Dani Furrer and Ruedi Bunschi have undertaken a complex task of restoring one of the longest granite ridges, the Salbit West Ridge. You can find out what the challenges of this Herculean task were in the following report.
A contribution by Sarina Amherd
The west ridge on the Salbitschijen in the canton of Uri is famous far beyond the borders of Switzerland. Climbers from all over the world travel to the picturesque Göscheneralp to climb one of the most beautiful and longest granite ridges. The impressive rocks of the west ridge tell of well-known adventures but also of stories that have so far remained hidden.
Dani Furrer and Ruedi Bunschi, two passionate climbers and long-time friends from the canton of Uri, have not only written climbing history on the Salbitschijen, but have also contributed to the preservation and restoration of many climbing routes through their dedicated work. But who are the two men who took on the challenge of restoring one of the longest and most famous ridges.
Dani Furrer, 57 years old, grew up in Erstfeld in the canton of Uri, and has climbed the west ridge of the Salbitschijen 20 times. He made his first ascent when he was 16 years old. According to research, he and his companions made the first winter ascent of this route in one day on December 22, 1985.
Ruedi Bunschi, 49 years old and from Bürglen in the canton of Uri, also made a remarkable mark on the west ridge. His first ascent was on September 18, 2020. He managed to climb the route onsight and, except for the hook ladder, in free solo style in 3 hours.
Dani and Ruedi have not only made a name for themselves as excellent climbers, but also through their work on numerous climbing routes, whether in climbing gardens or on multi-pitch routes. Together they have renovated and set up many routes, and the passion for setting up and renovating new routes is just as strong for both of them as the joy of climbing itself.
The vision of restoring old and partly forgotten classic routes and bringing them back to life developed over the years. The idea took concrete shape when her close friend Richi Walker took over the Salbit Hut in 2018. From then on, the intensive series of restorations started with the route "Jimmy" on the twin tower of the Salbitschijen.
Since then, Dani Furrer and Ruedi Bunschi have rehabilitated a total of eight routes on the Salbitschijen, including the west ridge, which was by far the most demanding and hardest of all. To rehabilitate the west ridge, the two of them carried backpacks with up to 25 kg of material, including drills, angle grinders, bolts and belay stations. Hauling the backpacks was not possible in all places due to the course of the ridge. Dani and Ruedi needed a total of four days to completely rehabilitate the west ridge.
However, preparations for a climbing rehabilitation start many days or weeks in advance. Depending on the route and style, each rehabilitation presents an individual challenge as the requirements can vary considerably. If possible, permission and information should be sought from the first ascents to preserve the historical integrity of the route.
Gathering all the necessary material is a major challenge. Countless topos have to be studied, bolts and belay stations counted to ensure that exactly the right amount of equipment is taken along. Another question immediately arises: how does all the material get to the mountain? Some of the material was transported using a helicopter from the company "Swiss Helicopter". However, Dani and Ruedi also carry a lot of it up themselves.
Proper renovation is a delicate issue.
Ruedi Bunschi
The route character and its routing should be preserved as close to the original as possible, but this is rarely completely possible. Many routes have been upgraded and modified over the years, which means that both old and new material can be found in the wall or on the ridge. Today, drilling machines and bolts are used, whereas previously hammers and pitons were used.
Ultimately, fewer bolts are placed, but in the right place. Dani and Ruedi's extensive experience also plays a decisive role here. Care is taken to defuse critical points while still preserving the alpine character of the route. The difficulty of the individual rope lengths should remain as unchanged as possible, or should continue to be free-climbed.
Despite their passion for renovating climbing routes, this commitment is not financially rewarding for the two. They cover most of the costs out of their own pockets - an amount that would easily be enough to buy a small car. Dani and Ruedi received support from the "Rebolting" association for the renovation of the west ridge on the Salbitschijen. Richi Walker, the Salbithütte's hut warden, also provides them with food and lodging at all times. Nevertheless, more support and, above all, appreciation for their work would be desirable, especially from the hut sections.
Ultimately, you also have to be a bit of an idealist.
Ruedi Bunschi
They may not win much laurels for their work, but it is of inestimable value to the climbing community. Without the renovation and maintenance of the routes, many classics would no longer be climbed and would ultimately be forgotten. Dani Furrer and Ruedi Bunschi have made it their mission to prevent this. Despite frequent declarations that the last route renovation was really the last, the two are always drawn to the big walls to replace old material with new, shiny bolts.
Their work ensures that these valuable routes remain accessible and safe for future generations of climbers. They work tirelessly to preserve the Alpine heritage and thus make a significant contribution to the vitality of the climbing tradition. For this they deserve not only the highest recognition but also a heartfelt thank you from the entire climbing community.
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Credits: Artwork zVg
Many thanks to Ruedi and Dani.
Is there a topo where you can see where and what has been renovated, or where the security has changed?
A big thank you to the two restorers for their selfless and selfless work, which is also the case in other Uri climbing areas
always act in an exemplary manner.
Regards
Beat Nideröst Schwyz
The article in the magazine about the renovation of the Salbit West Ridge paints a very positive picture of the work that Dani Furrer and Ruedi Bunschi did to renovate the route. It emphasises the importance of their work for the climbing community and the preservation of classic routes. However, I have to strongly disagree with this portrayal on a few points.
First of all, the article presents the renovation as a contribution to "preserving the Alpine heritage". I find this statement problematic. The installation of numerous bolts along the west ridge, which was known for its alpine challenge, has fundamentally changed the character of the route. What used to be a classic Alpine tour, for which experience in the use of mobile safety equipment was essential, has now become almost purely a pleasure tour. If I, as an average over-50 mountaineer, can climb the entire route without additional mobile safety equipment, the Alpine character that makes such tours so attractive for many has simply been destroyed. So there can be no talk of "preserving the Alpine heritage" when a horizontal bolt ladder now eliminates the original challenge.
Another argument in the article, namely that classics would be forgotten without such renovations, is also wrong in my opinion. A look at other regions such as the Dolomites or the Dauphiné shows the opposite. There, alpine routes are left without bolts, and yet these classics are very popular - especially among climbers who appreciate the traditional style and the challenges associated with it.
Since there are already two other well-secured ridges on the Salbitschijen, it would have made sense to keep the west ridge as a more challenging alpine route.
It is understandable that Furrer and Bunschi have put a lot of work and commitment into the renovation, and they deserve respect for that. But in my opinion the line between necessary safety and preserving the alpine character has been clearly crossed here. Ultimately, such massive interventions lead to a standardization of the climbing experience, which dilutes the appeal and diversity of mountaineering.
For me, the renovation of the Salbit West Ridge is not a reason for joy, but rather a further step towards the commercialization and standardization of mountain sports – at the expense of alpine tradition.
I climbed this route a few years ago - it was a beautiful alpine experience. Not possible without cams (except free solo).
This year, some friends climbed the west ridge and didn't need a single camera. I doubt whether it makes sense to make such climbing routes "doable" for everyone.
Therefore, we can never speak of a successful renovation. There are some areas in Switzerland that really need to be renovated.