heinrich Harrer describes mountain climbing attempts During the first successful ascent, the four men were caught in an avalanche as they climbed the Spider, but all had enough strength to resist being swept off the face.

Subsequently the face has been climbed many times, and today is regarded as a formidable challenge more because of the increased rockfall and diminishing ice-fields than because of its technical difficulties, which are not at the highest level of difficulty in modern alpinism. In summer the face is often unclimbable because of rockfall, and climbers are increasingly electing to climb it in winter, when the crumbling face is strengthened by the hard ice present.

Since 1935, sixty climbers have died attempting the north face, earning it the German nickname, Mordwand, or "murder wall", a play on the face's real German name Nordwand.

Timeline

• 1858: First ascent by the west flank, 11 August (Charles Barrington, Christian Almer and Peter Bohren). Sir Charles Barrington was a mountaineer who is famous for his 1858 first ascent of the Eiger, a noted mountain peak in Switzerland Christian Almer ( 29 March 1826, Grindelwald – 17 May 1898, Grindelwald) was a Swiss mountain guide and the According to Harrer's "The White Spider", Barrington would have performed the first Matterhorn ascent instead, but his finances did not allow him to travel there as he was already staying in the Eiger region. "Cervino" redirects here For the Italian town see Cervino (CE.
• 1871: First ascent by the southwest ridge, 14 July (W. A. B. Coolidge, Meta Brevoort, Christian Bohren, Christian Almer and Ulrich Almer). W A B Coolidge ( August 28, 1850 &ndash May 8, 1926) full name William Augustus Brevoort Coolidge, was an American Historian Meta Brevoort (1825 – 1876 an American Mountain climber, spent her early years in a Paris Convent school
• 1890: First ascent in winter, by Mead and Woodroffe, with guides Ulrich Kaufmann and Christian Jossi.
• 1921, September 10th: First ascent by the Mittellegi ridge by Fritz Amatter, Samuel Brawand, Yuko Maki and Fritz Steuri.
• 1924: First ski ascent via the Eiger glacier.
• 1932: First ascent via the Lauper route on the northeast face.
• 1934: First attempt on the north face by Willy Beck, Kurt Löwinger and Georg Löwinger reaching 2,900 m.
• 1935: First attempt on north face by the Germans Karl Mehringer and Max Sedlmeyer. Karl Mehringer (died 1935 is German mountaineer and climber Notable for being part of the first team to attempt to climb the Eiger Nordwand or North Face in 1935 Max Sedlmeyer (died 1935 was a German Mountaineer and Climber They froze to death at 3,300 m, a place now known as "Death Bivouac".
• 1936: Four Austrian and German climbers, Andreas Hinterstoisser, Toni Kurz, Willy Angerer and Edi Rainer, died on the north face in severe weather conditions during a retreat from Death Bivouac. Andreas Hinterstoisser was a German mountain climber of the early 20th century Toni Kurz ( January 13, 1913 &ndash July 22, 1936) was a German Mountain climber of the early 20th century who died in
• 1938: Alpine Journal editor Edward Lisle Strutt calls the north face 'an obsession for the mentally deranged' and 'the most imbecile variant since mountaineering first began'. The Alpine Journal is the yearly publication of the Alpine Club of London. Lt-Col Edward Lisle Strutt CBE, DSO ( 8 February 1874 - 7 July 1948) was an English Soldier and ^[1]
• 1938: First ascent of north face by Anderl Heckmair, Heinrich Harrer, Fritz Kasparek and Ludwig Vorg, achieved in three days. Andreas Heckmair (known as Anderl (born October 12, 1906, Munich, Germany Heinrich Harrer ( July 6, 1912 – January 7, 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer sportsman Geographer Fritz Kasparek ( July 3, 1910, Vienna - June 6, 1954, Salcantay) was an Austrian mountain climber
• 1947: Second ascent of north face by Lionel Terray and Louis Lachenal. Lionel Terray ( 25 July 1921 – 23 September 1965) was a French climber who made many First ascents, including Louis Lachenal ( 17 July 1921 &ndash 25 November 1955) a French climber born in Annecy, was one of the first two mountaineers
• 1950: First one-day ascent of north face by Leo Forstenlechner and Erich Wascak, in 18 hours. [2]
