He relives the event that catapulted him to international acclaim-the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger, which he climbed in 1938 with Heinrich Harrer, Wiggerl Vörg, and Fritz Kasparek. The complete story of this ascent is told here, including first-person account details. The spirit that led to success on the Eiger is evident throughout Heckmair's life: as a young man he rarely had sufficient funds, but he was able to find the time and means to get to the mountains, even if it involved stealing the occasional sausage. As a professional guide, he climbed with Leni Riefenstahl, the German filmmaker best known for the 1934 Nazi propaganda film, Triumph of the Will.
Heckmair, now in his 90s, still ponders what he's going to tackle next.
