Bigwall first ascent of the most difficult route through the Eiger Northface!

The international European Climbing team of Robert Jasper (Germany), Roger Schaeli (Switzerland) and Simon Gitel (Italy) have established a new route on the Eiger Northface (Switzerland).

After the first all free ascent of the Japaneese -Direct (8a) 2009 Robert Jasper and Roger Schäli discovered this new line leading trough the steepest and most challenging part of this face with its always cold conditions.
During the following years, they were busy with their aim to free the big historic Direttissimas such as the Harlin-Direct with Heckmair Exit 7a,M8 1800 Meter in 2010 or the Ghilini-Direttissima 7c,1300 meters in 2013.
So they had only few days in the last years when the weather and the conditions made it possible to push forward their project of this first ascent. Conditions are everything on the Eiger this rule did not change by global warming! So the difficulties of the climb where not only those of climbing on small holds with freezing temperatures but having big luck with weather and conditions at the same time!

Summer 2015: Like on expeditions and other big alpine climbs they opened the route from the ground up! Starting from the footwall the climb leads first up on common ground on the classic Heckmairroute to the “Stollenloch”. From here it leads up to the “Rote Fluh” quoted by Heckmair as unclimbable-but that was a other time, here they entered uncharted exteme ground.

Overhanging it leads up on a direct and merciless line. The rock quality is surprisingly compact and good limestone on most of the pitches. But this 1400 meters high face known for its unpredictable conditions and fast weather changes, causing rock and icefall made this project a big gauntlet. Icy rock, snow and rain and scary protection accompany the climb.

Robert says: “This summer was just perfect , we were extremely motivated and 100% fit, but that would not have been enough! We had the best summer since years! They say it was the warmest and driest summer in the Alps since 150 years!”

From the middle of the face further up Robert and Roger got support by the young Italian climber Simon Gietl. Robert describes: “Simon was like a breath of fresh air to us and we became a strong and fast moving team. Together we pushed forward our first ascend and in the same time we climbed all the pitches free in team redpoint style. For almost two months we were living in the shadowy cold Northface and took every chance we had! It was an ineffable moment when in the midst of fog and darkness, we reached the top. Our climb through this even for us incredible huge face, our Odyssey, found a good end!”