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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 17, 2007 - 01:05pm PT
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Hey everyone. I'm off to Austria for a couple of weeks with the wife, 7 month-old baby and the mother-in-law.... We're doing a good tour of Innsbruck, Salzburg, Graz and Vienna and I'd like to get away for a day to do SOME sort of climbing. Not knowing anyone over there I'd like some suggestions on what you all think would be the best bang for my time. Any good bouldering you know of? Finding partners? Via ferrata looks strangely interesting but it is crazy to go alone? Thanks in advance for the help-
-Sling
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2007 - 09:54am PT
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Bump for some international help! Thanks to anyone who can give some good advice.
-sling
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jstan
climber
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Sep 18, 2007 - 10:32am PT
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I did a solo with one bivy on the ferrata of Tofano d'Ampezzo. There was one traverse on the cables over a several hundred foot drop but the cables looked quite secure. A very interesting and peaceful experience. The other ferrata in the area were just as good. Be prepared for weather and inspect the gear carefully as you go.
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artmusicsouth
climber
VA
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Sep 18, 2007 - 10:43am PT
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Sling,
I have spent some time near Innsbruck in the Stubai valley. There is a town called Fulpmes (20 mins from Innsbruck). There is a climbing shop there at the tourist information office. I'd give them a ring. Sadly I have not been able to go climbing when I have been there event hough there is a lot of rock just in the valley itself not to mention Innsbruck.
Come to think of it I think there are a couple of gyms in Innsbruck that could possible help you out, too.
Enjoy!
Gross Gott!
Mark
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2007 - 10:49am PT
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Thanks jstan. I've never done ferrata and just wasn't sure if it was crazy talk to go alone. I've been looking around at some ferrata sites for the area and there are tons of 'routes'! Maybe I'll have to seriously have to check out what gear I'll need since I'm sure it'll require some strange euro-gear, haha!
-sling
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jstan
climber
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Sep 18, 2007 - 11:23am PT
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Wouldn't know about specialized gear. I had
swami
2 longish runners
half a dozen biners
hiking boots
If you run into steeply descending legs it might be helpful to have a pair of heavy leather work gloves and 80' or more of 8mm rope. Worst comes to worst you can rappell down to the next post.
Kind of doubt there are specialized cable jumars out there. But what would I know. You will find cables that have been bent by rockfall. Specialized grabbers would have to deal with this.
We were staying at a local inn and they were upset that I did not tell anyone where I was going. I should have checked in as to local custom. A huge problem when people don't know where to look.
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 18, 2007 - 11:33am PT
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Looks like the have some ferrata gear that is basically two runners on a shock absorber. As long as I don't do anything too crazy I should be good making my own. I'll let you all know how it goes! We're off on the 28th of Sep coming back on the 15th of Oct. I think the crux of the trip will be 2 1/2 weeks with the mother-in-law though, haha.
-sling
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 18, 2007 - 11:36am PT
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Austria has some of the best climbing in Europe. There are major areas right outside of Vienna (scrambling, sport, bouldering) and Innsbruck is right at the foot of the Brenner Pass. There is bouldering right in town and major sport areas just off the road. I second the Stubaital recommendation (a fifteen minute drive or train ride to downtown I'bruck, much less expensive, and phenomenal food at the Groebenhof in Fulpmes-- I highly recommend the place. Stayed there for almost two weeks while working in I'bruck).
Go to www.bergsteigen.at This is the best climbing website for Austrian stuff (and one of the best anywhere). It has a huge archive of routes and areas, from bouldering to ice and alpine, complete with directions, photos and topos. If you can't read German, just grab a small dictionary and learn a few keywords: klettern=climbing, bouldern=bouldering, knoedel=dumpling, lagrein=quality austrian red wine. Oh, and obstler. That's a really useful word.
Gyms, kletterhalle, are also good. There's a great one in I'bruck (called Tivoli) that's easy to find, and there are a bunch in Vienna including right in the old town area near the major tourist attractions. So while the kids are at the museum, you can sneak off for a quick hour or two.
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Lost Arrow
Trad climber
The North Ridge of the San Fernando
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Sep 19, 2007 - 11:40am PT
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I was going to do this Via Ferrata just outside Innsbruck.
I got to the base with my wife and took a look at it and said no f*#king way. The first pitch was a vertical wall for 100 ft that had U shaped re-bar every three feet or so. It was only a few years old and I thought what the f*#k is wrong with Germans.
Jeff
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 19, 2007 - 11:52am PT
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What's wrong with the Germans is that they live in Germany, not Austria. Of course, if you ask the Germans what's wrong with the Austrians, they'll have plenty of suggestions.
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Lost Arrow
Trad climber
The North Ridge of the San Fernando
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Sep 19, 2007 - 12:01pm PT
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If they are not Germans whats the deal with all the Nazi flags I see hanging from windows in Innsbruck?
LA
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 19, 2007 - 12:20pm PT
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"If they are not Germans whats the deal with all the Nazi flags I see hanging from windows in Innsbruck?"
Maybe it was Heinrich Harrer's birthday.
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walkonyourhands
climber
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Sep 24, 2007 - 06:57am PT
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Hi Sling.
I am from Austria, so if you have any detailed questions feel free to pm me.
I know, the via ferrata stuff seems like a crazy idea and that's propably what it is, but it has it's tradition in the Alps and can give you a nice impression of the bigger walls without the full commitment of a free climb. Yes, you can do a via ferrata (or: "Klettersteig" in german) alone, but if you don't have expewrience with that, better look for one where you're not alone in the wall. As a well-trained climber, you shouldn't have much trouble in moderate difficulty ferratas, but in the last couple of years they put up a bunch of "Sport-Klettersteige", which mean difficulties up to "E" where you mainly hang in your hands on the cable with nothing to step on with your heavy boots. Better be aware of that.
Do use a "Klettersteig-Set" with a shock-absorber, as a static fall up to 5 or 6 meters caught by a steel pole will blow your 'biners, webbing and/or bones. You don't necessarily need a chest harness altough some will say so. A helmet is really important as there are people in the routes that have no idea of what they're doing (and there are always loose rocks in VF).
As already mentioned, go to www.bergsteigen.at and use the route database to find climbing routes as well as Klettersteige. In the forum (registration required) under the link "Partnerbörse", you can post a search for partners.
Gyms are everywhere in AUT, here's a pretty complete list: http://www.alpenverein.at/jugend/Standorte/Kletterhallen/index.shtml?navId=29
There's nice bouldering near Innsbruck, in the Zillertal (better to have a car). www.stonemonkeys.com for Topos. Watch out for closed crags, there are Problems from Time to time.
Near Graz, there's the Grazer Bergland, home of many sport and multipitch climbs: Topos (old, .pdf): http://users.mur.at/ms/grazer_bergland/
or
http://www.styria-alpin.at
Oh, and if the mother-in-law makes trouble: http://www.api.or.at/html/ratgeber/fr_willkommen.html
Europe's biggest drug and alcohol rehabilitation center right in Vienna.
Just tell them she's having too much Obstler.
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sling512
Trad climber
Chicago
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 24, 2007 - 10:16am PT
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Thanks walkonyourhands and everyone!! Lots of GREAT info. I still am not sure what I'll do, but I'll check out that site for a partner. As we are traveling for over 2 weeks with the baby I'm trying to cut down on how much crap I bring. I can't wait.. we're off Friday!
-sling
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