The name of the SextenDoloExtrem project by Simon Gietl and Dani Arnold says it all: Together, the two top alpinists climbed the north faces of Einserkofel, Zwölfer and Grosser Zinne in under 24 hours. The duo covered a distance of almost 30 kilometers, 4700 meters of ascent and descent, and 75 rope lengths up to difficulty level 7.
Simon Gietl and also Dani Arnold are known for their great solo efforts and insane link-ups. The two top alpinists recently joined forces for a joint project. The goal: to climb three North faces is Sesto Dolomites (Einserkofel, Zwölfer and Grosse Zinne) and to cover the distances between the individual entrances on foot.
It is a brilliant alpine project right on my doorstep in the Sexten Dolomites, which my mountain guide colleague Toni Obojes made me interested in.
Simon Gietl
Video: Simon Gietl and Dani Arnold climb 3 Dolomites north faces in under 24 hours
Target time significantly undercut
At 4 a.m., Dani Arnold and Simon Gietl began their ambitious mission directly at the entrance to the north face of the Einserkofel. The two needed 800 hours and 3 minutes to complete the 38-meter-long route through the youth path.
After descending via the normal route and walking to the start of the north face on the Zwölfer, the two alpinists completed the ascent via the 700-metre-high Schranzhofer route in a record-breaking 2 hours and 58 minutes.
Returning via the normal route and walking to the start of the Great Zinne, Gietl and Arnold reached the summit of the Great Zinne after 2 hours and 54 minutes via the 550-meter-high Comici route, thus reaching the intended goal of the campaign. It is only 19 p.m. This means that Gietl and Arnold have clearly beaten the time they had planned for the project.
For me, this project was absolutely cool because it was the first time I climbed with Simon and I love discovering new routes, mountains and regions
Dani Arnold
So the tour continued on the spur of the moment, along the normal route to the foot of the Great Cima Grande, over the Paternsattel to the Drei Zinnen hut and to the end of the valley in Sexten, where – after another 10,5 kilometres and 2 hours and 56 minutes – friends were already waiting for the two extreme athletes with a warm welcome.
In total, the route was almost 30 kilometers long, with around 4.700 meters of ascent and descent, and 75 rope lengths up to difficulty level 7.
Gietl and Arnold in the mountaineering mile
People who have achieved great things are immortalized in special places. This is now common practice all over the world. In Sexten, there has been a mountaineering mile since July 2024 to mark the anniversary of the first ascent of the Zwölfer.
All of the personalities have one thing in common: they were and are pioneers in the Sexten Dolomites, and have written their names on previously untouched rock faces by creating new routes. The Sexten Tourist Association has painted a red line - a climbing rope - on the asphalt around the Haus der Berge and along the sidewalk to the Zeitstein.
The first conquerors such as Paul Grohmann and Franz Innerkofler, the Dolomite King Michl Innerkofler, the Saxon Reiner Kauschke and the Sexten native Hannes Pfeifhofer are currently part of the rope team. Also represented are the three first climbers of the north faces climbed in the project, Hans Steger + Paula Wiesinger, the brothers Schranzhofer and Emilio Comici and now, since their SextenDoloExtrem campaign, also Simon Gietl and Dani Arnold.
That might interest you
- Simon Gietl manages the first integral Rosengarten solo crossing
- Dani Arnold sets solo speed record on the Salbit
- Dani Arnold on his speed record at the big battlements
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Credits: Cover picture Daniel hug, Text Salewa