Nordwind, new rock climb up Peitlerkofel, Dolomites

Between 2017 and 2018 Harald Mair and Christof Ursch established, ground-up, Nordwind on Peitlerkofel / Sass de Putia in the Puez - Geisler group in the Dolomites. "North Wind" tackles a completely indipendente line up the NNW face of this beautiful peak and starts far further to the right of the famous Direttissima, established in 1968 by the brothers Günther and Reinhold Messner, and Weg durch die Wasserstreifen established in 2003/2004 by Sepp Volgger, Erwin Kofler, Hannes Fischnaller and Harald Mair.

The 500m new climb runs to parallel to the Messner route and after the fifth pitch breaches the arete and continues to the right, past "another two grade 4 and 5 traverse pitches past amazing rock directly below the vertical black streaks" according to Mair.

The first free ascent was carried out on 23 June 2018 with a crux pitch checking in at 7b+ and another 7b leading directly to the summit. Mair adds "even the easier pitches are beautiful, up excellent rock. Furthermore - important for us - after the traverse at half-height you can abseil off if necessary or if the weather worsens. In any case, all belays are equipped for abseils.”