On August 1, I climbed the Direttissima (5.12a, 550m, Brandler-Hasse-Lehn-Low, 1958; FFA, Albert-Sprachmann, 1987) of the Cima Grande di Lavaredo free solo, with nothing more than climbing shoes, chalk bag and helmet. I started climbing at 7 a.m. and reached the summit after approximately four hours. The route is eighteen pitches long, with one pitch of 5.12, four of 5.11 and four of 5.10. I had spent six days on the route before my solo. The first time, I climbed the route onsight with Guido Unterwurzacher. I then trained on the route for five days with Michi Althammer until I knew the route and its difficult passages well and above all until I knew which holds I could trust in the not-always-solid dolomite typical of the Cime di Lavaredo.
– Alex Huber, Germany