Bike and Climb - the Tyrolean crack trilogy by fair means

Pumprisse, Tschechenplatte and Locker vom Hocker. The three classics par excellence in terms of crack climbing in Tyrolean limestone. Each one has its own personal story to tell and together they form a kind of trilogy of alpine limestone crack climbing testpieces. The desire to climb all or at least one of them once is on so many climbers' to-do lists.

Our goal: to climb all three routes in three consecutive days by fair means onsight. So 3 days, 3 trad classics between which some kilometers from the Wetterstein to the Wilder Kaiser will be covered by bike and train.

We are both elected Innsbrucker, aspiring mountain guides and always looking for new adventures and challenges. The idea of the TRILOGY has been floating in our heads for several years. For the realization of such a project, a few factors simply have to work together. On the one hand you need the necessary fitness, physically as well as mentally, to be able to cope with the climbing tours and at the same time with the strain. On the other hand, the conditions must fit perfectly to be able to climb the tours freely at all. Since there are walls of different exposures, the time window for good conditions on all walls is rather small.

In September 2020 everything seems to fit and we start by train to Seefeld to start the adventure. On day 1, the tour "Locker vom Hocker (8)" is on the program. First climbed in 1981 by Wolfgang Güllich and Kurt Albert, the tour is one of the first alpine tours in the 8th degree. Spectacularly, the route moves through the steepest part of the Plattenpanzer and leaves every climber in awe. But it's not as easy as the name might suggest. The first length is a fine 45m long crack, which is almost clean and not easy to belay. Mental strength is also required for the key pitch, which has a flat spot. It's going. We can climb the route in team onsight and rappel down to the base of the wall. First hurdle: check!

Full of motivation and zest for action, we continue via Scharnitz and Isarursprung to the Hallerangerhaus. Fully packed with heavy bikes we arrive shortly before sunset. A long day comes to an end and an even longer one should follow. Next stop: Tschechenplatte (8-). A masterpiece of nature. A limestone crack that has no equal. First climbed in 1979 by the Czech trio Novak, Krupka, Doubal, it was first redpoint climbed by local Heinz Zak in 1984.

The route is located not far from the hut, which makes the morning climb immensely easier. Unfortunately, after the heavy rain of the last weeks, the cracks are still partly wet and the wall damp. The 2nd length immediately represents the key length and I'm soon hanging with cold pump 5m below the last belay. Abseil - pull the rope through and once again. This time it works, although the climb is certainly not easier in wet conditions. The 1st crack length does not look promising either. The first 10m with wet, mossy support. After two attempts we can score the length and the way up is clear. Faster it goes with tips from Heinz Zak, who is also in the wall. Completely exhausted we get off and can book the 2nd red point.

Exhausted we climb further to the Lafatscherjoch to reach Absam via the Halltall. Since it was already late afternoon, we decided to continue by train to Kufstein. The breather was bitterly needed.

From Kufstein, we head across the Kaisertal valley to the Stripsenjochhaus. The climb is a martyrdom and more bad than good we arrive at our base around 21.00. Many words are no longer lost.

As if overrun by a train, we are back on the mat at 7:00. After an extensive breakfast, the last hurdle is on the program: the "Pumprisse (7)". The first route that was rated with the 7th degree. First climbed by Helmut Kiene and Reinhard Karl in 1977, the route developed into a test piece in free climbing.

This tour has already taught some people the fear. And we want to climb this route in semi-zombie mode? The first approach lengths are very tedious, because they are also damp and we are only half present. We overcome the access traverse technically to finally check in at the dog station. An uncomfortable, slightly awestruck nervousness surrounds us. Below us 100m overhang and above us an overhanging body crack. Each of us does the honors. After two Friend tests, we are both back to our best. In the 2nd attempt I succeed in the length and the way up is open. Length for length we climb from now on in team onsight and also manage the last of the three routes redpoint. Overjoyed we get out at the top with the knowledge that we have done something extraordinary and given everything.