Sunday, April 26, 2015

Valtsu in Austria

Valtsu came to visit us a while ago.  The weather was quite bad when he arrived but he didn't complain. After all, he was stuck at Vienna airport, as I forgot to pick him up. 

Luckily there was free Internet and a McDonalds at the airport to cheer him up while I tried to figure out how to get him to Mödling. We managed in the end, so here are some photos from the trip.


 After some mandatory weizenbier,  I managed to convince Valtsu that scrambling in the rain would be fun.


 On the top of Cimone, we slipped the rain with just a few minutes. 


  The top of Cimone is actually pretty exposed. This photo from last fall shows better how it is. 


 Next day at Adlitzgräben, it was still pretty cold.


 Valtsu on King size 7a


 This is a "must do"-route for everyone


 Me getting spanked on Out of work 8a


 "Maybe we should try something easier?"


 Me getting spanked on Street fighter 7c


 Valtsu on Street fighter


 I think I wore a down jacket twice this winter; the other time was while climbing ice at Altenberg.


 Next day at Hohe wand


 Valtsu looks a bit suspicious about the day's adventure


 The plan was to climb Kronjuwel 7+, a 10-pitch long route, but for some reason there was a no-no sign at the beginning.


 So, without a guidebook, we decided to climb Zukunftsweiser 7+ . This I had already climbed with Sampsa so I knew the route.


Anu on the sharp end after I convinced her that the rock would get more solid.


Anu at the long reach 
© Valtsu


 Valtsu enjoying the overhanging, juggy dihedral


 Anu at the crux


 I have to dyno the crux. Somehow, both Valtsu and Anu did it statically...


 Valtsu looks pretty suspicious still


 Anu at the last overhanging part of the route


 The weather got even worse in Mödling, so we headed to Hochkar.


 A good idea, but the wind got so strong that they closed the whole ski resort. (Five minutes after we had bought the tickets...) 


 No crowds at the top


 Valtsu riding some virgin slush


 Hochkar looks like a nice place. Too bad the lift is not on.


At least the bar was open


 Later they opened one lift...


 ...which they closed again after a while.


It wasn't the best weather I've seen in the mountains, but probably better than a rainy day in Mödling. Or a rainy day in Helsinki.