A forest straight out of a fairy tale: at the family friendly bouldering area of Mandlers Boden, above Ritzenried, Salewa athlete Louis Gudolf and nature educator Markus Taibon-Mitterdorfer offered insights into bouldering on the rock and into the flora and fauna of the Pitztal valley.
9.45 am – We met up on a lovely meadow in the middle of the woods above Ritzenried. All around us was nothing but woodland, birdsong and lots of different boulders, inviting young and old alike to have a go at Bouldering. Louis had already got everything ready: after a brief introduction to the basics of bouldering on natural rock and a warm-up session, the climbing shoes were laced up and everyone had their first go. The professional climber explained the key techniques, gave an overview of the equipment and other essentials, and highlighted what to pay particular attention to when doing Bouldering in the great outdoors. Afterwards, with Louis’s help, the participants had a go at various boulder problems – the focus was on having fun, cheering each other on and tackling the boulders together.
After a short lunch break featuring delicious food from Bio vom Berg, the programme continued under the motto ‘Climbing with Respect’: nature educator Markus used games and exercises to help the participants learn about the flora and fauna peeking out from between the boulders. The peat moss, which is a protected species, is likely to have made a particular impression on everyone. Mosses play an important role in nature: they act as natural water reservoirs, can prevent soil erosion, provide habitat and food for many animal species, and contribute to biodiversity. To avoid damaging mosses and lichens, please stick to existing paths and tracks, do not tread on or pull up anything – and where markings are absent, proceed with caution.
As well as the fascinating flora and fauna, the session also touched on a topic that is often overlooked: ‘outdoor toilets’. One option that always works is to relieve oneself in a hole dug beforehand and then cover it back up again. However, according to the nature educator, it would be better to take everything back with you and dispose of it with your next general waste. Tissues, wet wipes and toilet paper, in particular, have no place in the forest and must be disposed of elsewhere. In short: we respect our environment and treat it responsibly so that we can preserve it for future generations.
A big thank you goes to Louis for the exciting introduction to rock bouldering, to Markus for all the information about nature in the Pitztal valley, and of course to all the participants for their fantastic cooperation and the lovely day’s bouldering at Mandlers Boden. A big thank you also goes to Bio vom Berg for the brilliant food. And one final important point: let’s all show consideration for the natural environment so that we can continue to enjoy rock climbing for many years to come!
More about the spot: Mandlers Boden
Text & photos: Lara Novak
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