The Eiger

The Eiger stands at a height of 3970 metres in the Bernese Alps. Together with the Mönch and Jungfrau, it forms the world-renowned and unparalleled triptych of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

The ascent of this mountain was long considered an impossible feat by the inhabitants of the valley and even by the pioneers of mountaineering. Irishman Charles Barrington proved them wrong by making the first ascent in 1858. He had been able to persuade the well-known Grindelwald guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren to attempt the climb.

The North Face of the Eiger fascinates alpinists and non-mountaineers alike. Dramatic and often tragic attempts to scale this wall have made the Eiger world famous and thrust it into the spotlight again and again.

What does the mountain’s name mean? There is to date no convincing explanation. Name researchers Professor J.U. Hubschmid and Emanuel Friedli interpret its origin in various ways. It is highly unlikely though that the name Eiger has anything to do with the “Ogre”, the man-eating giant of fairytale lore.