Grundschartner North Ridge, Zillertaler Alpen

This is one of the top alpine granite lines in the tyrolean alps. The climb is very popular and often frequented.

approach: 1400 meters in altitude
climb: 600 meters in altitude (V+/A0), several sections V, mostly IV
descend: 2000 meters in altitude

We parked our car in Haeusling (Zillergrund, Zillertal) and started our ascent at 4:00 am. After about an hour we reached the Bodenalm, and headed on in the rising daylight towards the gravel gorge (on the very right). The steep climb brought us to a corrie, that we crossed towards our left to reach the bottom of the middle ridge (Mittergrad). It took us about 3.5 - 4 hours to approach the Ridge.

The climb was pure pleasure! Long, very long, but unquestionable we enjoyed every single pitch out of the 16 pitches we needed.
After a serious start (down-climb for a couple of meters) on a razor-sharp ridge, I got more comfortable after this first pitch. The ridge expanded and the difficulties decreased (III) for a couple of pitches, before we reached the first crux: V+/A0.
On it goes with purest pleasure, the climbing comes natural, placing the Camelots comes natural, -there are just so many cracks for them!

The last view pitches were perhaps the most beautiful ones. Slabs pierced by cracks, homogenous difficulties (IV - V) and - because we were the slowest and the last party - solitude.

Easy terrain (grade II - III) brought us to the summit after 16 wonderful and exhausting pitches.  It took us 8 hours to climb the ridge. We did not wait long for our descend, as we knew it would take another couple of hours until we were back at the car.

The descend followed down to the Kainzenalm: After the short down-climb (III) we headed to our right, to follow down along the slabs, smoothed by the glacier. There were no markings or cairns, but Roland's intuition for orientation hardly ever fails. Finally we could take a short-cut along a snow field and reached the meadows with little effort. From the meadows we headed right again, passing a creek, to reach the track that leads steeply down to the Kainzenalm. from there, a huge 4WD road leads out of the valley.


A total of 16 hours later we were back at the car, so tired and sore, but so happy we could not stop smiling.

We made it, and we made it alright!

All photos were taken by R. Aufschnaiter.

Piz Palue (3901 m) West-East Traverse, Bernina

Our intention today: Traversing the three peaks of Piz Palue, starting from Rifugio Marco e Rosa (3609 m), following the "Bellavista Terrace", and finally heading on to the Rifugio Diavolezza and back to Pontresina.

Piz Palue is located in the Bernina range at the border between Italy and Switzerland, with the western peak lying in Italy (Lombardy) and the central and eastern peaks lying in Switzerland (Graubuenden).

We left the Rifugio at around 5:30 am, after a disappointing italian breakfast, which was white bread and zwieback. I counted how many muesli bars I had left and hoped they would cover my energy demands for the day. But then - the wonderful morning ambience made me forget all my nutritional worries.
It felt like magic to cross the bellavista-terrace, pass huge ice crevasses, aiming for the rising sun!

The views to our back exposed Piz Bernina, which we had traversed the day before, while the view ahead presented the first of three peaks of Piz Palue: Piz Spina. Before the ascent, we took off our crampons for the climb (grade I - II).

After summiting Piz Spina, we climbed down the other side, and soon had to put our crampons back on as we climbed up a small snow slope to the central Peak of Piz Palue, which forms the highest point of the mountain and the summit of the legendary Bumiller pillar. The view on it's ice nose was pretty impressive!

The traverse over to the eastern peak and down continued on a quite steep snow ridge. The descent was however much easier than the descent the day before on the Spalla ridge, because it was still earlier in the day, and the snow was not as much softened by the midday and afternoon sun. 
I think, I smiled all the way along the Ridge, at least with my heart!

Traversing Piz Palue was a wonderful experience. Although it is a serious alpine undertaking and the travel was very exposed throughout, there were no real technical difficulties. This made the whole day very enjoyable, and we reached the Rifugio Diavolezza at 1 pm. We enjoyed the view on to the northern side of the mountain (see photo below) and took the lift down to the station from were we caught the train, the "Rhaetische Bahn", to Pontresina, were we had parked our car.

 Photos taken by R. Aufschnaiter and S. Pontasch.

