New Hard Route on the Eiger is the Hardest Up the Nordwand

Three European senders have teamed up to establish the hardest route on the classic north face.

Roger Schaeli, Robert Jasper and Simon Gietl have established Odyssee, a 1,400-metre 5.13c that includes a number of serious pitches.

Schaeli and Jasper had been working on the route since 2009 and pieced it together between ascents of the other difficult lines up the wall.

In 2015, Gietl joined the team and brought new energy. For more on the send, visit Planet Mountain here.

This summer, the Eiger was in the spotlight as Americans Sasha DiGiulian and Carlo Traversi were attemtping Paciencia 5.13b. Due to poor conditions, they were forced off the route, but did climb Magic Mushroom 5.13a, a shorter route that starts halfway up the face.

Paciencia was climbed twice this summer by Roger Schaeli and Mich Kemeter, and Robbie Phillips and Willis Morris.

Watch Dean Potter BASE-solo Deep Blue Sea 5.12 on the Eiger: