adidas Outdoor magazine fall/winter 2011

adidas.com/outdoor

FALL WINTER 2011

solo in patagonia

alexander huber road trip

morocco mauerläufer

via ferrata base jump

antarctica just the two of us

matterhorn

outdoor michi lerjen and denise wenger

t highlights fall / winter 2011

adidas outdoor magazine & produc

all passion Solo, part of a group, or just the two of you?

It’s all up to you – get ready to get out there. On tricky sections and when endurance is critical, live the moment and let the passion shine. Whether it’s you and some mates, you and your partner or just you and your backpack, we all share the same passion.

Our passion for the outdoors inspires us to find solutions now – and create new challenges for the future.

denise wenger and michi lerjen, bossi bivouac , matterhorn (SUI)

INDEX

We would like to invite you: join our facebook community, get inspired by our athletes and their stories and, most importantly, let us know about your thoughts and projects for the future.

join us on facebook.com/adidasoutdoor

Cooperation partners: DAV Summit Club GmbH is the German Alpine Association’s mountaineering school and special travel organiser for active mountaineering and cultural vacations worldwide. DAV Summit Club evolved from the mountaineering service of the DAV founded in 1957 and is now one of the largest mountaineering schools in the world.

The Zugspitze Mountaineering School is the mountain guide association on Germany’s highest mountain. The specialist knowledge of the team is clear from the high quality of training and tours they provide. Some are old hands with a valuable source of knowledge; others are up-to-date thanks to their training activities with various alpine associations and many tours with their clients, who they don’t only accompany up the Zugspitze.

Founded in 1894, the Swiss association can look back on a highly successful history spanning more than 100 years. Over 60 professional mountain guides at the Zermatt Alpin Center have been relying on adidas outdoor products since spring 2011.

The “Lecco Spiders” is the climbing club of the famous Grignetta Spiders Mountaineering Association in Italy. They can look back on a long list of international successes that stretches back more than 60 years. They have among their ranks past heroes Cassin and Casimiro Ferrari, and current big names such as Matteo Della Bordella and Fabio Palma. Over the years they have not only opened up numerous new routes but also been in the spotlight of international fame.

The Beijing Mountaineering Association was founded in 2003 by the Beijing Sports Bureau. Today it is affiliated to the China Mountain Association and plays a dominant role in a range of outdoor activities in China. The BMA now has around 200 groups with a total of more than 10,000 members.

imprint outdoor Magazine & Product Highlights Fall / Winter 2011 is the official outdoor catalogue with editorial content of adidas AG. adidas outdoor Magazine is published twice a year.

Published by adidas AG World of Sports Adi-Dassler-Straße 1 91074 Herzogenaurach – Germany

Concept and realisation bøa! agentur gmbh supported by Michael Meisl Photographer Michael Meisl Additional photographers Gerhard Heidorn, Thomas Senf, Toni Brey, Rainer Eder, Leo Wurstbauer, Gerhard Groger Text Eva Meschede, Toni Brey, Denise Cordes,Katharina Habermann, Jakob Stuetz Copywriting and English translation Giles Tilling / wordworks 3-D graphics Mario Kaufmann / MKFX all data are subject to change and are provided without any guarantee. printing and layout errors excepted. all rights reserved. may not be copied. © 2011 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo, and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.

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MATTERHORN

ALEXANDER HUBER

Just the two of us.

Denise and Michi have climbed together for almost five years, but nothing has prepared them for the deep snow and unforgiving ice on this gripping, record-breaking tour: the Furggen ridge in winter.

Alexander describes standing on top of Chiaro di Luna, alone.

FURGGEN RIDGE IN WINTER

INDEX

SOLO IN PATAGONIA

06

How does he assess the risks and the weather, and why does he want to keep climbing solo?

72

FALL WINTER 2011

02 all passion 06 matterhorn furggen ridge

01

05

02

06

16 alpin center zermatt 18 technology apparel 20 products apparel 32 PrimaLoft® insulation 36 morocco road trip 48 technology footwear 52 products footwear 56 via ferrata mauerläufer 66 askimo skimountaineering 68 GORE-TEX® Active Shell 70 specials 72 alexander huber

MOROCCO

ANTARCTICA

Three climbers in wonderland.

Extreme action in Antarctic temperatures.

They unearth a nugget on day one, but will this be the virgin wall they take the cordless drill to?

Getting there is half the challenge.

Supported by an international team, two famous Russian athletes head to Antarctica. Their mission: conquer the “Wolf‘s Fang” - and then jump off the top.

CLIMBING ROAD TRIP

74 antarctica base jump 77 jumpline session 78 all together

They’ve got three weeks to find “the one”.

BASE JUMP

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MATTERHORN

Mat

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tterhorn

Just the two of us

Standing alone, an impressive pyramid of primary rock, 4,478 metres high: there are few mountains in the world as famous as the Matterhorn, the Swiss landmark. Most people can only dream of reaching the summit.

Our team, Denise Wenger and Michi Lerjen, climbed the dreaded Furggen ridge.

Denise is the first woman to conquer this very difficult ascent in winter.

This Matterhorn tour is a special challenge for Michi as well: he’ll be standing atop the legendary summit with his girlfriend for the first time.

MATTERHORN

Matterhorn

Furggen ridge

There is no easy route up the Matterhorn. But there is one that is more difficult than the others: the Furggen in winter. Denise Wenger and Michi Lerjen planned the tour last March. Difficult snow conditions and an icy wind not only made the tricky traverses more complicated, they also made the descent more difficult.

The 26-year-old skiing instructor from Berner Oberland and the 25-year-old mountain guide from Zermatt have been together for almost five years. Since then they have trained together, including for their Matterhorn project. Together they know that their shared passion for extreme mountain and climbing adventures gives them a secure bond as a couple. Even when they have disagreements en route, together they are strong.

Denise will have written mountaineering history when this is over: as the first woman to have bagged this difficult winter climb. And Michi, the experienced lead, will be able to look back with fond memories on a special tour on his home mountain. A tour with the love of his life at the other end of the rope.

We asked Denise and Michi to tell us about their moments of worry, danger and elation:

Denise Wednesday, 9 March,

approx. 3 pm Michi headed off in front, seemed to be euphoric from the start, and I was toddling along slower and slower. My head was filled with anxiety. A couple of weeks previously we had aborted the tour because the snow was too deep.

Now there was even more snow.

I thought about the traverses ahead that I don’t like anyway, and that are even trickier in snow. And then there was the ice to consider as well. Will I manage? And then I’ve got to get back down again, through this deep snow.

I wasn’t so sure.

I followed Michi deep in thought. “If you don’t want to do it, we can always turn round!”, he called. “Yeah, yeah,” I thought, and kept toddling along. “You can do it”, Michi had said to me months ago. And now we were really here: we had already covered the upper Theodul Glacier and were on the way to spend the night in a bivouac. The next day we were to take the Furggen ridge up the Matterhorn, descending via the Hörnli ridge. If everything goes to plan, I will be the first woman to do this in winter. A cool challenge. But I know that a very difficult tour lies ahead.

Michi

We had our first squabble quite early on. I was wondering why Denise was crawling along so slowly to reach the bivouac.

Denise “I’ve had enough of this,” he said suddenly. And actually turned

round. He is going back! This wasn’t part of the plan. So I started to run stubbornly towards the bivouac. He can’t just leave me behind on the mountain.

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Summit 4,477.5 m Summit ridge 4,243 m Pico Muzio 4,191 m

Red Tower

Solvay Hut 4,003 m

FURGGEN RIDGE Bossi Bivouac 3,345 m

HÖRNLI RIDGE

Hörnli Hut 3,260 m

Michi Honestly, I have to admit that I wasn’t

feeling so fit either. I had spent a lot of time in previous weeks working as a guide for visitors and I was tired. It wasn’t Denise’s fault that I wanted to go back; I just wasn’t really convinced about myself. But in a good team there always needs to be one to motivate the others.

On that day it was Denise. She questioned her own capabilities but was actually highly motivated, as always.

I had done this tour once in 2007 and had been thinking about doing it again for quite some time. It was my idea that Denise should accompany me. We have been together for almost five years and have climbed as a team ever since.

There comes a time when the Matterhorn is the next logical step.

Denise He let me talk him round, “Look, let’s

get as far as the bivouac at least, enjoy a relaxing evening and then decide in the morning,” I suggested. So we continued in silence and in the Bossi Bivouac all was well again.

Looking back I have to laugh at our indecision.

That he would have given up so easily – that’s not the Michi I know. He is so determined and persistent. Before we were a couple he pulled a number of tricks to impress me. He even climbed the facade of our house up to the third floor and tapped on the window: “Let me in!”

Michi Thursday, 4 March, 2 am

A good morning. Overnight the snow had bound together better and I was burning with energy and raring to go: “Now we’ve finished talking about it, let’s get on with it!”

At 3 am we set off. Denise was still not so sure of herself; my fault because the day before I had been in such a bad mood. I have to admit that I can also be pretty moody as a mountain buddy. Before we set off we made an agreement that we should make the final decision during the first pitch.

Denise If one of us gets weaker, the other gets

stronger, that’s the way it is with us. We are a good team. In the morning Michi was back to normal. I was still dragging my feet unfortunately: on the Furggen ridge there’s no way out.

... If one of us gets weaker, the other gets stronger, that’s the way it is with us. If we get on well together, then we can manage everything.

I am still a bit afraid though: on the Furggen ridge there is no turning back once you are up there; no emergency exit far and wide ...

Michi Ten minutes for the first pitch, that is a really good time. I knew now that it would work; even if the conditions aren’t absolutely ideal. We’ll pull ourselves together.

Denise

I watch Michi in the first pitch: he is climbing smoothly, determinedly and quickly.

My motivation engine starts up. I want to get up there.

MATTERHORN

After the chore comes the reward: climbing!

This is my forte and I am sure of what I am doing – even at a height of over 4,000 metres. I even like the overhangs, for which I need a lot of strength.

n r o h r e t t a M

Traverses, overhangs and reaching the summit

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Michi

Two rope lengths and then 400 metres up the first snow ridge through the difficult ice couloir and then the second section of the snow ridge up to 4,200 metres. The air was getting thinner and thinner, but that wasn’t the problem. What was ahead of us were the tricky traverses that Denise is afraid of. I know that she doesn’t enjoy this. That she is frightened. I can understand that because it is a very, very challenging section.

You have to look at your feet, not into the chasm. This is where you really have to concentrate. You mustn’t slip or trip here. We’ve got the ice axe as a belay, but it is not certain that it’ll hold if one of us falls.

