Photo credit: explorersweb.com
In mid-April, ideal weather and favorable climbing conditions in the European Alps led to remarkable achievements by various teams. Notably, Simon Gietl completed a significant solo ascent, while Philipp Brugger recorded two North Face Trilogies in rapid succession. It was an exhilarating week for alpine enthusiasts.
Trilogy 1: Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau
On April 5, Austrian climber Philipp Brugger and Swiss partner Nicolas Hojac conquered the three iconic North Faces of the Swiss Bernese Alps: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Their impressive traverse took only 15 hours and 30 minutes, shattering the previous record of 25 hours set by Stephan Siegrist and the late Ueli Steck over two decades ago. Interestingly, Steck had also been a mentor to Hojac, now a co-record holder.
The duo embarked on their expedition at 1 am, tackling the Eiger’s North Face via the classic Heckmair Route in 5 hours and 43 minutes. They then advanced to the Mönch, utilizing the Lauper Route before making their way down to Jungfraujoch, the railway station nestled between the Mönch and Jungfrau.
After a brief respite with some fries shared with train maintenance staff, they ascended to the Jungfrau summit, reaching the peak at 4,158 meters at around 4:30 pm. Both climbers were ecstatic about their achievement, especially Brugger, who had spent the previous year recovering from a serious health issue.
Reflecting on their experience, Brugger expressed his disbelief at being able to stand on the Jungfrau with Hojac just a year after his recovery.
Nicolas Hojac and Philipp Brugger descend from the summit of the Mönch. Photo: Red Bull Pool Content
Having regained his strength, Brugger was eager for more and embarked on another ambitious challenge only a week later.
Trilogy 2: Valsertal
On April 12, Brugger partnered with Lukas Waldner to tackle a trilogy in the Valsertal region of Austrian Tyrol, encompassing the North Faces of Fussstein, Schrammacher, and Sagwand. Waldner, who devised the plan, aimed for a 24-hour completion of their traverse.
Climbing under the moonlight. Photo: Philipp Brugger
Their approach mirrored that of their Swiss expedition. Shortly after midnight, they set out for the North Spur of Fussstein, achieving the summit in 1 hour and 45 minutes. They quickly descended via the West Face and proceeded to Schrammacher.
Waldner shared that they encountered some delays while breaking trail due to dry climbing conditions. Nevertheless, they reached the summit after about 3 hours and 15 minutes.
After descending the ridge, they navigated to the base of Sagwand’s North Face. A well-defined track facilitated their ascent, enabling them to reach the peak in 2 hours and 50 minutes, culminating in a total traverse time of 11 hours and 50 minutes, with 7 hours and 50 minutes allocated for climbing.
Brugger and Waldner on one of the summits. Photo: Philipp Brugger
Simon Gietl’s Solo First Ascent
On the same day, Simon Gietl from South Tyrol achieved a remarkable solo first ascent of a new M7, A0 route on Wildgall Peak, part of the Rieserferner group in South Tyrol. Gietl’s ascent marks the first successful climb of the 300-meter Northeast Pillar.
The route he established is characterized by “a logical mixed climb through a striking corner,” as Gietl described it.
Simon Gietl’s new solo route. Photo: Simon Gietl
During the ascent, he self-protected the line using Friends and placed three bolts and one pecker along the way. Gietl cautioned future climbers about potential rockfall in the central sections of the route and recommended that it be attempted in mixed conditions and cooler temperatures.
For his descent, he rappelled down the South Face using the de Seltene-Erden route.
Simon Gietl on the summit after soloing a new route. Photo: Simon Gietl
Winter Returns
While these remarkable climbs were achieved under favorable weather conditions in early April, the situation has dramatically shifted in recent days. The French and Swiss Alps have experienced their heaviest snowfall of the year, accumulating around one meter of snow. This significant snow accumulation has temporarily disrupted several ski resorts but also promises an extended ski-touring season. If the weather stabilizes without the heavy rains seen in previous years, it may also contribute to a fruitful summer climbing season ahead.
Source
explorersweb.com