Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher, two of the world’s top big wall climbers, have completed the first ascent of Next Generation, a 170-meter route in six pitches (7a, 8a+, 8b+, 7b+, 7c+, 6c) in Rätikon.

”This line is probably the closest mini big wall to our home - but still, it’s way up in the mountains. The approach from our flat to the base takes around three hours, which makes for a pretty demanding day. The climbing is simply amazing on this perfect limestone wall. The route was first climbed in 2018 by Pio Jutz - a true pioneer of alpine climbing in Austria. He established all the lines on this wall. But Generation Next was still waiting for its first redpoint ascent.

We first checked out the route back in 2022, but never returned - until this week. With the temperatures rising in the valleys, we felt like it was the perfect time to head back up and give it another go. After the long hike, we spent some time on the wall figuring out the beta for the two crux pitches. Both of us managed to send the first hard pitch, and Jacopo also successfully climbed the crux pitch. I had one fall at the crux, but it felt very promising to me too. Eventually we ran out of time and had to bail. But the cherry on top of an almost perfect day was flying back down to the valley in just a few minutes with our paragliders. After that, we knew it could work - we just needed to come back and give it a proper try.

Two days later, we hiked all the way up again and climbed the whole line free. Both of us led the three hardest pitches, and in the evening we stood on top of Zwöferkopf. Such a cool summit, looking down at where we started that same morning. We really enjoyed this kind of big day out. Huge thanks to Pio Jutz for this incredible line!”

Tereza Širůčková, who was #14 and #16 in her two first Lead World Cups in 2025, has had an amazing week, sending Jaxitax (8B) in Moravský kras and C'est la vie (8c+) in Alternatívna stena / Červenica.

Can you tell us more about the 8c+ ascent?
C’est la vie was recommended to me by Adam Ondra — which in itself meant a lot. The fact that he believed I could do a route of this level really pushed me forward. It’s located in Slovakia, in the area called Alternatívna Stena. The route climbs through a massive overhang inside a cave, actually, it’s almost a roof. Funny thing is, most routes in the cave lead outward, but this one bends deeper inside. That really caught my attention, it felt quite unusual and intriguing.

It starts with a few long moves on good holds leading up to the first kneebar. From there, it kicks into a bouldery sequence of about 11 powerful moves, followed by three harder ones into a big rest. From that point, there’s still an 8a section to the anchor.

I tried it for the first time about a month ago. When I arrived, the route was filthy, full of spiderwebs and dust. So the first attempt was obvious: cleaning duty. I have to admit, I was pretty frustrated. It felt a bit ridiculous to be trying something this hard when it wasn’t even clear where the route went, there were no chalk marks at all. On top of that, I have a huge fear of spiders, so mentally, cleaning it was a serious challenge.

That same day, I gave it my first try. The rock was a little damp, but surprisingly, I managed to figure out all the moves and came up with a really nice beta. I was actually shocked by how well it went. On the way home, I couldn’t stop talking about the route, I was totally hooked.

About a week later, I went back. This time, the route was completely condensed. I still decided to go through the moves again, but it became clear that this would be a very condition-dependent project. With temperatures rising, I started to wonder if I’d have to wait until autumn.

Then came this weekend. I saw a slight drop in temperatures, and when I got the message that the wall was dry, I knew I had to go. I went through the moves again and couldn’t believe how dry the route was. So I gave it a first real go and made it surprisingly far. For the first time, I truly believed it could happen. Unfortunately, I slipped on the next attempt. I immediately called my coach (Petr Klofáč) and told him how unbelievably dry it was and that I had to go again the next day. Luckily, he agreed.

After one more failed try (a foot popped), I sent the route on my 9th attempt (4th real try), on my fourth day on it. This ascent means a lot to me — it’s the first female ascent of the route, and only the third overall, after nine years without a repeat. As a cherry on top, I also managed to send a technical 8b+ the same day.

Tyler Thompson, with two 9a+’ to his name, has repeated BJ Tilden’s Lion's Share (9a) in Wolf Point. ”Surprised myself getting through the bottom yesterday and managed to keep it together. Nice one BJ!” (c) Nate Liles

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
We came out to lander about two weeks ago mostly to check out wolf point but also wild iris, both areas I’d never climbed before. Wolf point impressed me a lot, being one of the most stacked walls in the states. On my second day I checked out Lions share, an amazing power endurance 9a from BJ. After checking the moves I decided to have a redpoint try and immediately tweaked my finger on the first mono in the crux.

I waited about a week to try again. My middle finger was not 100% but I found certain body positions that let me do all of the mono moves with my right index finger instead. I was super motivated and one hung the route on my next session. The following day I was able to redpoint on my second try of the day.