To take your own girlfriend with you is an emotional and very special responsibility. I feel with her. She has to now please, please, step by step trust in her crampons. This is still strange for her. For me it’s no problem; I’ve practiced a lot and this area is my home ground, I know the structure of the rock and can feel how the ice is. We’ve got to get through here. I go ahead and call: “Come on and get over here!”

DeniseI hate it, I hate traverses. As I want to start walking, I notice that my legs are shaking and the wind whips around me. I’m now acutely aware that nobody can help you on the mountain. It’s completely up to me.

Michi What is she up to? You can’t do that: “If you fall here, then we have a problem!” This is not the first time that I say this to a climbing partner, and I have to warn Denise in the same way. It’s hard, but in this moment it doesn’t matter that it’s my girlfriend on the other end of the rope. It’s about survival. On sections as difficult as this I have to be honest, people have to get their act together, they have to concentrate fully on what they are doing. There can’t be any ifs and buts. Denise already knows that, she knows too that we will reach our objective. She pulls herself together and pulls through!

Denise It was hard and I’m not going to forget it. After 90 minutes that

seemed like infinity in the traverses, it was over! We took a short break on the Furggen ridge and I was happy. The chore was behind me and now there was the reward: climbing! That is my strong point. First some easy climbing along a seam and then the overhangs with very exposed athletic sections of climbing. You need to be strong.

... I hate it, I hate traverses.

My legs are shaking and the sharp wind whips around me.I’m now acutely aware that nobody can help you on the mountain. It’s completely up to me ...

Yes, this is dangerous too, a hold could break away. But I feel secure here.

I hardly noticed the cold, although I often had to take off my gloves to grab the small holds.

Michi

I was relieved to reach the ridge too because I knew that she didn’t have to worry anymore; from here onwards she’s going to keep her cool. In fact we still had the most difficult part of the tour in front of us, the overhangs, but Denise is simply a brilliant climber. Then it all went very quickly. By 12.15 pm we have reached the ridge leading to the summit of the Matterhorn at 4,478 metres.

Denise The summit. I am the first woman to climb the Matterhorn in winter via the Furggen ridge. Rejoice, kiss, photo.

Michi

At 12.45 pm we are on top. I am never euphoric at the summit.

That’s because we still have to get down. For that you need 60 % of your energy. You can rejoice when you are back down in the valley!

Denise On top, the very strong icy north wind hits us even harder. It is

really stormy. The sky is brilliant blue. I suspect that the descent along the Hörnli ridge is really going to take it out of us.

... on top, the very strong icy north wind hits us. The sky is brilliant blue. I suspect that the descent along the Hörnli ridge is really going to take it out of us ...

The sun is shining but it is extremely cold. We have been in the shadow all the time and will unfortunately continue in shadow for the rest of the way. The cold hurts my face, fingers and feet.

Michi During the descent it rapidly becomes

clear that the conditions are not ideal. The snow is too light with crystals the size of large grains of salt. This kind of snow gives you no hold. Each step goes into empty space before you feel the invisible rock underfoot. It’s a dangerous white powder. Soon we end up having one of our classic arguments: “You’ve got to face forwards!”

I shout. “Come on now! Move yourself!”

Denise ”I’m not moving anywhere if you go on like that! You Grampis!”

Michi

Grampis? That’s what we call climbers who grope about in the mountains without a guide. I’ve experienced this ranting before, after all we’ve experienced some adventures together, like Ostgabelhorn south face, Dent d’Hérens and Alphubel.

But I’m the mountain guide here: you’ve got to get down quickly, otherwise you start losing concentration. Anyway, you’ve got to go forwards so that you’ve got 180 degree field of vision and can see where you are putting your feet and detect hazards in good time. Denise likes to bumble around backwards somehow.

I can’t watch that anymore. “Turn round,” I order her. To no effect.

... the conditions are not ideal. Each step goes into empty space before you feel the rock under the snow ...

Denise

OK, so I’m climbing down more cautiously. I haven’t got his experience, why should I? It’s getting colder and colder. The storm tugs at my clothing and nerves. I can’t go so fast. No way. Hey, I’m the weaker of the two of us!

Michi

Maybe I’m too strict with my girlfriend. If she can’t go so fast, then I need to be more considerate. And if she insists on going down backwards, then I’ll just have to accept it.

MATTERHORN

Denise&Michi

Denise Wenger 26, grew up in Emmental (SUI); work and

love of the mountains brought her to Zermatt. When the freerider and skiing instructor met Michi five years ago, she got into climbing.

Michi Lerjen 25, grew up in Zermatt (SUI).

The mountains are his passion, his recreation and his job. When he’s not climbing with Denise, he guides visitors safely to the summits around his hometown.

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Descent, pace and plans for the future ... What a great girlfriend I’ve got!

There aren’t many girls who would be keen to do a tour like that. And our love finds new strength when we get through adventures together ...

Denise

“Come, you go at your pace, you are the weaker one,” he finally admitted. When we get on well with each other, everything works brilliantly. Then we can manage everything.

Michi

At 5.30 pm we reached the Hörnli Hut. Actually not a bad time for a winter climb. What a great girlfriend I’ve got! There aren’t many girls who would be keen to do something like that. And our relationship takes on a completely different quality when we experience such difficult situations together. And overcome them!

That creates a much deeper bond.

By the way, we’ve already planned our next adventure. This time it’ll be in warmer climes: Yosemite in California. Perhaps we will climb the “Nose”, the legendary big wall route. Will Denise manage?

What a question!

MATTERHORN

TERREX™ Feather Jacket page 26

Backpack TERREX™ BC30 page 70

Matterhorn head to toe

Denise

Not a gramme too much! That’s Michi’s motto for packing a backpack. He is very strict. But I’m a safety fanatic, sometimes I’ll secretly take an extra express, some chocolate against hypoglycemia or a bit more to drink. Michi has to admit that he has very much enjoyed stuff I’ve smuggled away.

Michi

I know that Denise sometimes secretly smuggles stuff in her backpack. And yes, I’ve been pleased to discover that we suddenly had more water than I thought, or an additional energy bar. But still, the lighter the weight on your back, the smaller the backpack and the better the tour is going to work out.

... Good functional clothing is especially important in winter – it’s got to be warm, light and stowable in the smallest space if the sun does then shine hotter for a while.

TERREX™ CLIMAPROOF® Rain 3-Layer Pants page 28

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Knit Logo Beanie page 70

TERREX™ PrimaLoft® Jumper page 35

Eyewear TERREX™ Pro page 70

TERREX™ Soft Shell Gloves page 70

TERREX™ Feather Jacket page 21

TERREX™ CLIMAPROOF® Rain 3-Layer Pants page 21

ALPIN CENTER ZERMATT

Alpin Center Zermatt

CLASSIC MATTERHORN The Dream Summit

The view is breathtaking, looking out over Zermatt to the north face of the Matterhorn. Especially when the summit stands out in brilliant white against a blue sky like a peak of whipped cream expertly placed on the horizon by a heavenly master patisseur.

No wonder that the magic of this mountain has enticed people to stand atop its summit and look down from this unique standalone fourthousander. “The Matterhorn is what most people want to do here,” says Reinhard Zeiter at Zermatt Alpin Center, which has 60 mountain guides who will be relying on adidas products in all weathers from now on.

Professional mountain guides specialising in high altitude tours need extremely high specification equipment. Clothing has to be lightweight and easy to handle but also warm and able to keep out the elements.

Although the Matterhorn is a popular summit, it is one of the most challenging classics in the Alps; even the standard route via the Hörnli ridge is no cakewalk. If you want to reach the summit, you need to be fit, have experience with climbing and crampons, and should be acclimatised too. It’s advisable for experienced alpinists to be accompanied by a mountain guide as well. “The route is difficult to find on the Matterhorn, especially in the morning when it is still dark,” says Zeiter. On their own, teams of climbers often end up on loose scree, putting themselves in danger while creating a risk of others below being hit by falling rocks. On top of that, amateurs waste a lot of time. “Many end up taking ten to twelve hours, while we take four hours up and four hours down,” says Zeiter.

To conquer the Matterhorn you need to climb all the way, often with crampons, says the 41-year-old mountain guide, who grew up in Zermatt.

Many inexperienced climbers underestimate the endurance needed because on paper 1,200 metres of climbing doesn’t sound too extreme.

To test your fitness and get used to the air at high elevation, Zeiter recommends completing a couple of easier training days nearby: the 4,091 metres high Pollux – a day tour on rock and ice, or the Riffelhorn to tune your climbing skill, and there’s Breithorn, “one of the most beautiful traverses anywhere”.

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A strong team Whether it’s easy or extreme ski mountaineering, on Breithorn, for example; snowshoe outings for everybody; or a special adventure like heli-skiing on Monte Rosa: it doesn’t always have to be the Matterhorn for mountain athletes - there are many challenges in the Alps around Zermatt. There are no less than 37 summits above 4,000 metres surrounding the little Swiss village.

The range of services offered by Alpin Center Zermatt is as wide as the choice of mountains. The mountaineering association has a long tradition and has been supported by adidas as a cooperation partner since early 2011. On their tours, the 60 mountain guides at the centre fully trust the quality of the adidas outdoor product range. adidas together with the Alpin Center – a modern team in classic alpine terrain, on which more and more mountaineers have been descending for almost 150 years. The legend was born back in 1865 when the Matterhorn was climbed for the first time. Alpin Center Zermatt was founded due to growing demand just 30 years later. Since then its experienced mountain guides have been bringing people safely to the summit.

More information: www.alpincenter-zermatt.ch

That said, if you aren’t fit for the Matterhorn adventure, even with a mountain guide, it’s going to be all over very quickly: “On the steep approach to the climb we can already see whether our guests have the necessary endurance, or not,” explains Zeiter – sometimes the climb has to be aborted because safety always comes first. Reaching the summit is only half the job – you need to be fit enough to get back down again too. “For many the descent is worse because they are tired,” says the experienced guide.

If you are not sure whether you will manage the ascent or not, you can always go on an easier tour with a mountain guide who will give you this professional opinion. And then, if you really are up for it, you can be guided to the dream summit roped up on more difficult sections.

For most people the summit will remain out of reach. Although in 1950 there really were plans to build a cable car up the Matterhorn.

90,000 signatures put a stop to that little project. Thank goodness!

TECHNOLOGY APPAREL

TERREX™ Feather Jacket Fully-equipped lightweight GORE-TEX® Pro Shell Jacket – developed for winter mountain sports. Michi Lerjen shins up the Matterhorn Furggen ridge.

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Adjustable Storm Hood helmet compatible

Full zip 2-way waterproof center front zip

GORE-TEX® Pro Shell full weather protection, breathable, for rough conditions

Underarm Ventilation zips for individual climate control

is specifically tailored for the unique motion patterns of outdoor sports.

