Simon Gietl makes solo first ascent of adventurous Identität in Dolomites

Over a six-day period this summer the 38-year-old South Tyrolean mountain guide Simon Gietl established a new climb on his own which he has described as being "important for me as a person and as a mountaineer." His aptly named Identität, Identity, ascends the west face of Mittlerer Zwölfer, or Croda Antonio Berti in Italian; this enormous wall constitutes the continuation of Zwölfer, aka Croda dei Toni, and is clearly visible from the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo.

It was during one of his many climbs on the Drei Zinnen many years ago that Gietl first got the idea of establishing a route here. Due to +2 hour approach and poor rock in the central section of the wall, he desisted.

This summer the right opportunity finally came around and after the ideal climbing partner for this type of terrain, German mountaineer Robert Jasper, was forced to withdraw, Gietl decided to go ahead on his own. Six days were needed to conclude this completely independent line. Gietl told planetmountain that the undertaking was taxing due to the loose nature of the terrain and that he'd taken on considerable risks. He plans on returning in the near future to make the first free ascent.

More information will follow in due course, in the meantime it's worth underlining his recommendation: "Those looking for a plaisir route will be disappointed here. But Identität is ideal for all those in search of an adventure."