Wilder Kaiser, 24th August 2009

Anthony Woodrow had time for a quick trip down to Munich and then the Wilder Kaiser between flights to and from Frankfurt, and the Via Classica on the Fleischbank seemed like a good opportunity to get up something long-ish with hopefully minimal potential for surprises. It is a sport route of 15 pitches (including two walks over grassy ledges), bolted in 2002. Due to its bolt protection, its good rock, its easy climbing and its position directly opposite the balcony of the Stripsenjochhaus it has quickly become very popular, and even on a Monday we were not the only party on the route.

Anthony Woodrow on the Via Classica on the Fleischbank

The climbing got better the higher we went, the highlight being the 50m V+ pitch near the top, which was sustained at the lower end of VS for almost all of its length. The bolt spacing was such that I didn't place any of my own gear apart from on the last two pitches, and route finding was not a problem either. Without being in a hurry we got up in five and a quarter hours.

Anthony Woodrow finishing the last pitch of the Via Classica

Getting down was more of an event. We had to continue over the summit of the Fleischbank, which involved a couple of bad steps for which we roped up again, before descending to the Christascharte and ab-ing into the Steinerne Rinne. We had taken enough water for the climb only, and by the time we got back to the hut in the perfect August weather our mouths were dry and we were dreaming of Apfelsaftschorle.

Anthony Woodrow climbing onto the summit of the Fleischbank