Piz Bernina (4049 m) via Bianco Ridge, Bernina

It's about time for my first post - so why not start with my most extraordinary mountain experience, that happened eight days ago, in the Swiss alps. More exactly in the Bernina region, where Piz Bernina towers the eastern alps.

Last year July Roland and me have been summiting Piz Morteratsch which offered a good view on Piz Bernina as you can see below, and the most awesome view on the legendary Bianco Ridge.

This year the timing was right for us to try this ascent.

It is obvious that the ascent can be tricky and demands skills in ice and rock climbing, as well as sound standing and walking on a fine snowy ridge. As I was not fully free of giddiness, partly because I also was affected by the altitude in general, the approach confronted me with somehow mixed feelings of freedom and fear.

We started our ascent bright and early (3.30 am) from the Tchierva Hut, and reached the Furcla Prievlusa with the first sun-rays. The climb was comparable easy as it is equipped with steel ankers in the first part (up to the Furcla) and good solid rock in the second part (up to the ridge-line). 

The Bianco Ridge brought us ~ 900 m closer to our summit. The walk on the line was an experience! Steep sections dropped down to both sides. The snow was very firm which made it easy to walk on but increased the feeling of being exposed. Despite our focus on balance and walking we could grasp the beauty of the ridge line and understand why it's so legendary. It truly is a stairway to heaven!

After summiting Piz Bianco, a steep rocky wall had to be resolved before reaching Piz Bernina. We used the rope for the first time today and in 3 pitches with one abseil (grade II-III) we reached the top, my second 4000er and my first one in the alps!

The descend was more challenging than anticipated. The "Spalla Ridge" was very exposed and the snow became so soft that slipping was not out of question. We heard and saw avalanches on the glacier we had crossed one hour before and my heart bounced strong each time!
Roland traversed neat as always but I had to focus harder than on the Bianco ridge!

After a short time we reached the rocky section of the Spalla grat. Two abseils and a short walk brought us to "Rifugia Marco e Rosa", were we spent our afternoon and night. The altitude (3609 m), the Italian flair, walls covered with pictures of nude female climbers and non-climbers paired with a madonna statute and jesus cross, gave this hut a somewhat odd flair.

Looking back to Piz Bernina the next morning, we could see the steepness and length of the Bianco Ridge to the right of Piz Bernina, and the Spalla-Ridge to its left.

What a beautiful mountain and we were so lucky that we could climb it in such good conditions! 
A memorable day!

All photos were taken by R. Aufschnaiter. Except Photo Nr 3 whcih was taken by fellow climbers.

Val di Mello, southern Bergell

Val di Mello, known as the "little Yosemite", is located in Italy, Lombardy, within the Val Masino/southern Bergell mountain range. The most prominent peak in this area is Piz Badile (3308 m). The valley bribes with huge granite blocks scattered on sapgreen meadows to either side of the creek Mello. A heaven for bouldering! The crystal clear water of the creek attracts picnicking and sunbathing families, while the massive, up to 600 m high granite walls, attract some of the best climbers of the world!

In the valley, there are several camp sites to choose from. We stayed at "Ground Jack" http://www.groundjack.it/, which is located at the entrance of the valley. From here you will have the shortest approaching times to the wall sections and a hot shower awaiting you after you come back with sore body. While most climbers come here to climb popular routes such as Kundalini (5c) and Luna Nascente (6b), we realized pretty soon that this was one or two levels too high for us. We had an awesome climb at the wall section "Sarcofago", the three-pitch "Cunicolo acuto" (150 m, 5b). 

Here, I first had to digest the fact that in general, a 5a in Val di Mello felt like a 5c. (This feeling would remain the following days, and was particularly true for slabs.) "Cunicolo acuto" was a fun climb with a body tight chimney and a wonderful crack. We rappelled from the neighbor route.

The following few days we had some more quite excellent few-pitch climbs and enjoyed the pleasure of climbing. Val di Mello has some quite excellent climbs to offer. We could not fully appreciate all the joy and glory of the big walls, but we did quite well for a first trad climbing week after two years of break from climbing! And we will come back for the rising moon, even if this may necessitate the need to queue. 

All photos taken by R. Aufschnaiter and S. Pontasch.