Spaniard Edu Marin climbs Eternal Flame at Nameless Tower. It is only the second free ascent of the legendary Big Wall Tour in Pakistan.
Already tried a year ago Edu Marin on the famous route in Pakistan, but had to return home without a red point ascent due to the meteorological conditions. A year later, in June 2022, the Spaniard returned, accompanied by his brother and father, who supported him in the project.
The weather wasn't much better this year when the three arrived at the foot of the Nameless Tower. But they defied the bad weather and set up fixed ropes and a camp at the height of the "Sun Terrace", where the route Eternal Flame starts.
Around two weeks after arrival, on June 24th, the time had come. Edu Marin, his father and brother decided to get on the route and take advantage of the announced fair weather window.
“Now we have the first chance to attack the route. Let's see how the next few days go. The team is motivated."
By July 4, Edu Marin was able to free climb all the pitches up to the «Snow Ledge» before bad weather set in again. Edu Marin chose to remain alone in the wall while his brother and father returned to base camp.
Edu Marin before the trip
It should be long days. Alone in the tent at an altitude of 5 meters above sea level, Edu Marin braved the low temperatures and the stormy wind and waited for the weather to improve. It wasn't until July 700th that the weather improved and Edu Marin's father and brother returned to Snow Ledge.
«I decided to stay in the wall. I want to climb Eternal Flame in one go without returning to base camp."
The time on the wall has left its mark on Edu Marin, but he gets motivated into the head wall of the Nameless Tower and free climbs length by length. Three days later the key moment, Edu Marin manages to free climb the most difficult pitch of Eternal Flame (7c +), a day later the three are on the summit, even if the free ascent of two easy pitches is still missing. Edu Marin climbed this free the following day.
We made it. We did the first free replay of Eternal Flame. I spent 28 days on the face and climbed the route 'single push style'. I'm probably the first climber to lead all pitches and free climb. I am eternally grateful to my father and brother.
Via Eternal Flame at the Nameless Tower
Eternal Flame at Nameless Tower in Pakistan is one of the most difficult high altitude big wall routes. The milestone of alpinism was first climbed by the strong rope team Wolfgang Güllich, Kurt Albert, Milan Sykora and Christoph Stiegler in 1989, free climbing around 80% of the route.
The completely free ascent was still up for grabs, which led to numerous strong rope teams traveling to Pakistan. However, it took a full 20 years for the brothers Alexander and Thomas huber Eternal Flame were the first to be able to climb completely free.
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