Alpine Climbing (with video)

My aim is to further acclimatise on the Jungfrau (4,158m) tomorrow, then attempt the Eiger later in the week. It is very important to acclimatise to the lack of oxygen, even at 4,000m there is quite an oxygen deprivation. Acclimatising basically means you spend time at altitude, this forces your body to produce more red blood cells to carry more oxygen and make up for the lower oxygen count in the air, there is also a slight physiological change in the body that improves the efficiency in the way it handles oxygen. This is why athletes train and rest at altitude prior to a big race, they return to sea-level and their body holds more oxygen and is more efficient!

The Eiger is 3,970m. It may seem strange at first that I am acclimatising on higher peaks for the Eiger which is lower. However, the Eiger is a difficult technical climb, and as such is physically and psychologically demanding. Therefore, I need to be acclimatised in order to move strongly and smoothly and to make the right decisions.

I have come here to climb the Eiger. However, I am not confident, the summer has ended so the weather may not be willing - the current forecast is bad for mid-week.

Also, I am superstitious although I try not to be - I've often heard it said "don't be superstitious, it's bad luck" ;o) However, there always seems to be balance in this world. I climbed Everest in May, so a balance theory would suggest a number of failures to even-up that great summit.

We will see. After all, if we knew what our future held, life would be boring!

Bye for now, Richard.