Piz Polaschin. Once upon a time on Julier

As we were skinning up from the Julier pass towards a beautiful rocky face of Piz Polaschin, my backpack was huge. Mainly, because I packed a pair of boots that are meant for climbing the 8000 meter peaks in the greater ranges. The plan was to test equipment and train for a fall trip to the Himalaya. While the expedition evaporated into the ether of Covid-19 uncertainty, our climb turned out to be a great adventure itself.

The final pitches up the Polaschin. See the tape on the red rope?

Granite Rematches: Inox, Grand Capucin and Chandelle du Tacul

Oftentimes the climbs you remember most vividly are not the ones you succeed on, but rather the ones where you come short. I often catch myself talking about an unclimbed peak in the Revelations that Frieder I and could not climb despite three attempts. I still daydream what it would be like to go back there.

At the same time, having failed on routes - they become easy choices for planning the next trip. This summer, with little time for planning new things, it was about the rematches.

Back on the Grand Capucin

Climbing in Oman

With a few hours left until the new year, we were preparing our dinner and sorting out the food. The mood was vibrant with us whistling cheerful tunes and sharing smiles. But then it hit us – we had neither forks, nor spoons, nor any other utensils to eat our gourmet meal. And it wouldn’t be so easy to get them now since we were bivying on a midway ledge up the Jebel Misht – perhaps the highest rock face in Arabia.

North Face of Piz Badile and the Fridge-Trip

The weather was meant to be good for the next few days when I rolled into the Bergamo Airport. Waiting for my friend to land, I was hoping that we could finally try to climb the famous Voie Cassin on the northeast face of the Badile peak - a plan we had hatched almost a decade ago.

Brandler-Hase, Cima Grande di Lavaredo

When Saule was a kid, she visited the Dolomites and after seeing the Tre Cime decided that she was into climbing. Twenty years later she finally went up the north face of the Cima Grande and I got to tag along.

California Dream, Pointe 3038 de Trélaporte

What happens when a Guru of alpine granite combines forces with a world champion in sport climbing? When I saw the names of Michel Piola and Romain Desgrange in the guidebook, my interest was picked. Many enthusiastic reports of the quality and the beauty of the climb cemented it further, we had to check it out ourselves!

Joshua Tree

No wonder I couldn't find a camping spot in Joshua Tree National Park – the landscape in gorgeous. As it turns out, the climbing is pretty awesome too.

El Chorro

For some people the new year started by getting snowed in at ski resorts. We decided to go south and visit Andalusia's limestone cliffs.

Chulilla

Every-time I go to Spain, I am stunned by the quality and the quantity of bolted limestone. Whether you go to Siurana or Rodellar, there is usually a common theme - an old town, tucked away in a spectacular valley with miles of orange rock stretching in all direction. This time we went to Chulilla - a medieval town with a buzzing climbing scene and we even got to stay in a house build centuries ago.

Salbit Westgrat

Climbing the West Ridge of Salbit has always been in the plans. Finally, we got round to it. Well, it didn't let us down - a long day climbing along beautiful granite spine was pretty impressive. 

Long night on Midi-Plan ridge and a sunny afternoon in Foehnmauer

It is probably quite a general law of life that when you don’t take something seriously enough, it gets you. Frieder and I (re)learned it one more time after climbing Le Fil a Plomb on Rognon du plan.

Saule on a day we chose to be wiser

Kamasutra, Klausenpass

When our plans to check out the Wendenstöcke dwindled away, Cyrill immediately came up with an alternative. Something closer and shorter, but with good quality limestone and fun climbing. Sounded great, but when he mentioned Klausenpass, I was a bit skeptical, since last time I was there, the rock was loose and slabby. Being a local though, he knew the goods and we went to climb the Kamasutra, which takes the steepest wall of Chli Glatten.

Cyrill working on his tan.

Churfirsten. Zuestoll South Face

Having driven past Churfirsten so many times, we finally managed to try and climb something on them. We went for Zuestoll, which is said to have the best rock and weren't disappointed. We climbed a rather recent route Solitaire. Scenic approach, airy traverse into the wall and good climbing made for an excellent day.

Chamonix weekend: Climbing Pic Adolphe Rey, Bailing from Chandelle du Tacul and giving shit to shitters

With a promise of clear skies and rumours that the old LUMC gang was in Chamonix, I was very keen to go and check out some of the granite towers there. Chamonix is the mothership of alpine climbing with all the good and bad things that come with it. The sad part is that the crazy good access to the amazing terrain attracts all kind of folks, including the ones that may shit in the crack that you are about to jam. But about that a bit later.

A weekend in Verdon

Every time I start abseiling down the walls of Verdon Gorge, I am wondering whether one can really crap their pants because of fear.

Others have referred to it as "crazy verticality and lonely freehanging abseils in cathedral silence".