New 5.13 Crack Climb in Italy is Skinwalker by Florian Riegler
The thin crack is now one of the most difficult trad lines in the area
All-round Italian climber Florian Riegler has made the first ascent of Skinwalker, a technical 5.13 gear line near Bolzano. It’s now one of the most difficult trad climbs in the area.
Skinwalker is a 25-metre skin-eating crack that Riegler describes as a new local kingline that is only a few minutes from his back door.
Riegler began climbing at the age of 13. In 2007, Riegler won the Italian ice climbing championships and sent Caudio Cafè 5.14+ in Arco. In 2010, he madea noteworthy first winter ascent of the 1,000-metre Checkmate M10+ in the Königspitze with Martin Riegler.
In 2012, he appeared as an actor in a Reinhold Messner film, and organised an expedition to Pakistan with his brother, where they succeeded in the first ascent of the 4,950-metre-high Kako Peak. In 2013, he made the first ascent of the modern classic Coyote, a 100-metre 5.12a on the Pfattner Wände, Italy. He then doubled Josh Brolin in the Hollywood movie Everest.
Skinwalker is already being attempted by other local climbers.
