North Face Page #3

Amazing!

It goes down forever!

Nearly 1,000 metres, Madam.

Wow!

Darling, did you hear that?

Thanks, I believe it already.

That anyone would voluntarily go out there!

You've got to really want it.

Then across the crack to the Rote Fluh...

First ice field, second ice field,

the Flatiron, the Ramp, the Spider,

then a good exit crack to

the summit ice field,

and hallelujah!

Did you hear that?

What?

You didn't hear it.

Careful!

For crying out loud!

What are you doing?

I knew it.

What?

I was just like you when I started.

When you want something,

you forget everything else.

Still here?

You're up here every day?

Every day and every night.

- Sit down. I'll make tea.

- Miss Fellner, come.

You must have a name, hm?

- Von Allmen.

- What was that?

Von Allmen.

It looks sinister - the mountain.

Don't you think so?

It is sinister.

Do you know the legend of the giant ogre?

What's the guy's name?

The mountain is named after it.

Eiger. Ogre.

Do you follow?

The legend says

the ogre lives in the mountain...

and devours everyone who gets too close.

THURSDAY, JULY 16

- You can't see 5 metres in this fog.

- So?

Just a few rope lengths

to the gallery window.

We'll hammer a piton, stash our gear,

and be back down for lunch.

And? What are we having?

Barley soup.

Again? I'm staying here.

Rope!

No man has ever been up there.

That will change.

What are you doing at our entry point?

Our entry point.

Our entry point.

What's your problem, bozo?

- Berg Heil, mountaineer.

- Get lost!

What did they say?

It's too risky for them.

And the weather doesn't look rosy either.

Meaning what?

If the Austrians back down too,

the boss will wonder why

he's paying our expenses.

Luise?

Andi?

What are you doing here?

Working.

This is my colleague, Mr. Arau.

My pleasure.

Henry Arau, Berliner Zeitung.

Andi Hinterstoisser,

Mountain Brigade - retired.

Thought you didn't care about the Eiger.

Who's your partner?

Who do you think?

Toni?

Looks like it.

There you go!

A full-scale attack...

with a German team.

Can I buy you a drink?

Yes.

I mean after you...

change your clothes.

I suppose I could shave.

- The iron pitons for the ice fields...

- Ice pitons.

Ice pitons.

Your equipment must weigh a ton.

We use a depot to save energy.

You'll do a reconnaissance climb?

Already have.

- How high?

- Just under the Rote Fluh.

But that's nowhere near

the Sedlmayer route.

We're taking our own route.

I don't understand a thing.

But I find it terribly adventurous.

Alright,

then here's to adventure,

ladies and gentlemen.

As long as a big pile of limestone...

is all the German heroes are out to attack...

and conquer, I don't mind.

Pride, Mr. Landauer,

pride is what this is about.

The pride of facing a challenge,

whether it be in sports or politics.

To this I raise my glass.

Hear, hear!

I'd Iike to propose a toast too.

That you...

all return safely.

That's the important thing.

That's what you wanted to say,

Mr. Arau, isn't it?

Yes, let's drink to that.

Cheers!

Cheers!

And now tell us

how it was growing up together...

in the mountains.

It's great fodder for our story.

Fodder is for animals.

Just like the good old days,

they've always been cocky.

Isn't it colossally lonely so high up?

No.

- I have my partner with me.

- Yes, true.

I tagged along

and made them teach me everything.

Can you imagine it?

For example,

catching a trout with your bare hand.

- It's not easy.

- Very slippery.

Real difficult.

Or how to pitch a tent.

Or ropes?

Right, later how to wind ropes,

how to drive pitons into the wall.

How to find

the best hand- and footholds.

I never wore skirts,

- always just lederhosen.

- True.

Really?

That's wonderful.

Tell me more!

C'mon.

Where did you learn that?

Did you teach yourself?

My piano teacher boxed my ears, so I quit...

and just played in bars after that.

Thanks for the invite.

Won't you stay a bit?

It's just starting to get fun.

It's late.

A true athlete, hm?

Disciplined, no loafing about, am I right?

We each make our own decisions in life.

Yes, that's true.

We each make our own decisions.

One has to take risks

Then life's a game

I say let's be reckless

Rather than feckless

What good is that?

All these newfangled things

That life brings,

we just need to be bold

We want to be gay, to laugh,

act silly and daft

And it all works out in the end

Take the bull by the horns,

don't hesitate

For if you falter, you rust

Faster, faster

Onward, don't wait

Into the wild blue yonder or bust

FRIDAY, JULY 17

It'll get better, you'll see.

You know what's sad?

We'll always be deprived of

the real dramas.

What do you mean?

We and the readers.

We report on the hubbub

at the Eiger beforehand.

And perhaps on

a successful ascent afterwards.

But what really takes place out there...

is something we can only guess at.

I wish it were already over.

I wish it would finally get underway.

I wanted to tell you last night...

that I was a little tipsy.

I'd appreciate you looking after this.

But you always take it with you.

Too heavy.

Too heavy?

I can write my entry afterwards.

You could, but...

Everything I've ever done is in there.

It would be a shame if it got lost.

See you in a bit!

Wake up!

It's time.

Yes. Yes, it's time.

Don't make so much noise!

You'll wake up the competition.

SATURDAY, JULY 18 - 2:10 A.M.

We're off to a good start, hm?

- What is it?

- Nothing.

Let's keep going.

You lead.

Watch out!

Do you smell what I smell?

Sulfur.

Stinks like the devil.

At least they're showing us the way.

We'll pass those eager beavers

before they hit the first ice field.

Look!

We're almost at the depot.

If the storm didn't take it.

Could have been worse, huh?

Damn!

What?

The crampons are gone.

- Not much ice anyway.

- We cut steps.

Hallelujah.

Morning, gentlemen.

Rock!

...at the North Face the wheat has

finally separated from the chaff.

Paragraph.

Got that?

Pass that ashtray!

Early this morning

two fully equipped teams started...

up the wall.

The lull is over,

the last problem of the Alps...

is under attack.

Sh*t.

- Let me see.

- It's OK, I'm fine. Hands off!

I thought that was you.

- Quit knocking rocks down on us!

- What?

You kicked the rocks loose.

If you're climbing in our fall line,

keep your distance!

Three mountaineers...

No, four.

From there, this way.

We have a different entry point.

The Sedlmayer route is more to the left.

Kurz and Angerer started here,

climbed to here...

Here's the window to the cog railway.

They cross over here

and enter the first ice field...

and hit the Mehringer-Sedlmayer route,

climb up, over the second ice field...

What do you say to this beautiful weather?

I doubt it will hold.

The French and Italian teams didn't set out.

It's like at a gladiator fight!

Positively gruesome.

I find it colossally exciting!

Waiter!

If something happened up there,

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