Rock Climbing Gear

North Face Eiger

My Dads question?

Who was the first man to go up the north face of the Eiger in the Alps?

1934 First attempt on the north face by Willy Beck, Kurt Löwinger and Georg Löwinger reaching 2,900 m.

"""""1938: First ascent of north face by Anderl Heckmair, Heinrich Harrer, Fritz Kasparek and Ludwig Vorg (three days)."""""

1961 First winter ascent of the north face by Toni Kinshofer, Anderl Mannhardt, Walter Almberger and Toni Hiebeler.

1962 First all-British ascent of the north face by Chris Bonington and Ian Clough

1963: August 2-3: First solo ascent of the north face by Michel Darbellay, in around 18 hours of climbing

1964: German Daisy Voog first womanb to 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. His colleagues (Haston, Lehne, Votteler and Hupfauer) push on to achieve the first direttissima ascent, which is named the "John Harlin route" in his honor.

1968: July 28-31: First ascent of the north ridge, by Polish team: Cielecki, Łaukajtys, Szafirski, Zyzak

1981: Ueli Bühler solos the face in eight and a half hours.

1983: Austrian Thomas Bubendorfer solos the face without a rope in four hours and fifty minutes, almost halving Bühler's time. This record has not been broken to date

The White Spider: The Story Of The North Face Of The Eiger $53.99 The White Spider: The Story Of The North Face Of The Eiger

Big Walls : From the North Face of the Eiger to the South Face of Lhot $15.7 Big Walls : From the North Face of the Eiger to the South Face of Lhot

My Life: Eiger North Face, Grandes Jorasses and Other Adventures $99.95 My Life: Eiger North Face, Grandes Jorasses and Other Adventures

The Eiger Obsession $11.24 When the author was nine years old, his father, an experienced climber, tackled one of the world''s most treacherous mountains, the Eiger, in the Swiss Alps. It was the first attempt to reach the summit via the direct route (Harlin senior had already climbed the North Face), and it ended in tragedy, with a 4,000-foot fall. Forty years after his father''s death, at the age of 49, the author succeeded where his father failed: beating the mountain. Published to coincide with the release of the Imax film chronicling the climb, the book combines biography (memories of Harlin''s father) with a you-are-there account of the climb ( The cold Eiger rock feels good against my bare hands ). Thankfully, Harlin avoids most of the climbing-as-life-metaphor cliches that mar so many mountaineering books. At once a tribute to a legendary climber and a celebration of a very personal triumph, this book will captivate the imagination of anyone who reads it. - from Booklist

Anderl Heckmair: My Life: Eiger North Face, Grand Jorasses and Other Adventures $16.54 Anderl Heckmair: My Life: Eiger North Face, Grand Jorasses and Other Adventures

Anderl Heckmair: My Life: Eiger North Face, Grand Jorasses & Other Adv $23.27 Anderl Heckmair: My Life: Eiger North Face, Grand Jorasses & Other Adv

The White Spider: The Classic Account of the Ascent of the Eiger $10.4 This prequel to the bestselling Seven Years in Tibet covers the years immediately leading up to Harrer's Tibetan adventure, recounting the young climber's legendary ascent of the North Face of the Swiss Eiger.

The Eiger Obsession: Facing the Mountain That Killed My Father $1.42 DIVDIV“When the author was nine years old, his father, an experienced climber, tackled one of the world's most treacherous mountains, the Eiger, in the Swiss Alps. It was the first attempt to reach the summit via the direct route (Harlin senior had already climbed the North Face), and it ended in tragedy, with a 4,000-foot fall. Forty years after his father's death, at the age of 49, the author succeeded where his father failed: beating the mountain. Published to coincide with the release of the Imax film chronicling the climb, the book combines biography (memories of Harlin's father) with a you-are-there account of the climb (The cold Eiger rock feels good against my bare hands). Thankfully, Harlin avoids most of the climbing-as-life-metaphor cliches that mar so many mountaineering books. At once a tribute to a legendary climber and a celebration of a very personal triumph, this book will captivate the imagination of anyone who reads it.” - from Booklist/DIV/DIVDIVDIVPraise for a Previous Edition/DIVDIVBR“In his gripping, graceful account . . . Harlin elegantly combines a frank biography of his frequently absent parent . . . with a vivid memoir of his own childhood. . . . His agility as a writer makes his final ascent of the mountain as compelling as his account of living in his father’s shadow.”BR—Sunday Times (United Kingdom)/DIVDIVBR “As close to being a ‘page turner’ as any climbing-related book I’ve read since Touching the Void.”BR—Stephen Goodwin, Alpine Journal/DIVDIVBR“It’s the differences between the father and the son, not the similarities, that infuse this book with such poignant force.”BR—Men’s Journal/DIV/DIVDIVDIVP style=MARGIN: 0in 0in 0ptBJohn Harlin III/Bis the editor of theIAmerican Alpine Journal/Iand a contributing editor forIBackpacker/Imagazine. A former host of PBS&#821?ö¸Që…¸ÿ¾Úð

