The Eiger Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Geneva and take shuttle to Chamonix. Spend the night in a hotel in Chamonix, France.
Day 2
Meet at 7:00 a.m. in the lobby of hotel in Chamonix. We will spend today reviewing and practicing our rock climbing skills in our mountain boots. We will be climbing the Traverses of the Aig Crouchues above Chamonix. This traverse allows us to practice climbing uphill and descending.
Chamonix altitude: 1,000 m/3,280 ft.
Traverse Crouchues: 2,837 m/9,307 ft.
Vertical gain during the day: 1,837 m/6,026 ft.
Vertical gain climbing: 637 m/2,089 ft.
Travel time climbing: 5-6 hours climbing above town
Day 3
We will depart Chamonix in the morning and head up the famous Aig du Midi lift to 3,800 m. Leaving the tramway, we will walk across the large glacier massif (Valle Blanche) over to the Traverse of the Entreves. This is a technical rock traverse mixed with snow, ice, and rock. This traverse is very aesthetic and has been photographed for many outdoor catalogs and magazines.
Chamonix altitude: 1,000 m/3,290 ft.
Top of Aig d’ Midi: 3,800 m/12,470 ft.
Travese of Entreves: 3,604 m/11,824 ft.
Tornio Hut: 3,300 m/10,827 ft.
Vertical gain during the day: 2,800 m/9,186 ft.
Vertical gain climbing: 700 m/2,300 ft.
Travel time climbing: 6.5-7.5 hours
Day 4
We will wake up early and leave the hut for an alpine start. We will climb up the Dent du Geant (“Tooth of the Giant”). This peak is just over 4,000 m with an amazing summit. This climb will give us time to practice using fixed ropes and for more technical climbing in our boots. In the afternoon we will make our way back to Chamonix and spend the night at hotel in Chamonix.
Tornio Hut altitude: 3,300 m/10,827 ft.
Summit of Dent du Geant : 4,013 m/13,166 ft.
Vertical gain during the day: 713 m/2,350 ft.
Travel time climbing: 6-8 hours from Tornio Hut, round-trip.
Day 5
Walking up in Chamonix, we will climb another alpine rock route (Arete des Papillons) to get us ready for our accent on the Eiger. This is a great alpine rock route and another good practice climb in our boots. We will spend the night in Chamonix. This day can also be used as a weather day or a travel day to Grindelwald. In the afternoon we will get our equipment ready for the Eiger.
Chamonix altitude: 1,000 m/3,280 ft.
Papillons Arete: 3,131 m/10,270 ft.
Vertical gain during the day: 2,131 m/7,000 ft.
Vertical gain climbing: 800 m/2,624 ft.
Travel time climbing: 5-7 hours climbing above town.
Day 6
Depart Chamonix early in the morning and make our way to Grindelwald. Travel time is around four hours. Once in Grindelwald, we will get on the Jungfraubahn cogwheel railway that will take us up through the Eiger. We will exit at the Eismeer station and begin our ascent of the Eiger by rappelling out of the window. Three to four hours of technical climbing gets us to the Mittellegi Hutte. Our goal is to be at the hut by the middle of the afternoon so we can rest for the next day.
Grindelwald altitude: 1,034 m/3,392 ft.
Eismeer Station: 3,160 m/10,368 ft.
Mittellegi Hutte: 3,355 m/11,007 ft.
Vertical gain climbing: 685 m/2,247 ft.
Travel time climbing: 3-4 hours of from the tunnel to the hut.
Day 7
Climb the Eiger via the Mittellegi ridge, which is just over 600 m (2,000 ft.). This technical ridge climb requires a high level of physical energy and technical climb ability. The ridge is narrow and exposed with a combination of pitched-out climbing and scrambling to reach the final snow slopes. The snow slope to gain the true summit can be steep and firm. Most teams reach the summit in four hours from leaving the hut. We will descend down the South ridge doing a series of rappels, lowers, and down climbing until we reach the Mönch saddle. Average descent time is between 5–7hrs. Depending on conditions and time in the day, we will either spend the night at the Mönch Hutte or descend down to Grindelwald.
Mittellegi Hutte altitude: 3,355 m/11,007 ft.
Summit of Eiger: 3,970 m/13,025 ft.
Vertical gain climbing: 1,150 m/3,773 ft.
Travel time climbing: 4 hours to the summit, and around 5-7 hours for the descent.
Day 8
Weather day or possible extra summit day on the Eiger. Overnight in Grindelwald.
Day 9
Depart Grindelwald via train to Geneva. When booking flights, climbers should be aware the train ride is three hours. The first train departs around 5 a.m. Fly back to country of origin.
*Guides might change the Itinerary due to weather and climbing conditions on the Eiger.
The trip was great! No surprise there. Like every other time we have been on a trip with Jonathon he managed it perfectly. Something always seems to come up with the weather or the lodging and he always takes care of it. He keeps us informed about what is going on in the coming days but he quietly works his tail off to make things happen.
