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steve shea
climber
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Dec 11, 2013 - 11:24am PT
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Allen Hill cool photo, it really shows the concave nature of the wall.
Seems like many only think of the Eiger in the context of the '38 route. To be expected.
There are many climbs much much more difficult on the NF. As difficult as you could want. The main factors about the Eiger is it's nothern most location in the Bernese Oberland and its size. Big! And its geology. Not very firm rock. Being that size and alpine in nature you climb through different life zones and weather. There can be sacrete or no snow at the base and full on winter conditions at the same time. Look at Hill's photo.
The thing about the '38 route is its iconic reputation and history. Not difficulty. It was done in 1938 for gods sake. What would you expect for difficulty. Bitd you either wanted to do it or not even consider it. It was a daunting prospect and as Chris said very scary. Like get your affairs in order scary. Well with time, that aspect has mellowed. Now it gets done sub three hours.
There are many much more difficult Routes in the Mt Blanc on better rock. But none with the history of the Eiger save the Jorasses. So for many of my alpine expat (Chamonix) buddies it was an alpine right of passage, a final exam as Tom Sciolino calls it. Not for difficulty but just to be there, for the experience.
To me, for those reasons I think the ultimate route given the time and the epic struggle and the difficulty is the Harlin Route. That and the '38 is the Eiger. For me.
Also lets not forget Layton Kor as part of that Harlin Route epic. Did'nt he jug the German lines to the summit?
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Dec 11, 2013 - 11:37am PT
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Steve, No, I don't recall ever hearing that Kor jugged the German lines to the summit. My recollection is that he was below where the fixed line cut on Harlin, so only those above the break--Haston and some of the Germans went on to the top. I don't think the lines ever were restrung afterwards.My understanding is that, not surprisingly, Harlin's death effected Kor very deeply, to the extent that it played a significant role in his turning away from climbing and towards religion. It doesn't appear that the other members of the team were similarly effected as all continued climbing afterwards.
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steve shea
climber
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Dec 11, 2013 - 12:11pm PT
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Thanks, Al. I've always considered Kor part of that route.
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 12:12pm PT
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The history I've seen reflects that the broken line did in fact keep Kor from reaching the summit. The names of the climbers reaching the summit via the Direttissima during the FA are below:
Direct ‘Harlin Route’: Dougal Haston, Jörg Lehne, Günther Strobel, Roland Votteler and Siegfried Hupfauer, 1965
His obit from the Guardian has a pic of Kor on the Eiger (one that I've not seen elsewhere and I'm sort of an Eiger history fanatic.) Link below:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10198246/Layton-Kor.html
I hiked along the base of the Nordwand in 2009. The entire place - while majestically beautiful - also instilled a sense of fear in me, despite the fact that I was in no real danger (aside from rock fall.) Spooky man!
And looking down brittle verglas covered ledges from the train window most certainly put to rest any dreams I might have secretly harbored to one day get on the route (or anything like it...) Think I'll be sticking with the warm bomber granite of Yosemite, thanks very much!
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Dec 11, 2013 - 12:30pm PT
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Steve, He surely was part of it--lead some of the hardest, probably the hardest--rock pitches, just didn't happen to get to the summit.
My Eiger experience was also looking out the gallery window during a train ride through it---enough for me!!!
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Al_Smith
climber
San Francisco, CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 12:41pm PT
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Unless I'm mistaken, Kor led all four pitches of A3 found on the route, including the crux traverse of the Central Pillar that opened up access to the Spider. The German team had attempted a chimney on the Pillar's right side, failed in this effort, and ended up jugging to the top of the pillar on the rope fixed by Kor.
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steve shea
climber
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Dec 11, 2013 - 01:32pm PT
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I know that Kor was included for his aid and wall experience. He climbed some big junk routes in Glenwood Canyon, Co. early on. He also did a winter ascent of the Diamond with Wayne Goss.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Dec 11, 2013 - 01:53pm PT
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Dougal Haston's comment on Kor's contributions on the Harlin Route was to the effect that Kor called it merely A3, but any European would have needed bolts -- and called it A4.
John
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Allen Hill
Social climber
CO.
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Dec 11, 2013 - 10:59pm PT
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Evel
Trad climber
Nedsterdam CO
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Dec 11, 2013 - 11:28pm PT
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Well or course Layton did the rad pitches. I dreamed about the Directissima for years. Hiked up to the base ready for action and promptly hiked back down to the bar!
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Dec 12, 2013 - 12:48am PT
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So I'm curious to know who continues to pay for and string ropes on the Hinterstoisser.
Is it the local Chamber of Commerce or the bartenders' union? And why do all these young
guns still need them? The ropes, that is.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Dec 12, 2013 - 01:48am PT
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It was a who's who Anglo team on the first ascent of the Harlin Direct. Let's not forget Chris Bonnington who was initially along on the project to provide daily reports to newspapers. He got drafted into doing some load carrying and ultimately ended up leading an ice pitch he called his hardest ever lead on ice.
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Berner
Mountain climber
Switzerland
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Dec 27, 2013 - 03:43pm PT
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bump - todays avalanche
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snakefoot
climber
cali
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Dec 27, 2013 - 05:18pm PT
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^^^^nice...
standing on the mushroom looking east--ish
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Mar 18, 2014 - 06:33pm PT
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^^^
It was a sketchfest and this is where we followed in the footsteps of the great Gaston Rebuffat and likewise accepted a rope from the Austrian team ahead of us rather than wasting time and emotional strength.
That sucks the life out of the summit.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA/Boulder, CO
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Mar 18, 2014 - 06:57pm PT
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Who hasn't accepted a rope from above or done less than their fair share of leading to reach a desired summit? I applaud these folks for being honest about their ascent.
It you want to get technical about who did what on the Eiger, Anderl Heckmair did 90+% of the leading, and falling for that matter, on the first ascent, but climbing history recognizes all four participants in that epic struggle.
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thrillseekerz
climber
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Mar 22, 2014 - 03:02pm PT
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That sucks the life out of the summit.
What does that even mean?
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Andy KP
climber
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Mar 22, 2014 - 06:42pm PT
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Little video here from our attempt at the Russian Direct which shows some different angles on the face (A5!) https://vimeo.com/78893262
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