Billy Ridal has repeated Dave MacLeod’s Rhapsody (8c+) in Dumbarton. ”E11. Took the whip and snapped a nut. So much fun to climb on that head wall though, a special route.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I went up to Dumbarton last month, the idea being to scope Rhapsody out, ready to train for it in the Autumn. It was obvious from my initial play on top rope that I got on with the style. The route has two distinct sections, the initial crack (shared with the Iconic E8 Requiem) that comes out around f7c+, a decent rest, and then the sustained headwall. For me this was 22 moves, split in the middle by a couple of holds good enough to chalk up on. The first half is extended punchy moves on open handed holds. I really like this section, it suits my style really well and I can pace through it without feeling I lose much. From here is the redpoint crux, 11 moves of positional crimping, no move is totally stopper, but it keeps coming at you right to the lip. I think this is really special. The route builds in tempo to this perfect crescendo, unrelenting as the lip gets closer and the gear further away.

After a couple times up on top rope I managed to link the headwall, and though we didn’t have much time, there was no excuse to avoid getting on the sharp end and seeing what it was all about. I was nervous that first go, climbed the crack quite poorly, was pumped at the rest, but figured I should give it my best and get to grips with being above the gear. I got up into the final crux section and after a few moves of whimpering, took the whip. It was hefty, and the swing in is heavy on the ankles, but it’s not toooo bad. This gave me confidence, I was up fighting in the final moves despite there being lots to refine, and the fall had been okay. I could do it.

Coming back this time had a different feel, I knew I could do it, the cameras were on and the pressure to perform felt acute. Last trip, one of the key wires (a No1 half nut) had got stuck in the head wall from taking the fall. I’d had to really yank on it to get it out, and had discussed if this could compromise the cable. Naively, I didn’t really think it would be a problem. Eager to get on with it, I put it out of my mind.

My I felt good on the wall and found myself climbing all the way through to eyeing up the lip, then, all of a sudden I was airborne. As I fell I heard a bang above me. No time to process in the moment other than an instinctive feeling of terror. The rope came tight and whilst the impact with the wall was pretty heavy, I was fine. Then a nut cable, minus the nut head, tinkled down the rope to me. The cable had snapped, right by the head, exactly where I had wondered if I had damaged it.

The first thing to note here is that there’s a second, larger nut, right next to it. Having two good bits of gear next to one another is what gave me the confidence to try this route in the first place, there’s a back up for exactly this kind of thing. Nonetheless, I’d thought the route was totally safe and that these two nuts amounted to whipping on to a bolt. Not quite. A small half nut like this is rated at 4kn, a small enough force that you could definitely generate in extreme situations, especially if the piece is slightly compromised… Slightly shaken, we went in to Glasgow to buy some new gear. Having two fresh nuts, and adjusting my quick draws so that the larger, stronger nut weighted first, was enough to calm my mind to get back on lead. The next morning, everything came together and despite feeling the nerves in the last couple moves, I found myself on top of the crag.

It came together faster than I anticipated, but it was still an intense experience for me in to unfamiliar ground. Rhapsody demanded something new, and that’s always a special thing.

Akira Waku, who started to climb at age 35 with no sports background, has put up Dendrobrium (8C) in Shiobara, after projecting it for 25 days. In practice it is a new link up, connecting Hydra, reverse UMA and finish up with Kalamba.

”Immediately after the completion of Hydrangea (8C) 6 years ago, I was able to solve all the moves in a 6-day effort and started connection tries but the result was eliminated.

Since all the parts are on the existing line, it may not be said to be a pure "first ascent”, but it is called "first climb" because it is a line that no one has climbed yet", including the backflow part of UMA.

In terms of grade, it is definitely more difficult than UMA (V14), and personally, I felt that it was a little more difficult than Babel and Barth (I think it's probably easier), so I chose V15 first.

Even if you are over 54 years old, you can still challenge the limit And I think that being able to climb has been a great food for further goals.”

The British E-grade is designed to assess the difficulty and the danger of onsighting a traditional climbing route. There exist one E12 and a handful E11’s. At the higher end of the scale, accurately evaluating these factors becomes challenging, so a French sport grade is often included for additional clarity. When an "R" is added, it indicates a significant Risk of injury. For example, falling at the final 7C boulder crux near the top of Lexicon could result in a 25-meter fall, with the potential to hit the wall hard.

Giuseppe Nolasco, who sent his third 9a in 2022, has during the same week sent Goldrake (9a+) in Cornalba and
Prima Classe (9a) in La Stazione. In the 40+ ranking game the 160 cm tall Italian is #2.

Can you tell us more about the ascents and the amazing sending week?
It’s been a busy few weeks. I’d been feeling fit for a while, but Goldrake had stayed wet for weeks on end. I first started trying Goldrake back in 2023 and came very close, falling at the final hard grip. In 2024, I barely managed to get on it at all—the route was constantly wet. This spring, I returned to Cornalba with high hopes, but after a few sessions where I wasn’t feeling great, Goldrake got wet again and stayed that way for two months.

