I first wrote this trip report as part of our regular alpine updates during the summer season of 2020.
It was one of those very memorable days where everything came together on one of my favorite alpine routes. Perfect weather, conditions and super quiet. Here is the original blog post with extra photos and details.
You can read more about the Eigers Mittellegi ridge on our route index here.
Wednesday 16th September 2020
The weather across the alps was forecast to be perfect on Monday and Tuesday, and so it seemed that maybe Tom and Aoife from earlier in the month could climb the Eiger after all.
The only issue was the Mittellegi hut closing on the Sunday night and the reduced train schedule to the Jungfraujoch. But having guided the route “in a day” before and with such a good weather forecast a late finish wasn’t going to be a problem, we were keen for an adventure.
So a 3.15am alarm on Monday morning followed by a Chamonix pickup an hour later saw us on the road. At least the traffic was light that time fo the morning and we made good progress to Grindelwald. Everyone got a snooze whilst I drove with headphones on a mix of music and podcasts kept me going.
Everything was pretty smooth through Grindelwald, we were on the first train of the day and were joined by two other teams gearing up in the tunnel for the Eiger.
The first technical pitch and one for the harder ones of the whole route to access the Mitalegi hut.
The two lads up front were off very fast and with us moving as a four (with Lou Reynolds guiding with me) it was a bit slower. But we still arrived at the hut after an hour and forty. It had already shut and the keeper had been helicoptered to town, so no second breakfast for us.
The Mittalegi ridge as seen from the hut.
That was probably a good thing though, we were soon moving again and along the climb proper. The ridge was in good condition, mostly dry with some snow patches just on the north facing side of the ridge. These we could walk along without crampons on the tracks that were grippy and short lived.
Tom and Lou on the abseil from the gendarme on the ascent of the Mittalegi. Photo taken from the long fixed rope section that follows immediatly afterwards.
Although it is a bit slower staying close as two teams it was good fun and there was lots of opportunity to take photos of each other. It was also a nice time of day to be climbing, in daylight and warm weather. Just a baselayer and softshell worn all the way to the summit.
Another photo of that snow arete. Taken with thanks by the mountain guide just in front of us that day. Technically easy but one wrong step would land you in Grindelwald…. eyes looking down rather than at the view!
Five and a half hours after leaving the train station we were on the top and everyone could see what I’d been repeatedly saying about the Eiger, the summit is definitely only halfway! The ridge drops in a series of abseils and scrambles to the Eigerjoch (col) and then up again and across the ridge on the far side, still a long way to go.
Starting the final snow aretes on the Mittalegi. Ben Bradford & Aoife climbing.
The final few steps to the summit of the Eiger.
On the summit of the Eiger.
We kept plugging away though with Tom and Aoife on good form being fit and acclimatised from three weeks in the alps already. I managed to get through to the hut on the phone to tell them we would be late for dinner but in the end we rocked up whilst they were still serving.
Descending the final snow arete before walking to the Monchjoch hut. The Eiger itself is in the background.
As we relaxed into the hut and waited for drinks and dinner the fatigue hit everyone and you could appreciate how hungry and thirsty we were. It had been a little under ten hours after leaving the train. A superb day on one of my favorite alpine routes. Time for beer, dinner and bed!
A relaxed seven o’clock breakfast the next day and a walk out to the train was the only thing on the schedule before the drive home.