Enables you to perform with perfect comfort and freedom of movement.

Ventilated Zip Pockets with mesh inserts for airflow

Detachable Snow Skirt stretchable and adjustable

Draw cord adjustable hem

GORE-TEX® Pro Shell GORE-TEX® Pro Shell is the optimum solution to use under extreme tough conditions. The 3-Layer construction comprises a special high-performance GORE-TEX® membrane, bonded to a tough outer material and a specially developed robust inner lining. The benefit: no movement between the three layers, which means less wear and tear, and even greater durability. Engineered with the most rugged, breathable, durably waterproof and windproof fabrics, 3-Layer GORE-TEX® Pro Shells meet the demands of outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts.

APPAREL MEN

TERREX™

GORE-TEX® ACTIVE SHELL

The adidas TERREX™ GORE-TEX® Active Shell Jacket is the ideal jacket for athletic mountain sport activities where full weather protection, high breathability and lightweight packability are needed.

TERREX™ GORE-TEX® Active Shell Jacket #V10378 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE-TEX® Active Shell fabric, fully adjustable helmet compatible storm hood, two ventilated hand pockets

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TERREX™

FEATHER JACKET

TERREX™ GORE WINDSTOPPER® Hybrid Jacket #V10374 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE WINDSTOPPER fabric, hybrid construction according to adidas BodyMapping concept, two hand pockets, one chest pocket ®

TERREX™ Hybrid Pants #V10364 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF Wind Soft Shell fabric, hybrid construction according to adidas BodyMapping concept, adjustable snow guard, two zip hand pockets, one zip back pocket ®

TERREX™ Feather Jacket #V10383 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric, fully adjustable helmet compatible storm hood, detachable snow skirt, side ventilation, two chest pockets, two ventilated hand pockets, reflective elements

The adidas TERREX™ Feather Jacket is a fully equipped winter mountain sports jacket for extreme conditions. It features breathable GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric for ultimate waterproof performance.

An adjustable, helmetcompatible hood offers extra weather protection, while FORMOTION™ follows the natural movement of sport for a better fit and greater comfort in motion.

TERREX™ CLIMAPROOF® Rain 3-Layer Pants #O59374

TERREX™ GORE WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell Jacket #V10377

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Rain fabric provides lightweight, breathable protection from wind and rain, belted waist, adjustable and removable braces, two zip hand pockets

FORMOTION™ cut, GORE WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell fabric, two zip chest pockets, one inner zip pocket, underarm ventilation zips for individual climate control, adjustable hood

APPAREL MEN

TERREX™

SWIFT HYBRID JACKET

Engineered with BodyMapping, the adidas TERREX™ SWIFT Hybrid Jacket places the perfect amount of insulation, ventilation and wind resistance exactly where your body needs it for optimal athletic performance in the outdoors.

TERREX™ SWIFT Hybrid Jacket #V11085

TERREX™ SWIFT Soft Shell Hoody #V11081

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Wind Soft Shell fabric, hybrid construction according to adidas BodyMapping concept, two zip hand pockets

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Wind Soft Shell fabric, two chest pockets, two side pockets, underarm ventilation zips, adjustable hood

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TERREX™ SWIFT CLIMAPROOF® Storm 2-Layer Jacket #V11101 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Storm fabric provides lightweight, breathable protection from wind and rain, PrimaLoft® insulation for more warmth, even in wet conditions, detachable snow skirt, side ventilation zips, two hand and two chest pockets, one sleeve pocket

TERREX™ SWIFT Stretch Fleece Hooded Cocona Jacket #V10995 FORMOTION™ cut, Cocona fabric for superior moisture management, one chest pocket, hood

TERREX™ SWIFT All Season Pants #P09971 FORMOTION™ cut, NANO-TEX RESISTS SPILLS for superior water resistance, 2-way stretch fabric, bottom leg zips, two front zip pockets, one leg pocket, elastic waist with belt

APPAREL MEN

TERREX™

HALF-ZIP LONGSLEEVE

Balance your body temperature with the next-to-skin adidas TERREX™ Half-Zip Longsleeve shirt. Hybrid construction targets warmth and ventilation, while a dynamic FORMOTION™ cut delivers sport-specific fit and comfort. Breathable CLIMAWARM™ fabric keeps you warm and comfortable in cold weather conditions.

#V10366

TERREX™ 1/2 Zip Longsleeve #V10368 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAWARM™ stretch fabric for thermal insulation and quick dry, half zip with stand-up collar

TERREX™ SWIFT 1/2 Zip Longsleeve Tee #V11064 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMALITE fabric for superior moisture management, half zip, mesh inserts for added ventilation ®

TERREX™ Competition Longsleeve Tee #P90875

TERREX™ Competition Pants #P90881

FORMOTION™ cut, TECHFIT™ engineered garment, CLIMALITE® fabric with PrimaLoft® yarn zones for moisture management and body temperature regulation, adidas BodyMapping, snug fit, turtleneck

FORMOTION™ cut, TECHFIT™ engineered garment, CLIMALITE® fabric with PrimaLoft® yarn zones for moisture management and body temperature regulation, adidas BodyMapping, 3/4 length, snug fit

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APPAREL WOMEN

TERREX™

FEATHER JACKET

Engineered for athletic mountaineering in extreme conditions, the adidas women’s TERREX™ Feather Jacket features superior abrasion-resistant, breathable GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric for ultimate waterproof performance. An adjustable, helmet compatible hood offers extra weather protection. Ventilation pockets and a detachable snow skirt complete this top-end winter jacket.

TERREX™ Feather Jacket #V10363 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric, adjustable and helmet compatible hood, detachable snow skirt, ventilation side and underarm zips, two front pockets, reflective elements

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TERREX™

HYBRID JACKET

TERREX™ GORE-TEX® Active Shell Jacket #V10360 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE-TEX® Active Shell fabric, convertible jacket with detachable sleeves, better temperature control and maximised freedom of movement, best-in-class fusion of function and style, reflective elements

TERREX™ Multifunction Pants #V10343 FORMOTION™ cut, NANO-TEX RESISTS SPILLS for superior water resistance, regular fitted upper leg, slim fitted lower leg with stretch softshell material, two front pockets, two ventilation zips

TERREX™ GORE WINDSTOPPER® Hybrid Jacket #V10356 FORMOTION™ cut, GORE WINDSTOPPER® fabric, hybrid construction according to adidas BodyMapping concept, ventilation zips

TERREX™ 1/2 Zip Longsleeve #V10347 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAWARM™ fabric for thermal insulation and quick dry, fitted hood, asymmetric half zip, thumb loops

According to the adidas BodyMapping concept, the adidas women’s TERREX™ GORE WINDSTOPPER® Hybrid Jacket masters climate management by targeting warmth and ventilation exactly where outdoor athletes need it most. The jacket balances the ultimate water resistance with lightweight breathability.

APPAREL WOMEN

TERREX™ SWIFT Longsleeve 1/2 Zip Tee #O59481 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMALITE® fabric for superior moisture management, half zip, mesh inserts for added ventilation

TERREX™ SWIFT All Season Pants #E80314

TERREX™ CLIMAPROOF® Rain 3-Layer Pants #V10344

TERREX™ SWIFT Fleece Hoody #V10093

FORMOTION™ cut, NANO-TEX RESISTS SPILLS for superior water resistance, 2-way stretch fabric, bottom leg zips, two front pockets, one leg pocket, elastic waist with belt

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Rain fabric, internal snow gaiters, detachable braces, belt, 2-way zip for adjustable ventilation along the leg, two front pockets

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAWARM™ fabric for thermal insulation and quick dry, fitted forearms with thumb loops, loose fitted hood, kangaroo zip pocket

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TERREX™

SWIFT 3in1 JACKET

Inner jacket

TERREX™ SWIFT 3in1 CLIMAPROOF® Storm Jacket #V10106 FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Storm fabric (outer jacket) provides lightweight, breathable protection from wind and rain, synthetic insulation (inner jacket) for thermal insulation

Tackle a wide range of mountain pursuits in this versatile adidas women’s TERREX™ SWIFT Threein-One CLIMAPROOF® Storm Jacket.

Wear the breathable weatherproof shell and insulated inner jacket separately or zipped together to maximise protection in the cold.

APPAREL WOMEN

TERREX™

SWIFT CPS 2L JACKET

Bring your best to the mountains with the padded adidas women’s TERREX™ SWIFT CLIMAPROOF® Storm 2-Layer Jacket. Constructed with PrimaLoft® padding for extra warmth, the jacket offers lightweight, breathable protection from wind and rain. A detachable snow skirt helps keep the snow out.

TERREX™ SWIFT CLIMAPROOF® Storm 2-Layer Jacket #V10110

TERREX™ SWIFT Soft Shell Hoody #O59427

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Storm fabric provides lightweight, breathable protection from wind and rain, PrimaLoft® insulation for more warmth, even in wet conditions, detachable snow skirt, underarm ventilation zips, sleeve pocket

TERREX™ SWIFT Soft Shell Jacket #V10100 FORMOTION™ cut, NANO-TEX RESISTS SPILLS for superior water resistance, Soft Shell fabric for wind resistance, two front pockets

FORMOTION™ cut, CLIMAPROOF® Wind Soft Shell fabric, fully adjustable hood, two front pockets

TERREX™ Competition Tee #V10346

TERREX™ Competition Pants #P90865

FORMOTION™ cut, TECHFIT™ engineered garment, CLIMALITE® fabric with PrimaLoft® yarn zones for moisture management and body temperature regulation, adidas BodyMapping, snug fit, turtleneck

FORMOTION™ cut, TECHFIT™ engineered garment, CLIMALITE® fabric with PrimaLoft® yarn zones for moisture management and body temperature regulation, adidas BodyMapping, 3/4 length, snug fit

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TECHNOLOGY APPAREL

PrimaLoft insulation ®

HIGH-TECH FIBRE AGAINST

Base camp in front of Holtanna west face, Antarctic.

ANTARCTIC COLD When icy-cold winds whistle around your body on the summit of a ski mountaineering or hiking tour, or you are belaying for a mate on an intensive boulder route, or you are exposed to winter conditions on a vertical rock face, then you’ll know how important it is to have a reliable layer of insulation.

Like Alexander and Thomas Huber, who relied on adidas and PrimaLoft® for their Antarctic Expedition 2008, confronted during their six-week trip with ice-cold nights in the tent, gruelling climbing on the rock face and day after day in ice and snow. Ski mountaineers, hikers, climbers, and other outdoor athletes can benefit this winter from the Antarctic experience of the Huber Brothers and the subsequent developments integrated into adidas PrimaLoft® products.

