World's Hardest Dry Tooling Route?
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
2/22/12 – German climber Robert Jasper has made the first ascent of one of the hardest dry tooling routes in the world.Iron Man sits at his local climbing area Eptingen in Switzerland. The route is 40 meters long, and a link-up of existing routes on this steep wall.
Jasper had originally conceived the notion of creating a huge mixed link-up on the wall, but there was no ice due to warm weather. He suggests a grade of D/M14+—dry tool/mixed—depending on conditions.
“Part of dealing with climate change and more and more unpredictable weather conditions is about being more creative,” Jasper said. “[This] grade makes probably more sense than constantly flying around the world in search of ice. I look at dry tooling as the ideal winter-training, and it also makes a lot of fun.”
In 1997, Jasper established Trait de lune (M8+), the first of its grade in Europe. In 2003, also at Eptingen, he climbed Batman (M12) and Superman (M13+).
Below is a video of Jasper climbing Iron Man.
Source: Robert Jasper
Robert Jasper | 1st Ascent | Ironman from funst on Vimeo.
MORE NEWS
