John Harlin III climb of the Eiger on yahoo.

[Jay H]

Just posting a link of a climb of the north face of the Eiger that is a pretty interesting read so far.. I've just read Day 1..

http://adventures.yahoo.com/b/adventures/adventures1185

Jay

 

[truepatriot09]

Thanks for posting this! We need more climbing in the world today....

I didn't know this was taking place. After reading Joe Simpson's "The Beckoning Silence" I'm sort of enamoured by the Eiger...appreciate it...

-ct

 

[Rick]

This is amazing - Especially considering that he climbing this route at almost 50 years old. I'm saddened at the thought of how terrible it must have been for him at 9 years old to lose his father in a horrible accident, and always wondering about him as he grew older.

 

[anita514]

almost 50 - is there an age at which people stop climbing?? I don't think so.

 

[Jay H]

I wonder how much guilt Haston must of felt knowing the rope was frayed and failing to tell Harlin II about it

I know I'd feel really bad for a long long time.

I've read elsewhere that many climbers stopped climbing the eiger due to the deterioration of the rock due to all this warming trend going on...

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

I wonder how much guilt Haston must of felt knowing the rope was frayed and failing to tell Harlin III about it

Obviously a judgement call, likely under less than perfect conditions. And of course, it could have broken while Haston was on it.

I've read elsewhere that many climbers stopped climbing the eiger due to the deterioration of the rock due to all this warming trend going on...

Yeah--the ice used to hold the face together and provide easy travel on the icefields. I've read reports of smooth slabs left behind where the icefields used to be.

Doug

 

[Rick]

almost 50 - is there an age at which people stop climbing?? I don't think so.

Hey Anita!!! it's pretty easy to say that now when you are cruising around relativley spryly and pain free on those 26 year young cartileges, muscles and bones.

For me I knew I was in trouble the first time I grunted while standing up from a chair (Mid 30's). It went downhill. Now (mid 40's) I wake up nearly every morning to a sore back or some other darn thing that always seems outta wack!!!!

 

[ronandjon]

Or, as someone else put it another way..

"Everything I have, hurts, and if it don't hurt, it don't work!"

 

[Tuggy]

Harrer wrote another book about climbs of the NorthFace of the Eiger from the 1 st ascents in the late 30s thru the early sixties. The name of the book is "The White Spider". Its an interesting read too.

 

[Jay H]

Thanks Tuggy, sounds interesting, I'll have to check it out.

The yahoo diary/article mentions that Eastwood's character on The Eiger Sanction was based slightly on John Harlin II.

Right now, I'm reading Jon Waterman's Arctic Crossing which is a fascinating book on the Inuit life and Jon's somewhat NW Passage by Kayak, Kaktovit, and via Skis...

jay

 

[TCD]

There are several good books about the history of the Eiger. I'm 50, and I feel great, and I still hope to climb the Heckmair/Harrer route if I can get out of work long enough to go sit in Grindelwald and wait for it to be in condition.

 

[giggy]

tough climb - when joe simpson is scared of a climb - well........
read a few books on this and it seems damn hard

 

[Ridgerunner]

Johns

Brings back good memories of when Wild Things's John Bouchard (of North Cornflakes) did the route (in one push, if I recall). 50 is old for climbing ? Nonsense. Look at the likes of Fred Beckey ! I know people that are close to their sixties and that lead NEI 6 ice very easily. But then again, I know people in their thirties that are thuds...

 

[ChrisB]

<<I wonder how much guilt Haston must of felt knowing the rope was frayed and failing to tell Harlin II about it >>

Jay,

As I recall, at the time of the climb and accident there was much discussion about the use of 7mm rope as fixed line. Many thought is was way too thin to stand up to the siege tactics the team planned to use on the route.

And this was in the days before spectra and other more robust hybrid braids.

cb

 

[Jay H]

7mm fixed line eh... I had 6mm prussiks for Rainier (in addition to ascenders).

http://www.alpsfilm.com/

I like MacGillivery IMAX flicks, they're excellent so I'm looking forward to this film in 2007....

Jay

 

[jfb]

I saw a filmed ascent of the Eiger North Face (and another of the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre) hosted by Leo Dickinson at Pinkham one night a few decades ago. Here's a link to a related project: Eiger

 

[Reekee]

Nice

Thanks, I very much enjoyed the thread. I hope more things like this will be posted.

 

[anita514]

Brings back good memories of when Wild Things's John Bouchard (of North Cornflakes) did the route (in one push, if I recall). 50 is old for climbing ? Nonsense. Look at the likes of Fred Beckey ! I know people that are close to their sixties and that lead NEI 6 ice very easily. But then again, I know people in their thirties that are thuds...

yep
beckey, barry blanchard, george lowe.. all the craziest alpinists/climbers are older dudes. and they all rock

 

[ClimbHi]

Jay,

Thanks for the link on this. Enjoyed it!

Bruce