The adidas product team had less than half a year to develop the equipment for the Antarctic – a real challenge. The clothing had to be able to handle the toughest conditions for climbing a 750-metre-high vertical granite wall in icy winds and average temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius. Hours of belaying, hanging off the rock face, energy-sapping climbing and navigating, plus overnight stays in the portaledge in these extreme conditions – that’s when you need to be able to rely on your equipment 100%.

Obviously, in these conditions insulation is the most important factor.

That’s because loss of heat translates into loss of energy – and that’s something the Hubers can do without on the big wall as much as any other athlete on a ski tour, ice climbing or mountaineering. “It was cold, very cold, much tougher and more difficult than we thought”, is how Alexander described the conditions.

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Thomas and Alexander, Sun Terrace base camp, Nameless Tower, Pakistan.

Alexander Huber in portaledge, Antarctic.

The layering principle plays an important role and all the layers have to be optimally matched.

The base layer, which has direct contact with the skin for several days, has to be comfortable, fit well, and – depending on the part of the body – either transport moisture away or retain heat.

Vital protection against the wind and weather is provided by the GORE-TEX® outer layer. It is in winter, or in very cold conditions at altitude, that the insulating middle layer plays an important part. It is important not to underestimate the risk of becoming too cold or even freezing during constant physical exertion in the mountains in extreme weather conditions.

The adidas product team had to deliver maximum development performance to ensure that the Huber Brothers could achieve maximum performance in the Antarctic. That’s because technical, functional, highly specialised components decide between life and death in

Michi Lerjen and Denise Wenger, Bossi bivouac, Matterhorn, Switzerland.

extreme cases and have to deliver 100% reliability. Managing this in a record time of six months certainly put the pressure on the development project. That added extra ambition and motivation as the team got started. They had to get it right first time. It was clear that on an expedition to one of the coldest regions on Earth, insulation was as important as perfect fit and alpine functionality.

It was not difficult for the adidas developers to choose an insulation material for the Antarctic jackets. They soon hit on PrimaLoft® as the ideal solution. PrimaLoft® micro-fibres guarantee high-performance thermal insulation. In addition, it is very light, extremely compressible and breathable as well as having a pleasant feel. It is for good reason, then, that PrimaLoft® is the only synthetic alternative to down. In one respect it is even more advanced. As soon as down becomes wet it forms clumps and its

insulation properties are effectively zero – while PrimaLoft ® material keeps you warm even in wet conditions.

And that is a huge advantage, as Thomas and Alexander themselves experienced. The equipment was put through its paces in extreme conditions during their 24 pitch ascent of the highly technical Holtanna west face (7+/A4), the first free ascent of the Holtanna via the north buttress (Skywalk, 7-) and a two-day climb up the 2,931-metre Ulvetanna (Sound of Silence, 8-/A2). While climbing they wore a lightweight PrimaLoft® jacket; while belaying they wore a thick and very warm belay jacket with lined, helmet-compatible hood.

Naturally, in addition to some impressive photos and stories, the Huber Brothers also brought back valuable product feedback from their extreme adventures in the Antarctic.

TECHNOLOGY APPAREL

PrimaLoft insulation ®

Again, during their seven-week Pakistan Expedition 2009 in Karakorum, which included the first red point ascent of Eternal Flame (9+, 24 pitch, 650 metres), Thomas and Alexander took adidas PrimaLoft® products to their limits.

Their positive – and sometimes critical – feedback motivated the adidas team in their ongoing development of the insulation components. The latest feedback on the winter product range was provided by Denise Wenger and Michael Lerjen after they conquered the Furggen Ridge on the Matterhorn last winter.

This winter, outdoor athletes can continue to benefit from the thermal properties and insulation performance of adidas PrimaLoft ® products. adidas makes use of PrimaLoft® Sport and PrimaLoft® Eco. These are the toughest PrimaLoft® materials that can be used for large areas with few stitched seams. A huge advantage because every seam is a thermal bridge and thus a weak point.

Both products are highly durable, even when washed frequently. PrimaLoft ® Eco also consists of 40 – 50% recycled materials. The slightly thinner TERREX™ PrimaLoft ® jackets and waistcoats with 60- and 40-gram

PrimaLoft® Sport were inspired by the Huber Brothers’ climbing jackets and are ideal as a thermal middle layer under a hard shell jacket. Thanks to the FORMOTION™ cut they cope with extreme movement and are perfect as an outer layer in spring and autumn. If you are looking for a really warm jacket for belaying or skiing downhill on a ski mountaineering tour, then go for the TERREX™ SWIFT Jacket with thick 100-gram PrimaLoft® lining plus lined hood. Once you’ve tried the adidas PrimaLoft® jacket it’ll become your indispensable companion, not just during winter but often the whole year round.

What is PrimaLoft®?

PrimaLoft ® insulation products are highly technical synthetic lining materials that combine the thermal properties of down with the advantages of technical functionality.

That’s because PrimaLoft ® offers an exceptional weight to insulation ratio, and, in contrast to down, it even keeps you warm when damp and then dries out very quickly.

Even if the fibres become wet from the inside during movement, they still protect

the athlete from the cold. That makes it the ideal insulation material for heavy perspiration activities in cold conditions, like those the Huber Brothers had to deal with in the Antarctic.

PrimaLoft ® fibres are also extremely light, compressible and have a pleasantly soft feel.

So it covers functional aspects as well as the cuddly ones.

How does PrimaLoft® work?

PrimaLoft® consists of extremely fine microfibres that imitate the natural structure of down. A single fibre 40 kilometres long weighs just one gram. During a thermal process millions of these fibres are bonded at millions of nodes to form an extremely complex three-dimensional material.

That is how innumerable tiny cavities containing air are formed to prevent the flow of thermal energy. As a result the heated air stays close to the body and the cold stays outside. The fibres are also highly water-repellent, retaining their structure and in turn their insulation performance even in damp conditions.

MEN

TERREX™ PrimaLoft®Jacket #O58765 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, lightweight and extremely compressible garment with pack-it chest pocket, two side pockets

TERREX™ SWIFT PrimaLoft® Hoody #V11076 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, one chest pocket, two side pockets

TERREX™ PrimaLoft® Vest #V10369 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, lightweight and extremely compressible garment with pack-it chest pocket, two side pockets

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WARM, DRY, SOFT + EXTREMELY COMPRESSIBLE

Prim aL o ® ft

ulation ins

fast drying

breathable

water resistant lightweight + compressible

thermically efficient

12 Minimum volume and maximum insulation: PrimaLoft® products can be stowed away in the smallest spaces because the highly technical microfibres are light, stable and extremely compressible.

12 12

WOMEN

TERREX™ PrimaLoft® Jacket #O59069 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, lightweight and extremely compressible garment with pack-it pocket, two side pocket

TERREX™ PrimaLoft® Jumper #O59066 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, pullover style with half zip for better fit and enhanced comfort, fitted hood, pack-it pocket, kangaroo pocket

TERREX™ SWIFT PrimaLoft® Vest #V10096 FORMOTION™ cut, PrimaLoft® insulation for superior warmth, even in wet conditions, lightweight and extremely compressible garment with pack-it pocket, two side pockets

MOROCCO

No climbing between December and March? Months of coloured plastic holds in the gym?

Rain, ice and snow in the European hot spots in Italy, France and Spain? Three Austrian climbers – Jakob, Felix and Leo – wanted to escape the hostile cold months. Their six-week camper van adventure took them to Morocco. Perfect winter climbing in the High Atlas mountains.

A programme of familiarisation, climbing and drilling.

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Morocco

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MOROCCO

3 climbers in Wonderland That must be it, over there, to the left of the road.

It’s a dream. The coolest of a huge selection of cool climbs far and wide: caramel brown, rising up in the distance against a luminous blue sky, 120 metres high, virtually featureless appearance – a smooth surface, definitely a severe degree of difficulty. Felix and Jakob immediately leap out of the van to get a closer look; they are in a hurry. Movement at last, climbing is in reach!

They carve and slice through the rocks, jumping over thistles and bushes; there’s nothing that’s going to hold them back now. And then they were standing right in front of it: “The rock face stood out so beautifully,” says Jakob. They are standing at the foot of their wall, the perfect wall.

The limestone has been eaten away by wind and water to form fine cracks, sharp edges and mini-hollows: virgin climbing territory. Three pitches ought to do it with a drilled cling line to follow a tough but logical route. But is it really a good idea to go for one among thousands on the first day we arrive?

This is the high quality winter climbing region whose reputation for fantastic rocks and good protection in all degrees of difficulty has gone before it. No longer an insider tip, but far removed from the overcrowded situation in many European hot spots, most of which are inaccessible in winter anyway due to the weather.

Jakob’s diary Into the sun “I’ve seen it and I tell you guys: California has got nothing on the unbelievably safe weather of southern Morocco. I can count on one hand the number of clouds I’ve seen in one and a half months. We arrived at the place we belong, where the world offers everything we need: climbing under clear skies and creative movement on beautifully formed rock.”

Just to confirm their decision that they needed to urgently get away from the cold in Europe they had called in to Arco in northern Italy on their long journey south. They jogged up to San Siro in the sunshine and hacked a couple of tours into the south face, but at night they froze and shivered more than they slept.

It’s taken them six days to drive here in the van.

3,500 kilometres to the African continent, to Morocco. This morning Jakob, Felix and Leo finally rolled down the road through the passes in the High Atlas and had reached their destination: the Todra Gorge, the paradise for climbers. Up to 300 metres high rock faces tower over the road; the narrowest point is just ten metres wide. Fantastic limestone walls everywhere.

Rabat Casablanca Marrakech

G HI

H

AT

LA

S

Todra Gorge Erfoud

Todra Gorge Dadès Gorges

The second scheduled stop in their journey in southern France had to be cancelled from the outset due to continuous rain. So there was no doubt about their decision to head into the sun, leaving the climber’s winter behind them.

Dadès Gorges

Tinerhir Erg Chebbi

Ouarzazate Marrakech

El-KelâaM´Gouna

SAH

ARA

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Last glimpse of sunlight at the narrowes t point of the Todr a Gorg

Moroccan boy at a traditional water well.

on Leo, Felix and Jakob their relentless search for more potential in Dadès Gorges.

roadtrip ast . Our gor ge.

Our home, our breakf Coffee and omelettes in the car park, Todra Gorge.

Spices to cater for your every

desire at the Monday market.

e.

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MOROCCO

bouldering

The welcoming face farmer of hospitalit y. A gras s roots olive in Dadès Gorges.

Campfire, palms and a guitar.

What more could you ask for?

tajine

ro

Jakob was also unable to turn this gift down, although it became patently obvious that there ’s more to it than meets the eye.

