On January 20, 2026, Tyrolean mountaineers Martin Sieberer and Lukas Waldner from Innsbruck achieved the first winter ascent of the "Schutzengelweg" route on the north face of the Sagwandspitze in Tyrol. This also marks the first known repeat ascent in 34 years. After two repeats in the early 1990s, the route remained unclimbed for over three decades.
A long-forgotten line
The Schutzengelweg (Guardian Angel Route) on the north face of the Sagwandspitze (3227 m) was first climbed in July 1982 by Andreas Orgler and Reinhard Schiestl. To this day, it is considered one of the most demanding alpine routes in the Valsertal valley. The route runs largely directly up the steep north face. Even at the time of the first ascent, it demanded a high level of commitment. Difficult protection options, some extremely exposed sections, as well as generally poor rock quality and some extremely brittle sections made the route a real challenge. In addition, rockfalls have significantly altered some sections over the years. Earlier descriptions are now only partially valid, and the route has retained its rugged, unpredictable character to this day.
Repeat after 34 years
Sieberer and Waldner started their ascent of the north face directly from the valley on January 20th and reached the summit of the Sagwandspitze around 7 p.m. The two climbers spent 17 hours on the face. The approximately 800-meter-long route was rated VI+ by the first ascensionists. However, under winter conditions, the difficulties were in the mixed climbing category, at M19+. According to the two alpinists, the climb included several challenging pitches, particularly in the rock and mixed sections, and required concentrated climbing in winter conditions.
Living room wall siding – The duo knows the wall so well
Just over a month earlier, Sieberer and Waldner, along with Benjamin Zörer, had been climbing the north face of the Sagwandspitze. At that time, they had climbed David Lama's "Sagzahn Verschneidung" (Sagzahn Dihedral), which had only been repeated once before. With the "Schutzengelweg" (Guardian Angel Route), Waldner recorded his tenth ascent of the Sagwandspitze north face within the past two years. Sieberer also knows the face very well: Last year, he achieved, among other things, the second winter ascent of the "Schiefer Riss" (Slanted Crack) on the wall.
Route data:
Area: Sagwandspitze North Face, Tyrol (Austria)
Route: »Guardian Angel Trail« (first ascent July 1982)
First ascentionists: Andreas Orgler, Reinhard Schiestl
Length: 800 m
Difficulty: VI+, M7+
Special feature: first winter ascent and first known repeat in 34 years
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Credits: All images by Lukas Waldner and Martin Sieberer