From Gripped Magazine · Aaron Pardy · · 2m
Zangerl and Larcher Redpoint WoGü 5.14b in Back-to-Back Ascents
Two climbers tackle the legendary WoGü route in the Alps, sending it in consecutive days after years of preparation.
In brief
Two climbers tackle the legendary WoGü route in the Alps, sending it in consecutive days after years of preparation. Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher both redpointed WoGü 5.14b in the Rätikon mountains, marking its first female ascent and a historic back-to-back free climb. Originally reported by Gripped Magazine.
First Free Ascent of WoGü
Beat Kammerlander first climbed WoGü in 1997, a route that remained unclimbed by free climbers for 22 years.
“Beat Kammerlander made the first ascent way back in 1997, a feat that was way ahead of its time.”
Ondra's Early Free Ascent
Adam Ondra first freed WoGü at age 15 in 2011, describing it as seven pitches with varying difficulties.
“On his 8a.nu page, Ondra described WoGü in seven pitches as follows: P1 5.14b, P2 5.13a, P3 5.14a/b, P4 5.13d, P5 5.14a, P6 5.13c, P7 5.13a.”
WoGü's Technical Challenge
The route features nine pitches with extreme technical sections, including a 12-meter vertical pitch with tiny holds.
“The pitch that required the most time and energy from us was probably the very short 5.14a. It’s a 12-meter vertical, at times even less than vertical, pitch, with extremely small holds and footholds.”
Back-to-Back Ascents
Zangerl and Larcher each redpointed WoGü on consecutive days, with Zangerl completing it first as the first female ascent.
“Zangerl’s was the first female ascent.”
The Badewanne Pitch
The Badewanne section is a notoriously difficult pitch with sharp holds that requires precise movement and minimal mistakes.
“The Badewanne was also a tough one. Chapeau, Beat, for opening it in such a cool style!”
Weather Challenges
Rain and wet conditions forced them to wait until the wall dried before attempting the final redpoint attempts.
“Unfortunately, it’s never a good sign when you wake up in the middle of the night because of the rain… and in the morning, the wall was obviously completely soaked.”
First Redpoint Attempt
Larcher successfully redpointed WoGü after overcoming a critical section that required multiple attempts.
“I lost my balance at the crux. For a second, I swung back onto the wall and thought I might still have it, but just a few seconds later I was hanging on the rope.”
Zangerl's Redpoint Success
Zangerl completed WoGü with confidence, overcoming the challenging Badewanne section on her first attempt.
“She had to fight a bit more as she messed up her sequence and had to improvise, but it also went down first try!”
Historic Achievement
Their back-to-back redpoints of WoGü mark a significant milestone in alpine climbing history.
“Standing together on top of the route for the second day in a row, after we had both succeeded, felt kind of unreal.”
Route Details
WoGü is a 270-meter route with nine pitches, located in the Rätikon mountain range of Switzerland.
“WoGü, a 270-meter route consisting of nine pitches, is located in the Rätikon mountain range of Switzerland.”
Climbing Strategy
They used a back-and-forth approach, with each climber leading every pitch on separate days to ensure safety and progress.
“We wanted to both climb every pitch on lead, meaning that one person would climb while the other belayed, and then we would switch roles the next day.”
Historical Significance
WoGü has been a benchmark for technical multi-pitch climbing since its first ascent in 1997.
“Beat Kammerlander made the first ascent way back in 1997, a feat that was way ahead of its time.”
The Rätikon Range
The Rätikon mountain range in Switzerland is known for its challenging climbing routes and steep terrain.
“The Rätikon mountain range of Switzerland”
Climber Insights
Zangerl and Larcher emphasized the importance of patience and understanding the route's technical demands before attempting a redpoint.
“We slowly got to know the pitches over the following weeks, spending many evenings on the wall and often climbing until dark.”
The one thing
Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher both redpointed WoGü 5.14b in the Rätikon mountains, marking its first female ascent and a historic back-to-back free climb.
