Alpinists in Switzerland have smashed a daunting speed climbing challenge in the Alps by over 10 hours.
Swiss / Austrian climbing duo Nicolas Hojac and Philipp Brugger ascended the treacherous north faces of three formidable mountains in record time. The pair faced ice walls, sheer drops, and hazardous underfoot conditions to summit the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains in 15 hours and 30 minutes.
The previous record of 25 hours was set by legendary alpine climbers Ueli Steck and Stephan Siegrist in 2004. It stood for more than two decades before Hojac and Brugger's successful attempt.
They pair had attempted the challenge multiple times before, but repeatedly found themselves the victims of harsh weather conditions and illness.
After finally completing a successful ascent, Brugger told Red Bull: “It was a really emotional moment for me.
“We’ve been wanting to take on this project together for a year now, but then I experienced a perforated bowel. I never would have thought that I would be standing on the Jungfrau with Nico one year later.”
The friends began their ascent at night, equipped with head lamps, ice axes, crampons, and plenty of safety gear. They put all the advances of modern mountaineering equipment to good use with sturdy mountain boots, helmets, and Gore-Tex clothes.
Making a steady start, they summited the 13,015ft (3,967m) Eiger mountain in 5 hours and 53 minutes before speeding down to take on Mönch and Jungfrau.
Friends and fellow climbers supported them with food and water along the route. Before their final ascent, Hojac and Brugger were brought French fries by facilities maintenance workers at Jungfrau’s High Altitude Research Center. They set off on their final ascent soon after and completed the three-peaks challenge in record time.
The formidable north faces of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau are considered to be three of the most challenging climbs in the Alps.
Jungfrau is the tallest of the three, standing at 13,642ft (4,158m). It’s well known for its towering presence over the Bernese Alps.
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