Sommer 2018.
Herbert, Sebastian, Anthony und ich haben ein neues Projekt gefunden. Die Grubenkarspitze. Die Linie zieht durch den zentralen Teil der Wand. Bisher haben wir ungefähr die Hälfte geschafft. Doch schon im September lag Schnee in der Wand und wir beschlossen alles aus der Wand zu holen und im nächsten Sommer wieder anzugreifen. Bis dann im Sommer 2019…
I. Teil
II. Teil
III. Teil
Summer 2017. Henry Francis, Paul Sass, Toni Lamprecht and me climbed a new route: Alexandra Supernova on Pik 4800.
The team: Paul Sass, Benno Wagner, Henry Francis, Toni Lamprecht; Rocky and Snowy Aksu in the background
The mountain Pik 4800 is located in Lajlak-valley, Kyrgystan where is also the big Aksu mountain.
Alexandra Supernova: 800m, 18 pitches, 7b
Some insights into the adventure:
Click here to get the topo: Alexandra Supernova_Topo
In autumn 2014 Ben Ullman and me bolted the new line on Urlkopf/ Loferer Alm.
at the belay of the first pitch (1500 m – route Ende nie in the backround)
Im Herbst 2014 bohrten Ben und ich die Tour in zwei Tagen von unten ein. Der Fels ist einzigartig, vor allem die erste Länge zieht sich 35 m durch den rauen, perfekten Kalk.
Benno bolting the first pitch
Die zweite Länge ist am technischsten. Wieder 35 m, aber diesmal eine Plattenlänge wie aus dem Bilderbuch. Von Anfang bis Ende: platteplatteplatteplatte…
Ben bolting the 2. pitch
Einige Zeit verging vom Einrichten der Tour bis zum Rotpunktdurchstieg. Erst im Frühjahr 2017 kamen wir wieder an die Wand. Diesmal war ich mit Sebastian White unterwegs und wir konnten die Tour durchsteigen. Viel Spaß beim klettern!
White in thecrux of the last pitch
Go for it.
Clikck here to get the topo: Ullman lightning_topo
Very varied route in mostly solid rock. To the top it becomes steeper with some bulgs. For the first three pitches you need friends and nuts of medium size. The belays are drilled.
first pitch, looong runouts = g’salzn
So the first three pitches are g’salzn and the rest is sweet like sugar.
the line of the climb through the massive wall of Rosskopf with its huge potential
4th pitch – the route gets more and more exposed
Click here to get the topo: Salz und Zucker_topo
Summer 2015. Sebastian and me finished so far our biggest route near home.
It’s a long route through an obvious yellow-white shield of a wall called „Spritzkarspitze-Nordwand.“ We bolted the line ground up in alpine style. Having some awesome climbing days and spending the night in the porter ledge.
Although it’s a north-facing wall – it is too warm to climb in the morning…..
The route goes through amazing limestone. The jewel of the route is a 5m overhang in the 7th pitch .
Sebastian at the exposed belay of the 8th pitch
the great view: the world famous valley „Ahornboden“
The upper part of the route is characterizes by amazing holy limestone.“Verdonesque!“
We believe in sky-hooks!
After a lot of days spending with bolting and trying the route we managed the first ascent. On 27th/28th 2015 of August Sebastian and me climbed the 600m and 16 pitches free and red point.
Finally we free climbed the 600m of Spritzkarspitze-Nordwand
Click here to get the Topo: Topo_Das Licht der Welt
Wilde Freiheit, is the name of the new alpine multi-pitch route in Karwendel. Sebastian and me startet this project in autumn 2013.
Have a look to the older Blog and a video of bolting: https://bennowagner.com/2013/11/15/karwendel-projekt-300m/
This brilliant route goes up the north face of a mountain called Gamsjoch. It’s located in the Ahornboden in Karwendel, a northern region of the alps.
Anmarsch/ Walking up to Gamsjoch Nordwand. In the background the famous „Ahornboden“ maple tree valley just without leaves.
The route is protected with bolts. But in between them you still get the chance to climb some exciting runouts. The quality of the rock is stunning. The climbing goes up in different styles in often steep rock. In all, the wall bulgs about 20m. So especially in the 6th and 7th pitch you can enjoy the exposed wall in steep terrain.
Benno in the crux of the first pitch.
The crux oft the route is the 5th pitch. This 8a+ pitch is 30m long. Amazing moves. Pumpy first 20m followed by a good rest and than a tricky boulder passage clears the way to the next belay. The following pitches are increadable steep, you climb in overhanging rock, gaining more and more „Luft unterm Arsch“.
The amazing exposed hanging belay after the 6th pitch. „Das Sprungbrett- diving board“
Gamsjoch Nordwand, Wilde Freiheit
Here is the Topo of this amazing piece of rock: Wilde Freiheit_TOPO PDF
One of the most beautiful sea cliff routes I’ve climbed in North Wales: Deep Sea Spex.
the amazing scenery at the cliff
I had to wait long time. Most of the time I walked to the cliff and had a look into the route I was disappointed to see the route in wet conditions.
once you pulled up on the big hex the climbing starts
But it was worth to came to this amazing place again and again. The first time it was dry I felt in the middle of the first pitch . The second day I found the route in dry conditions I managed to climb it.
The style of climbing is amazing, it changes from „head-jamming“, to crimps and wonderful hand jams.
the awesome first pitch of Deep Sea Spex
Ugly-a very special route. A sea cliff climb in near the little village Trefor, LLyn, North Wales. A mixture between Chimney, Corner and Crack-climbing. The rock can be desribed a oily and dusty and especially very loose.
the first meters of the route. the hardest part!
Sebastian and me after the ascent.
jamming with your back is essential in that route
the wonderful beach near Trefor
Ugly, Trefor Beach and Lleyn’s multipitch mountain in the background
Ugly is a very special route on the LLeyn Peninsula. If the rock was normal it would be a very nice groove pitch next to the sea.
But the rock isn’t normal. This Shale-rock is build up of little layers, which don’t seam very well connected. So you can’t crimp anything because it will brake off. The style of climbing is more like squeezin into the groove crack and pressing with your palms against the wall, rather than actual pulling on holds. As Mr. Dawes, a specialist of this style (and who also tried the route), told me: „It’s farmer climbing. In the evening your forearms aren’t tired but instead all the rest of your body is.“ You just have to scrabbling up a centimeter for centimeter.
A little rest after the first crux….
After a couple of tries I could finally climb the route on 21st april of 2014. It was the 3rd ascent after Sam Whittaker and George Smith who climbed the route first.
resting before the last scrabbing crux, Photo: Sebastian Weiß
It is a very funny, adventures route which is quite strange to climb. BUT the route contains a rich variety of climbing styles: Jamming, sqeezing, bridging and a lot more. So be psyched and go there! And the best thing: you don’t have to be afraid not to get pumped. You will!
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