Wildangerwandl climbing

Crag: Wildangerwandl, Totenkirchl, Wilder Kaiser
Routes: Cola Light (f4,5:led p.2), Goinger Wandl (f4+,4+:led p.2), Gargamel (f5+:sec), Via Christine (f4,4,4:led p.2)
Crag: Gams-Wandl, Fleischbank, Wilder Kaiser
Routes: Nass & Kalt (f5:led), Edelmischung (f5:sec)
After another wet night, drizzle in the morning meant it seemed unlikely we would get much done. However, over another leisurely and highly atypical hut breakfast, the rain began to clear to leave spectacular tendrils of mist in the valley containing these crags, which nestle between the walls of the Totenkirchl and Fleischbank lending them a spectacular and memorable backdrop. The walk-in from the hut is easy, and we arrived to find much of the cliff still dripping wet - although the sun was beginning to light the top of the slabby wall on the right where we started. The classics were occupied, so we started up Cola Light on the far right of the crag. Vic led a wet but easy first, very sparsely bolted, to a small stance. It quickly became obvious that this route wasn't the standard clip-up: my pitch traversed right past two spaced bolts, some delicate moves on wet holds, to gain a crack system. This was vegetated in places, and wet almost throughout. One peg and some threaded tat meant I was glad we had packed the wires and friends: it was just like being at home! The gear was good, though, as was the climbing, and it all made for a satisfying if unanticipated start. The two pitch Goinger Wandl was more conventional, taking a steeper crack line via two good pitches. Vic's first took a smooth slab to a juggy crack, while my second took the continuation with some enjoyable moves. Gargamel was a new, steeper addition, taking a curving crackline further left. After all this, the classic of the crag - Via Christine - finally became free after two parties finished climbing it. An excellent route, albeit perhaps the easiest of the day, gently sustained at British S/HS throughout three varied pitches. Vic's first pitch took an elegant, and dry, rib to a small stance. I led through on lovely bubbly limestone trending left towards an obvious capping overhang. Unsurprisingly, the rock was wet beneath the overhang, but it was superbly rough and juggy. A few pinched holds and upside down spikes allow the overhang to be skirted on the left. A final, exposed pitch up clean walls leads to the top of the crag. A very fine route: we just managed to get down in two abseils (we had a single 70m rope, which just about allowed us to use the abseil stations on this section of crag). A brilliant start to the day - 8 long pitches - but we now had it in our heads to indulge in a feeding frenzy and go for the favoured 1000ft of climbing target. After a quick lunch, we sauntered over to the nearby Gams-Wandl, a separate crag below the North Ridge of the Fleischbank. Despite its proximity, this crag has a friendlier atmosphere than the Wildanger, and looks up the valley towards the Stripsenjoch. The climbing is slabby and delicate, and is characterised by continuous waterworn tubes/pillars of impeccable limestone. I led up a completely dry route which took an easy slab to a steepening half tube of concrete-like limestone. This gave superb climbing with a mixture of delicate bridging up the tube and the occasional pocket and face hold. Another long 30m+ pitch, we were getting close to the 1000ft target. Vic completed proceedings with a lead of a similar line further left: also slabby, delicate and thought-provoking, particularly at the start with some tenuous and technical moves despite the very lowly grade. After this, reluctantly, we packed the gear after a superb day of climbing - 10 long pitches all around British VS. We were conscious of the fact that we had no accommodation booked in the valley, had not showered for two days, and had to recuperate. We scampered down to Griesenau and the car, drove round to the southern side of the range for a good feed in St Johan before booking an ideal cheap hotel in Soll where we refuelled on Tyrolean Rosti as another torrential storm blew in.