With "EYWA ”, Simon Gietl and his long-time climbing partner Vittorio Messini have already achieved their third first ascent on the Pordoi. After “Pandora” (2019) and “Avatar” (2022), “EYWA” followed in November 2023 - “a well-rounded ascent”, as the alpinist aptly remarks. Just as Eywa in the film Avatar connects the Na'vi to their world and gives them life energy, Simon feels that his passion for climbing connects him to something bigger.
Ice climbing is all about being in the right place at the right time. Just a few days are often enough to change the quality of the ice to such an extent that previously accessible routes become inaccessible. Simon and Vittorio were all the more delighted with the gift that Mother Nature gave them on the Pordoi at the beginning of November. Heavy rainfall and cold temperatures in autumn, as well as the optimal location of the wall, provided exceptionally good conditions for ice climbing in 2023 - a rarity in the Dolomites at this time of year.
“It was clear to us on the very first day that the route had the potential to become a new classic.” And that's exactly what happened: During the approximately three-month window in which the line was covered in climbable ice, numerous imitators enthusiastically followed in Simon and Vittorio's footsteps. The duo managed the first ascent of the mixed route (570m, WI6, M6), a combination of several old rock routes, in just two days. On November 9, the two friends climbed from the base of the wall to the ledge. A week later, they traversed directly into the ledge to conquer the upper part of the line to the summit.
