BURSTIn the heart of the Central Alps, Italian alpinist Simon Gietl took advantage of a window of low temps to redpoint Lumina, the demanding M8 he opened solo last spring. This time he teamed up with world champion ice climber Ines Papert of Germany, whose presence matched the seriousness of the line. For Gietl, it was a chance to revisit a vision born in solitude and finally climb it clean. The 280-metre alpine line slices up the centre of the east pillar of Wildgall, found on the border between Austria and Italy. Gietl has long described the peak as one of the wildest and most forbidding summits in the Rieserferner group.
To him, Wildgall is a “small, fine mixed climbing area,” a place that offers alpinists ground to push their limits. On Nov. 10, he and Papert successfully redpointed Lumina, confirming its difficulty. Gietl’s account of the climb evokes rock that is mostly solid but occasionally treacherous, loose sections, crack systems, and the odd chossy blocks to keep climbers honest. He left three pitons and one pecker in place, and recommended future parties to bring two sets of cams. Above all, he says that Lumina demands extensive alpine experience and a good sense for conditions. With the risk of rockfall ever-present, the route is best attempted only in clear and cold weather.
There are several routes on the same wall of Wildgall, including routes by Leo Baumgartner and Franzi Rienzer (IV+ 400m 18/12/1977); Johannes Bachmann and Manuel Tinkhauser (M4+ V+ 350m 08/04/2014); Simon Gietl (M7 A0 300m 12/04/2025); Konrad Renzler and Oliver Renzler (V+ 300m 12/07/1985); Andreas Messner (V 300m 20/07/1993) and Rudolf Leitgeb and Othmar Zingerle (VI- 300m 27/07/1985).
Papert was recently in Canada and made the first free ascent of On the Wings of Maybe, a 400-metre 5.13 on the Rimwall near Canmore with Jon Walsh. She’ll be back in Canada this week to attend an event at the Arc’teryx store in Banff.
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