Ice - Trilogy -- Robert Jasper & Bernd Rathmayr (Hardwear Sessions)

A Waterfall of Ice in the Bernese Oberland

View More Photographs from Robert and Bernd's climb.

By Cynthia Houng

This January, ice conditions in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, were ideal. Robert Jasper, the German climber, quickly headed to the area.

Bernd Rathmayr, a Swiss climber, joined Robert. Since the ice conditions were good, Bernd proposed that the two climb B.A.S.E., a new route on the Buechenbachfall. Two Bernese locals, Ralph Joerg and Peter von Kaenel, opened this route over the course of two days, December 29-30, 2007, and Rathmayr was eager to give the impressive new route a try.

For the past few years, Jasper has dreamed of creating a trilogy of ice falls. Jasper says, "I wanted to climb very special routes after each other. For the choice of the routes I laid more importance on the aesthetic of the lines than on pure difficulties. The lines should be ice- and mixed routes of different times of the evolution in the history of this sport. I wanted to span a personal bow over the fast-developing ice and mixed climbing of the last 15 years."

According to Daniela Jasper, Robert's wife, "a trilogy [is] an enchainment of different routes or faces," and for alpinists, it represents a special kind of extreme play. For Robert, the trilogy should link together a set of exceptionally aesthetic routes.

Warm Foehn winds from the South presented the duo with a significant obstacle. These warm, dry winds quickly raise air temperatures, softening and melting the snow and ice, creating difficult climbing conditions. But Robert and Bernd were lucky, and the conditions held.

Over three days (January 3 to 5th, 2008), Robert and Bernd climbed 3 major icefalls in the Bernese Oberland--the Almendudler (a 350 m icefall in the Almenalp valley, M9+/10-), B.A.S.E. (450 m, WI6+), and Crack Baby (a classic route in the Oberland, WI6).

Read the Alpinist's coverage of Jasper and Rathmayr's climbs.

Click on the link below to read Daniela Jasper's account of Jasper and Rathmayr's Ice Trilogy.

By Daniela Jasper

During the period of Christmas and new year 2007/2008 ice conditions in the Bernese Oberland were ideal. Together with Markus Stofer, Robert Jasper finished equipping the 350 m high and during winter 2003 already attempted the "Almendudler."

This year conditions were ideal for a redpoint ascent of Almendudler. [Robert returned to the Bernese Oberland] planning to finish this project. Bernd Rathmayr informed Robert that the still unclimbed "Buechenbachfall" in the Lauterbrunnental had just seen its first ascent, by the two locals Ralph Joerg and Peter von Kaenel on 2 different days (29.12.2007 till pitch 8, then descending, finishing the route on 31.12.2007 first abseiling from top the 3 uppermost pitches to climb up again). They called their new route B.A.S.E. because of the dozens of base jumpers that dropped over their heads while they were climbing.

The Buchenbachfall is an extraordinary icefall of over 400 m nearly vertical ice with continuing difficulties up to WI 6+. A keen performance by the two first ascenders! Because the first single day ascension was still lacking and the good conditions were still present, Jasper and Rathmayr tried their luck on the 2nd of January 2008.

Already in 1996, Robert and I kept an eye on the "Buechenbachfall" or B.A.S.E. as the icefall is called now. Unfortunately the ice never touched the ground of the valley and the commonly too warm temperatures together with abundant sunshine in the low Lauterbrunnen valley (800 m above sea level) quickly melted the ice, so that we had to keep on dreaming about climbing this huge icefall.

Because of the warm temperatures and sun during the day, the ice structure is not very compact. The ice consists of loose icicles that are frozen together. Often water runs between the ice and the rock, so that you never know how well the ice is frozen to the rock surface. That means to climb often with doubtful protection. Nevertheless, it is an icefall that is characterized by its extraordinary aesthetic line and its exceptional length of over 420 m, nearly vertical from base to top. There might not be many icefalls of this kind worldwide.

On 2nd of January, in the early morning, the first third of the icefall quickly lay behind the two climbers Robert Jasper and Bernd Rathmayr, thanks to headlamps and simultaneous climbing techniques. But steep and doubtful ice forced them soon to belay themselves as usual. Changing leads in each pitch the two climbers enjoyed the last 8 pitches including two key pitches with a difficulty of WI 6+ and improving ice quality with growing height.

That night, the weather forecast predicted a "Foehn," strong and warm falling stormy winds from the south that normally melt every icefall. Would an attempt of Allmendudler still be possible next day?

Though the strong Föhn was blowing, the two ice freaks (joined by the photographer Klaus Fengler) headed to the base of the icefall. Everything went perfect and after 7 hours the first ascension was completed.

Reflecting on the climb, Robert noted, "Only if you are standing below the icefall can you can say if it's safe to climb it or if it would be better for your health to go and have a couple of beers in the village. That day the lake of cold air in the valley of Kandersteg withstood the Foehn for a long time, and the ice conditions were just perfect. Because of the length of the route and the time consuming difficulties fast climbing meant a great advantage and for sake I knew the most difficult pitches from other attemptions. With such tired arms a red point ascension would not have been possible in the grade M9+/10-."

At this point, only the warm winds stood in the way of the trilogy. How would weather develop for the next day? The avalanche situation? While descending from the top of Almendudler, Robert persuaded Bernd to cancel his dates the next day and climb the third route with him. In order to include all the facets of the modern ice and mixed climbing, the two climbers wanted to finish their 3 days program with an absolute steep ice classic. Regarding the warming weather conditions only one route came into question.

According to Robert, "Crack Baby" isn't just a great classic line for me; it is also a journey back in time to the year 1997, when we had to fight for the third ascent of the route. Crack Baby was the hardest and longest ice climb in that time, a real impressing test piece. The ice master Xavier Bongard cracked this line first together with Michael Gruber in the winter 1993. The route was probably the longest and one of the first to be graded with WI 6. It was handled as the absolute limit of human possible at that time. That's why this route became an extreme classic and belongs still to one of the best icefall climbs all over Europe."

This season the small cable car that normally brings climbers up to the base of the route was severely damaged, so a desnivel of 1000 m from the valley to the base of the route had to be climbed on foot and on backcountry skis. Therefore ascension has to be engaged and fast or it has to be planned in a bivy. Since the cable car was out of commission, the alpine character and adventure of the whole Breitwangflue was greater than before. In today's era of Plaisir climbing, the two climbers Robert Jasper and Bernd Rathmayr found this aspect very positive.

The following morning the two climbed up in the dark with backcountry skis to reach the base of the Breitwangflue. Although they felt the effort of the last two days in their bones, their motivation was unbroken to climb that dream line of a huge 340 m stream of ice.

Already after 4.5 hours of continuous climbing the top of the route was achieved and so their trilogy ended. With abalakovs and fix belays they rappelled to the base of the face and skiied down to the valley.

More Information:

1. "B.A.S.E"

WI 6+, 420 Meter
Valley of Lauterbrunnen, Buechenbach
1st ascent: Ralph Joerg und Peter von Kanel in two days on the 29. and 31. of December 2007 (on 29th reaching from base pitch 8, abseiling again, then on 31. abseiling from top to the end of pith 8 and finishing the route)
1. one - day ascent: Robert Jasper & Bernd Rathmayr On 3rd of January in 7.5 hours on sight.

2. "Almendudler"

M 9+/10-, 350 Meter
Kandersteg, Allmenalp
1st ascent: Robert Jasper & Bernd Rathmayr On 4 th of january 2008 in 7 hours; the route was equipped in years 2003 and 2008 together with Markus Stofer.

3. "Crack Baby"