Climbing the Eiger, 2005

Eiger – Round Two.
The approach to this route is the coolest of any route anywhere. You take the Junfraujoch cog train that tunnels through the Eiger. The train stops at two points for the passengers to get out and look out observation windows; once at the North Face and once at the Eismeer Station overlooking the Fieschergletcher (glacier). At the Eismeer Station we got out and opened a small door with the word “Danger” on it in a variety of languages and negotiated an icy tunnel down to another door that opens up to the Fieschergletcher. We then down-climbed to the glacier while a guided party behind us opted to rap. We headed off northeast across the glacier toward the Mittellegehutte (hut). Clouds enveloped us so visibility was poor but we could intermittently see the huge seracs hanging over us to our left. We hadn’t gone more than a hundred yards when we heard a crack and the unmistakable rumble. I yelled “watch out” but really had no idea where the avalanche was coming from or headed to. I only knew it was close. An engine block size chunk of dirty ice followed by a path of snow flew by us across the path we had just followed and between us and the guided party of three behind us. Welcome to alpine climbing!