Eventyr, new route in Greenland for Gietl, Kopp, Schäli and Ulrich

Unusualy warm and stable conditions at the start of August have resulted in an fairy-tale first ascent up the 1300m high East Face of Grundtvigskirken in the Scoresbysund region of Greenland. The 1977m high peak was climbed from 02 - 06 August by the Swissmen Roger Schäli and Thomas Ulrich together with Simon Gietl from Italy's South Tyrol and by Daniel Kopp from Austria.

The 40-pitch big wall was breached with difficulties up to 7a+ and all pitches were established on-sight, bar the 4 hardest which were subsequently redpointed. Bolts were only placed to back up the belays and although the lower section is exposed to rockfall, the route ascends predominantly good rock, especially in the upper headwall.

Spurned on by a poor weather forecast, the four made best use of the almost continuous daylight and climbed the remaining section in shifts. On reaching the summit the four discovered a sling, making it clear that the mountain had already been climbed previously, but this didn't damped their joy. Roger Schaeli commented after the ascent: "I can hardly believe it, I feel as if I'm in a fairy tale." For the record, Eventyr means both fairy tale and adventure in Danish.