El Gigante big wall, Mexico

Last week Stefan Glowacz, Kurt Albert, Holger Heuber, Gunda Frühwald and the photographer Klaus Fengler set off to Mexico to climb the 1000m big wall El Gigante

PlanetMountain.com

14

November 2001

Last week Stefan Glowacz, Kurt Albert, Holger Heuber, Gunda FrÃ¼hwald and the photographer Klaus Fengler set off to Mexico in search of their most recent adventure.

This time they have set their sights on a relatively unknown big wall, situated deep in the Basaseachic National Park, Chihuahuas, with the stated aim of establishing and freeing a new line. Dubbed El Gigante by the locals, the 1000m steep and overhanging wall has been breached just twice by two aid routes at the hands of the Mexican Carlos Garcia, and the German team hopes to add a third, free line within the next few weeks.

All the equipment necessary for their four-week expedition will have to be transported along the two day walk-in to the base of the wall. The expedition plans on spending a number of nights high on the wall in their portaledges while they tackle the routes' difficulties which, they believe, may be up to 8a.

We’ll know more upon their return. With photos by Klaus Fengler, who received a Special Mention at the Banff Mountain Festival just last week, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Big Walls “by fair means” by Glowacz and company

1995 Canada , Mt. Harrison Smith, VIII+
1997 Groenlanda , Tupilak, VIII+
1999 Antarctika , Renard Towers VIII
2000 Baffin Island , Polar Bear Spire IX

An example of Klaus Fengler's work - Stefan Glowacz climbing "End of silence"

Further info
www.glowacz.de

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