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The Eiger: Wall of Death

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
TV programme on BBC4 at 9pm tonight. "A history of one of the world's most challenging mountains and its infamous north face. The film explores its character and its impact on those who climb it and live in its shadow."

Those of us who have been to Wengen on MSB and other trips know what an awe inspiring sight it is. It looks so scenic from the restaurant at Kleine Scheidegg, but for any climber trapped on it in bad weather, such as during some of the tragic first attempts in the 1930s, it must have been a monster.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Yes, Spotted that too, just about to watch...


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 1-09-10 21:05; edited 1 time in total
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
thanks - will stick it on to record.
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Cheers for that, good shout.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi I am currently reading the white spider. . And there is a bit in there about tony kurz. Demise . I felt so sad at this amazing mans fight for survival. . This book is by heinrich harrer . . Sad
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The north face of the Eiger claimed six lives in three (I think) expeditions before it was scaled - in the context of the rise of Nazi Germany - in 1938. The German film 'Nord Wand' ('North Face') captures the terror brilliantly. It came out a couple of years ago, and there's a subtitled version.
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I loved the view of the Eiger from the Shiny Fried Egg.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Such a history - am watching it now. I remember looking up at the face as it burst through swirling clouds and thinking how amazing it looks.
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Poor Tony Kurtz... That's not a nice way to go!
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The story, at every stage in the Eiger's history, is so dramatic in its own right - it really, REALLY doesn't need that stupid background music, which every single television film or documentary visits on us these days. Twisted Evil Twisted Evil
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Is Graham bell narrating it?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
ricfrench, I thought that too, but BBC website doesn't say so
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Just had a look at that, I think it is one of the blokes that was just on the abandoned climb
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hurtle, you should have seen the channel 4 thing on Cocaine last night. The music made the whole thing sound like a trailer Laughing
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Isn't Chris Bonnington looking rough?
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ricfrench, narrator is Kenton Cool. He's half of a summer/winter Chamonix setup called Dream Guides I think.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi I ve also recently read some of joe simpson s books. Left for dead having been turned into a film. Its interesting getting into the psychology of these great mountaineers. . Joe had always wanted to do the eiger and towards the end of his serious climbing went up the eiger but did not summit. .that does not matter. .it was an insight to understand how he had changed over the years and decided to put the rest of his life before the need to summit no matter what. .Another amazing guy . ..
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
snowflo, be aware that in the White Spider Harrer treats Claudio Corti extremely badly. This is worth a read for a better account of what went on http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2483
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I remember Pat Littlejohn giving our climbing club a slideshow of his time on the Eiger way back when. Amazing shots of a very tough climb.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
damn....i missed it !
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Chris Brookes, For you and anyone who missed it, it's now on iplayer here. Madeye-Smiley
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Really worth watching sthe Eiger looks very imposing............................and very scary
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Long been a fan of mountaineering tales and biographies. I thought it was a great program. The footage of the speed climb of the Northface by Ueli Steck was absolutely amazing Shocked
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David E Goldsmith wrote:
The German film 'Nord Wand' ('North Face') captures the terror brilliantly. It came out a couple of years ago, and there's a subtitled version.


I saw that on dvd - it covered the Kurtz story, with a little dramatic licence taken with a 'love interest' who exhorted the local guides to attempt a rescue.
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A view from the top, late summer 1995

Even though it only a small hill it’s a bit scary in places. I read about it before we went up (not the north face BTW) and in the guide book the upper sections were described as resembling climbing on a slate roof, covered in pebbles, oh and the slates are loose. Quite a good description.



me -right and my mate Linc -left on the eiger 1995. oh and didn't everyone have BIG glasses and BIG hair back-in-the-day Blush


PS - we never really meant to go up that hill but the matterhorn was clagged in, so drove over and went up while waiting for the sunny stuff to come back to zermatt.
PPS - the eiger is scarier but the matterhorn is more fun (as there is a pub half way up Toofy Grin, renamed it the hornli pub )


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Thu 2-09-10 8:18; edited 1 time in total
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Wayne wrote:
didn't everyone have BIG glasses and BIG hair back-in-the-day Blush


That was the 80s, you were retro even in the 90s wink
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Zero-G,
Still got my tartan striped trousers in the loft.
When the Bay City Rollers do their come-back tour...... I'm ready Madeye-Smiley
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I have to admit that my limit on climbing is maybe a bit of sea cliff in my younger days, however I have walked out from Jungfraujoch station and looked over the shoulder of the Eiger North Face, the sight is spectacular, in my case even more so because there was a Japanese gentleman with a 5x4 plate type camera sitting on the edge leaning over the drop, he'd attached his tripod to the single metal post there, but he was not attached himself and had maybe just 3 inches of his body resting on the rockface as he leaned over.

The Eiger has claimed an awful lot of climbers lives, sometimes their bodies have remained on the mountain for years but the locals will always attempt to recover bodies when they know where they are and when it is safe to do so
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Swirly, very useful link. Corti gets a real pasting in "the white spider" which otherwise is such a brilliant book.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
stoatsbrother, yes, it made me re-evaluate the white spider. Certainly Harrer was the weakest member of the four and was probably lucky to survive let alone summit (although at the time the only way off the wall was considered to be via the top) given he was lacking such kit as crampons. I vaguely remember a quote* of Heckmair's that basically said that without him and Vorg there may well have been two more bodies to recover from the face. I wonder if some of this seeps into the white spider as an undertone at times.

* Found it: "See this spot on the Second Icefield? If me and Vorg not passing that day, this spot now called "Harrer biwak"!!!"

The treatment of the British pairing of Brewster and McNally was also unfair although perhaps less damning of Corti.


Some more discussion of this in these threads on UKC if you're interested.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=330903
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=393359&v=1#x5671699
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=394431
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Alastair Pink wrote:
Chris Brookes, For you and anyone who missed it, it's now on iplayer here. Madeye-Smiley


thanks Alastair
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi swirly thanks for link. I didnt know this. Corti seem s to have been a very humble and dignified man. People never cease to amaze me with their cruelty. . Im glad Corti had such lovely close friends and family and that truth came out. . wayne Im impressed with your climb. Wish I had head for heights Smile
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
For anyone who missed it first time round, the programme The Eiger:Wall of Death is being repeated on BBC4 tonight at 8pm. The BBC also has a background information link here
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Alastair Pink wrote:
For anyone who missed it first time round, the programme The Eiger:Wall of Death is being repeated on BBC4 tonight at 8pm. The BBC also has a background information link here


thanks Alastair
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Recently bought the film North Face or Nord Wand in German, was only made in 2008. It is the Kurz and Hinterstoisser story actually very good and very well made. Would recommend.
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Another heads up for anyone who missed this programme on its previous showings, it's on tonight on BBC4 at 9pm - well worth watching if you've not seen it previously. Madeye-Smiley
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Alastair Pink, Ta.
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Alastair Pink, thanks, off to set the recorder now
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Gt it on to watch again. I also caught the Nick Crane programme on Munro and his classification. The Inn Pin always was out of my league Sad My God is that exposed, the climbing is easy but stepping round on the the edge to climb up that arête on the last bit of the first pitch Shocked Definitely not for me.
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Always worth a re watch (is that english?) Confused
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