Zion National Park in Utah, the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, Buttermilk Boulders, and Yosemite National Park – names guaranteed to evoke wistful longing for Nevada USA in every ambitious climber. Roger Schäli und Christoph Hainz from the SALEWA alpineXtrem team are currently on a tour there and over the course of the next 4 weeks will take on some challenging routes – including Moonlight Buttress (rated 5.9 C2) in Zion National Park and Separate Reality (5.12a) in Yosemite National Park.

Over the coming few weeks we’ll be posting regular updates of news and photos directly from the team on their road trip USA.

1. STATION: Moonlight Buttress

The rocks in Zion National Park glimmer these days with a spectacular rust-red hue. Christoph Hainz and Roger Schäli from the alpineXtrem team have excellent conditions for free climbing the Moonlight Buttress. The challenging route, rated 5.9 C2, isn’t made any easier by the heat and the narrow fissures. But the scaling of such a natural wonder demands a little suffering in return.

2. STATION: Bishop - Buttermilk Boulder

Bishop is every boulderer's dream destination and for very good reason: Blocks of granite in every size and shape are scattered across the area in the Sierra Mountains, California. Naturally, Roger and Christoph just had to stop there for a bit of entertainment, away from their long, tough climbs along the cracks in the Zion National Park.

They look relaxed - and in good form:

3. STATION: ElCap - Yosemite Nationalparc

El Capitan – a landmark in Yosemite National Park and a major attraction for the world’s most ambitious climbers. Christoph and Roger also included El Cap on their itinerary for their USA Roadshow. At 1,000 metres high, climbing this rock formation had long been a goal of the two athletes on the SALEWA alpineXtrem team.
 
Following a week of preparation, Roger and Christoph climbed the Freerider route. They encountered no problems for the first 500 metres and free climbed to the first major overhang. Roger climbed across the difficult traverse and then higher through the vast chasm. He climbed the next 10 metres without a belay, slipped and plunged into the depths with a massive pendulum jump. But that did not stop the Swiss man – he spent the next two hours in the chasm in order to haul himself higher up the face. After an immense effort, the climbers were within 6 metres of the belay station. They climbed the rest of the wall at a slower pace, setting up bivouacs at El Cap Spire at the end of the first day and in the Salathe Wall at the end of the second.
 
In total, Roger and Christoph spent three days on El Cap, where they experienced the highs and lows of climbing: some daring and terrifying moments but also a huge adventure with the requisite abandon. The journey continues.