Feuertaufe, 8b Lofer

I’m hanging in the second pitch and I notice that my right foot is slowly sliding away. The tiny foothold I’m standing on is getting worse and worse and just one moment later I’m already hurtling through the air. I fall a few metres, then I feel a slight jolt slowing me down, but the friend doesn’t hold… I fall again. My next placement is a bolt and it’s bomber of course…

I pull myself up on the rope and check out the passage. Then Hansjörg gives the pitch a go, before I start my next turn. I feel like I can do it this time. When I reach the crux my right foot isn’t sliding away and so I succeed the snatch into the big hole. The rest of the pitch doesn’t appear that difficult anymore and so I climb to the belay without any problems. Because I was a little too impatient, I missed a hold and I need a second try for the third pitch, a 8a+, too. After that there are two easy pitches where I can bounce back a bit.

Although, the last two pitches have a lot to offer again. In the first one I manage to find the right holds and feet straight away, but the second one turns out to be very challenging. It’s not even vertical and with 8a+ one of the toughest pitches of the whole route. I need three tries to crack the crux and climb to the belay.

Infos: The “Feuertaufe” is leading through the steepest and most compact section of the Urlkopf. It offers great climbing in best rock and who’s at this level deffo has to try the route. And here’s a rating-suggestion from Hansjörg Auer and me: 7a+, 8b, 7c+, 6b, 7a, 7c+, 8a (Original: 7c, 8b+, 8a+, 6b, 7b+, 8a+, 8a+)