Andreas Hinterstoisser
Encyclopedia
Bad Reichenhall
Bad Reichenhall is a spa town, and administrative center of the Berchtesgadener Land district in Upper Bavaria, Germany. It is located near Salzburg in a basin encircled by the Chiemgauer Alps ....
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
– July 22, 1936 Eiger Nordwand
Eiger
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
mountain climber of the early 20th century.
Climbing the Eiger
In 1936, he formed part of a four-man team making the second attempt to scale the north face of the EigerEiger
The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
. He was renowned as one of the best rock climbers of his time and is held in high esteem to this day. He cleverly traverse
Traverse (climbing)
A traverse is a lateral move or route when climbing; going mainly sideways rather than up or down. Traversing a climbing wall is a good warm-up exercise....
d a slab of icy rock, a feat which made the rest of the attempt on the Eiger possible, by climbing up on it and lowering himself to execute a pendulum to the other side, securing a rope and enabling his companions to cross the impassable section. This move became known as the Hinterstoisser Traverse.
During a retreat from the wall, due both to an injury suffered by one of his comrades and to the severe weather, Hinterstoisser could not recross the traverse to safety because the group had previously removed the rope that had helped them across. The group decided to abseil down the vertical face (the great rock barrier) to the base of the mountain. Contact was made with a railway guard halfway down the descent during which the climbers called back that everything was all right (perhaps from pride and the knowledge that they were close to safety). However, as Hinterstoisser set up the last stage of the descent an avalanche
Avalanche
An avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
came down the mountain, wiping out Hinterstoisser, who had unclipped from the group. He fell to his death and was found at the bottom of the mountain days later. The rest of the group suffered the same fate: Willy Angerer was killed by the impact; Edi Rainer was asphyxiated from the weight of the rope holding his comrades; and Toni Kurz
Toni Kurz
Toni Kurz was a German mountain climber of the early 20th century who had many first ascents with his childhood friend Andreas Hinterstoisser...
died from exposure, despite having made contact with rescuers.
The 2008 film North Face
North Face (film)
North Face is a 2008 German historical fiction film based on a famous 1936 attempt to climb the Eiger north face.-Plot:...
was based on his experience climbing the Eiger.
External links
- The Eiger's grim reputation BBC News
- Rote Fluh and Hinterstoisser Traverse Eiger north face photos
- The north face of the Eiger Mountain Zone