New 200-metre M9 WI6 in Switzerland
The difficult climb was first tried a few years ago, but conditions didn't line up until this month
Switzerland is known for its big winter lines, of which a new 200-metre M9 WI6 has been added to called La Bella e la Bestia.
Marcel Schenk and Tom Bärfuss recently completed the first ascent of the demanding new line on the Piz Balzet in Valle Albigna. Schenk first tried it in 2019 with David Hefti. The route starts with bolt-protected climbing and leads to steep mixed ice and rock that’s protected by screws and trad gear. They climbed ground-up using only natural rock features.
Schenk is not new to establishing big climbs, in 2019 he and Hefti made the first ascent of the 260-metre Sotsura 5.13a. Read about the first ascent here.
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