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Mick Ryan
Trad climber
Kendal, English Lake District
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 2, 2009 - 07:01am PT
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by Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC
Andy Kirkpatrick is currently soloing the Harlin Route on the north face of the Eiger, Switzerland.
He is updating his blog every evening from his mobile phone, you can view it here: http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/
Andy is carrying a video camera on his ascent and will be filming himself. Also in Switzerland with Andy is Alastair Lee (posing productions), to capture the ascent of film.
The Harlin route was first climbed by a large party that included John Elvis Harlin II and Dougal Haston. Harlin was tragically killed on the route and Haston teamed up with a German party who were following the same line and summited successfully. They named the climb in honour of their fallen friend.
The Harlin route is graded ED3/4 and is 1800m in length. It takes a very direct line up the north face, starting to the left of the famous 1938 route and meeting with that route at the top of the second ice field. The Harlin route then follows a very direct line up the centre of the upper face to the right of the 1938 exit chimneys, summiting near the Japanese Directissima.
Andy, who was bivying below the face last night has posted:
"Just about to have some food but already my mugs broken with the cold, and my jet boil stove overflowed onto my sleeping bag. Suppose it's been a while. Hopefully I'll remember how to do this sort of thing quickly."
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Thanks again Mick for these Anglican updates and best wishes to Mr. K.. I'm puttin' on my crampons now and settin course for the Death Bivvy now.
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Brunosafari
Boulder climber
Redmond, OR
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Radical- I'm not sure about Kor's responsive aftermath, but I remember being gripped by the book "Directissima."
In a subsequent ascent with Alex McIntyre, Tobin Sorenson took two harrowing fifty foot falls, it seems to me, on rock, possibly in the vicinity where Kirkpatrick will be tested by the end of today.
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Charlie Fowler soloed this route, in summer, back in 1992. Whoa!
Bruce
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Good luck, Andy! Sounds pretty miserable. Brrrrr....... Glad I'm home in my nice warm bed.
Isn't it John Harlin III not II?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Well, he bailed.
This was not immediately obvious when reading the little blog postings on the right hand side of the page. But in the centre of the page is a big long posting explaining what happened, what went wrong, etc, and is a HIGHLY WORTHWHILE READ. So definitely have a read.
You'd think a wall rat like Andy would have had his hauling system sussed. He mentioned he tried a new system that didn't work for him, not sure what he meant about that. No doubt we'll hear from him eventually.
Nice try anyway, mate! I totally get how you climb, nicely done. See you and Karen in Yosemite this year? Here's to fun times on the El Cap Bridge, the new Centre of the Universe!
Cheers,
Pete
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micronut
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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What a great adventure. Well done even though ya bailed. I bail all the time on much tamer routes. There is still pride in the try. I like the blog, the video, the whole bit. And I think Andy looks like a genuine lad who isn't fully out there trying to sell his soul to the media. Forget the hosers who are dissin'! We all like photos and videos and lots of us nowadays bring that stuff up our meager rotes to share with friends and fam. Thanks for taking the time to take us along for the ride.
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