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oadtrip Apart from the usual equipment such as karabiners, harnesses and boots, for the Morocco trip they had also packed a snowboard and softboots, so they could carve lines into some sand dunes in the desert; plus a cordless drill to leave an indelible memento on an exotic wall – greetings from three young Austrian climbers. They wanted to drill their own route into the rock – a special rock of course – not any old rock. They could hardly believe that they had already spotted the perfect rock face on the day of their arrival. They decided that they would still have a look around. And so they parked in the canyon next to some other climbers’ vans.

Jakob’s diary Chilling and climbing “Daybreak arrives. Not something that affects us really, because we don’t manage to leave the van until we are woken by the heat of the sun.

were Jus t after Erfoud, we presented with the gift of these perfectly positioned boulders , ived.

A gift which Leo gratefully rece

No idea how late it is, which day of the week or even which month. Leo, Felix and I have set up camp with our van on a large, bare area next to the road through the Todra Gorge.

Our neighbours, who are also European climbers with vans, are already awake. They bid us a tired ‘Morning’.

As always, Felix conjures up an omelette as the sun comes up and I sit reading on my crash pad couch, waiting for the next coffee. In my defence: I’m the washer-upper.

‘If you don’t know how to take it easy, the challenges of an adventure don’t exist,’ I’m thinking as we head off for the daily climb. We scud across scree, jump clear of stones and then walk to and fro across the foot of the wall. We are spoilt for choice: there are so many perfect routes on offer. I choose a heavily overhanging line, which is more than vertical. My style is to start off smiling, switch to whingeing, followed by shouting and then normally –

unfortunately – flinging myself onto the rope after a hopeless battle. After four days and the fifth attempt on this 7c project I am at last standing on top. An indescribable moment of joy.”

In the evenings Jakob, Felix and Leo sit with Yusef, a local, around the campfire, tasting the vegetables and meat he has cooked in his traditional Moroccan earthenware tagine. Sometimes they saunter past date, fig and pomegranate trees through the souk in Tinerhir, the village at a nearby oasis, where in the hustle and bustle of the market trades people offer their wares: spices, dyes, henna, carpets and clothing. Felix and Jakob can’t resist and each buy a jalaba, the long Moroccan braided cloak with hood.

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MOROCCO

Jakob in the Sahara – heading for the highe st dune he

can find.

g takes place on In Morocco everythin the street. If anything is going on, that’s the place to be.

If it wasn’t camels crossing our path, then it was herds of goat s and sheep.

The quality of the boulders around Erfoud is quite unique, even for Morocco.

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Clas sic road trip.

More, more, more – heading to the next route to satiate our appetite.

Felix belay s Leo on this shor t, sharp pitch above our home.

limestone.

Fine weather meets fine All part of a day’s work for Felix in Todra Gorge.

A river can run wherever it wants, up – just so long as it doesn’t hold us Felix and Leo in Dadès Gorges.

Climbers come and go.

Only the nomads stay as they are.

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MOROCCO

virtually impenetrable Jakob and Felix on the approach to “Hammam-Aua!”.

But they are still looking for the perfect wall to let rip with the drill. They search the Todra Canyon, fighting their way through impenetrable terrain to virgin rocks. The journey is the destination: inspecting potential climbs is pure enjoyment, nothing can hold them back. Then they hit upon the Dadès Canyon to the west.

Here the approaches are well off the beaten track and they climb carefully over boulders, cut through the undergrowth and wander nimbly across desert sands and through green oases. They’ll have covered countless kilometres running and climbing. However, they are disappointed to discover that the beauty of their surroundings cannot make up for the poor quality of the rock. In the end, everything points towards the rock face in the Todra Canyon that they spotted on their very first day.

Felix starts drilling.

Jakob’s diary Untouched rock “We had brought a cordless drill with us to help us move unhindered across virgin rock. However, the first time we wanted to recharge the battery we were daft enough to hook it up to the van’s battery overnight.

We all slept soundly, safe in the knowledge that we were doing the right thing. When we wanted to drive away the next morning, the van wouldn’t start. The battery was completely dead. But it wasn’t long before our friend Yusef got us started. No problem in the end.

On a high with enthusiasm, Felix drilled for days, especially because one battery only manages five holes. The route ended up following a logical line through slabs, overhangs and cracks on the right-hand ledge of a 120-metrehigh, compact wall that looks absolutely featureless from a distance. But the limestone in the Todra Canyon has been eroded by water and wind especially for climbers.

The result was three pitches, the highlight being the second with 40 metres of 7b.”

Felix started by drilling a safe belay at the top and then three hooks for three rope lengths.

The anticipation of climbing their own route increased with every hour of work; the razorsharp 7b section in the middle cried out for all challengers.

Felix christened his masterpiece of modern free climbing “Hammam-Aua!” “Hammam” after the Moroccan baths where you can be scrubbed and massaged for three euros.

“Aua!” refers to the sharp rock edges and the first failed red point attempt. He kept on falling onto the rope. He paid for his unswerving tenacity with wrecked fingertips and a forced rest.

As a consequence it is at last time for a two-day trip to fulfil one of Jakob’s childhood dreams: Erg Chebbi, the orange-coloured sea of dunes at the gateway to the Sahara.

hammam-aua !

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6b

7b

6a

The first ascent reveals the bare truth. Again and again .

02

MOROCCO

You can already pick it out from a distance driving along an adventurous and often confusing trail. To wake up in the morning in the middle of these high, bizarre sand mountains is a spectacle of nature like no other. A never-ending range of shimmering red hills formed from the finest grains of sand. The emptiness and space is overpowering. The sun soon reaches its zenith and as Jakob ploughs up the ridge of a sand dune with his snowboard he discovers that the most tiring bits are often edited out of childhood dreams.

35 degree slope, a hundred metres of elevation in singeing heat with softboots and he started hallucinating about lightweight climbing shoes. “Getting up there requires puerile motivation,” he explains.

Of which he has plenty, and then cools down in the airstream as he finally carves a wave through the fine Sahara sand on his board. “Fun and flow,” is his only comment, he is lost for words.

Don’t look and you will find; you just need to check out the neighbourhood a little bit: their way back from the desert turns into an afternoon of bouldering on perfectly formed limestone blocks, whose delicate diagonal rock layers must have been waiting for Jakob, Felix and Leo for thousands of years.

Jakob’s diary The submission of “Hammam-Aua!” “Back at our gravel campsite in the fantastic Todra Canyon there is only one thing left for us to do: the first ascent of ‘Hammam-Aua!’. It is the last day on our six-week road trip: tomorrow we have to pack the van and head for home. And the wall with its sharp edges and wildly weathered raw rock has still not been climbed in a oner.

Felix the Great spoke to his minions: ‘On the last day I’m going to show you how it’s done.’ So now he’s got something to prove. Again he sails onto the rope two holds away from the end of the 7b pitch.

But I know as I belay him on the next attempt that he’s finally going to do it.

He grabs, tears and screams his way through the heart of the route as if he had never done anything else.

So at the end of the trip Felix broke the reign of terror of ‘Hammam-Aua!’ by climbing it into submission. On the way home our fifth gear also broke a hundred kilometres away from Barcelona.

Only slightly demoralised by this minor irritation we changed into fourth gear and drove home without a break - only another 28 hours.”

-aua!

n the Felix trie s to pull dow shadow on the second pitch.

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dur ing No time for pain. Felix his much-acclaimed showdow n.

More pain than passion. “Hammam-Aua!”

Hugging in relief – Felix and Jakob at the peak of success on top of “Hammam-Aua!”.

TECHNOLOGY FOOTWEAR

TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX

®

with FORMOTION™: combines lightness, ground control and stability. Pick up the speed to cover more ground. adidas cutting edge FORMOTION™ technology adapts perfectly to the ground, reducing stress on joints and giving you ultimate ground control. At any angle of touchdown, a pair of horizontally sliding plates in the midsole begin to slow forces the moment your foot touches the ground.

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heel stabilizer for enhanced stability

adidas cutting edge FORMOTION™ Technology

GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort Membrane: waterproof and breathable, ideal for higher activity levels

High-abrasion mesh for durability and breathability

Speed lacing for fast and snug lacing

TRAXION® TRAXION® outsole provides the best grip during fast activities

protection plate special impact plate is incorporated for protection from hazards such as sharp rocks

adiPRENE®, adiPRENE®+ adiPRENE + in the forefoot maintains propulsion and efficiency, adiPRENE® under the heel for superior cushioning at impact ®

Downhill Comfort // Reduces sole angle velocity for a smoother, more natural strike with every step

Injury Prevention // Reduces critical knee loads and that means fewer injuries

Ground Adaptation // Adapts to uneven terrain and gives improved ground control

TECHNOLOGY FOOTWEAR

What makes a real dream team?

Total trust combined with skill – that is the magic formula for success in the outdoors!

Upper material Protective knit GORE-TEX® Membrane Inner lining

adidas and Gore

Dream Team

Uwe and Felix breathe hard – they’ve both been on the move since the early morning. Threads of mist hang in the forest, although that doesn’t bother them in the slightest. Undeterred they blast on up the steep trail – great fun and a cool pace. 20 tough minutes later they are both standing next to the cross at the top. Even though there is no view, they are satisfied all round: with themselves, the route and their boots.

A glance downwards gives the game away: they are both wearing a very special item on their feet: the TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX® – “their baby”.

And today it had survived a real baptism of fire. The test by two professionals who have invested an enormous amount of effort and expertise, putting their heart into the development of this pair of boots: Felix Stobitzer, Chief Developer at adidas Outdoor, and Uwe Bauer, Sales Manager at Gore.

Together with their teams they have developed a boot that completely meets their high expectations. “The TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX® is my absolute favourite in the collection, because it is comfortable and reliable on every terrain,” says Uwe, who is also a mountain and ski guide.

Testing, testing ...

A statement like that from Gore is almost like receiving a medal for the adidas development team. That’s because Gore places the highest demands on its partners: nobody can use GORE-TEX® technologies or materials without obtaining a license. Gore decides who is allowed to use GORE-TEX® – it’s as easy as that. Or not. If you want to qualify for working together with Gore you have to meet the toughest specifications first.

Fast and light, 100% tight and super-comfortable

The adidas development team invested a great deal of time, energy and passion in designing a boot that would meet their own high expectations. The Outdoor (addicted) girls and boys wanted to develop a fast hiking boot without any compromises. The objective: light, comfortable and reliable.

And meet all Gore standards. “Guaranteed to keep you dry – is our motto and what we promise – customers no compromises”, says Uwe, who has been working on boots for 20 years.

“For us that doesn’t mean just totally waterproof, it also means excellent breathability only then can feet remain permanently dry.” That’s why Gore puts the product through its paces from conception through to manufacturing. “If our strict quality specifications are not met, then the product does not get our approval,” states the Sales Manager. That’s why sometimes a boot is withdrawn shortly before it is launched.

