Keyword: Multi-pitch length

With their free ascent of "Déjà" on the south face of the Kirchlispitzen, the Austrian woman and the Italian man have completed their hardest project to date in the Rätikon. It is the first time the line has ever been repeated – and probably the first time a woman has climbed a multi-pitch route graded 8c+.

33 rope lengths, 900 meters, 13 days on the wall: Fay Manners and Roger Schäli have established a new route through the Eiger North Face with "Solar Eclipse." The name comes from a moment the two experienced from their portaledge – the solar eclipse of August 12, 2026.

On August 13th, French climber Soline Kentzel achieved the first female free ascent of "La Darbellay" on the Petit Clocher du Portalet (2985 m). She climbed the historic trad multi-pitch route, with crux sections in the 8a and 7c+ range, in a single day.

Polish climber Aleksandra "Ola" Taistra free-soloed the 200-meter multi-pitch route "Alfredo Alfredo" on Monte Oddeu in Sardinia on May 3rd. In terms of difficulty, the ascent ranks among the hardest known free solo climbs by a woman. However, the climber doesn't place much importance on rankings.

Six years after her first – and supposedly last – visit, Katherine Choong successfully completed the redpoint ascent of "Yeah Man" (8b+) on the north face of the Grand Pfad on July 27th. The Swiss climber completed the nine pitches in one day, leading all of them in the eighth grade.

Seven pieces from The North Face Summit Series, a week in the Mont Blanc massif: How does the series perform in alpine conditions? Our editor Gwen tested the collection on high-altitude tours and multi-pitch climbs and discovered that the best compliment for mountain clothing is a rather unspectacular one.

Nemuel Feurle from Vorarlberg succeeded in climbing two of the most challenging and well-known multi-pitch routes in the Rätikon – within just three weeks.

Simon Gietl from South Tyrol regularly establishes new routes in the Alps. His latest first ascent: »Born Ready« (9, 115 m) on the Hintere Geierwand.