Watch Babsi Zangerl Send the Splitter Greenspit 5.14a
It's one of the most famous trad pitches in Europe
Greenspit is a route of mythical status. Bolted and “defaced” as some traditionalists would say with green hangers (hence the route’s name), the route thwarted all suitors until the legendary swiss trad ace Didier Berthod chopped the bolts and made the first ascent placing natural pro.
For Babsi Zangerl, Greenspit was a challenge always waiting in the wings, until thanks to Covid, the fall of 2020 found her home in Europe and not on El Cap. Babsi spent last fall in Italy’s famed Valle dell’Orco where she racked up and committed to the steep roof crack. And after enduring the runouts, whips, and painful hand jams, Babsi became the first woman to succeed on Greenspit.
In 2009, Stevie Haston made the fourth ascent and told UK Climbing: “I’d say it’s like a 5.12 crack to a V8 move. A bit on the powerful side, but nothing really that tricky. In English if you like, bottom end E6 crack to a 6c sequence.” The second ascent was by Nico Favresse and the third by Tom Randall. All said it was a soft 5.14a or hard 5.13d.
Zangerl is no stranger to hard trad, she made the first female ascent of The Path 5.14R at Back of the Lake in the Canadian Rockies. In 2017, she made the second ascent of Gondo Crack 5.13d and in 2014 she climbed Prinzip Hoffnung 5.13d.
Zangerl on Greenspit 5.14a
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