Heinrich Harrer

Heinrich Harrer was a college student when he made plans to join Fritz Kasparek in an attempt to ascend the as-yet unclimbed North Face of the Eiger. Harrer did not tell anyone of his plans except his future mother-in-law. He kept his intentions from his tutors and friends at the University of Graz, rushing through his final exams to join Kasparek at the Eiger in July 1938. Harrer and Kasparek started up the mountain, and found themselves on the climb with a more experienced team, Anderl Heckmair and Ludwig Vörg. Harrer was at a disadvantage because he had decided not to bring heavy crampons, not realizing how important they would be to this icy climb.

The two teams joined together and climbed the Eiger's most difficult face in three days. Harrer led the team down, but even though he'd climbed the more usual route to the mountain's...