• 1957: An inexperienced Italian pair, Claudio Corti and Stefano Longhi run into extreme difficulties above the second ice field. For the cycling team manager see Claudio Corti (cycling manager'' Claudio Corti was a mountain climber from Olginate, Italy. Corti becomes the first man rescued from the face from above when German guide Alfred Hellepart is lowered from the summit on a steel cable. The injured Longhi is not so lucky, and dies of exposure before he can be rescued. Franz Mayer and Gunther Nothdurft, two highly skilled German climbers, are also killed after leaving the stranded Italians in an attempt to get help for them. They died in an avalanche on the west face of the mountain after completing the 13th ascent of the north face. This article refers to the natural event For other uses see Avalanche (disambiguation An avalanche is an abrupt and rapid flow of snow often
• 1961: First winter ascent of the north face by Toni Kinshofer, Anderl Mannhardt, Walter Almberger and Toni Hiebeler.
• 1962: First all-Italian ascent of the north face by Armando Aste, Pierlorenzo Acquistapace, Gildo Airoldi, Andrea Mellano, Romano Perego, and Franco Solina. Armando Aste (born January 6, 1926) is one of the most influential Italian alpinists of the postwar period
• 1962: First all-British ascent of the north face by Chris Bonington and Ian Clough. Sir Christian John Storey Bonington, CBE (born 6 August 1934 in Hampstead, London) is an British Mountaineer Ian Clough (1937-1970 was a British mountaineer who was killed on an expedition to climb the south face of the Himalayan
• 1963: August 2-3: First solo ascent of the north face by Michel Darbellay, in around 18 hours of climbing. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the
• 1963: August 15: Two Spanish climbers die in a storm, Ernesto Navarro and Alberto Rabadá.
• 1963: December 27-31: Three Swiss guides complete the first descent of the north face, retrieving the bodies of Ernesto Navarro and Alberto Rabadá from the White Spider. Events 537 - The Hagia Sophia is completed 1512 - The Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing the
• 1964: German Daisy Voog becomes the first woman to reach the summit via the north face.
• 1966: After a fixed rope breaks, American John Harlin falls to his death while making an ascent of the north face by the direttissima, or "most direct" route. John Harlin (full name John Elvis Harlin II) ( July 20, 1935 - May 22, 1966) was an American Mountaineer and US Air His colleagues (Haston, Lehne, Votteler and Hupfauer) push on to achieve the first direttissima ascent, which is named the "John Harlin route" in his honour.
• 1968: 28–31 July: First ascent of the north ridge, by Polish team: Cielecki, Łaukajtys, Szafirski, Zyzak. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland
• 1970: First ski descent, on the west flank, by Sylvain Saudan.
• 1970: Leo Dickinson, Eric Jones, Pete Minks and Cliff Phillips (GB) make the first complete film of the climb.
• 1971: Peter Siegert and Martin Biock are winched from above the Death Bivouac to a helicopter, the first such successful rescue.
• 1974: Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler climb the north face in 10 hours. Reinhold Messner (born September 17 1944) is a Mountaineer and Explorer from the Province of Bolzano-Bozen in Italy Peter Habeler (born July 22 1942) is an Austrian mountaineer He was born in Mayrhofen, Austria.
• 1981: First British solo ascent by Eric Jones - Filmed by Leo Dickinson and released as "Eiger Solo"
• 1981: 25 August: Swiss guide Ueli Bühler solos the face in 8 hours and 30 minutes.
• 1983: 27 July: Austrian Thomas Bubendorfer solos the face without a rope in 4 hours and 50 minutes, almost halving Bühler's time.
• 2003: 24 March: Italian Christoph Hainz breaks Bubendorfer's record by ten minutes, climbing the face in 4 hours and 40 minutes.
• 2006: 15 July: Approximately 20 million cubic feet (700,000 cubic metres) of rock from the east side collapses. No injuries or damage are reported. [3]
• 2006: 14 June: François Bon and Antoine Montant make the first speedflying descent of the Eiger. [4], [5]
• 2007: 21 February: Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck breaks Hainz's record, soloing the north face in 3 hours and 54 minutes. [6]
• 2008: 28 January: Swiss mountaineers Roger Schali and Simon Anthamatten set a new record for a team ascent of the Heckmair route climbing it in 6 hours and 50 minutes.
• 2008: 13 February: Ueli Steck breaks his own record, soloing the north face in 2 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds. [7]
• 2008: 23 February: Swiss mountaineers Daniel Arnold and Stephan Ruoss have now bettered the team record set by Schali and Anthamatten, climbing the Heckmair route in 6 hours and 10 minutes.
• 2008: 31 May: Swiss alpinist Ueli Steck was presented with the inaugural Eiger Award.

