Cragging along the Inn

Published on 2019-6-1 by Michael Stanton

Gab arrived from Montreal to do some work in V8. We spent the night at my place and started early for the Martinswand Saturday morning. It would be his first multi-pitch climbing, and he was naturally pretty excited.

We walked up to the Vorbau and saw that people were already on "Kaiser Max's Spätlese," my first idea. No matter. We'd go climb "Rucola" instead. It's the easiest route, good both for Gab to get used to the routine, and for me to ease back into rock climbing, which I haven't done much of.

The first pitch had some exciting wet rock, but it's so well protected that it wasn't too stressful. Gab came up and led pitch two. We swapped leads all the way. Gab showed me a "lower plus upper shelf" method of building an anchor with a long sling. I was initially content with my typical sliding "X" anchor, but it's probably time to get with the times. The sliding "X" violates the "no extension" rule, something I've been lax about when climbing bolted routes. On gear anchors I'm more careful, often going old-school and clove-hitching individual pieces into the anchor. Indeed, later in the day a German man from Murnau looked at my sliding "X" anchor and told me that, in case I didn't know, the failure of one bolt would shock load the remaining bolt and offered "Du wirst weg! Du würdest ganz weg sein!" (Translation: you would be gone! Completely gone!). I thanked him for his kind advice, resolving to never again be caught with a sliding "X" without suitable knots to prevent extension.

Gab found the climbing easy, and we concentrated on using rope signals to indicate time to belay/climb/etc. Rucola has one exciting pitch, moving left and up through an overhang with poor feet. Shortly after, we were resting at the tree belay above the route, below the Ostriss. I'd been thinking to climb it, but I was dismayed to see the topo asking you to bring some cams and nuts. I've climbed it at least three times, but I can't remember if I used gear or not. I quickly checked my trip reports from a decade ago, but I didn't mention that. Back then I was pretty good and probably able to run it out on difficult terrain. Now though, the preciousness of the many riches I have in this world press around me, and I'm much more cautious.

Me somewhere on Rucola.

Gab in the middle of Rucola.

It would be normal to say at this point that I thought I was invincible when I was younger. But that's not so. The truth is that I feel the richness more now in simple existence. A good book and cup of coffee in bed is heaven. That feeling that I cheered someone up on a random Thursday evening. Barbara saying "Du schon wieder!" All of these things have changed me, finally. Some people change when their child is born. I didn't. Defiantly so, I'm ashamed to admit.

I like that love of the world weakens me. Maybe I hold more of it inside. And that would be a kind of victory.

Ha! So...in that long-winded way, I admit I'm scared to climb the Ostriss without a handful of cams. So it is. Gab and I got our shoes back on and scrambled over to "Maxl's Krone." I had the first pitch, a really nice V+, and fairly long. Gab got an interesting pitch on a pillar. I think he made it a little harder by going straight up at the start rather than opportunistically getting feet high in a gully on the right first, then traversing on good hands to the crest of the pillar. But he had fun!

On the first pitch of Maxl's Krone.

I got the next pitch, which is pretty wonderful. However, I had to rest at the 6/6+ move just before the exit. I had missed a finger pocket that would have allowed me to get my feet up on each side of a shallow corner. Gab got the crux 7- pitch which gets very exciting as it traverses left then back right. He fell once, rested and hopped right back on. At this point the Man from Murnau was hissing in my ear ("Du bist weg!). Okay, I'm being mean -- he spoke calmly and rationally, but I was pretty focused on Gab!

The fun third pitch of Maxl's Krone (6/6+).

Moves figured out, Gab brought me up and I could enjoy this wonderful pitch on top-rope. On the last pitch, I got all bent out of shape because the second bolt right at the crux seemed to have been sheared off by rockfall. So I aided with a sling. A0, man...that's me!

Gab leading on Maxl's Krone.

The last hard pitch on "Maxl's Krone."

We did a kind of running belay to get down, talking all the while about this interesting 3rd/4th class mountain terrain which has to be handled so differently than regular routes. At the trees we put on our tennis shoes and headed for our packs at the base of Rucola. We thought briefly about doing another route, but it was damn hot, and pretty late. We decided to sleep in Zams and save energy for the Burschlwand in the morning.

Looking out from high on the Martinswand.

Ready for the 3rd class descent.

Day Two

After a fine stay and good breakfast in a hotel that bore the unmistakable imprint of it's delightful chinese owner, we drove 2 minutes to park under the Burschlwand. (I mean stuff like really overt Austrian "kitsch" furniture and paintings, then suddenly in-wall radios with chinese characters, or wallpaper with red/white square-shaped patterns). I liked it a lot.

The thing is, if something appears and the first impression is "out of place," I think it speaks to the lively character of whoever put that thing there. It was like this benevolent and energetic lady was "always around," and I can't help but think she knows that. Maybe people don't steal towels as often!

I was really excited to climb "Donna Delores" (6+), an old favorite...but it had been years since I'd done the route. I knew Gab would enjoy it -- I just wasn't sure how much I would! But at any rate, I started up the first pitch, gratefully edging to the left when possible to avoid really hard face moves. I think pitch 2 is a tick harder, especially at the start. Gab carefully worked his way up, very mindful of the tough moves and rather severe distance between bolts for the first clips. I'd told him the story of my factor 2 fall in 2005, and it seemed to be rattling around in his head judging by his occasional comments! At any rate, this was a very "head space" pitch! Gab made it through those moves, reached easier terrain on the right, then back left and up to a spacious belay stance by a tree.

The exciting second pitch of DD.

I started up the next pitch, making a mistake by going left and clipping into a rappel anchor, then trending back right to regain the route. Just go straight up! Then it was a long tour-de-force with many little sub-problems. There was a big step across to the left at one point. Higher, underclings on a flake. Finally the handholds seemed to run out for a while. I took a rest here, then got to climb these wonderful moves getting through a gentle overhang -- jugs! Two of 'em, each offering great security. Man, I really like that pitch.

Gab finishing pitch 3.

Such great holds!

Gab at the end of pitch 3.

Gab's next lead was of the kind that looks "easy" from below, but holy heck it felt hard for him and me as well! There are just no handholds. Wavy, bulgy rock with an insecure feeling for long stretches. But so it goes. We asked for this after all...!

Michael on the 4th pitch of Donna Delores.

Atop the Burschlwand

I let a final easy pitch to the top, and here we could just directly hike down after changing into tennis shoes.

We decided this was enough. What a great time...we drove back to my place and repaired to the local Schnitzelwirt for beer and Schnitzel. Barbara came by, and they brought her a tiny hilarious glass of bier (joking with us that it cost 8 euros). We sat in her garden later and smoked a few cigarillos I had handy.

Thanks Gab for a fantastic weekend -- come back anytime!