North Face $15.99 North Face

Long Walk in the Alps: The Eiger to the Matterhorn $15.36 Pete Buckley trades in the campervan for a pair of boots and a half price train ticket and sets off through Switzerland to journey from the Eiger to the Matterhorn.There can be no more enduring symbols of the Alps than the Eiger and the Matterhorn. These two great mountains have inspired climbers throughout Europe while the towns at their feet, Grindelwald and Zermatt, have become World famous resorts. A Long Walk in the Alps describes a journey beginning under the shadow of the Eiger's infamous north wall and finishing in the high meadows beneath the soaring ridges of the Matterhorn. The trail from Grindelwald leads first through the idyllic Jungfrau Region before heading off to high passes, forgotten valleys and sleepy alpine villages on the way to its destination in Zermatt.

The Eiger Sanction $4.93 The Eiger Sanction

Eiger : 3909111475 $117.95 Eiger : 3909111475

Ueli Steck Eiger North Face

The best places to learn to ski

To get the best out of a ski holiday, it is important to choose the right destination to suit the level of your group. This is especially true for beginners.

Nothing can put a beginner off skiing quicker than a week spent trying to ski down unsuitable steep terrain, or have to travel for miles to get to the beginner ski slopes.

We have therefore compiled our "Top Ten Ski Resorts For Beginners" list:

1. Les Arcs, France - Why is it good?

* Excellent nursery slopes directly above each of the resort's main villages.

* Free beginner's lift.

* Good range of early intermediate slopes as you progress.

2. Bansko, Bulgaria - Why is it good?

* Beautiful World Heritage Site.

* Modern lift system.

* Good range of nursery slopes.

* Great value - skiing here won't break the bank.

* As you progress there is an excellent 16km intermediate run from the top to the bottom of the mountain (2560 m to 935 m).

3. Cortina, Italy - Why is it good?

* Breathtaking views over the Dolomites.

* Often cited as being one of the world's most beautiful ski resorts.

* Superbly groomed beginner slopes in the Socrapes area.

* Instructors who are especially good with kids.

4. Killington, US - Why is it good?

* No language barriers.

* Ski schools are excellent.

* Large nursery slope areas.

* "Discovery Centre" for complete beginners showing how your equipment works before you start to ski.

5. Lech, Austria - Why is it good?

* A classic alpine resort.

* Picturesque village with fine hotels.

* Very well regarded ski schools with good English speaking instructors.

* Plenty of runs for intermediate and advanced as well, so a good option for mixed ability groups.

6. Poiana Brasov, Romania - Why is it good?

* An great place to try skiing without breaking the bank.

* Two nursery areas.

* Helpful and enthusiastic instructors.

* Excellent nearby excursions (such as Dracula's castle).

* Cheap and cheerful food, wine and entertainment.

7. Soldeu, Andorra - Why is it good?

* Often named as being one of Europe's best beginner resorts.

* Two extensive nursery areas.

* A large number of English speaking ski instructors.

* Good number of intermediate runs to progress to.

* Usually good weather (Sldeu means "Sun God").

* Excellent nightlife.

* Duty-free zone, so can be cheap.

8. Tignes, France - Why is it good?

* High and very "snowsure".

* Good range of easy to access nursery slopes.

* Good range of intermediate/expert slopes so a good destination for mixed ability groups.

* Lots of accommodation to choose from.

* Lots of non-skiing activities and great après-ski.

9 Wengen, Switzerland - Why is it good?

* Spectacular location under the north face of the Eiger.

* A great destination for families, with a well renowned ski school.

* Lots of non-skiing activities.

10. Chatel, France - Why is it good?

* Easy resort to reach either by flying into Geneva, or driving from Calais.

* Great range of beginners slopes, and good English speaking instructors.

* Part of the world's biggest ski area (the Portes du Soleil) so plenty of runs for all abilities.

* Regularly receives on average the most snowfall in the alps, so one of the most snowsure non glacier resorts.

* Picturesque village with bags of charm and plenty of off-slope activities.

We also have some tips for beginner skiers, which should help make your first time all the more enjoyable:

1. Try and get some lessons in the UK before you leave, preferably in one of the real snow domes. This means that once you get to your resort, you already have an idea of the basics (how to put your skis on etc.).

2. When booking ask if there are any 'Learn to Ski or Snowboard Packages'. This may include lessons, gear rental and a lift pass if needed.

3. Check to see if beginners can get away with buying a cheaper "local area" of "beginner" lift pass. There is no need to buy a pass for a huge area if you are only going to ski on beginner and early intermediate slopes.

4. If you want to learn snowboarding, check if the schools in your resort offer beginner courses for boarders.

5. Check that the accommodation is convenient for the pistes, the lifts and general amenities.

6. Rent gear to start with - it's a lot cheaper.

Above all, remember that skiing is meant to be fun!

About the Author

Ed Ockelton lives in the French Alps and runs White-Peak Ski Holidays France, based in Chatel.

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