Absolutely mind blowing

[AJPM44]

From another interview I saw, it seems like he onsighted this.

[Ben]

Oh my God.

[XR2]

uhm...............wow!

[Saab2000]

When I was a pilot at the national airline in Switzerland I used to fly over the Eiger all the time. It was an awesome sight. I know that word is overused in today's English, but that is how I felt about the Alps and in particular the Eiger.

When I was there in 2001 or so there was a special on one of the national TV stations where they broadcast, live, two climbers going up it. It was fascinating. Can anyone imagine this in the US? I think not......

Here's a snapshot from the office window back in 2002 or 2003 or so. Click on it for a bigger view.

[ZeroG]

Ueli Steck from Switzerland is definitly raising the bar for Euro mountainering and climbing.

[sonny]

dude has made it
he goes like a little kid scrambling up a pile of dirt

if we could all have the sight to unlearn enough to do shit like this everyday

[AJPM44]

This whole video made my palms sweat. A piece of onion skin ice, one wrong pick placement... Always amazing when someone is totally "in control" of a situation that is extremely high risk.

[devlin]

It's like watching Alex Honnold as well. They seem so in control of what they are doing. They are not normal human beings.

[R.Liverman]

Whatever, Clint Eastwood climbed that and killed a bunch of dudes in the process during the seventies.

[j44ke]

I can't even comprehend that.

[jitahs]

Some fascinating stories on the Eiger, this from 1936:

"They did not resume the climb until the following day, when, during a break, the party was seen descending, but the climbers could only be watched intermittently from the ground. The group had no choice but to retreat since Angerer suffered some serious injuries as a result of falling rock. The party became stuck on the face when they could not recross the difficult Hinterstoisser Traverse where they had taken the rope they first used to climb. The weather then deteriorated for two days. They were ultimately swept away by an avalanche, which only Kurz survived, hanging on a rope. Three guides started on an extremely perilous rescue. They failed to reach him but came within shouting distance and learned what had happened. Kurz explained the fate of his companions: one had fallen down the face, another was frozen above him, the third had fractured his skull in falling, and was hanging dead on the rope.[5]

In the morning the three guides came back, traversing across the face from a hole near the Eigerwand station and risking their lives under incessant avalanches. Toni Kurz was still alive but almost helpless, with one hand and one arm completely frostbitten. Kurz hauled himself off the cliff after cutting loose the rope that bound him to his dead teammate below and climbed back on the face. The guides were not able to pass an unclimbable overhang that separated them from Kurz. They managed to give him a rope long enough to reach them by tying two ropes together. While descending, Kurz could not get the knot to pass through his carabiner. He tried for hours to reach his rescuers who were only a few metres below him. Then he began to lose consciousness. One of the guides, climbing on another's shoulders, was able to touch the tip of Kurz's crampons with his ice-axe but could not reach higher. Kurz was unable to descend farther and, completely exhausted, died slowly."

[XR2]

If you look he slips at :57 and 1:52. Doesn't even seem to notice.

[SteveP]

remarkable video
tks for putting that up.

[DCT]

crazzzzzzzzzzy

thanks for that.

[mainemike]

watching guys like this and alex honnald gives me anxiety. i can't even begin to imagine what thats like
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?...ag=mncol;lst;1

[armagh]

Exceptional stuff. Thanks, even though it's going to give me night sweats.

[ARC]

I saw the 60 Minutes interview with Honnald. Absolutely mind blowing. Got dizzy just watching that kid climb.

[deano]

Outside had a feature on Honnold a few months back that's worth a read. Climber Alex Honnold | Rock Climbing | OutsideOnline.com

[joosttx]

Wow, i was winded just watching this. Remarkable.

[ElvisMerckx]

Some fascinating stories on the Eiger, this from 1936:

"They did not resume the climb until the following day, when, during a break, the party was seen descending, but the climbers could only be watched intermittently from the ground. The group had no choice but to retreat since Angerer suffered some serious injuries as a result of falling rock. The party became stuck on the face when they could not recross the difficult Hinterstoisser Traverse where they had taken the rope they first used to climb. The weather then deteriorated for two days. They were ultimately swept away by an avalanche, which only Kurz survived, hanging on a rope. Three guides started on an extremely perilous rescue. They failed to reach him but came within shouting distance and learned what had happened. Kurz explained the fate of his companions: one had fallen down the face, another was frozen above him, the third had fractured his skull in falling, and was hanging dead on the rope.[5]

In the morning the three guides came back, traversing across the face from a hole near the Eigerwand station and risking their lives under incessant avalanches. Toni Kurz was still alive but almost helpless, with one hand and one arm completely frostbitten. Kurz hauled himself off the cliff after cutting loose the rope that bound him to his dead teammate below and climbed back on the face. The guides were not able to pass an unclimbable overhang that separated them from Kurz. They managed to give him a rope long enough to reach them by tying two ropes together. While descending, Kurz could not get the knot to pass through his carabiner. He tried for hours to reach his rescuers who were only a few metres below him. Then he began to lose consciousness. One of the guides, climbing on another's shoulders, was able to touch the tip of Kurz's crampons with his ice-axe but could not reach higher. Kurz was unable to descend farther and, completely exhausted, died slowly."

There's a great German film about this particular attempt: North Face (2008) - IMDb

I'm absolutely in awe of this speed climb -- especially that chug across the final snowfield. Someone needs to get that guy on a bike.