Between July 27 and August 13, Fay Manners and Roger Schäli established Solar Eclipse, a new 900-metre, 33-pitch route on the north face of the Eiger. They spent eighteen days working on the project, including thirteen consecutive days on the wall. Graded up to 7c (5.12d), with mandatory climbing up to 7a (5.11d), the route has yet to be climbed entirely free and stands out for its serious alpine character. A committing new line established by Swiss climber Roger Schäli, unquestionably a leading Eiger specialist, with more than 50 ascents of the north face, and talented British alpinist Fay Manners. Here is the story.
On a north face like the Eiger, where nearly forty routes already exist, finding 900 metres of unclimbed, climbable rock is no small feat. Since the first ascent of the Nordwand by Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg, Heinrich Harrer and Fritz Kasparek in 1938, generations