That was quick - I have only just saved this! Thanks a lot - appreciate your comment. If I made you want to climb it then what more could I ask?
Cheers, Mark
This is an excellent route page containing relevant and detailed information (introduction excluded). Your personal experiences added make it still more interesting to read. The picture material is also very good. If I was to climb the West Flank I would certainly print out your page and put it in my back pocket.
Anyone who plan to take on the West Flank should not forget to make a reservation at the Eiger Hilton since I predict it will be fully booked the seasons to come:)
Cheers Hans - and thanks a lot for your intro, which set the scene nicely - and of course the photos as well, which filled in a gap.
Yes, maybe reservations a good idea for the Eiger Hilton - not much room there other than for say, a Honeymoon couple - and rather a big drop close by if you get crowded out!
Best wishes, Mark
Good writeup and pictures. The interesting intro and the personal stories are good additions.
The climber in the red jacket on the Kanzeli is easy to spot.
Thanks Bill. I enjoyed making the page - got some extra mileage out of the experiences I had in 2008.
Hmmm - if you think the climber on the Kanzeli is easy to spot, maybe I do need to get my eyes tested (along with ears according to my wife)- I knew he had a red jacket since I saw him at the time and it comes out with the full sized photo - not so easy on SP sized!
best wishes, Mark
Thanks a lot for that Aaron - means a lot to be complemented by one of the SP pioneers! I enjoyed doing the page - made me determined to get back and do the last little bit I missed - and also to go look at another area, mountain or route to write about!
Cheers, Mark
Thanks a lot Dan, much appreciated. As I said to Gabriele, if my page made you want to go do the route then I couldn't ask for more (but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!).
I also know someone who skied this route - one of the local tandem paraglider pilots who lives near Interlaken but main work based in Lauterbrunnen.
Cheers, Mark
Absolutely nothing happened...because I didn't have any route beta. I looked around and just found some subpar write ups. But I did do a lot of other sweet peaks. Zerfreilahorn was a highlight.
Very nicely done. By the way, I saw that you didn't sign the climber's log. What date exactly did you climb it? I noticed you had rather warm boots on at the bivy. I'm trying to decide between approach shoes and boots.
Thanks for that - I had some fun creating the page with a bit of help from hansw - who contributed the summit photos and the opening paragraph. Thanks for the reminder to sign the climbers log - guess I didn't think of it since I didn't summit. I was climbing solo (10 July 2008) and after a night at 'the Eiger Hilton' I climbed to around 3600m - but then was a bit freaked scrambling around the top of the Nordwand and turned back.
I think proper alpine boots would be a good idea. You can climb a long way without crampons - but then you'd need them for the last 300m, which is quite steep and mostly on snow.
Incidentally - those same 'warm' boots let me down on Mont Blanc 5 years to the day after I used them on the Eiger - just over a week ago - I am now nursing a frost-bitten R big toe, a photo of which will be going into the forthcoming trip report!
Do let us know how you do on the Eiger - and good luck!
best wishes, Mark
Gabriele Roth - Sep 3, 2011 1:32 am - Voted 10/10
fine pagemade me wish to climb it ...
markhallam - Sep 3, 2011 1:40 am - Hasn't voted
Re: fine pageThat was quick - I have only just saved this! Thanks a lot - appreciate your comment. If I made you want to climb it then what more could I ask?
Cheers, Mark
hansw - Sep 3, 2011 12:36 pm - Voted 10/10
Excellent Mark!This is an excellent route page containing relevant and detailed information (introduction excluded). Your personal experiences added make it still more interesting to read. The picture material is also very good. If I was to climb the West Flank I would certainly print out your page and put it in my back pocket.
Anyone who plan to take on the West Flank should not forget to make a reservation at the Eiger Hilton since I predict it will be fully booked the seasons to come:)
/Hans
markhallam - Sep 3, 2011 1:30 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Excellent Mark!Cheers Hans - and thanks a lot for your intro, which set the scene nicely - and of course the photos as well, which filled in a gap.
Yes, maybe reservations a good idea for the Eiger Hilton - not much room there other than for say, a Honeymoon couple - and rather a big drop close by if you get crowded out!
