14 Jul Dornauer climbs Qui, 9a+!

Alfons Dornauer climbs Qui, 9a+.

Among the many crags that animate vertical games in the heart of Europe, Geisterschmiedwand is one of the real hidden gems in Austria. Rich in hard, historical and iconic pitches, the crag is not really within everyone’s reach. Contrary to the name of the cliff, made up of infinite consonants, the name of one of its most feared lines is simple and concise: Qui, 9a+.

After the first ascent of 1996 by Stefan Fürst, the routes has not seen many climbs. His final 8A boulder problem has been challenging generations of climbers for decades, including Adam Ondra. Climbing such a hard boulder, after a route around 8c, on the other hand, is not something for every day. Hemetzberger himself, author of one of the three climbs, fell more than forty times on that crux …

In 2022 Alfons Dornauer, a well-known Austrian climber capable of excellent performances in the world cup, dedicated himself to the route, taking home the fourth absolute ascent, after the aforementioned top climbers. He defines Qui as one of the hardest routes he has ever climbed, especially after breaking a small but crucial hold on the final boulder problem. However, he managed to keep his motivation high and conquered the chain, signing one of the climbs that make him most proud.

From Alfons Dornauer

Alessandro Palma