“With adidas Outdoor products that has never been the case.” Quite the opposite in fact: the two companies have a sound working relationship across the board – a partnership on equal terms. “Our relationship is based on mutual respect, great trust and a friendly atmosphere,” says Uwe.

In the Outdoor boot collection the adidas team have implemented two of Gore’s proven, high quality product technologies. GORE-TEX® PERFORMANCE FOOTWEAR technology – ideal for long and multiple day tours – used in boots like the TERREX™ Hike GTX®. That’s because of its sturdy construction and light insulation layer. On extended tours your feet are sure to remain dry and the boots feel comfortable – even if you’ve been wearing them for days. TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX® on the other hand belongs in the GORE-TEX® EXTENDED COMFORT FOOTWEAR class. This technology dispenses with a layer of insulation, ensures rapid moisture transport and dissipates heat efficiently – perfect for fast hikes and tough uphill sections.

GORE-TEX® Laminate is integrated into the boot as a lining – a challenging and complex process. “There is an unbelievable amount of work that is done by hand in one of these boots – they are assembled meticulously from more than a hundred individual parts.” explains Felix.

Integrating a GORE-TEX® Laminate lining demands special expertise and highly qualified and speciallytrained personnel.” A spot too much adhesive, a seam in the wrong place – and the functionality of the GORE-TEX® Membrane can no longer be guaranteed. That’s why the factories that process GORE-TEX® Laminate also have to be approved. Only workshops with special machinery, trained personnel and laboratories can be certified.

At the summit they high five. For more than 30 years their companies have been working together on new product developments. Trust combined with respect and competence, that’s what makes their cooperation so successful on the drawing board as well as outdoors. And that is something you can feel as soon as you have worn a pair of TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX®: comfortable, reliable and safe – an excellent partner for all types of terrain.

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Know-how, pioneering work and extreme quality standards – to use GORE-TEX® technologies in your products you need to pass numerous tests From the idea through to production – GORE-TEX® boots have to meet the highest standards. And they relate not just – like international standards (e.g. for waterproofing) – to certain materials (like textiles, laminates or leather) but to the complete final product and its range of applications. Gore standards assess each individual component as critically as the finished boot.

Research and development Only concepts that are 100% convincing are permitted to be equipped with GORE-TEX® Laminates. That’s why each individual product – from material to manufacturing – is tuned to these high specifications. For a boot like the TERREX™ Fast X Mid GTX® a product-specific concept is put together – in cooperation with Gore – for production using the laminate.

Material All GORE-TEX® Laminates are subject to the strictest quality checks. Plus strict specifications apply: all materials used in the boot (e.g. bootlaces, thread, leather and mesh textiles), have to have been especially treated so that they cannot absorb any water.

Production tests Flex test

Each GORE-TEX® boot must pass tests on waterproofing and breathability: the flex test and centrifuge test are indicators of waterproof performance while the comfort test is critical for revealing the level of breathability.

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For the Flex test a boot is placed in water and a simulated running movement applied. The boot must withstand several hundred movements and remain absolutely dry inside. A GORE-TEX® trekking boot, for example, has to cover the equivalent of around 320 kilometres in the water bath, non-stop.

• The Centrifuge test is also tough because it brutally pinpoints any leaks,

regardless of how tiny: the boot is filled with water and turned at high speed

on a rotor. The resulting pressure forces water through even the most micro scopic hole. Only if all the water remains inside the boot does it pass the test.

Centrifuge test

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On top of that Gore has developed the Comfort test, which is designed to test breathability and climatic comfort. The boots are fitted with two artificial “sweaty feet” in order to detect vapour transmission and absorption in the climate chamber. Specific standards have to be fulfilled depending on the range of applications of the boot.

Quality audit for the manufacturer All manufacturers are subjected to a quality audit.

Here, Gore specifies precisely how each material is to be processed during production and which work step is to be performed by which person. In addition Gore provides its own patented machines for the complex processing of GORE-TEX® Laminate. Manufacturer’s production workshops also need to have trained personnel and special laboratories.

Comfort test

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Developed with our adidas athletes, e.g. the Huber Brothers, this adidas TERREX™ SOLO highperformance shoe is ready for every outdoor action. Featuring an outsole design with different zones for hiking and climbing, and shock-absorbing adiPRENE® for cushioning in each step.

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VIA FERRATA

In the shadow of Alpspitze extreme situations call for extreme measures.

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MAUERLAUFER

VIA FERRATA Text & Photo: Anton Brey

A via ferrata goes up there?

At first glance it’s difficult to spot the athlete ...

Jörg is just between the “niche” and the traverse in the middle section of the block.

VIA FERRATA

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MAUERLAUFER VIA F

That’s how it was one evening in February.

Based on the fact that the chances of powder snow were rare, Jörgl Pflugmacher let his imagination run riot ...

It was mid-February this year and the relatively mild winter had not so far been entirely satisfying for many. While in northern Germany they didn’t know what to do with the mass of snow, ski resorts in the northern Alps had to use artificial snow to keep going. Longing for powder, freeriders were already tanking up pistes with skins to make sure they were on top form for when the white stuff finally arrives.

The exchange of information between local mountain dwellers mostly took place in the boulder gym in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The temporary social network of Loisachtal and Isartal. A good place to get to know like-minded folk and meet friends.

“Extreme situations call for extreme measures” so it’s going to be something special. Something to do with snow, skis and rock buzzed in his mind. “Why not climb the Mauerläufer Route in winter? Climb up with skis and then to round off the tour an easy ski down from Bernadeinkopf to the Stuiben Hut.” Hanging off the Mauerläufer in summer is quite something. The shade of the north face makes summer temperatures bearable and in your backpack you’ve got a bite to eat and a rain jacket in case the weather turns. The Mauerläufer Route was made for summer, and even then you’ll find weekend warriors quickly exceed their limits. But we are talking about winter, minus temperatures, snow and ice as well,

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FERRATA

and then there is the equipment. Ski boots, skis, poles and crampons don’t make the climb any easier; and it’s important that your clothing fits perfectly to provide the necessary freedom of movement. There was no question that he was well prepared for this tour. A look back at the tours he has covered in the past provides clear proof: in Patagonia he climbed Fitz Roy, plus he spent some time highelevation climbing in Peru. In Asia he climbed Garhwal in the Himalayas, as well as Barunze and Thulagi Chuli in Nepal. Jörg never stands still. He is always on the move, whether it’s on rock – climbing and bouldering, or in the air – paragliding, parachuting or base jumping. Jörg has never made a big deal out of it. As far as he is concerned getting on with it has priority, not talking about it.

It was a couple of weeks before Jörg then turned up to undertake this quite extraordinary ski tour.

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The wall towering overwhelmingly above.

The information sign listing the dangers ahead is covered with snow and of no importance in as far that Jörg is well aware of what lies ahead.

History of the Mauerläufer via ferrata on Bernadeinkopf

As you drive into the Loisach Valley from the north, Alpspitze is the mountain that stands out most at the head of the valley. Bernadeinkopf sits inconspicuously to the northeast of Alpspitze. Viewed from Osterfelderkopf, Bernadeinkopf is hard to make out against the backdrop of the southern end of the Wetterstein Mountain Range. But this is ski mountaineering territory for the locals in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The via ferrata was drilled into the north face of the Bernadein in 2009. It was designed to be very special because there was already a via ferrata on the north face of Alpspitze, so this one had to be a bit more challenging. After a year of construction and four tonnes of anchors and 400 metres of steel cable, the Mauerläufer was opened in autumn 2009.

With its 250 metres of elevation and around 400 metres of climbing, the Mauerläufer on the north face of the Bernadein is one of the most difficult vie ferrate in the northern Alps.

Excerpt from the official press release; quote from via ferrata specialist Eugen E. Hüsler: “A very attractive via ferrata that is a great addition to the existing route (Alpspitz Ferrata, north face). Not a parcours for beginners, but a fine route for experienced climbers who are able to move safely on exposed steep rock.” The Mauerläufer via ferrata can only be negotiated with suitable climbing equipment and footwear.

VIA FERRATA

The Mauerläufer via ferrata follows the course of an old climbing route and the next stage used to be rated 7-.

If you are struggling here, you’ve got a problem.

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Bernadeinkopf (2,144 m)

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On 5 March he sets off at around half seven in the morning. He is alone in the car park at the Osterfeld cable car. The piste bashers are still in their garages and by the time the ski area starts working he’ll almost have reached the start of the climb, but first he’s got 1,100 metres of elevation to cover. The route passes over Kreuzeck and then via Hochalm to the Aschen Ridge. Passing the cable car station at the top of the Bernadein ski slopes you can already see the ridge. There are no tracks showing the way; nobody strays this far in winter.

The north face of the Bernadeinkopf mountain suddenly comes into perspective with the wall towering overwhelmingly above.

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Mauerläufer via ferrata Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) Duration: 5 hours (winter) Difficulty: D/E Summit: Bernadeinkopf 2,144 m Elevation climbed: 250 m of elevation Starting point: Alpspitz cable car

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The information sign listing the dangers ahead is covered with snow and of no importance in as far that Jörg is well aware of what lies ahead.

He concentrated on his path, replacing his skis with crampons, via ferrata harness, leather gloves and helmet. He knows that there is no room for error.

Awful accidents happen on vie ferrate. And wearing crampons as well you’ve got the added risk of injuring yourself. Via ferrate are often smirked at by climbers. Of course they are two different worlds, but as soon as you reach a class D climb the smirk rapidly disappears.

There are no team-mates to catch your fall here, you free-fall solo into the next steel anchor.

For the first few metres Jörg really has to stretch to get a hold. He soon gets an idea of what it’s going to be like ahead; with the skis on his backpack it is actually somewhat clumsy. A traverse across a 15-metre-wide snowfield is the last contact with snow. From here it is vertical rock and very exposed. Too steep for snow to lie. The crampons enable him to find a hold on the smallest ledges, take the strain off his arms and distribute weight to both legs. After a third of the route he reaches the so-called “niche”; so far, so good.

Beyond the “niche” the route goes over a block to a large wall where you are permanently on the vertical. Apart from the via ferrata equipment,

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Entrance (1,900 m)

a separate loop on his harness enables Jörg to take a break at one of the cable anchors. The view is awesome, coming from the Osterfeld cable car pin-sized dots cross over to Hochalm like ants on skis. Here you are no more than 300 metres away from a winter holiday resort and yet in another world, free, unreachable for those below.

