Oberried climbing

Crag: Oberried (Otztal, Tyrol, Austria)
Routes: Captain Hook (u6-/f5b:led), Mila Johara (u5-:sec), Night Rider (u5-:sec), Playboy (u5/f5a:sec), Baker Street (u6/f5c:led), Grisu (u7-/f6a+:sec), Loreley (f5b:led), Loschaktion (f5b:led), Wasserklang (f5b:led), Lausbubenverschneidung (u6+/f6a:sec)
A truly delightful crag, with well over 100 varied routes in a wonderful setting next to tranquil valley pastures with tremendous views up towards the Gamskogel and other peaks. It was virtually walking distance from our hotel, just across the valley floor, but had its own car park with toilet. A hot day seemed likely, so we started early as the morning sun hit the crag casting long shadows over the wet meadows, cow bells the only sound. Our chosen starting point was a side slab, with three overlapping slabs, all quite distinct, with the top one jutting out over a steeper wall. Captain Hook took the full height and gave a pleasant VS pitch, delicate climbing interspersed by the odd steeper move over each bulge. Vic led the similar but shorter line to the left, and two easier routes further right completed the fun. After this little warm up, it was already too hot to climb in the sun so we found a shady west-facing nook further left where I led Baker Street, an excellent HVS/f5c pitch up a steep wall of grey granite. It looked slightly smooth and polished from below, but wasn't really: it took an obvious line of weakness up the steep wall, a diagonal line of jugs leading towards the left-hand arete, then weaving right taking a further line of positive cracks up the steeper headwall. Great pitch, although bettered by Vic's lead of Grisu at f6a+. This took a direct line up that left-hand arete and gave superb climbing. A thin but positive flake crack right on the edge of the arete gave steep, dynamic moves up to a rest. Then an intermittent crack system with some interesting jamming led to the top via more fine climbing direct up the edge of the arete: excellent pitch. Further left, back in the sunshine, I led the classic corner line of Loreley - which felt like a traditional British VS. An obvious, strong line with some surprisingly awkward bridging and steep moves higher up. Loschaktion, immediately right, was a distinct contrast, taking a clean and delicate slab via some surprisingly technical moves on small holds and foot smears. Both quite stiff leads for the grade. Wasserklang was the worst pitch of the trip: something of a sandbag with me tiring after a bad night's sleep. A very steep start up an overhanging wall led to two thrutchy and steep grooves: awkward and disjointed, but close to a picturesque waterfall, as its name suggests. I flailed clumsily up this, with fading forearms, but was revived by the terrific corner of Lausbubenverschneidung (scallywag's corner!), a great f6a led by Vic, taking a very obvious clean corner direct up the high face at the left of the crag. Easy climbing low down leads to a superb textbook layback crack. Great moves up this to a high jug, before a pulsating finish taking the steepening finger crack in the corner. The crux comes right at the top: a layaway and very long reach for a flat finishing hold. With regret, we called it a day after 10 routes and headed up the valley for a late lunch before driving up to Vent at the end of the Otztal. From here, we got the chairlift to Stablein, then enjoyed a wonderful relaxed walk-in over the dramatic Rofenbach to the Breslauer Hut in great weather. Another superb hut, more traditional and crowded than the Amberger, with us in a small wooden room with great views. We refuelled with goulash, spatzle, gruner veltliner, blaufrankisch and other delights.