Karwendel climbing: new routes on the Halleranger - Speckkar

Austria's famous Karwendelgebirge offers a multitude of different climbing styles, from long classic trad routes to modern desperates, and the potential for further development is still enormous.

This summer the Halleranger - Speckkar area caught the attention of Dieter Stöhr and Reinhold Scherer, one of Tyrol's leading figures, and just before the onset of autumn the duo produced three fine new alpine routes. The intentionally misspelt 'Inglourious Basterds' (8, 240m) climbs the West Face of the Speckkar while 'Hundert Wasser' (8, 200m ) and 'Woodstock (10-, 220m) climb the mirror smooth NW Face of the Speckkarplattern.

Not known for overemphasising things, Scherer describes Hundert Wasser as being "one of the most beautiful, photogenic and original routes of its grade in the entire Karwendel." Judging by these routes and the photos, no doubt we'll be hearing more from the Karwendel in the future.

Inglourious Basterds, 240m, 8 (7a), 7 pitches
Finest quality crack and slab climbing up the obvious crack system to the left of the route Buhldurchschlag.

Hundert Wasser, 200m, 8 (7a), 6 pitches
One of the most beautiful, photogenic and original routes of its grade in the entire Karwendel. A system of corners and cracks leads from left to right straight through a completely smooth slab, unparalleled in terms of rock quality and beauty.

Woodstock, 220m, 10- (8a+), 7 pitches
Very difficult and technically demanding slab climbing on slab, with a vertical, open and outwards facing 70m long crux corner.