First ascent Am Salbitschijen Tower 1
On 14, 15, 28 and 29 July 2018, the Altdorfer set up a new route on the south-west face of the Salbitschijen. ‘It has a medium level of difficulty between 5c and 6b+, whereby I would categorise the key pitch as 6c+. The special thing about this route is that you have to place the intermediate protection yourself over long stretches,’ says the experienced alpinist. Over nine pitches and around 300 metres of climbing, the route leads up to the shoulder of Tower 1, around 100 metres west of the world-famous west ridge route, via which the summit of the 2981-metre-high Salbitschijen can be reached.
‘Eagle Eye": This is what Gisler has christened the new climbing route to Tower 1 on the Salbitschijen. And the eye of artist Hans Gisler probably played a not insignificant role in the choice of name. ‘It was only when I was sorting through the photos that I realised that an eagle's head with an eye and beak could be seen on the key pitch,’ he explains. ‘That made the case clear to me.’
‘This new route is like a special tree trunk,’ says the wood sculptor. ‘You look at the texture and structure and soon realise that it can become something extraordinary.’ Gisler naturally hopes that the new route will attract many climbing enthusiasts to the Göscheneralp Valley, who will take the steep route up to the Salbithütte and on to the Salbitschijen tower to climb his latest creation.
