The most famous route in the Schüsselkar is "Locker vom Hocker". None other than Wolfgang Güllich and Kurt Albert first climbed it in 1981, exactly 40 years ago. It is considered an icon of alpine free climbing. Like hardly any other tour in the Alps, it is surrounded by an aura that is second to none. If you want to be taken seriously as a climber, you have to have done it. Header image: Michael "Much" Mayr on the 1st pitch (8-) of "Locker vom Hocker". With a single piton at 45 meters, it is not really overprotected.
Theliterary genre of the alpine thriller is becoming increasingly popular. A good alpine thriller has elements of a thriller.
It is characterized by the creation of suspense, which is not only present for short passages, but throughout the entire course of the plot. It is a constant interplay between tension and relief. Perhaps, by this definition, "Locker vom Hocker" is the best Alpine thriller ever written. The two deceased authors, Albert and Güllich, knew exactly how to create an arc of suspense that will inspire posterity for generations to come and is of timeless quality. The mere sight of the first pitch will make even the most hardened alpinist's blood run cold.
Variety The Schüsselkar offers everything an alpine climber's heart desires at a wall height of up to 400 meters. Smooth slabs, holey overhangs and rough cracks like here in the 3rd pitch of "Locker vom Hocker". And, if desired, a much better secured route.
The pitch climbs steeply up to the right for 45 meters. And with a single piton just before the belay, it is anything but overprotected. Perfect handling of mobile belay devices is a basic prerequisite for a low-stress ascent. Despite the best technical skills, it will probably not be stress-free. Much Mayr and Peter Mühlburger sort their friends. The moves look routine. The two know each other from the "Young Alpinists". This is a program run by the Austrian Alpine Club that offers ambitious young mountaineers the chance to spend two years learning from world-class alpinists.
Much is one of the mentors in this program and Peter was a participant. Together they have already been on an expedition in the Himalayas. And although both have traveled far and wide and know God and the world between the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas, today is a first for both of them in "Locker vom Hocker".
"The uncompromising lines alone are impressive. A kingline," says Peter. "The two of them were simply ahead of their time. Two visionaries!" adds Much.
Much says that he saw a lecture by Wolfgang Güllich in Innsbruck as a teenager and was then really infected by the climbing virus. Much even worked with Kurt Albert in the south of France as part of a climbing camp for young people.
"Kurt was just a really cool guy - a personality that you don't forget so quickly." What's so special about "Locker vom Hocker"? "For me, it's this personal connection to Kurt Albert and Wolfgang Güllich," says Much.
Ocean of gray Peter just above the crux (8-/8) on the 4th pitch. Now it gets a little easier, but no less nerve-wracking. With two bolts in total, the pitch is extremely demanding.
It's Peter's turn for the fourth pitch, the crux pitch. Secured only by a wedge, he tackles the nasty slab in the eighth degree of difficulty. As befits a thriller, there are countless horror stories about this place: There have been helicopter missions, 20-meter falls, sprains, fractures. When a climber fell at the site, the wedge was plucked out. The result: an ankle fracture and serious head injuries. With this knowledge in mind, Peter sets off on the shaky friction passage. A hold on the left which, due to its modest size, doesn't really deserve to be called a hold. The tips of his toes on two sloping dents. One wrong shift of weight and you're off. Your right hand scans the rock like a windshield wiper in a downpour. Where's the rescue hold? Found it! Made it! Alpine thriller with a happy ending!
The crux Peter Mühlburger places one last mobile belay in the crack before heading right over the wobbly 8-pitch slab. The saving bolt only comes afterwards.
Much Mayr Mysterious and likeable: Much Mayr from Innsbruck is one of the best alpinists in the world. However, as Much has absolutely no desire to market himself, only insiders know him. The qualified psychologist prefers to earn his living in the social sector or as a mountain guide. Much is understatement personified. And this comes across more honestly in him than in almost anyone else. Much on the first pitch of "Locker vom Hocker".
Falling into the void Losing your grip here on the key pitch is not a good idea. It's better to flee forwards into a labyrinth of lousy ledges and a sloping void that tries to pass itself off as a step. In "Loose from the stool", the term runout becomes comprehensible in its full dimension.
LIMIT #2: Alpine climbing in Tyrol - the hot-off-the-press issue!
In this issue, we have dedicated ourselves entirely to alpine climbing in Tyrol. On 136 pages, we present the impressive vertical diversity of Tyrol. With exciting stories from 15 climbing spots that offer a deep insight into the history of alpine climbing in Tyrol.
