The big-wall route Eternal Flame is one of the most difficult multi-pitch routes at high altitude. In August, a four-person team from Germany secured one of the rare free ascents of the line on Trango Tower.
Also after Edu Marin's 28-day Single Summit push or the fall-free ascent by Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher remain free access to Eternal Flame (7c+) are rare. Not without reason: The 650-meter line on the south face of the Trango Tower or Nameless Tower in the Pakistani Karakoram Mountains is one of the most difficult big wall routes at alpine altitudes.
This is precisely the challenge that a four-person rope team from Saxony has taken on: Rosa Windelband, Hanna Kallweit, Sebastian Gantz and Julius Brunner have set themselves the goal of completing the route on the famous 6.251-meter-high granite peak in the north Pakistan to redpoint climb together.
Our goal: that every pitch is climbed free by at least one person on the team.
Windelband, Kallweit, Gantz & Brunner
Redpoint ascent as a team
The four had prepared intensively for their project, anticipating various scenarios. Finally, an unusually stable period of weather gave them more time on the wall than originally planned. The group subsequently managed to free climb all 24 pitches of the route as a team. At around 16 p.m. on August 11, Windelband, Kallweit, Gantz, and Brunner reached the summit of Nameless Tower.
In the end, there was even enough time for Julius Brunner to redpoint every pitch. Nevertheless, it remains a joint success, according to the team: "Without mutual support, everyone's determination, and logistics tailored to the team, none of this would have been possible."
Success remains a team effort – made possible by our big shared dream.
Eternal Flame: eternal fascination for alpinists
With difficulties up to 7c+ at an altitude of over 6.000 meters, Eternal Flame already the first climbers Güllich, Albert, Sykora and Stiegler in 1989. At that time they climbed around 80 percent of the route free – the first completely free ascent was finally achieved by the brothers Alexander and Thomas huber, 20 years later.
It was not until 2022 that Eternal Flame experienced two more free ascents, but these within a very short period of time: First, Edu Marin the line, shortly afterwards climbed Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher without a single fall – a unique achievement. In 2024, Stefano Boy with the first rope solo by Eternal Flame another piece of climbing history.
The group of four from Dresden also enjoyed the joint ascent of the Eternal Flame (7c+, 650 m) «a very special experience and challenge». Despite further lines established through the southeast and east faces in the 1990s, the iconic route on the south face is still considered credentials for Line at the already spectacular Trango Tower.
It was very special to be able to follow in these historical footsteps and to master the challenge of free climbing at high altitude on such a beautiful peak together.
That might interest you
- Historical: Stefano Ragazzo climbs Eternal Flame Rope solo
- Edu Marin: Legendary big wall route Eternal Flame (650m, 7c +) free climbed
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Credits cover photo: Julius Brunner