Martinswand Climbing

Published on 2024-04-28 by Michael Stanton

Timo and I had the day to climb. We first went up the Kaiser Max Spätlese (6+), which was good fun. I led the 6+ pitch, finding it delicious and engaging. I think Timo didn't climb this route before. It's a really neat climb. I like the traverse off to the left, then above. That's a great pitch too.

Then the Ostriss (6), which we climbed in 5 pitches. A solo climber was practicing his aid technique on a route to the left, and did some very efficient jugging.

Timo got the first pitch (6-/6), and climbed to a belay, stopping a bit early since a better anchor and stance are a couple meters further right at the base of the crack. I then entered the crack proper, enjoying a few hand-jams and the glorious incut holds on either side of the vertical and slightly-overhanging corner crack. At a chimney section, I remembered not to get too deep inside, but stay out where a bolt was once nearly forgotten by me in the COVID era.

Timo headed out for pitch 3 (also 6) and enjoyed the interesting traverse out of the crack to the right, then slightly back in. This was a great pitch.

Michael somewhere on Kaiser Max Spätlese

I got the easier pitch 4 (6-), with it's short overhang then an interesting face climb to reach the belay. Pitch 5 (6-) was a less-than-vertical echo of the earlier crack climbing, but quite pleasant and no longer so loose and scruffy as it once was.

We belayed 2 pitches down in screaming wind that knocked us off balance.

At the base, we decided to do one more baseclimb, settling on "Via Pia (6+/7-)".

I was eager to climb and started up the first pitch. This climb is protected by normal pitons instead of bolts, at least for most pitches including the first. Unfortunately, I ran into a difficult spot on the first pitch (about 6-), and basically freaked out. I had a strong picture in my imagination of falling and ripping the piton out at a slabby rounded step. I ended up standing on the piton, which is a good way to destroy an already rattled consciousness. Then I shakily moved left off the route onto a bushy ledge. I spent a long time trying to compose myself, certainly dismaying Timo down below.

Unfortunately, I lost all sense of security. There was a bolt with an abseil ring on it up and right. But in my brain, the fact that it was a single bolt meant I shouldn't trust it. In my mind a movie played of abseiling and the bolt rips out. The problem with these movies is that they come with the physical sensation of falling and feel very real.

Maybe I've just experienced too many accidents and this is what they do to a person. Anyway, I finally shakily climbed up and right to reach the bolt. I was exhausted and only wanted to leave. However, Timo was understandably eager to climb. He had to explain to me that I was standing at the anchor, and only then did I see the piton backing up the single bolt I was clipped to. "Oh," I said, rather lamely.

So I belayed Timo up and he led the rest of the climb. He really couldn't understand why I'd fallen apart so entirely. "But you are Michael, the one who climbs in the Dolomites and likes pitons, why would you be worried about any of this?" he said.

Well...I don't have an answer. Maybe I was that person, but I'm something else now. The thing is, I had such a wonderful 2 days with Barbara and so many feelings of love, and breakthroughs, somehow, flowing through me all weekend. I think it was the combination of those (wonderful) feelings, and the problem of climbing something hard on poorer protection that caused fear to become my predominant emotion. I didn't want to lose what I had, and I could feel the loss of everything with a sickening visceral sense. I thought how stupid I would feel if I was laying in a hospital later, and I had ignored what turned out to be premonitions.

Timo is a smart and strong fellow and I'm sure he'll never understand this kind of failure or weakness -- I am glad for him!

Anyway, I aided through the strenuous crux (6+/7-) of the second pitch, but mostly enjoyed the rest of the climb, with 3 more pitches of 5/5+, 5-/5 and 4+. I was glad we had continued. I tried to remember the glory and strength of the first two climbs of the day. "Via Pia" is now a kind of testpiece for me to which I must return.

Thank you Timo for the companionship.