Hardwear Sessions

The team dig out the snow and pop onto the North Face.
Photo by Kenton Cool

It was planned for a while but things in the mountains are never that easy. As Neil and I drove to the Eiger on Thursday we weren't too hopeful about climbing the N Face for the BBC. The crew all met in the eve and we travelled on the train to Kleine Schidegg and a hotel that simply oozed history....its where Clint Eastwood stayed while filming the Eiger Sanction. All day Friday its snowed and we didn't even see the face, not great for climbing.

View up to the difficult crack.
Photo by Kenton Cole

Gwen and Steve from Indus, spot the one who is slightly less comfortable
with the situation. Photo by Kenton Cole

The Crew were Gwen and Steve from Indus films with Kieth Partridge and Brain Hall working cameras and Safety. We were also joined by Hans Rudi, a super cool local guide and Eiger Expert who helped organise the whole thing. Friday was spent doing some interviews and getting depressed about the weather but Saturday dawned bright and Steve got to see the N Face for the first time and all our spirts rose. The forecast wasn't great for later in the week so we decided to get as much in the can as possible. After a morning of interviews with the face behind Neil and I went off skiing (which was awesome, thigh deep fresh snow!!) and the crew went to do some general views. Sunday was going to be the best day weather wise so the plan was to get onto the face via the Stollenloch window.

For those of you who don't know the Eiger its an amazing mountain that has a railway running through it!!! Due to the railway its possible to exit onto the N Face through a small door. Its the scene of many tales and alot of history, I speak for the whole crew to say that we were very excited about the day. We spent most of the day on the face filming before the weather came back in that Evening with yet more snow making climbing the mountain impossible. For me it was a very emotional return to the scene where I made the first British guided ascent with Sir Ran Fiennes in 2007. It was a strange day, I had to talk about the history of this spot on the face to the camera, its the scene of the infamous fateful rescue attempt of Toni Kurz in 1936.

Looking back at the Film Crew at the window.
Photo by Kenton Cole

I was getting a very powerful dark feeling from the door way and tunnel. I could close my eyes and hear the clunk of equipment as rescuers returned from trying to save Toni. There was total silence as the entered the tunnel each lost in their own thoughts knowing that by leaving him hanging that night on the face they were condemning the young man to death. I touched the wooden door and I could almost feel the tears of these men as they boarded the train to return to their warm homes knowing what they had done. When we finished I closed the big metal bars locking the door to the outside just like the rescuers would have done back in 1936, I heard a faint scream from outside, I know that it was the wind but somehow I do wonder, and then it was gone......It was a very emotional time for all of us.

For those who haven't heard the story or Toni Kurz check out the film the Beckoning Silence (from 2007) or The North Face (which is showing at the present in cinemas) or read the White Spider by Heinrick Harrer. Its a horrendously sad story.

Although we didn't climb the face it was a successful few days and the plan is to return when the weather and conditions are better, to make what will be my 3rd ascent of the face and the famous 1938 route. I'll keep you posted.

Be safe out there!
Kenton