Reinhard Schiestl

Reinhard Schiestl (* 1957 in Innsbruck , † 1995 in Umhausen ) was an important Austrian alpinist and sport climber . As an extreme all-rounder, at a time when alpine and climbing sports increasingly differentiated themselves into individual disciplines, both in the alpine area through to expedition mountaineering and in sport climbing, he was among the world's best.

Life

Schiestl started climbing in the mountains around Innsbruck in his early youth, and made his first first ascents at the age of 16. In the alpine area he soon climbed extreme difficulties: His route "Mephisto" ( UIAA VIII- ) on the Heiligkreuzkofel in the Fanes group , which was first climbed in 1979, was the first alpine tour in this level of difficulty. He was particularly noticeable, however, for his high level of safety and speed, which enabled him to make several solo first ascents and set speed records. In 1984 he climbed the Piz Badile north face, one of the great north faces of the Alps, free solo in just 1:20 hours. Furthermore, he climbed numerous sensational enchaînements (direct succession of several tours) and a. in the Dolomites and on the Martinswand . Away from the rock, he managed the first rope-free winter ascent of the north face of the Ortler in 1982.

Outside the Alps, Schiestl recorded difficult tours in Yosemite National Park and Greenland , but also in the Himalayas: in 1985 he took part in Reinhold Messner's Annapurna expedition with the first ascent of the northwest face, but was unable to reach the summit himself.

In the last years of his life, his interest increasingly shifted to sport climbing. In his adopted home, Huben im Ötztal , where he worked as a primary school teacher from 1985 on, he operated extensive development of climbing gardens with routes up to the IX. Difficulty level and dealt intensively with youth work and the establishment of sport climbing as a school sport.

In 1995 Reinhard Schiestl was killed in a car accident through no fault of his own.

The municipality of Längenfeld named the Reinhard-Schiestl- Klettersteig ( difficulty D ) on the Burgsteiner Wand below the Gamskogel (2815 m) after him .

literature

• Walter Spitzenstätter: The quiet way. Reinhard Schiestl. Portrait of a great alpinist . Pinguin Verlag, Innsbruck 2003, ISBN 978-3-7016-2535-2 .
• Walter Spitzenstätter: Reinhard Schiestl. 10th anniversary of his tragic death . In: Austrian Alpine Association, Innsbruck Branch, Innsbruck Tourist Club, Innsbruck Academic Section (Ed.): Innsbruck Alpin . tape 4 , no. 2005 . Innsbruck 2005, p. 4–7 ( alpenverein-ibk.at [PDF; accessed October 30, 2008]).

Web links

• In Memoriam Reinhard Schiestl 1957–1995. Mountainfuture.at, accessed on October 30, 2008 (page no longer freely accessible (January 27, 2013) - user and password required). 

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Dieter Wissekal: Reinhard Schiestl via ferrata. (No longer available online.) Bergstieg.at, archived from the original on October 29, 2007 ; Retrieved August 21, 2008 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.