After a traverse and few easy metres on the steel rope, Jörg reaches an overhang that leads to a ladder. By now he has covered two thirds of the tour. The Mauerläufer via ferrata mostly follows the course of an old climbing route and the next stage used to be rated 7-.

If you are struggling here, you’ve got a problem.

With no rope to abseil down, all that remains is calling the mountain rescue, as was often the case last summer. >>

The destination for all ski mountaineers is the Stuiben Hut. The Stuiben Hut is the perfect destination after a day tour for a coffee or to stay overnight if you’ve a long tour behind you.

When the hut was built in 1920, there were no lifts or cable cars in the Loisach valley.

If you wanted to reach a summit, you had to walk from the valley, so the Stuiben is a perfect location for lodgings. On day one you would aim for the hut and then the next day reach Alpspitze. Thanks to its location it is guaranteed snow, even in a German mild winter, and it is easily reachable from the ski resort nearby. It’s about half an hour away from the Bernadein lift.

Stuiben ski tour area From the Stuiben Hut on the east side of Alpspitze there is a selection of ski mountain-eering tours taking in one of the four surrounding summits. Stuibenspitze (1,924 metres) is right in front of the hut and is easily reachable in 45 minutes.

To get to Mauerschartenkopf (1,950 metres) you pass to the left of Stuibenspitze – total walking time is around 55 minutes. In safe conditions you can also reach Mauerscharte via Gassental in one and a quarter hours.

For Bernadeinkopf (2,143 metres) you enter Gassental before you reach the Stuiben hut and then hang right towards Alpspitze: 1.5 hours. Another option is to climb up the Oberkar ridge (2,237 metres) behind Bernadeinkopf, which takes an extra 30 minutes. To reach Alpspitze (2,628 metres), the traditional route is via Oberkar (approx 3–4 hours), which you get to via Schöngänge, or on the route to Bernadeinkopf.

VIA FERRATA

After another 70 metres you reach a slight overhang that was rated in the second most difficult category.

Then there is a slab ramp, where you can rest before moving on to the final difficult stage. After a little over one and a half hours Jörg reaches the Bernadeinkopf summit. Visibly relieved to have the challenging climb behind him he lets the strain subside with a ham sandwich and a cup of tea.

Half time. Now there’s the descent.

That’s one of the advantages if you are on the move in winter and you’ve got skis with you: you save yourself the long way down. The ski down is in very changeable conditions: corn snow, crusty snow and then some powder in sheltered terrain.

Five hours after leaving the valley Jörg reaches his destination at the hut. The hut warden has a freshly made pot of coffee waiting for him.

If you’ve been inspired to spice up a ski tour with a bit of via ferrata, it doesn’t have to be the Mauerläufer. As alternatives Jörg recommends the Schöngänge route to Bernadeinkopf, or the ferrata on the Alpspitze.

Crusty snow, powder and corn snow, what more can you ask for! It doesn’t get any more varied than this – you need to be a skilful skier versed in all the right techniques to tackle this descent.

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SKI MOUNTAINEERING

Endurance, speed, power and skill at the highest level: that’s what is required of competitive ski mountaineering athletes. Icy-cold strong winds must not be allowed to compromise performance. You need to be passionate about the competition in all weathers, like young athletes Michaela Essl and Jakob Herrmann, who are training for the Austrian national team.

SKI MOUNTA N EERING SUMMIT RECIPES

Michaela says that today was pure relaxation, a tour to enjoy: “It was so warm and sunny.” When she talks like that it sounds more like beauty treatment on a health farm or a wander through meadows than a ski tour with 1,600 metres of elevation, which is quite tiring for most people, even athletes.

She and her team colleague Jakob climbed the 3,123-metre Schareck near Sportgastein in two hours. In the morning they sat atop a summit yet again, relaxing and chatting, while Joe six-pack alpinists were still battling with the standard four and a half hour climb. Michaela can’t remember really exerting herself. “It was a pace where we were still able to chat,” she remembers – and prefers to exude about the amazing view: Grossglockner in the background, Grossvenediger, Sonnblick. “And everything was beautiful in white”.

Her love of the mountains and effortlessness in sport are the sound basis for her passion for competition. Michaela Essl and Jakob Herrmann are not just fit, they belong to the Austrian national team for competitive ski mountaineering.

ASKIMO (Austrian SKIMountaineering Organization for Competitions) is the name of this relatively young association, which was founded in 2006 and didn’t have a team until 2007/2008, and whose main sponsor and apparel provider is adidas. Like Michaela and Jakob, anybody who is invited to join the ASKIMO team has to be absolutely fit in three disciplines, says ASKIMO Team Manager Karl Posch: ski mountaineering, downhill and climbing. The athletes need to be able to make a trail up the mountain quickly, which demands endurance, strength and speed. Then they also need to be able to race downhill through alpine terrain. On top of that they need to be skilled mountaineers because they have to be able to climb with skis on their backs and be experts in handling equipment how to remove skins and fit their planks to backpacks under time pressure – every second counts. “We spend a lot of time training this with the stopwatch,” says Posch.

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MICHAELA ESSL

JAKOB HERRMANN

AUSTRIAN SKIMOUNTAINEERING ORGANIZATION FOR COMPETITIONS

ASKIMO Apart from a deliberate break of three weeks, they train every day and every day it’s something different. The top athletes each have their own weightlifting program in the gym, in summer they get out their ski skates, and then there’s balancing routines on the slackline and climbing training. “It’s a really tough winter sport,” says Posch.

The 23-year-old Jakob was a keen mountain runner and a professional downhill skier as a teenager. When he arrived at ASKIMO five years ago, he had to improve climbing on skis, practicing over and over and over again.

Michaela is an all-rounder because she has been touring the mountains with her father for as long as she can remember. Ski mountaineering, mountain running, climbing, mountain biking, mountaineering: “I always enjoy the change and really like endurance sport,” says the young policewoman.

And she is highly successful: the 21-year-old Michaela is already world champion in ski mountaineering and recently won the Austrian championships in March 2011.

Because official training for ski mountaineering is usually done solo, the team colleagues often get together on summits in their free time.

However, it is rare that competitive athletes manage to stick to a gentle pace: “As soon as somebody puts a bit of pressure on, the others don’t want to be any slower, which can turn out to be pretty tiring,” says Michaela. That’s why she sometimes goes with her mum on the low-pulse-rate outings scheduled in the training plan.

Jakob goes paragliding to clear his head (www.flytandem.at). His favourite paragliding discipline is what is known as “hike & fly”: why take the lift when you’ve got an opportunity to run up a mountain?

Ski mountaineering is the oldest form of skiing in the world; the first race was held in Munich in 1883. When lifts were built all over the mountains in the 50s and 60s, suddenly climbing uphill was no longer modern and it was only downhill skiing that became cool. More recently, however, ski mountaineering has become more popular again: “The sport is booming at the moment,” says Karl Posch, President of ASKIMO, a fact proven by the run on equipment in ski sports stores. Competitions are also taking off with at least 500 worldwide at the moment. Originally, competitive ski mountaineering had its roots in military patrol exercises. Between 1924 and 1948 it was even an Olympic discipline. The objective of the ski mountaineering community is to be part of the Olympics again in 2018.

“The equipment only weighs four kilograms”, says the man who has already flown from Mont Blanc and Grossglockner. In addition to their love of the mountains Michaela and Jakob also share an interest in healthy eating. They may have even swapped recipes at the summit.

Both bake their own bread and while Michaela raves about apple cake, Jakob insists on a decent steak with fresh vegetables every Friday.

Cooking is yet another of Jakob’s many talents, and turned out to be one that influenced his choice of job. He wants to be a teacher, and along with mathematics studies a subject that hardly anybody has managed to guess at so far: home economics. “I’m the only man on the course,” says the student with a laugh.

GORE-TEX® ACTIVE SHELL

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Outer fabric

GORE-TEX ACTIVE SHELL ®

Lining integrated in GORE-TEX Membrane ®

Ready to speed?

A long way

Professionals have been doing it for some while: climbing north faces in record times in winter, major climbs in a few hours and high elevation ski mountaineering routes in one day. Regardless of whether it’s a ski tour, a mountain trip or a climb, the high is in the speed. More and more of us want to experience the thrill. – You too?

Who dares, needs to invest. You in training, adidas in development. adidas has done its homework: before the TERREX™ GORE-TEX® Active Shell Jacket went into production it was subjected to innumerable processes and tests. Prototype after prototype was optimised and mountain-tested: by experienced mountain guides and hardened outdoor enthusiasts. The jacket was not approved for manufacturing until everybody was satisfied. Even the experts at Gore were deeply involved in the development. At the moment only a few well-known brands are allowed to manufacture products using GORE-TEX® Active Shell technology. Steadfast partners like adidas.

To deliver top performance everything has to be right: preparation, concentration and fitness. And it’s not just training that is critical, but equipment as well. Body climate, weather protection and weight are factors that can soon become a burden.

For record chasers, speed junkies and high flyers That’s why adidas has developed a special jacket for athletic outdoor sports. Designed in cooperation with Gore, the TERREX™ GORE-TEX® Active Shell Jacket is a completely new style of all-rounder: a durable windproof and watertight three-layer jacket that transmits the body’s moisture very quickly to the outside.

Weatherproof like a Hardshell, breathable like a Softshell – a fantastic feeling, minimalist weight and giddying stowage dimensions: simply the perfect symbiosis of functions!

Comfort test Climate chamber to simulate different climatic conditions at differing degrees of physical effort.

Flex/Crumple test Tests the durability of a material’s stability with simultaneous crumpling and twisting.

The underlying secret – a revolution The result is a small outdoor miracle. Enabled by revolutionary GORETEX® Active Shell Laminate, which combines a light and thin GORE-TEX® Membrane with fine-fibre textiles. On the lining side a completely new and so far unique lamination technology is used to integrate the reverse side of the textile directly into the GORE-TEX® Membrane. That saves weight, ensures extreme breathability and a very comfortable feeling.

What this means is that it doesn’t stick to the skin and doesn’t ride on the body. Pure freedom and comfort – regardless of what pace you set.

Perspiration is transported away immediately while rain, snow and wind are kept outside. Light, comfortable, athletic – now it’s up to you!

Gore Rain Chamber Test system for weather protection clothing that can simulate different types of rain.

Martindale test Equipment used to test abrasion pilling of textile surfaces and Gore laminates.

