Mixed climbing

Mixed climbing designated climbing combined of rock and ice climbing routes. In general, the movement with the aid of crampons and ice ax or ice tools is performed. This form of climbing has evolved considerably in recent years after a similar commission free climbing style has established. History and techniques of mixed- climbing are closely linked to the ice climbing.

• 2.1 ice ax
• 2.2 crampons
• 2.3 boots
• 2.4 Rope and Belay Devices
• 2.5 helmet and clothing

History

Climbing in mixed terrain is as old as the climbing itself, because mountains always have a certain height due to low temperatures some ice fraction on. Accordingly, the Alps are the first venue of the mixed climbing. A long history has the mixed climbing in the UK, especially at Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland. Here at the end of the nineteenth century were the first mixed- climbing tours.

The history of modern ice climbing begins in the late seventies and the modern mixed climbing in the nineties of the twentieth century, where in addition to the Alps and Scotland and Canada plays an important role. The major protagonists are Jeff Lowe, Will Gadd and Robert Jasper.

Classical phase

As the first climbing route in mixed terrain climbing the Ortler on the right side of the south-western flank by Pichler, Klausner and Leitner applies in the year 1804. The difficulties of this route have been outbid by Hans Bumiller only in 1887, of the eponymous pillar at the Piz Palu ascended. The next increase followed then 1938 at the Eiger north face by Anderl Heckmair, Ludwig Vörg, Fritz Kasparek and Heinrich Harrer. Here the climbing already required partial vertical walls of ice, icy vertical cracks and chimneys.

The first ice route on Ben Nevis was committed in 1894 by Colie Norman on the west side at the Tower Ridge. 60 years later, there was Tom Patey active, he committed Eagle Ridge and much more.

Modern phase

As the first true mixed- route of the modern era is considered Octopussy (M8 ) in Vail (Colorado, USA), first climbed by Jeff Lowe in 1994. Connects several frozen waterfalls by strong overhanging rock passages.

In Europe, the beginnings of the modern era Xaver Bongard imprinted with " Rubezahl " (1988) and the now advanced to a classic "Crack Baby" (1993) and Robert Jasper with the " journey into the realm of the Ice Dwarf " (1996), which still pure ice routes are. Robert Jasper was inspired by a trip to America, where he was able to repeat the hardest mixed routes, the first European mixed climbing. He began with " Traite de Lune " ( Switzerland ), which was the assessment M8 that is equal to the hardest route in the world. Robert Jasper represented a pure, bohrhakenlosen style for alpine climbing, so that " Traite de Lune " was completely covered with pitons. This may also have been a reason that the first iteration in 2002 by Urs Odermatt succeeded, who confirmed the difficulty. 1998, followed by the Canadian Will Gadd the first M9, " amphibians ". Here was first applied in a mixed route, the so-called Ausbouldern, practicing the difficult passages over several days, a well-known from the sport climbing technology. In the same year followed by Stevie Haston "X- Files" a M9 / 10 - (now M9 ) in Italy and the famous " Flying Circus " at the Breitwangfluh (CH) by Robert Jasper, the first M10 in the world. Also it is backed only by normal hook.

The degree M11 was first achieved by Mauro " Bubu " Bole in Italy, but which gave a rating M " bubu ", since he did not, expected that someone could repeat the tour. By Will Gadd comes the first M12, " Musashi ", which again succeeds in Canada in 2002. Robert Jasper climbed the first European M12 ( "Batman" ) in Ueschenen (CH ), which contains little more ice but mostly has rocky passages. 2004 Will Gadd climbs the first M13 in the world ( "The Game" ). A year later, followed by the first M13 in Europe, this time by the Austrian Albert Leichtfried. He calls the tour in Dryland in Innsbruck "Game Over". In 2006 he opened then Illuminati in Langetal (AUT ) that the hardest multi-pitch tour was with M11 / WI6. In the same year climbed Markus Bendler "Law and Order " (M13 ) to the thief courtyards. It was repeated in 2007 by Ines Papert, thereby the first woman committing an M13 was. She also recorded the currently most difficult multi-pitch route " Into the Wild " (M12 ), which they opened in Canada in 2008.

