Clouds amass above us, lit by the last rays of the setting sun, although a cloudless night will follow shortly afterwards. The first section of the face is done. Wonderful, safe climbing as far as here, with no reason for alarm. And yet, a certain tension can be felt in the air. The source is the place itself – so burdened as it is with its many tragedies.
Melting snow with cold fingers, force a quick bite of breakfast down – the bivouac routine and signal for another day in this domain so unfriendly to humankind. We reel off length after length of rope. The way, the face – everything seems well-known. It’s the many images that we recognize now once more. On the Eiger at last – what a feeling! By early evening, we’re standing on the summit. It’s quiet, the weather clement, with a few rays of sun arcing through the clouds. Everything is so peaceful – is this the Eiger? But we’re not in the valley yet. We descend: west slope, Eigergletscher Station, Kleine Scheidegg, and by then it is dark. We continue on foot – and keep looking back. And slowly we realize that it’s not the rock, ice and snow, but the history and the stories that make climbing the north face something that’s beyond the power of words to describe. |
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