South Tyrolean climbers Josef Hilpold and Ulrich Viertler have established a new route on Sass de la Crusc in the Italian Dolomites. The men made the first ascent of Wustenblume (400m, VIII+) earlier this summer, using a mix of pegs, fixed ropes and trad gear, climbing the upper half first before moving on to the lower section of the route. …
Using fixed lines, part 1
On big peaks it’s routine to make use of fixed lines (or ropes), but how do they work? In this series, Tim Mosedale explains the methods he uses when leading high-altitude expeditions… Whether you love or loathe the idea, a lot of the big mountains usually have sections of what we call ‘fixed ropes’ put in place to allow expedition …