Who doesn't know the Arlberg - the largest ski resort in Austria and also the most varied freeride spot in the Eastern Alps? Before the start of the winter season, however, we are confronted with other superlatives. Find out what they are here.
Themountains are covered in white snow. The thermometer in the car reads 0.5 degrees as we head for the Rendlbahn parking lot in St. Anton. The start of the ski season is in the air. But there's no sign of it in the parking lot. It is empty. Just as empty as the town center. Where normally crowds of people throng in front of the Galzigbahn to compete for the best position on the virgin deep-snow slopes, in October it's all alone.
Micro-perspectiveTo keep the micro-slopes in better condition, Chanti first has to remove some micro-organisms, i.e. lichen, from them. The microclimate is definitely right in the fall. The grip couldn't be better!
Hibernation Does Chanti want to spend the winter up here? The Darmstädter Hütte closes at the end of September, but the winter room is still open.
Pioneering spirit Playing Christopher Columbus and discovering new (bouldering) worlds - who doesn't like that? David on the first ascent of "Wunderwelt".
St. Anton hibernates - paradoxically always when it's not winter. With our fingers packed in thick mittens but still clammy, we head south into the Moostal valley. The route to the Darmstädter Hütte takes a good three hours on foot. But we sit on our e-bikes with big grins on our faces.
"The cost-benefit calculation for a bit of bouldering wouldn't be right on foot," says David and we agree with him.
And even on the bike, it quickly becomes clear that we are confronted with one superlative after another. At 13 kilometers, it's not only the longest high valley we've advertised in this magazine, but also the excursion with the highest battery consumption. This in turn leads to the biggest concerns that were expressed during the research for the magazine: "Will we even make it? My battery is about to run out!" moans Chanti on the last few kilometers.
Search picture Who can find the boulderer? And who will find the new bouldering opportunities? David makes a first ascent in the virgin boulder field in front of the Darmstädter Hütte. In the background you can see the Vordere Rendlspitze with the ski area, but still without pow-pow-powder.
But then the hut comes into view. It is situated on a small hill surrounded by the mighty three-thousand-metre peaks of the Verwall. We are not only at the end of our battery capacity, but also feel like we are at the end of the world. "Most remote basin, most godforsaken area, greatest loneliness". The superlatives are gushing. The first boulder fields open up not far from the hut. Here a line, there a line, and there more. We are the first to boulder here. Pioneers in the Verwall.
Hydropower The cartel reservoir in the background supplies electricity. But how is this supposed to flow into the batteries of the e-bikes, which are pushed to the limit on the last few meters to the hut?
Explorers. Adventurers - in the newest and youngest bouldering area in Tyrol. The autumn sun warms your clammy fingers. The dry and clear air offers the best grip. Another superlative.
Superlatives make you suspicious, they say.
Too many of them destroy the advertising message, they say. Less is more. That's why we're stopping now. Because, as we all know, you should stop when it's at its best.
High up A few climbing gardens have been set up around the Darmstädter Hütte in recent years. But there are even more opportunities for alpinists in the Verwall, such as the Seeköpfe (3,061 m) in the background on the left.
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.
