Extreme Eiger

de Peter Gillman, Leni Gillman

The North Face of the Eiger in the Swiss Alps was one of the most dangerous climbs in the mountaineering world, costing the lives of numerous intrepid explorers. In February 1966, two teams - one from Germany, the other a British/American party - decided to try to climb it in a straight line from bottom to top. Astonishingly, neither team knew about the other's attempt until they both arrived at the hotel at the bottom of the Eiger. Suddenly, the race was on. John Harlin led the Anglo/American team and decided the best approach was a swift, lightweight assault on the summit. The Germans, led by Jorg Lehne, had a large team with plenty of equipment, designed to make slow, relentless progress to the top. Watching on, and reporting on events for the Daily Telegraph, was young journalist Peter Gillman - for the Eiger is the most public of mountains, where tourists can watch the life or death dramas from the comfort of the hotel terrace. Now, almost 50 years on, Gillman recalls the tragic events that took place on the Eiger, and assesses how the climb affected those who took part. For some, it would end in death, whereas for mountaineer Chris Bonington it would be the making of his reputation. It was an epic ascent with tragic consequences, redolent of the golden age of adventure.