Equipment

Ice ax

Modern ice tools are specialized for use in hard mixed and ice routes. The hoe is so made that the lowest possible explosive effect produced by the impact of the ice. The handle is not, as in the ice-ax, perpendicular to the pick, but because of the stem curvature almost parallel to prevent fatigue during prolonged hanging on the devices. The ice tools offer several hand positions that are necessary for a change of grip. The main handle for mostly used lower handle position is offset to the rear. This prevents a change of the lever for change of grip.

Hand loops are no longer required for most devices. However, there is the possibility to attach the device with a lanyard to the harness to a device loss, especially with longer multi-pitch routes, prevent. In the usual ice axes blades or hammers is usually omitted in order to reduce the risk of injury. Often two different sculpting offered for ice tools. A thinner that penetrates better into the ice and a thicker, more stable for the rock -heavy mixed and Drytoolingbereich.

Crampon

To use mainly come crampons with vertical, forged front points. They penetrate more easily into the ice than the usual one for glacier tours horizontal front points. Common are both two front points per crampons and only one ( mono waves). Many crampons offer the option to convert the other way around from mono to Duozacker and. For the steep ice and mixed- field crampons are usually mounted on the lever arm on the mountain boots, because a strap binding provides less stability and also can restrict the blood flow to the feet. The controversial use of Fersenspornen (see section style).

Boot

As boots are mainly warm mountain boots with crampons are used, which have suspensions for Kipphelbelsteigeisen. Especially professional mixed climbers use to save weight light shoes, where the crampon is firmly attached.

Rope and Belay Devices

Depending on the application, single or double ropes are used, which are also used during rock climbing. An impregnation helps against soaking the rope with water. As hedging instruments to hedge the tour come depending on the nature of the tour, originating from the drilling and rock climbing pitons, terminal devices such as wedges or Friends and ice screws used. A properly set in good ice ice screw may have similar strength values ​​as a rock bolts.

Helmet and clothing

A climber helmet protects against falling ice pieces and before sliding on ice ax. Usually hardy clothing function is used, which provides as much freedom of movement. Due to the strong temperature changes between climbing and belaying a ( down - ) overcoat is often used.

Difficulty

The difficulty scale continues Wasserfalleisgrade (WI). It is composed of an "M " to designate that it is a Mixed. tour, and a subsequent number together. The scale ranges from M1 to M13, with no upper limit exists. The Scottish scale consists of a Roman numeral followed by an Arabic numeral, the Roman stands for the total score and the Arab for the most technical section. The scale ranges from I to IX or 4 to 9

Style

As with rock climbing in mixed- field of free climbing idea ( red point climbing ) increasingly finding its way, hence the climbing sport can only evolve if no artificial aids are used for locomotion. As more and artificial aids are used in the form of ice axes and crampons when mixed climbing, the idea is not so easy to do here. From the Canadian Will Gadd starting now hand loop loose climbing style has established itself. However, this offers higher demands on the stamina of the climber also a greater variety of climbing movements, so that the disadvantage of the higher expenditure of energy is more or less balanced. For competitions hand loops are now no longer allowed.

The use of crampons with an additional heel spurs, an additional spikes on the heel crampon, is controversial in the scene, as the relief of locking positions allows a less athletic and techniklastigeren climbing style and tours for the appropriate level of difficulty will be significantly lighter. So propagated about Will Gadd climbing the heel spur loose style ( " Spurs are for horses", German: " Spurs are for horses "). In order to compare the climbing performance of individual athletes, it is necessary to consider also the climbing style used. Albert Leichtfried distinguishes three styles based on Will Gadd:

• Bareback style: the purest style. Heel spurs are not used at all
• Comp Style: The style of today's current competition. Heel spurs are allowed, but not for rest (about hooking onto the ice axes )
• Full Trickery: all tricks with the heel spurs are allowed. This will be easier to a degree climbing tours in the rule.

In addition, Easy Fried mentions the old-school climbing style that was practiced until about five years ago. It includes the use eispickelähnlicher ice tools with handles and heavy mountain boots with crampons attached.