Salbitschijen Westgrat | 1000m, 6b | Swiss crack climbing

We didn’t want to climb in the dark. The day before, at 2 p.m., on the second tower — Hammerbruch, a nice classic — two Germans were rappelling down, blocked by Slovenians who’d started at 3 a.m. and let no one pass. We decided to avoid the chaos. Start at 4. I woke before the alarm. Climbed down from bed. The couple under the table stirred, packed their gear, left without breakfast. “Dertrosch ned die erste,” Philipp said. One was a mountain guide. Maybe they’d be fast too. Five minutes later, I saw them outside, still getting ready. Quietly, I slipped toward the wall. "Wie heisst du? Both of you?" Maya asked as I was already following up the first pitch. I looked down. She was friendly, and he climbed very fast. That was all we said. Bolts shone like stars in the beam of the headlamp. Wet grass ramps glimmered. The darkness of the sky soaked purple and faded into pink; we reached the ridge before the first tower’s top. Switching from south to north, sun and shadow played on the wall. A 50m rope + tagline is definitely better than two 60s. Never short of cracks or exposure. A feast for the eyes. I didn’t count the pitches, only the towers. The west spine of Salbit — endless granite waves. Our feet screamed. At 4 p.m., we sat on the Needle. I was happy — no more climbing shoes, no more rappels. Only later did I realize what we had done. A monster tour.