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| After some crazy bouldermoves I was able to reach the ice on the first ascent of "Piece Of Mind" |
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| A spicy repeat of "Marilyn Manson" (220m, M7+, WI6+) on the 8th of February with Hannes Kanonier |
Hmm ok
where should I start, it´s some time ago since my last post on this blog and
there is a reason why?
I was busy with
the thing I love! Climbing! Climbing in the alpine on rock snow and ice. Just
being out there I feel happy.
After a
very hard alpine summer where I was working on my project in the Rätikon (bailed
very close to finish it) the snow arrived too early and I had to abandon the
project. But there is always a next summer and I will try again as hard as I
can to complete this dream. That’s for sure.
In November
I visited the Canyon Lands National Park in Utah for some very adventurous
sandstone tower climbing. Our team was confronted with all kinds of rock from
super solid to super dirt climbing and we enjoyed it to say the least. Bruises,
cuts, broken bones and dehydration that’s the dess aka desert. A more detailed
report will follow on this blog.
After the
return, the backs of my hands were still dump for a view weeks…. While waiting
for the winter and the cold I spent some time in the Ticino where we did lot´s
of sport climbing. I was very keen to explore Ticino from a total different
approach as I did it for the last 10 year with bouldering. There are some 1th
class crags with super cool routes on very good rock.
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| The classic Thron (WI 5) at the Averstal with Jacopo Larcher |
Winter
finally arrived and we started the ice-climbing season at the 6th of
January with the obligatory Thron (WI5) at the Averstal in 2h base to base. Two
days later I started up with Wolfgang for a nice icefall at Zillis (Swiss) but in ice-climbing it´s a bad combination if the motivation is high and the
temperatures too : ).
So we ended
up abseiling from two Abalakovs because the ice was thin and water behind it. For
the last rappel we slinged a small tree. I was not connected to it and when Wolfi
rappelled over the edge the tree started moving out of the ground. I
immediately jumped around the tree and hold it back with all my strength until
Wolfi was safely at the ground. He was wondering when I pulled up the rope
again and lowered from a more thrust full belay. When I reached Wolfi I just
said: ”Don´t ask what happened you don’t want to know!
After a
more detailed inspection I realised that the tree was more frozen to the dirt
and not very well connected with it´s roots to the ground. Check your abseils
properly.
Two first ascent in the Val Ferrera
“The Winners loose it all some Day” (WI5/ M6
X/ 300m/ clean)
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| The amazing and conciliatory ice pitch after the very loose rock pitches below. On "The Winner Losse It All Some Day" |
After me
and Hanno soloed the “Rotes Vergissmeinnicht “ (WI4+/ 140m) at the Val Fererra,
we spotted a crazy looking yellow ice formation hanging in a big overhang just
on the opposite side of the small village Ausserferrera. After a view days we
returned to try this idea.
The first
200m are easy mixed terrain on snow rock and some vegetation. Then we climbed a
traverse to the left that was very loose and overhanging with almost no
protection. We climbed this traverse in a big 80 meter pitch. Then the rock gets
little better and we continued over huge blocks stacked together to reach the
start of the ice. We climbed the yellow hanging icicles in one pitch with moderate
difficulty. “The Winners loose it all some Day” (WI5/ M6 X/ 300m/ clean). We
left no traces on the climb and took all the gear with us we used for
protection despite the slings we used for rappelling. Here is a topo for the
archive. It´s hard to recommend the route because of it s very loose rock
flakes on the travers pitch. So it´s maybe a good adventure for the lovers of
the loose.
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| Hanno reaching the belay of the start into the ice pitch on The Winner...... |
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| Topo "The Winners Loose It All Some Day" |
“Piece Of
Mind” (WI5+/ M6/ 250m/ clean)
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| Working my way up the very hollow ice, no screws allowed!! |
On this
climb we had a close call. In 15 years of climbing you get your routine, your
speed, and most important your experience. I had close calls in my climbing
life and most of them happened because of a misinterpretation of conditions or
that it simply is not what you expected it to be. On clean climbing these
misinterpretations can be fatal. I am aware about this fact and very conscious how
I behave in the mountains. These close call situations have the character of an
accident. You don´t calculate with.
It was
Hanno´s first whipper in such alpine terrain on ice and he is climbing now for 30
years. We had luck that both of us stayed unharmed.
After this
wake up call there was still enough ice so that we still could climb the pitch.
Followed by a moderate mixed pitch we reached the hanging icicles where we
thought would be the crux of this first ascent but with some bouldery moves on
nice granite we reached the ice and topped out.
This first
ascent is a really nice climb with a big versatility from nice ice climbing to
mixed climbing on solid granite high above the Val Fererra. A route I can
recommend.
We realised
this first ascent in clean style. No fixed gear in the whole wall!
Keep this
climb clean and save your gear for following adventures!
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| Bildunterschrift hinzufügen |
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| Hanno on the last 20 meters of snowslab climbing on the crux pitch of "Piece Of Mind" |
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| Hanno a good friend and reliable climbingpartner |
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| The big question? Can we get to the hanging stuff above..... "Piece Of Mind" |
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| Topo "Piece Of Mind" |
