The Eiger's murderous north face is a 1,800-metre vertical obsession for the world's elite.

Countries & Cities · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Towering over the Swiss Alps, the Eiger is famous for its nearly 1,800-metre north face, a sheer wall of rock and ice. Known as the Mordwand, or murderous wall, this formidable ascent has claimed at least 64 lives since 1935, turning a mountain into a site of legendary tragedy and triumph.

The Eiger, a 3,967-metre peak in the Bernese Alps, is defined by its dramatic north face. While the mountain's west flank was first summited in 1858 by Charles Barrington and his guides, the north face remained an unconquered 'last problem' of the Alps for decades. It was finally climbed in 1938 by a German-Austrian team led by Andreas Heckmair, who joined forces with Heinrich Harrer, Fritz Kasparek, and Ludwig Vörg to overcome the treacherous terrain.

The face is a gauntlet of technical hazards, including the Hinterstoisser Traverse and the 'White Spider,' a network of snow-filled cracks that resemble a spider's legs. The mountain's notoriety grew during the 1930s, when international media watched through telescopes from the Kleine Scheidegg railway station as climbers struggled and died on the wall. The tragic 1936 attempt, which ended in the slow death of Toni Kurz despite a desperate rescue effort, solidified the face's grim reputation.

Today, the Eiger remains a benchmark for mountaineers, though it is increasingly affected by rockfall and melting ice. The mountain is also a feat of engineering; the Jungfrau Railway tunnels through its interior, featuring viewing windows at the Eigerwand and Eismeer stations. While the summit is reserved for experts, the mountain's massive presence continues to dominate the landscape of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, serving as a symbol of both the beauty and the lethal indifference of the high Alps.

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