Best wishes, Mark
Bill Kerr - Sep 3, 2011 6:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Well done pageGood writeup and pictures. The interesting intro and the personal stories are good additions.
The climber in the red jacket on the Kanzeli is easy to spot.
Bill
markhallam - Sep 4, 2011 1:42 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Well done pageThanks Bill. I enjoyed making the page - got some extra mileage out of the experiences I had in 2008.
Hmmm - if you think the climber on the Kanzeli is easy to spot, maybe I do need to get my eyes tested (along with ears according to my wife)- I knew he had a red jacket since I saw him at the time and it comes out with the full sized photo - not so easy on SP sized!
best wishes, Mark
Aaron Johnson - Sep 5, 2011 11:32 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice job!The absolute best (and most thorough) route page I've seen on this web site in years! Excellent photos and text.
markhallam - Sep 6, 2011 1:14 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Nice job!Thanks a lot for that Aaron - means a lot to be complemented by one of the SP pioneers! I enjoyed doing the page - made me determined to get back and do the last little bit I missed - and also to go look at another area, mountain or route to write about!
Cheers, Mark
markhallam - Sep 6, 2011 1:21 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Another Great Route Page Mark.Thanks a lot Dan, much appreciated. As I said to Gabriele, if my page made you want to go do the route then I couldn't ask for more (but I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!).
I also know someone who skied this route - one of the local tandem paraglider pilots who lives near Interlaken but main work based in Lauterbrunnen.
Cheers, Mark
McCannster - Sep 9, 2011 11:23 am - Voted 10/10
Great write upI wish I had this route description with me last summer!
markhallam - Sep 9, 2011 11:56 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great write upThanks for that. But my curiosity is stirred - what happened to you last summer?
McCannster - Sep 11, 2011 1:57 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: Great write upAbsolutely nothing happened...because I didn't have any route beta. I looked around and just found some subpar write ups. But I did do a lot of other sweet peaks. Zerfreilahorn was a highlight.
Sarah Simon - Sep 15, 2011 6:17 pm - Voted 10/10
Outstanding!A very informative, well laid-out and interesting page. Thanks for all the hard work that you put into this! -Sarah
markhallam - Sep 18, 2011 1:50 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Outstanding!Thanks Sarah - appreciate your kind words, especially given all the hard work you put into the site yourself. Best wishes, Mark
gimpilator - Feb 8, 2012 2:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Bravo!This is one of the best route pages I've seen on SP. Very nice work!
markhallam - Feb 9, 2012 3:23 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Bravo!Thanks a lot - I had fun doing it.
best wishes
Mark
lavaka - Jul 14, 2013 4:47 pm - Voted 10/10
Great pageVery nicely done. By the way, I saw that you didn't sign the climber's log. What date exactly did you climb it? I noticed you had rather warm boots on at the bivy. I'm trying to decide between approach shoes and boots.
markhallam - Jul 21, 2013 10:09 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great pageThanks for that - I had some fun creating the page with a bit of help from hansw - who contributed the summit photos and the opening paragraph. Thanks for the reminder to sign the climbers log - guess I didn't think of it since I didn't summit. I was climbing solo (10 July 2008) and after a night at 'the Eiger Hilton' I climbed to around 3600m - but then was a bit freaked scrambling around the top of the Nordwand and turned back.
I think proper alpine boots would be a good idea. You can climb a long way without crampons - but then you'd need them for the last 300m, which is quite steep and mostly on snow.
Incidentally - those same 'warm' boots let me down on Mont Blanc 5 years to the day after I used them on the Eiger - just over a week ago - I am now nursing a frost-bitten R big toe, a photo of which will be going into the forthcoming trip report!
Do let us know how you do on the Eiger - and good luck!
best wishes, Mark
lavaka - Aug 5, 2013 6:01 am - Voted 10/10
Re: Great pageEnded up doing a casual day on the Rotstock instead, but at least I got to soak in the atmosphere.
Sorry about the toe! There's no way around it, boots are never fun: too heavy or too cold or ill-fitting.
Jordanj - Jan 2, 2014 7:55 pm - Voted 10/10
ExcellentAwesome route page Mark and a great inspiration!