Janina Reichstein & Luisa Deubzer repeat Headless Children in Rätikon

Here I am at the sixth belay again, in tears. Disbelief. She did it. Just an hour ago, I made it through that mantle myself, barely, standing at the edge of the roof, basking in the exposure, overwhelmed. But it hadn’t felt quite right yet. Not the way we had imagined it. Going through this entire process together, and now it would only be me to send today? Plus there was the uncertainty of the two last heady pitches on my own.

Of course, technically, there was still a chance for both of us to send. And I’d do everything to show my support until the end. But in reality, it was highly unlikely Janina Reichstein was going to free this crux pitch today. She had already fallen and restarted on two of the six previous pitches, and on the previous day, she suddenly couldn’t do the mantle anymore.

First try then, a fumble after the first boulder, and she is in the rope again. That was our chance, we both knew it. Just to leave nothing untried though, Janina starts again. She looks even more spent on that first boulder, but somehow makes it through. At the roof, and I can see how gravity must be pulling at her now, almost unable to clip from those jugs, but she keeps on climbing, right to the mantle.The last time she had done those intricate moves was more than a month ago. I shout all I’ve got.

As she keeps pushing, gradually disappearing out of sight. My brain does not compute at first. She is still on. How? I laugh in disbelief. Laughter turns into sobbing when she reaches the anchor. This is surreal. This is it! The day we’ve been starry-eyed dreaming about since June, knowing how unlikely it was, all the pieces falling into place at once.

I suspect that what had been missing 3 years ago wasn’t strength nor skill, but a friend to share the dream with, to come back with again and again, hammering our heads against the wall in unison. Sending is always great. But the emotions that multiply when it happens together, against all odds, are indescribable.

Thank you, Janina, for some of my best memories this summer shared on the wall — two children, foolishly happy in a world that has long lost its head.

- Luisa Deubzer, Thun, Switzerland

Headless Children
First ascent: Marco Müller, Koni Mathis, Bruno Rüdisser 1997 - 1999
First free ascent: Mark Amann
P1: 5, 45m
P2: 7a+, 30m
P3: 7b+, 30m
P4: 7c, 25m
P5: 7c+ (8a), 25m
P6: 7c/+ (7c+), 18m
P7: 8a+ (8b) 25m
P8: 6c+ (7b), 17m
P9: 6b+, 45m

Deubzer & Reichstein repeated the route in blocks, with both climbers leading the crux pitch. They worked the line over six weekend trips by train and bus before hitchhiking the last mile. They used a portaledge on the first couple of trips in order to get more quality time on the 7th pitch, then proceeding to redpoint tries from the ground. In parenthesis Deubzer's grade suggestions.