A New Route Up the Extreme North Face of the Eiger Will Have to Wait

The iconic Eiger's North Face has long captivated elite mountaineers, including Thomas Huber and Stfan Siegrist who continue to work a new route.

The North Face of the Eiger / Thomas Huber

Mountaineers Thomas Huber, 58, and Stfan Siegrist, 52, have been working on a new route on the North Face of the iconic Eiger for over five years. Huber and Alpinist Jonas Schild, 32, recently gave it another try just months after a massive rockfall blasted down the treacherous North Face on September 7th.

The thunderous explosion distributed mountainous dust throughout the Swiss valley below the iconic peak. The Eiger, 13,015 ft., in Switzerland presents one of the most daunting climbs in the Alps. While it offers various routes, the North Face remains a prestigious and perilous challenge for even the most experienced mountaineers.

Angela Benavides reported in her Article for ExplorersWeb that Thomas Huber and Jonas Schild worked on a new route for three days before calling off the effort and returning home. The climbers intend to try putting in a new route again after Christmas - conditions permitting, and with the help of Stefan Siegrist.

The conditions likely didn’t feel right to the pair, but winter climbing may serve them well. “We have the whole winter, plenty of time,” Jonas Schild told ExplorersWeb. “The North Face of the Eiger is actually best climbed in winter, because ice and hard snow fuse together the fragile rock. It should be not too cold, so we can climb properly, but not too warm, to avoid too much rockfall,” Schild explained. 

The iconic Eiger stands proudly in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland. Standing 13,015 ft., it is one of the most recognized and beautiful peaks in the world. It represents one of the most cherished and formidable challenges in the mountaineering world. The northern side of the mountain rises more than 10,000 ft. above the two valleys of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, the southern side faces the large glaciers of the Jungfrau-Aletsch area, the most glaciated region in the Alps.

The most ominous feature of the Eiger -  the 5,900-foot North Face known as Mordwand or the ‘Death Wall’, has attracted and detered mountaineers from around the world for centuries. The first successful summit of the Eiger was on August 11, 1858 by Swiss climbers Christian Almer, Peter Bohren, ang Charles Barrington, via the west flank and west ridge. This route is far more accommodating than the perilous and infamous North Face.

The Eiger / Ioana Catalina E - Shutterstock

The Eiger is infamous for the many tragedies involving climbing expeditions. Since 1935, at least 64 climbers have died attempting the north face. The first successful ascent of the North Face came in 1938 by a German-Austrian team consisting of Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg, Heinrich Harrer, and Fritz Kasparek. This historic climb, fraught with peril and hardship, is detailed in Heinrich Harrer's book, The White Spider, which is a classic in mountaineering literature.

Since then, the North Face has been the scene of many dramatic and tragic events. The Wall rises 5,900 ft. from its base and presents numerous challenges, including falling rocks, avalanches, and rapidly changing weather conditions. Despite these dangers, The North Face attracts mountaineers annually seeking to conquer one of the most difficult and dangerous faces in the Alps.

The North Face of the Eiger / TravellingFatman

The best time to climb the Eiger largely depends on the route, and the climber's level of expertise and experience. Generally, the climbing season for the Eiger is from late June to early September. During these months, the weather is more stable, mitigating the risk of avalanches and rockfall compared to other times of the year.

The longer daylight hours and more predictable weather patterns make it the most favorable time for ascents, though the Eiger's North Face remains treacherous throughout the year. Climbers should start their ascents early in the day to avoid afternoon storms, melting ice and rockfall. (Related Article)