Eiger Solo is a documentary of the first British solo ascent of the Eiger North Face. Welsh mountaineer Eric Jones' ultimate dream was to climb the notorious North Face of the Eiger, alone. The film also skillfully blends in expertly done reconstructions of the dramatic epics and tragic history of the Eiger North Face: the pioneering attempt by Sedlmeyer and Mehringer; the epic rescue of Tony Kurz; Harrer and Heckmair's first ascent. The climax of the film recreates John Harlin's 5,000 ft fall during the historic winter ascent of the Eiger Direct in 1966. Filming Eric Jones on his solo climb was almost as great a challenge to cameraman and filmmaker Leo Dickinson, who had to be lowered from a helicopter to Death Bivouac, high on the mountain to capture Eric's progress on film. This film also contains rare interviews with Heinrich Harrer, Anderl Heckmair, Don Whillans and Adolf Rubi. "Eiger Solo" is probably the best of its genre on the subject and thoroughly deserves to be! regarded as a masterpiece of a mountaineering film, it will thrill and inspire both serious climbers and armchair mountaineers alike. Widely acclaimed by serious climbers as a masterpiece of a mountaineering film. Winner of 5 major film awards: "Best Mountaineering Film" at Telluride Mountain Film Festival and at Trento Mountain Film Festival in 1982, "Best Film" at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival and San Sebastian International Film Festival and "Grand Prize" at the Gravity Sports Film Festival. ======================== About the Actor Welsh mountaineer Eric Jones had always enjoyed making difficult ascents alone. Eric was the first British climber to solo the Matterhorn North Face, the Bonatti Pillar on the Dru and the Central Pillar of Brouillard on Mont Blanc. By the early 80s, Eric had become concerned that he was getting on and time was passing by. At about the same time, his ambition to solo the five North Face classics of the Alps had become an obsession, he was increasingly drawn to the Eiger North Face, which he had been watching from Grindewald for the 5 previous summers, with the exception of 1978 when he suffered from frostbite after returning from the Messner/Habeler Everest expedition. Eric Jones is a close friend of filmmaker Leo Dickinson's and has taken part in many world record and first ascent expeditions documented by Leo Dickinson on film: Matterhorn North Face in Winter (1975) - first filmed winter ascent of Matterhorn North Face Dudh Kosi (1976) - first kayak descent of Dudh Kosi, River of Everest; Everest Unmasked (1978) - first ascent of Everest without oxygen masks by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler; Ballooning Over Everest (1991) - first ever balloon flight over Everest, in which Eric co-pilots one of the two balloons. From the Contributor Shortly after having successfully soloed the Eiger North Face, Leo Dickinson insisted on showing Eric the North Face from a helicopter. "Did I really come up that?" Eric asked in disbelief, adding, "If I'd seen it all from here, I don't think I'd have bothered!" "Perhaps you can now appreciate what it was like for me, watching you all the way up. So how does it feel?" asked Leo. Eric replied,"I had a few frights, but that was all to be expected." "And inwardly?"' "Contentment, satisfaction and relief." "And what now?" Leo asked. "I'd like a cup of tea."

• published: 10 Dec 2013
• views: 10