At the beginning of June, I went back just to collect my gear, thinking the season was over. But I decided to give it one more try—and fell again at the last hard move. That attempt rekindled my motivation. Just a few days later, I finally sent Goldrake, clipping the chains after a long journey. This route has truly helped me grow as a climber.

A few days after that, I returned to the Station, where I’d been working on another project—one I alternated with Goldrake whenever it was too wet. I was feeling good. After a rough first try, I gave it another go, and it all came together. In the span of a week, I managed to send both Goldrake (9a/+) and First Class (9a).

Is it possible to keep progressing at age 40?
Yes, of course, it's possible to be in shape at 40. I'm talking about physical fitness—and above all, mental fitness. Training and pushing yourself shouldn’t feel like a burden; instead, try different approaches and train in the ways that suit you best.

Nothing happens by chance. If you're challenging yourself, there will be both low moments and high ones. You just need to recognize when it's time to adjust your strategy—but never give up on your goal. Consistency and passion have no age.

Lara Neumeier, who three months ago sent her first 8b+ trad route, has completed the 240 metres Silbergeier (8b+) in Rätikon. The grades of the six pitches are; 8b, 7c+, 8a+, 7a+, 8b+, and 7c+/8a. (c) Ray Demski

“I first tried Silbergeier in early May. Over 3.5 days, I slowly worked my way through the route; figuring out sequences, getting used to the technical & slabby style, and dealing with thin, painful skin. I managed to link the first four pitches but never sent the crux and barely looked at the final pitch.

Then came three weeks of bad & unstable weather. I used the time to rest, grow some skin, and get ready - mentally and physically — for a possible send. When I finally went back, I thought: maybe. But the day before, everything pointed in the opposite direction. I had just gotten my period, received a painful car repair bill, and got a call from friends who’d just broken a key hold in the crux pitch. Then — just a few kilometres before the parking — my car broke down again. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d even make it to the wall. But somehow, I did.

The day started slow. I felt tired, not quite there. The first pitch felt hard — full-on pump — but I got through. And then, something shifted. I started moving with focus and precision. When I reached the crux pitch, I reworked the sequence — and even tough a crucial hold broke on the day before my beta still worked. I waited for shade. Took a deep breath. And sent. One last pitch remained. Tricky and bouldery moves. I took some time to figure it out, gave it everything I had — and topped out!! Silbergeier — what a route. Sharp, technical, and absolutely beautiful. Some days remind you it’s not about perfect conditions or perfect timing — it’s about showing up anyway, and giving it everything you've got.”

Neumeier’s ascent of Silbergeier marks the first step in an even bigger goal: completing the Alpine Trilogy—three of the most difficult multi-pitch climbs in the Alps, all graded up to 8b+ and known for their boldness, beauty, and historical significance. Next up: End of Silence, in Berchtesgaden, Germany and Des Kaisers neue Kleider in Wilden Kaiser, Austria.

BJ Tilden, who previously has put up some 30 routes 8c+ and beyond, has done the first ascent of Show Your Teeth (9a) in Wolf Point. (c) Matt Pincus

Can you tell us more about the process behind the FA?
I bolted this route last summer. I tried it a few days in the fall to get the beta sorted but didn’t go too deep on it. I knew it was really good and I was super psyched to focus on it this spring. The bottom of the route is a 30 move sprint right from the ground, then a good rest and a pumpy 8b to finish. The white panel climbing is some of the best at the cliff. It came together after eleven days of effort this spring.

The following info comes from Bernd Zangerl: The bouldering area Silvapark / Galtür is a popular meeting point for the bouldering community during the summer.
In recent years, more and more campers and motorhomes have been using the parking spaces in the Silvapark / Galtür bouldering area, which has led to problems with nature conservation in the region.
As a result, the mountain railway operators had to reorganize the parking and camping situation.

PARKING:
Day visitors can still use the parking ticket machine.
Parking is available for 5 or 12 hours (€5 or €10 respectively).

5 hours → €5
12 hours → €10

OVERNIGHT STAYS / CAMPING:
All guests staying overnight must book and check in via the QR code on-site.
The parking spot (“Stellplatz”) and tourist tax (“Kurtaxe”) must be paid online by card!

PITCH FEE / TOURIST TAX:
→ Book & pay online here:

→ €10 + Tourist Tax

→ For spontaneous visitors, a QR code is posted on-site that leads to the same website, where they can register and pay.
Upon registration, guests will receive a digital guest card that allows free use of the hiking bus.

ANNUAL PASS HOLDERS:
Annual pass holders have already paid for the parking spot (“Stellplatz”) and only need to pay the tourist tax.
They also need to check in and will receive an invoice for the outstanding tourist tax at the end of each month.