Aiding on the Eiger

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Messages 1 - 23 of total 23 in this topic
Andy KP

climber
Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 18, 2013 - 08:01am PT
Thought I'd share this little video of our attempt at the 2006 Russian super direct route on the Eiger. In the end we only just got into the meat of the route (having climbed 20 pitches!) before we had to go down. Good fun though (one belay had 6 moses Tomahawks in it!!!!) Never aided on Limestone before, so it was interesting, and Neil had never climbed a winter or alpine route before!

[Click to View YouTube Video]


Due to music used this won't work on mobile devices, so here's a vimeo version that does: http://vimeo.com/61873763

Cheers

Andy
fosburg

climber
Mar 18, 2013 - 08:42am PT
Dude, that looks horrendous! You looked like you were having fun though...
Don Paul

Big Wall climber
Colombia, South America
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:00am PT
Yeah burly, looks really cold. I plastic coat my topos and punch a hole to clip them in, lol.
Grippa

Trad climber
Salt Lake City, UT
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:11am PT
Super gnar. How many days were you guys up there for?
j-tree

Big Wall climber
Classroom to crag to summer camp
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:16am PT
It's not that hard, it's just that it's impossible.

Calling PTPP to comment on the ProTrax in 3...2...1...
Edge

Trad climber
New Durham, NH
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:20am PT
That was awesome!

A chance encounter and subsequent purchase of Haston's "Directissima" in a grocery store when I was 15 changed the course of my life. I hold a special place in my dreams and nightmares about that peak.
Andy KP

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 18, 2013 - 09:20am PT
5 nights on the face and yes we had a great time
telemon01

Trad climber
Montana
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:20am PT

Thanks for posting Andy
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Mar 18, 2013 - 09:44am PT
Nice post; enjoyed it.
jopay

climber
so.il
Mar 18, 2013 - 11:22am PT
Very cool Andy thanks for sharing, like others the Eiger has inspired me as long as I have been climbing. I got a chuckle on two comments one "I think I'm going to vomit" and "its not that difficult just impossible", I'm remembering that one.
dikhed

climber
Mar 18, 2013 - 12:09pm PT
tiffypoo...keep climbing on the front page bump
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Mar 18, 2013 - 12:10pm PT
Andy- Thanks for sharing this!

Has this route been repeated or were you guys the first suitors?
NA_Kid

Big Wall climber
The Bear State
Mar 18, 2013 - 12:21pm PT
Thanks for posting! Damn your a badass Andy!
mcreel

climber
Barcelona
Mar 18, 2013 - 12:25pm PT
Thanks for the post, it's educational for a warm rock climber like me.
RP3

Big Wall climber
El Portal/Chapel Hill
Mar 18, 2013 - 12:36pm PT
WOW! Super impressive!
Andy KP

climber
Topic Author's Reply - Mar 18, 2013 - 01:00pm PT
As far as we know no one else has tried it - or even knew anything about it (I past on info I had to Alpinist mag for its latest issue).

The route was climbed using super sharp 'Ice fifi' hooks, so required some skills we were lacking (A5 hooking with something like a giant bird beak).

nopantsben

climber
Mar 18, 2013 - 01:16pm PT
good stuff.
if neil didn't get up, there won't be a line ...
'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
Mar 18, 2013 - 01:58pm PT
Wow. It is difficult to express in words how incredibly miserable and KNOTT FUN that appears to be. I had to grab an extra cup of coffee and a blanket to finish the video.

I didn't think there was an aid pitch so hard that Neil couldn't climb it. So Neil, are you going to take up ice climbing now, then? How about a proper warm route this spring? [HINT]

And, hey there, say, Andy ol' chap? As per J-Tree's post above, are you aware that a Protrax requires a carabiner through that hole in the bottom to hold the two plates together in order for it to be functionally safe?

Lovely device, that Pro-Trax. Everyone should own several. You can use them as plumb bobs and paperweights and so on.

Do you have any photos of the Nordwand from a few miles back? I am always amazed at how "dry" and snow-free the face is these days compared to back in the day. Aren't features like the First Icefield, Second Icefield and White Spider pretty much gone now? I am curious as to how the face looks in winter.

Superb video! Cheers, eh?
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Mar 28, 2013 - 12:15pm PT
Just saw this post here, and wanted to BUMP it! Really good attempt, hope you guys aquire some of those 'ice hooks' haha. Anyone has a photo of that?
jeekay

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Mar 28, 2013 - 12:46pm PT
http://lavina-sport.ru/news/fifa/
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Mar 28, 2013 - 01:08pm PT
My friend climbed the 1938 route with a Scottish guy who had never been on an alpine route before. Talk about trial by fire.
Great video, very real.
alext

Big Wall climber
Moscow
Mar 29, 2013 - 06:03am PT
There is a story on first ascent of the route in Russian: http://www.stolby.ru/news/2006/20060128/Eiger.asp
The essential part in provision - 4 liters of brandy for 4 men. Team reported that route was extremely hard and dangerous, but they saved some resources – they brought 1 liter of brandy back. They met bad weather and serious rock falls.
The leader of the team Yevgen Dmitryenko has a nickname “kamikaze” and known as one of the best aid climbers in Russia. All members are from Siberian city Krasnoyarsk, this city is famous for hundred years tradition of solo free climbing on nearby rocks Stolby.
To Endy Kirkpatrick: a chapter about Reticent Wall from your book “Psycho Vertical” was translated in Russian. We love it very much and dream your books will be translated and published in Russian. All you do - is very inspiring!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Mar 29, 2013 - 07:06am PT
I kind of like uli stecks method of climbing the Eiger. can't imagin wanking arround on hard aid on the side of a big mountain where the adage go fast and keep the rope moveing or freeze your partner to death has a very real truth to it.....
Messages 1 - 23 of total 23 in this topic
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