Fixed anchor above the Alpine abyss

fisher injection system secures new climbing path in South Tyrol

Fixed anchor above the Alpine abyss
References

Situated in a picturesque location, surrounded by a breathtaking landscape, and at dizzying heights, is the new Piz da Peres climbing staircase, which opened in 2022 August. The Italian subsidiary of the fischer group of companies and KronSafety, a specialist in the certified construction of outdoor facilities from South Tyrol (Bruneck), worked together on the project. This involved the expertise of local mountain guides who know the area like their pockets. In just about 30 days, the wire ropes and iron pins of the new climbing platform were installed using the FIS EM Plus epoxy resin mortar and the new FIS DB S Pro battery-powered press-out device. 

Three specialists in the construction of outdoor facilities from KronSafety worked alongside three experienced mountain guides on the rock face. The greatest challenge was to secure not only the products and material, but also the construction workers high up in the mountains. However, the helicopter company KronAir from South Tyrol (Olang) has solved this problem very well. When working up to 2,439 m above sea level, it was important to always keep an eye on the weather forecast. As quickly as conditions can change at any time, the project participants must react flexibly. 

 

Property description

Installation time
30-day period
Type of object
Climbing ladder
Length of climbing platform
400 m
Height of climbing platform
up to 2,277 m
The new climb Piz da Peres is classified as EEA by the Italian Alpine Association (CAI). According to this classification, the route is only intended for experienced climbers who must use the required personal safety equipment: a helmet, a climbing harness and a climbing set with energy absorber. The climbing path also has three interesting sections with difficulty level C/D. This means that the steepness and exposure (risk of injury in the event of a fall) as well as the required force endurance are high. In total, the climbing path is 400 m long and lies between 2,277 m and 2,439 m above sea level. 
At such extreme altitudes, absolute safety during assembly work, but also subsequent climbing tours, is a top priority. KronSafety has been working with the Fischer Group on projects like this for years. When it came to the construction of the Piz da Peres', the specialist for the certified construction of outdoor facilities also chose fischer as a trusted partner, because the fastening expert’s products guarantee absolute safety. “fischer is the perfect partner for projects of this type where we need to be able to rely on the products used,” says Christian Berger, Sales Manager at KronSafety. “Fischer also offers excellent support in selecting the right products and in training our customers and installers.” 
The choice fell on the FIS EM Plus epoxy mortar, which, together with its system components, permanently and safely introduces heavy loads into concrete or natural stone with a dense structure, even under extreme conditions. In addition, the chemical fixing system spoke for the fact that the rocks are not always even and that it is a product that guarantees adhesion even in areas with cracks. The longer curing time of FIS EM Plus’ has also meant that KronSafety’s contractors did not have to rush to work and could use a large joint depth. As the rocks are not always even, the experts initially carried out tensile tests at various points along the route. It was possible to detect tensile forces of approx. 50 kN, which convinced KronSafety’s specialists that they had made the right choice. Last but not least, according to the European Technical Assessment (ETA), the guaranteed service life of the FIS EM Plus’ of 100 years also played a major role in the decision of the specialist partners for the product. The Stuttgart-based engineering office IEA even certifies anchors with the fischer FIS EM Plus for a service life of 120 years.
The special anchor points on the climbing platform had to reach to a considerable depth. To inject the mortar into the deep holes, KronSafety’s contractors used the new fischer FIS DB S Pro cordless extrusion machine, the FIS EXT extension hose available in Italy for the static mixer and conical adapters for holes from 20 mm to 40 mm. Brushes with extensions and SDS attachments also made hole cleaning easier and faster. The new fischer FIS DB S Pro cordless press-out device also helped with a fast working process and simplified injection of the mortar into particularly deep drill holes and at many fastening points of the climbing device in series assembly. The 18V battery technology ensured a strong dosing performance under all conditions, while the controlled dosing system also allowed the quantity of mortar to be injected according to the drill hole size by presetting. This enabled efficient and waste-free work.
fischer is the perfect partner for projects of this type where we need to be able to rely on the products used. In addition, fischer offers excellent support in selecting the right products and in training our customers and installers.
Christian Berger (Sales Manager at KronSafety)
The result was a route that is also a real adventure for experienced climbers. The ideal time to visit the Piz de Peres’ is between June and October. A climbing tour takes about two hours. The view along the route extends to the mountain ranges of the Dolomites, the Zillertal Alps and the Giant Ferner Group. It is possible to exit via the directly adjacent hiking trail no. 12 and two emergency exits, which can be reached by a short and easily walkable path. The ideal starting point for climbing the Piz de Peres is the Furkelpass, which is easily accessible from St. Vigil (Enneberg) or Olang. 

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