Simon Gietl, Vittorio Messini add new climb to Mittlere Kasten in Austria

Mittlere Kasten is a remote mountain located at the end of the Kalser Dorfertal valley. It constitutes the start of the famous Kastengrat, one of the longest ridge scrambles above 3000m in Austria that leads all the way to Großglockner. Mittlere Kasten is located above 3000m and its south face is cut clean by a smooth gneiss slab that varies in height between 120 - 250 meters. It resembles the Bugaboos far more than other rock faces in the Hoher Tauern massif.

About a decede ago the Kals mountain guides Michael Amraser and Christoph Bacher were the first to start establishing a climb here, but due to the difficulties and long approach, Kurzer Prozess in dritter Instanz was only completed in 2016. A year earlier Isidor Poppeller and Vittorio Messini had established a beautiful crack climb, but this didn’t reach the summit as the crack ran out.

In autumn 2018 Simon Gietl and Vittorio Messini chose to climb a direct line up the central pillar and after a day’s work they established a natural line, protected by pegs and trad gear, that led to the ridge. In June 2018 they returned and completed the first free ascent over two days, climbing past a series of cracks, slabs and overhanging corners. Called Alles im Kasten, according to the first ascentionists the 5-pitch outing "really is something special, for those who love granite climbing this route is highly recommended!"

Link: FB Simon Gietl, FB Vittorio Messini, www.simongietl.it, Grivel, Salewa