The 1,800-meter tall north face of the Eiger, / a mountain in the Swiss Alps, / is known as one of the most difficult in the world / to climb; / more than 50 people have lost their lives / attempting to do so / since 1935.

Despite the extreme dangers, / it is considered one of the greatest challenges / for alpine mountaineers.

In 1935, / the first pair of climbers / to attempt to reach its peak / froze to death / at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

The next year, / four more climbers died / after bad weather forced them to turn back.

Year after year, / similar tragedies continued to take the lives of unfortunate climbers.

Nevertheless, / there were always more brave climbers / willing to test themselves / by attempting to scale the north face.

There are several reasons / that the Eiger is so difficult / for climbers to conquer.

It is extremely steep / and full of loose stones / that can easily break off / and fall on climbers.

At higher altitudes, / avalanches present a similar danger.

The weather can also be a serious problem; / the Eiger is known for its storms, / which are both terrible and unpredictable.

Climbers who are able to somehow overcome / all of these obstacles / and reach the top / all make the same vow: / they will never try to do it again.

Defeating the Eiger / is truly a once in a lifetime experience.