Ice climbers Simon Gietl and Manuel Oberarzbacher of South Tyrol are always looking for new lines on mixed faces that hundreds visit every season. What they didn’t expect to find was an entire unclimbed wall, just 30 minutes from the road.
The wall offers interesting options for new routes just half an hour from the road. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
They climbed the first mixed route on its face on November 23-24. A few days later, Gietl returned with Mario Kaeppeli and redpointed the route.
Hidden by trees
“It was really incredible to find something like this in South Tyrol,” Gietl told ExplorersWeb. “Recently, there was a rockfall that tore away some trees, revealing the wall.”
Previously, those trees had shielded the virgin wall from view. In fact, the walls are too mossy and wet for summer rock climbing, but the cracked granite slabs are perfect for mixed climbing.
During the climb on Argos. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
The climbers named the new line Argos and graded it as (M9, WI6+). They said it offers varied and concentrated climbing in a secluded area of South Tyrol.
Difficult approach
The newly discovered wall is just half an hour away on foot, but the main face is not easily accessible.
The approach from the road, including an M45 section on the way. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
“The approach involves two short pitches in the M4 and M5+ range, followed by a short transition to the main wall,” said Gietl. “There, the route runs through five challenging pitches of solid granite, characterized by cracks, dihedrals, and a thin layer of ice in the middle section (WI6+).”
Simon Gietl on a thin layer of water ice overlying the granite surface. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
Topo of Argos. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
The climbers noted that on Argos, they left six pitons, nine intermediate pitons, and three pecker pitons on the wall. They advise those planning to repeat the route to bring two sets of Totem Cams, some #3 Friends, and four short ice screws. On the descent, they will have to rappel.
A water ice section. Photo: Mario Kaeppeli
