After the huge success of the Ski Transalp expedition in 2009. Mountain Equipment pro partner and professional photographer Bernd Ritschel and his team set out on their next adventure "The Perfect Line"
Bernd tells us more
" Four of us intend to cross the Dolomites at their widest point, from north to south, in the region of the Dolomites high altitude trail no. 1. Roughly: between Vintl and Feltre.
Our motto is the same as it was for our successful Skitransalp expedition – "Fun rather than speed".
This expedition is not about records and superlatives. It's all about sharing an authentic experience with good friends and reliving the experience with others through media coverage and in a series of lectures.
We are planning to climb the following routes: Furchetta North Face (alternatively Sas Rigais North Face), Langkofel North Face, Sella, Marmolada South Face Solda Route (alternatively West Ridge), Cimone della Pala North West ridge, Cima della Madonna The Veil's Edge, etc. .......
The expedition will cover: - approx. 140 km on footpaths and high altitude trails. - approx. 6,000 m climbing on II to VI grade routes. - approx. 5,000 m on Via Ferratas. - We expect the expedition to last 15 to 18 days."
The team will be sending us regular updates by phone on their 18 day epic in both English and German the first of which you can see below
1st day, 25.08.10
Our first day on the road. The weather is comparatively well, only some clouds and agreeable temperatures. Today we walked from Vintl (near the exit of the Pustertal) to the Maurer-Berghütte (mountain hut; 2130 m) above Würzjoch, that was about 25 kilometer und 1800 vertical meter on a really nice scenic way (where you get first impressions of the Dolomites). We sat on the terrace of the hut and have a look to the Peitlerkofel (2875 m) in the Naturpark Puez-Geisler.
The north face is still wet because of torrential rain last night. So we decided to do without the planned climb.
Tomorrow we will go from south via the ferrata to the Peitlerkofel. As the northern walls are all wet we have chosen the Libanov Pillar, named according to a well known French climber, on the southern side of the Geisler-Gruppe as climbing destination for the day after tomorrow.
Tag 1, 25.08.10
Wir sind den ersten Tag unterwegs. Das Wetter ist relativ gut, nur ein paar Wolken und angenehme Temperaturen. Wir sind heute von Vintl (756 m; nahe dem Ausgang des Pustertals) zur Maurer-Berghütte (2130 m) oberhalb vom Würzjoch gelaufen, das sind 25 Kilometer und 1800 Höhenmeter auf einem wunderschönen Höhenweg (wo man erste Eindrücke der Dolomiten erhält). Wir sitzen gerade auf der Hüttenterrasse und schauen rüber auf den Peitlerkofel (2875 m) im Naturpark Puez-Geisler.
Die Nordwand ist noch nass von dem Starkregen letzte Nacht. Wir haben uns deshalb entschlossen, auf die geplante Klettertour zu verzichten. Morgen gehen wir von Süden über den Klettersteig auf den Peitlerkofel. Und da die Nordwände nass sind, haben wir uns für übermorgen den Libanov-Pfeiler, benannt nach einem berühmten französischen Kletterer, auf der Südseite der Geislergruppe als nächstes Kletterziel ausgesucht.
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