Nameless Tower Eternal Flame / Huber brothers first free ascent video

In 2009 German alpinists Thomas and Alexander Huber claimed one of the biggest prizes in big wall climbing with the first free ascent of the monumental Eternal Flame on the south face of Nameless Tower, Trango, Karakorum, Pakistan. Established in 1989 by ace German climbers Kurt Albert, Wolfgang Güllich, Christof Stiegler e Milan Sykora, the 650m line pioneered new difficulties at over 6000m and soon became a coveted objective.

A few sections had been climbed with the use of aid and consequently some of the world’s finest alpinists attempted to free the route. Although some progress was made, inhospitable weather combined with the altitude and the technical difficulties proved prohibitive. Precisely 20 years after being established the Alexander and Thomas Huber discovered some slight variations that resulted in the historic first free ascent. Here’s how.

Eternal Flame
S. Buttress, Nameless Tower, Trango, Karakorum, Pakistan.
First ascent: Kurt Albert, Wolfgang Güllich, Christof Stiegler, Milan Sykora, 09/1989
Original grade: VI, 7b+, A2.
First free ascent: Thomas & Alexander Huber 11-14/08/2009
Grade of route: 7c+
Length: 650m
Number of pitches: 24 pitches
Altitude: 6251m

Nameless Tower
Nameless Tower, or more simply known as Trango Tower, was first ascended in 1976 by the British climbers Joe Brown, Mo Anthoine, Martin Boysen, and Malcolm Howells after an epic unsuccessful attempt the previous year. Mo Anthoine and Martin Boysen reached the summit on 8 July while Joe Brown and Malcolm Howells summited the next day in worsening weather. The British route was graded VI, 5.10 A2, 1100m with circa 80% climbed free - at the time it involved some of the hardest rock climbing ever achieved at altitude. The Tower received its second ascent 11 years later by a Yugoslav team led by Slavko Cankar.