The imposing and awe inspiring north face of the Eiger stands tall over the valley of Grindelwald. It’s no wonder that conquering the north face of the Eiger is considered a feat.
Eiger north face as seen from Mürren
To overcome this challenge successfully it’s crucial, for mountain guides and climbers to have a bond of trust and familiarity. To achieve this trial expeditions are arranged for those aiming to conquer the north face of the Eiger. These expeditions offer participants the opportunity to acquaint themselves with the terrain, techniques and their assigned guide. A combination of skills and mental readiness greatly enhances the experience of scaling the Eiger North Face.
Typically spanning over 2 days a guided expedition on the north face of the Eiger includes a stay in a bivouac nestled within the wall itself. The descent follows a route down the west flank navigating through snow covered slopes and rocky passages. During this journey it is paramount that the guide can accurately gauge each climbers abilities and climbing proficiency.
The ideal timeframe, for endeavors falls between October and May when lower temperatures reduce the risk of rockfall.
For a 2-day tour, the costs are between CHF 4,500 and CHF 5,500.
Requirements for climbing the north face of the Eiger
The ascent via the Heckmair route requires a good physical condition, safe and fast climbing in combined terrain as well as excellent rope and safety techniques.
The route is classified as extremely difficult as it has steep passages of up to 80°. In total, around 3,000 meters have to be climbed and 1,800 meters of altitude have to be conquered. The climbing time varies between 10 and 20 hours depending on the conditions and fitness level.
Climbing the north face of the Eiger therefore requires significantly higher standards than, for example, climbing the Matterhorn.
Video The Eiger Sanction Disaster: Clint Eastwood’s Deadliest Film Shoot
In the Summer of 1974, Spaghetti Western movie-star & director Clint Eastwood would travel to Switzerland to film a movie on the infamous North Face of the Eiger. This is the story of the true cost of completing this film.
Thanks everyone for watching! If you enjoyed the video, please leave a like and a comment, and if you haven’t subscribed to the channel already, why not just do it right now? You’re reading this, and you probably like topics like this, so why not? I release new content just like this on the regular. Anyways, thanks again everyone for watching!
The video is embedded by YouTube and only loads when you click on the play button. Learn more: Privacy policy
Video Eiger – Heckmair Route – Climbing the North face
The video is embedded by YouTube and only loads when you click on the play button. Learn more: Privacy policy