First ascent of the Eiger

Background. Charles Barrington was an Irish merchant from Fassaroe, Bray, County Wicklow, with little or no mountaineering experience. Heinrich Harrer, in The White Spider (1959), noted that Barrington would have attempted the first ascent of the Matterhorn instead, but did not have enough money to travel to Zermatt.

Guides. Christian Almer was a prominent Swiss mountain guide, considered one of the best of the first generation. He was the first ascensionist of many prominent mountains in the western Alps. Peter Bohren, also a guide, assisted Barrington in the successful ascent of the Eiger's west flank.

Route. The team climbed the west flank of the Eiger. This route was considered a complex path, yet the summit was reached without much difficulty in 1858. The ascent stands in contrast to the later, more dangerous attempts on the north face, which captivated climbers for decades.