Langental Dolomites / Daniel Ladurner and Johannes Lemayr in tune with Saxofon

Johannes Lemayr and Daniel Ladurner have started their ice climbing in the Dolomites season in the best possible manner by climbing what is likely to be a new ice and mixed climb high up in Langental / Vallunga.

The route in question is called Saxofon and is a 40m single pitch of WI5 M7 located above the classic La Piovra icefall and their Teufelsgeige. Climbed on 5 December, it is described as follows by Ladurner "the climbing on the mixed section is short but athletic past good quality rock, but it takes a good dose of courage to climb the drip after the last peg until you manage to place a good ice screw. And of course, the La Piovra icefall which has to be climbed first cannot be underestimated by any means, especially in its current conditions at the start of the season with this cold snap."

The Langental valley is a side valley of the Grödnertal and for years now it has been offering a wealth of new climbs. It’s highly likely that more lies in store in the near future and that sooner or later a guidebook will be needed to cover just this valley. For now though, Ladurner warns that La Piovra is very slender and that in addition to their Saxofon, no other climbs in the valley have come into condition.


TOPO: Saxofon, Langental, Dolomites