Extreme Climbing: Beat Kammerlander conquers an impossible face

"Principal Hope" March 2009

After exhaustive months-long preparations, Austrian climber Beat Kammerlander (50) has achieved the first "clean" ascent of his own extreme route "Principal Hope" located at the Bürs Plate in Vorarlberg, Austria. The rock has the texture of ingrain wallpaper yet Beat "free climbed" the 40-meter vertical face relying only on "clean" protection, i.e. cams and stoppers. "Principle Hope" ranks as one of the hardest naturally protected climbs in the world.