Kampenwand with Uli

Published on 2011-5-31 by Michael Stanton

Uli and I took the lift up to the Kampenwand on Sunday. We knew it would start raining eventually, hence the laziness! Right away, we climbed the Staffelstein Westkante (V-), which gave 2 nice pitches and some change. Then the route Ulknudel (VI) which had a pretty darned hard first pitch! I had to rest a couple of times on the sustained sport climb, but I particularly enjoyed an outrageous move at a roof where you get a foot up by your head.

Next we did the Kampenwand Traverse. First I tried taking the most adventurous way on steep slabs, then eventually getting into a corner with a hard move by a piton. I had to aid on the pin! Uli came up and we simul-climbed over a summit. Later we had a nice climb of the Gmelchturm Westkante (VI-) as a nice little part of the traverse. Well protected climb to the top of a tiny tower. We finished the traverse with a couple more interesting pitches, especially a crack (IV+) leading up to the main summit. It was quite interesting, though just a bit wet.

After this we hiked down to the south and got on the Südostwand (VI). Uli led the first (crux) pitch, then we had an embarrassing communication mishap that need not be recorded here! However eventually I followed the pitch, and we went for one more pitch up a slab and across a slabby traverse. From here, our time was up, as the storm clouds that had been gathering were ready to burst. We made two rappels to the ground, and hiked out in strong rain.

We visited a hut along the way for a beer, then hiked down to the car. A nice visit to a new area for us both!

Also wrote about it here.