Back to the future in 333 moves

On 16 September 2007 the South Tyrolean brothers Martin and Florian Riegler managed to terminate what they believe is their "hardest alpine achievement to date": the redpoint ascent of 'Zurück in die Zukunft'. First ascended a month earlier on 18 August from the ground up without the use of bolts, the route takes a line up the North Face of Torre Putia, in the Puez-Odle group in the Italian Dolomites.

The 170m "Back to the future" has been graded X- and according to the duo is probably one of the hardest routes in the Dolomites to have been climbed in this bolt-free style. Florian and Martin had been on the lookout for a challenge such as this one for a while, which they now describe as follows "The boulder section at 20m height is without a doubt the physical crux of the entire 170m line. The difficulties ease off after this first pitch, but the climbing becomes psychologically more demanding."

"It’s fairly hard to find hard lines in the Dolomites which can be climbed without having to place bolts" the two explain. "The main problem is finding the rock which has enough cracks to allow pegs to be placed. Cracks or pockets which take pro usually come hand in hand with larger holds and easier climbing therefore. In this sense our route was a stroke of luck, because it enabled us to climb har but also to use traditional forms of protection."

For the record, the two climbers used just 20 pegs including those on the belays, and all were left in-situ. The first pitch is protected by 7 bolts, the second by 3 and the third by 1. The 4th and 5th pitch have no pegs at all, and all remaining pegs were used for the belays,.

As to the route name, the brothers explain "we believe that one can create "something new" " with, above all, the use of "old things." We’re referring to traditional forms of protection which can give breathe life into or even evolve alpine climbing. Only by creating limits can we achieve new aims."