Iris Bielli does Prinzip Hoffnung (8b/+) trad

Iris Bielli has repeated Beat Kammerlander’s Prinzip Hoffnung (8b+) in Bürser Platte. The 20-year-old, who says her passion is multi-pitch climbing, onsighting and technical slab climbing, sent her first 8c in January. Beat Kammerlander first did the 40 meter line with bolts before chopping them, and in 2009, he made the first ascent with trad gear.

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
I visited the Bürser Platte for the first time at the end of December, unfortunately the route was wet, and it was too cold to climb, nonetheless the line immediately charmed me with its aesthetics. I returned for a day trip on March 3, many hours of driving and little climbing but enough to fuel me up to return the following weekend. On Saturday, I studied the movements and gear placements while top-roping and on Sunday I attempted a lead climb. During my first lap, I fell in the final part of the crux slab due to sweaty fingertips caused by heat, humidity and even a bit of tension. I waited for 3 hours, in the meantime the wind picked up, my hands dried and I managed to send the route on the second lead attempt. I think Prinzip Hoffnung is a truly special line because it combines the mental factor of trad climbing with the technical difficulties of precarious slab climbing, all in a relatively safe way.