BURSTAdam Ondra was recently climbing in the Dolomites, where he sampled some of the most classic routes in the range, including The Fish. The fish rose to popularity in 2007, after the late Hansjörg Auer free soloed it in just under three hours. Auer’s ascent was the first-ever free solo of a big wall graded 5.12c. The Fish climbs 37 pitches up the south face of Marmaloda.
The Fish (Via Attraverso il Pesce) was first climbed by Jindrich Sustr and Igor Koller over three days in 1981. The second ascent was two years later by Luisa Iovane, Heinz Mariacher, Bruno Pederiva, Maurizio and Zanolla Manolo; and the first free ascent was by Mariacher and Pederiva in 1987.
Ondra has released a video about his visit to the Dolomites, which includes epic cinematic shots, history (including with The Fish first ascentionist, Koller), and lots of great climbing. Ondra doesn’t climb The Fish to the top, as he and his partner ran out of time, but they complete the cruxes and begin to rappel at a big ledge near the top. The Fish footage starts just before the 10-minute mark.
A week after his bold free solo, Auer returned with his brother Matthias and friend and photographer Heiko Wilhelm to take the photos that have since become famous. And despite being so early in the year, when few other climbers are around, Auer’s solo was witnessed by a German couple on the nearby climb Don Quixote.
Ondra in the Dolomites
Auer on The Fish
The post Adam Ondra Ropes Up on The Fish, the 37-Pitch 5.12 that Hansjörg Auer Free Soloed appeared first on Gripped Magazine.