Pictures

Painting of the Eiger by Maximilien de Meuron, early 19th century	Sunrise above the Eiger's Mittelegi ridge	The north face on a clear summer day	The north face with fresh snow. View from Beatenberg, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
View from the north face looking down to the village of Grindelwald

Popular culture

• The 1972 novel The Eiger Sanction is an action/thriller story based around the climbing of the Eiger by Rodney William Whitaker, written under the pseudonym Trevanian. For the 1975 movie starring Clint Eastwood see The Eiger Sanction (film The Eiger Sanction is a 1972 thriller novel by Rodney William "Trevanian" was the Pen name of Dr Rodney William Whitaker, born June 12 1931 in Granville New York. This was then made into a 1975 film starring Clint Eastwood and George Kennedy. The Eiger Sanction is a 1975 action Thriller film based on a 1972 novel by American author Dr Clinton "Clint" Eastwood Jr (born May 31 1930 is a four-time Academy Award winning American Actor and Filmmaker. George Harris Kennedy Jr He was raised by his mother Helen A ( née Kieselbach a ballet dancer Unlike most action films which sacrifice believability, The Eiger Sanction film crew included very experienced mountaineers as consultants, so the climbing footage, equipment and techniques--while stylized--are more credible than would be expected.
• Eiger Dreams, a collection of short stories by Jon Krakauer, begins with an account of Krakauer's own attempt to climb the north face of the Eiger. Eiger Dreams Ventures Among Men and Mountains is a Non-fiction Short story collection by Jon Krakauer concentrating on Mountaineering Jon Krakauer (born April 12, 1954) is an American writer and Mountaineer, well-known for outdoor and mountain-climbing writing
• The track Eiger Nordwand in the game Gran Turismo HD Concept and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is set on the north face. Gran Turismo HD Concept (グランツーリスモHDコンセプト guran tsūrisumo HD konseputo) sometimes GTHD Concept with "HD" Gran Turismo 5 Prologue (グランツーリスモ5 プロローグ guran tsūrisumo 5 purorōgu) is the latest installment in the Gran Turismo series Interestingly this is despite the fact that motor racing is actually illegal in Switzerland.
• Skiers Shane McConkey and J. T. Holmes "skibase"-jumped off the western flank of the north face. This footage can be seen in the film Yearbook by Matchstick Productions.
• The Eiger was the name of the first song by the rock band Oneida off of their 2005 album The Wedding. Oneida is a four-piece rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their influences include Psychedelic rock, Krautrock, and Hard The Wedding is a 2005 album by Oneida. Track listing "The Eiger" "Lavender" "Spirits"
• The IMAX film The Alps (http://www.alpsfilm.com/en/frame.cfm) features John Harlin III's climb up the Eiger's North Face in September 2005. Harlin's father, famed alpinist John Harlin II, set out 40 years earlier to attempt a challenging new route straight up the Eiger's 6,000-foot (1,800 m) face. John Harlin (full name John Elvis Harlin II) ( July 20, 1935 - May 22, 1966) was an American Mountaineer and US Air At 4,000 feet (1,200 m), his rope broke, sending him plummeting to a tragic death. Harlin III faces his inner demons and honors his father's memory on the same climb that took his father's life when he was only nine. James Swearingen created a piece named Eiger: Journey to the Summit in memory of him. James Swearingen is an American composer and Arranger. He holds a Masters Degree from
• The 2007 documentary film The Beckoning Silence features mountaineer Joe Simpson, of Touching the Void fame, recounting - with filmed reconstructions - the tragic 1936 expedition up the north face of the Eiger and how it inspired him to take up climbing. Joe Simpson may be Sir Joseph Simpson (1909&ndash1968 Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis 1958&ndash1968 Joe Simpson (broadcaster Touching the Void is a book by Joe Simpson recounting the true story of Simpson's and Simon Yates' disastrous and near fatal climb of the 6344 metre The film followed Simpson's 2003 book of the same name, which covered the same subject among musings on broader mountaineering topics.

Climbing accounts

• The White Spider, by Heinrich Harrer.
• The Climb Up to Hell by Jack Olsen
• Are you still here? A bagman's view of climbing the Eigerwand, by Charles Sherwood.

See also

• Bernese Oberland

References

• Anker, Daniel (ed. ) Eiger: The Vertical Arena, Seattle: The Mountaineers, 2000
• Harrer, Heinrich, The White Spider: The History of the Eiger's North Face, translated from German, London, 1959 (revised 1965, 1979)

External links

• The Eiger on Summitpost
• The Eiger on Peakware - photos
• Live webcam view of the Eiger north face
• TierraWiki.org: Hike on the Eiger Trail
• New and Old Explorations of the Eiger, Photos & Video

Heinrich Harrer ( July 6, 1912 – January 7, 2006) was an Austrian mountaineer sportsman Geographer

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