Alois Pumhösel took part in the "Eis Total" ice climbing festival and reports on his experiences:
It's a picture you don't often see: wide icefalls, frozen cascades, sprawling cones over tens of meters along the towering walls of a narrow gorge. Behind the next bend, the scenery repeats itself: more ice, steep or flat, growing in grotesque shapes or combined with rock faces. We are not alone here: 200 climbers took part in the "Eis Total" climbing event in the Pitztal. Ropes hang from the ice flanks every few meters, firmly anchored at height. The climbers hanging from them laboriously work their way up the ice towers. Ice tools are hammered into place, crampon-reinforced toes work their way into the brittle mass; below them, in rank and file, the belayers keep watch. My friend Bernhard and I are among these ice climbers and try to climb as many lines as possible under these secured conditions.
For beginners and experienced climbers
Ice climbing is usually reserved for experienced alpinists. The ice has to be correctly assessed, ice screws skillfully hammered in and stands expertly built. But once a year, the Pitztal becomes an arena for all those who want to take their first steps on ice under controlled conditions. The "Eis Total" ice climbing festival transforms the Taschach Gorge deep in the valley and a number of icefalls into ice climbing test areas. It wasn't our first time on ice, but it was a good opportunity to gain some confidence in handling ice tools.
International guests
Around 200 participants took part this year in January were there. Not all of them were beginners, says Walter Zörer from the mountain event company mc2alpin, which is behind the event. behind the event. Professionals also come here to test the latest equipment, equipment provided by the manufacturers on this occasion. test. The target group is broadly diversified. Some are regular guests and take long journeys from Germany, Italy or the Netherlands. Next year, in January 2020, there will be an anniversary: the twentieth edition of of "Eis Total". "There will be a few little surprises" promises Zörer.
Ice climbing: not a popular sport
200 ice climbers, that will also be the limit for future events, says the organizer. "We have reached the reached the ceiling." This is not due to the number of interested people - the events, for which you can register from October onwards, are quickly booked out. But there are organizational limits. Ice climbing is not suitable for ice climbing is not a popular sport anyway.
Even if interest has risen sharply over the past ten or fifteen years, and even if the development of equipment has made huge leaps since the 1990s, ice climbing is and remains an activity for specialists, says Zörer, who conquered his first icefall back in the 1980s at the age of 15. "You can compare it to alpine climbing. Many people practise sport climbing as a popular sport. But not many have the know-how to actually venture into alpine climbing." Time slots and opportunities for ice climbing are also limited.
The ice maker
We meet Alfred Dworak on one of the ice walls in the Taschach Gorge. The ice climbing pro is one of the mountain guides who supervise the activity on the ice here. He was also the one who artificially iced over part of the gorge in order to expand the climbing possibilities. With the support of TVB Pitztal, he has been working since November to ice selected walls of the gorge in a suitable form by directing water over the rocks. If he and the "Eis Total" team have their way, the artificial ice in the gorge will become a permanent fixture in future winters.
In addition to ice and mixed climbing, drytooling, i.e. climbing with special ice axes and crampons on rock or artificial walls, is also gaining in popularity. We also try this here in the Taschach Gorge on walls specially prepared by the mountain guides. The movement technique is very similar to that on the waterfall, emphasizes Paul Mair, co-organizer and partner of Walter Zörer at mc2alpin, who supervises the climbing here. The motto is to grip and climb cleanly and precisely. "If you slip, you'll knock out a tooth or two," warns Mair. Our verdict after the first attempt is that it takes some getting used to and is exhausting. We are still a long way from a "figure of four", that acrobatic climbing move where you place your leg over the arm holding the ice axe. At least we manage not to injure ourselves.
Don't miss: "Eis Total 2020"
Ice climbing in the Pitztal with festival character, photo: Bernhard Daurer
Registration for "Eis Total 2020" is open from October 15. Participants should book quickly. Experience has shown that places are taken very quickly.
More information is available at www.eis-total.at.
Mountain guide and ice climbing pro Alfred Dworak provides up-to-date information on the conditions at the Pitztal Icefalls: www.alpine-adventure.at
