Airport, possible new ice climb in Langental, Dolomites, by Daniel Ladurner, Hannes Lemayr

Last Saturday Hannes Lemayr and I took our E-bikes and cycled up into Langental, where I immediately noticed a line of ice next to the classic Jumbo Jet. Hannes was fascinated by the idea of trying what was probably a new idefall, so we approached the wall with only 12 ice screws and without any trad pro, since we hadn’t planned on climbing a mixed route.

We followed the first pitch of Jumbo Jet (WI4 30m), while on pitch two we continued straight up, then right towards four having drips. This proved to be the crux (WI5+ 35m). Pitch three provided magnificent ice climbing up to a ledge (WI5 35m ). From the ledge we continued past easy climbing for another 30 meters. With a rack of nuts and friends this would have been easy to protect, but we did not have them and to establish the belay I hammered in my ice axes. Here too, had we had some Friends, the belay would have been easy to set up (30m M4). The last pitch initially followed a thin vein of ice, difficult to protect, but then the ice became thicker and after 15 meters I managed to place the first reliable ice screw (WI5 30m ). When we reached the end of the ice, we abseiled off using Abalakovs.

After our ascent I did some research and also talked to local mountain guides who had never seen the ice form there before. We have called the route Airport.

by Daniel Ladurner

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