SPECIALS

1 This adidas Crotched Headband reinterprets a timeless stitch with a modern, sporty design. A soft liner makes it a comfy, easy-to-wear hat alternative. 2 Keep feet dry and warm during all your athletic tours in these adidas TERREX™ Skitour Socks with PrimaLoft® Yarn for perfect moisture management. 3 A rugged carry-all for extreme mountaineering or ski touring, the adidas TERREX™ BC16 and BC30 Backpacks efficiently pack avalanche gear, skis, dry clothes and more. Padded shoulder and waist straps maximise comfort, while compression straps minimise the load. 4 Conquer wicked cold-weather ascents with the help of PrimaLoft® padded TERREX™ Gloves. These rugged gloves block wet and wind with a reinforced palm for optimal comfort, durability and grip. 5 The brand-new TERREX™ Fast eyewear and ID2 Pro goggles should be part of your essential kit for winter outdoor sports. 6 In the mountains, the higher you go, the more important it is to protect your eyes from UV rays and extreme weather conditions – the TERREX™ Pro is a high-end mountain sports model for alpine sports enthusiasts aiming to reach the top. Get more information on adidas.com/eyewear. 7 When temperatures drop on the trail, whip out these beanies for quick warmth and coverage on the move – Knit Logo Beanie, Chunky Earflap Beanie. 8 Keep your extremities warm and nimble at high altitude in these TERREX™ Soft Shell Gloves.

9 The highly technical TERREX™ CONRAX CP winter boot offers an array of features for taking on any fast-paced endeavour in the snow and cold. Highlights include a waterproof CLIMAPROOF® membrane, a breathable PrimaLoft® insulation and a TRAXION® outsole engineered for coldweather grip.

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ALEXANDER HUBER

Text & Photo: Alexander Huber

alexander huber

chiaro di luna Alexander Huber travelled alone to the end of the world, even taking the action photos himself. The top climber explains to us why he took a different route to the one planned. (Guess!)

And why he is so happy to climb challenging rock faces solo.

I am standing between two worlds. That’s the way I feel here on the summit of Aguja Saint Exupery. On the one side the wilds of Patagonia with the seemingly never-ending Patagonian expanses of ice and the impressive granite needles of the Cerro Torre group. On the other side I can just make out the tiny mountaineering village of El Chaltén far below with its many colourful wooden houses and corrugated metal huts – the last point of civilisation. In this moment I’m simply just happy. Yesterday at 2 pm I set off up the west face of the Aguja Saint Exupery on the “Chiaro di Luna” route and now at eight in the morning I’m standing right on top. Alone.

Many people ask me why I have to keep climbing solo. But I can only think of one answer: I love the realisation that I have managed everything

alone, all by myself. I like to set an objective and achieve it without anybody else’s help. At the same time this doesn’t have anything to do with folly. Of course there is still a certain risk, which I don’t want to deny. What is important is that I keep the residual risk within manageable proportions and that I have the competence to assess it realistically.

In actual fact the “Chiaro di Luna” was not my original objective; it was the result of risk assessment. Originally I had planned to climb the Torre Egger solo – the most difficult mountain in Patagonia. But Charly Gabl, who always navigates me through Patagonia’s difficult weather over the phone from Innsbruck, said there was no predictable time window for such a climb in the near future. At least two days – or better, three – of dry weather without wind would be necessary for a solo climb of the Torre Egger. In the end the forecast was only for the Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning to provide the necessary weather conditions.

A time period in which it would be theoretically possible for me to reach the summit of the Torre Egger, but the risk of a wild abseil through a storm was definitely not going to be part of the calculation. That’s why the only logical conclusion was for me to forget about the Torre Egger and switch to another challenging objective.

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solo in

patagonia That’s when I set my sights on “Chiaro di Luna”, a demanding tour that would be possible solo in the short time window.

Of course there is tension before a solo climb, you start worrying because you know that you are dependent on yourself alone. But I try to calm myself down by asserting that I can turn round at any point if anything is not OK. Nobody is there to put me under pressure, I have the freedom at any time to decide whether to continue or leave it.

It’s the same with any climbing tour: if for some reason things don’t feel right or are too dangerous, you have to be big enough to turn round. But “Chiaro di Luna” felt just right; the route was largely free of snow and ice, the granite was an absolute dream – solid, clean, compact – and the climbing was technically challenging. Everything was as I like it.

800 metres of steep rock, 28 rope lengths of lower eight difficulty are still in front of me. Up to grade six I’m able to climb without security most of the way. I cover the more difficult passages using a “Soloist”, which is like a “grigri” solo belay. All in all it’s extremely tiring, but it went well and just before nightfall I discovered a perfect bivouac spot around 200 metres below the summit. At first light I was back in business and two hours later reached the ridge to the summit. Two minutes later and I was on top.

And as always, Charly was right. While I was sheltered on the rock face, I could feel the prevailing wind on the exposed summit. So get back down there before the wind turned into a storm. Not as easy as it sounds because the swaying rope snagged on bits of protruding rock no fewer than five times on the abseil down. Twice I even had to climb the whole rope length back up again to free the rope.

Very tiring, both physically and psychologically.

Around midday I was down. Relieved, free of the tension that accompanied me before and during the climb. Of course, I would perhaps have been even a little happier had I managed to climb the Torre Egger solo. But I did the maximum possible, and the Torre Egger will still be there for another time!

ANTARCTICA

The ascent takes hours – demanding climbing on ice and rock in Antarctic temperatures, there is no easy way up Ulvetanna.

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Novolazarevskaya

Drygalski Mountains

Queen Maud Land

A N TA S

“Wolf’s Fang” Ulvetanna 2,931 m

RCTICA

Holtanna 2,650 m

Drygalski Mountains

antarctica base jump The lightest way up and the fastest way down Valery Rozov accompanies Alexander Ruchkin to conquer Ulvetanna (2,931 metres) - the “Wolf’s Fang” – and then jumps off the summit.

Preparations started in autumn 2010; just getting there is half the adventure. Following a team meeting in Istanbul and a stopover in Cape Town, they arrive at the Russian research station “Novolazarevskaya” in Antarctica. The flight to the base camp is another 200 km south.

The expedition proper starts in glorious weather with the plane circling the “Wolf’s Fang” in sunshine. The first glimpse at the mountain from the air is breathtaking – bare rock jutting out of the ice in a perfect fang shape. The plane manages to land surprisingly close to the mountain and the team sets up the base camp in the knowledge that the trek over to the advance base camp won’t be too far. But will the weather hold?

Valery and Alexander have climbed together many times before, but never in temperatures this low. As always, their training schedule for this climb has been meticulous and they spent more than two weeks practicing intensive climbing at a teeth-chattering minus 30 degrees Celsius. No taking your gloves off for the tricky bits then.

While Alexander focuses on getting to the summit and back down again, Valery is thinking one step over the edge. He could have chosen to be flown up to the summit after all, but with the two extreme athletes working as a team, the temptation of the unique climb followed by a record-breaking base jump makes the decision easy. We are going to climb together.

Photos: Thomas Senf

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ANTARCTICA

valery rozov Job: professional base jumper Date of Birth: 26 December 1964 Hometown: Nizhny Novgorod First jump: 1993 Number of jumps: 8,000+ worldwide Titles: world champion 1993 and 2003 Valery and Alexander on the summit of the “Wolf’s Fang”

alexander ruchkin Job: professional climber Date of Birth: 26 November 1963 Hometown: St Petersburg First climb: 1985 (Kezgen-Bashi, Caucasus) Number of hard wall solo climbs: 5 Highest climbs: Lenina / 7,134 m (1991), Jannu north face / 7,710 m (2003), Masherbrum north face / 7,821 m (2005)

As the sun rises on the day of the ascent the team sets off from the advance base camp to head for the summit. Crunching over to the start of the climb the rock soars perpendicularly out of the ice ahead of them. This is a very challenging climb in any climate. Here, the temperatures are extreme, far colder than the sunlit rocks imply.

That said, they make the climb look routine, almost easy, as pitch after pitch Alexander and Valery move fast to make good time.

Having studied the rock from below, they have a map in their heads of the route up to the ridge.

Because they are ascending virtually from sea level, they have to climb almost 3,000 gruelling metres in one go. At last they reach the jagged shoulder to take them to the top. At some points they stand up and literally walk along the fang’s edge, a vertical drop on either side.

Valery preparing to jump ...

... and then gliding along the rock face in his wing suit, before landing safely by parachute.

On the summit there is no time to hang about.

Valery has to get ready to jump within minutes, otherwise he will get too cold. Alexander is already preparing for his fast descent, albeit using his hands and feet.

Thumbs up everybody! Like preparing to dive into a swimming pool Valery squats on his haunches in his wing suit, arms extended over 1,000 metres of sheer rock face. In slow motion he launches gracefully into thin air, diving vertically into the silence. Then, like a stealth jet he pulls out into a glide, swooping along the face of the ridge. The spectacular flight between the vertical mountain and the expanse of perfectly flat ice sheet seems to last an age.

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michi aschaber, lukas irmler & friends

jumpline session

antarctica

“Welcome to my backyard!”

Michi Aschaber’s garden, Tyrol/Austria, winter 2011 “The greatest challenge with slacklining is that you can change so many things – like the length of the line, for example – as much as you like. In the beginning you try longer or higher slacklines, maybe above water or snow. And then we had the idea: why not do a session in the dark?

Eventually he pulls the ripcord and flutters down for a perfect touchdown at the designated landing zone.

Thumbs up all round!

Jumplining has the added challenge of trying to land and stand back on the slackline after the jump. The level has gone up incredibly over the last few years. When I first started, I was happy if I managed to get a bit of air under the soles of my feet.

Now it’s flips and turns that have kept me hooked on jumplining.” Michi Aschaber

The weather stays fine: no wind and not a cloud in the sky, and the team has several days before the plane returns to lift them back to the research station. That is when they all agree to seize the opportunity to tackle two more peaks nearby. Only a few pitches short of “Wolf’s Fang”, the summits of Tungespissen (2,277 metres) and Holtanna (2,650 metres) also present very challenging climbing. As before, the two athletes tackle the extreme climbs together and Valery base jumps from the summits. What a result!

Within the ten-day expedition they have achieved three times as much as originally planned.

Alexander and Valery have worked on many projects together in the past and they know that they can rely on each other, as well as look after the other members of the team. Where will their next joint venture take them?

Photos: Gerhard Groger

The only fast way down for Alexander is back down the ridge. You can’t help but wonder if he wishes he could jump down as well, because it’ll be some hours before he reaches the base camp in darkness and can join in the celebrations. Still, the climb was worth it for both of them. “What a way to celebrate my birthday - this is the best present I could have imagined,” says Alexander. But the celebrations don’t stop there.

jakob, leo + felix at dadès gorges, morocco (africa)

Our memories of an adventure are different. Each individual experience is new. That’s why it’s great to talk about it afterwards. There’s nothing more satisfying than chilling together and swapping stories after a big day outdoors. The more wicked the challenge the bigger the smiles. It’s these moments that brings us together. And we are already talking about creating the next adventure!

all together

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