STEFAN GLOWACZ

2274 kilometers and 46,184 vertical meters by mountain bike. Mighty rock faces. Two first ascents. After numerous expeditions, climbing and adventure pro Stefan Glowacz and his rope companion Philipp Hans are looking for adventure on their doorstep – in the Alps. Neither of them have any idea of the dramas that this ultra-trans alp designed for sustainability will hold in store for them

Where does the adventure begin? In Greenland? In Patagonia? No, right on the doorstep! For former rock master and runner-up Stefan Glowacz (59), the adventure “The Wallride” starts with a childhood dream. Getting to know the Alps up close by bike has been on the climbing ace’s mind since childhood. The time has come in summer 2021. Together with his climbing partner Philipp Hans (30), he sets off from Lake Starnberg on a tour de force, “on which I have suffered like on none of my previous expeditions.”

“By fair means” is the motto of Glowacz and Hans. Consistently sustainable, completely self-sufficient and under their own steam, they want to complete the trail-heavy bike route – into the Dolomites, on to the French Southern Alps and finally back home via the Bernese Oberland. As climbers, the two are professionals, but as mountain bikers they are still inexperienced greenhorns. They have packed their climbing equipment, tent and sleeping bags onto trailers weighing 35 kilograms. This turns every climb into an almost absurd ordeal. And nasty surprises also await on the single trail downhills. But that’s not all. The after-effects of an unexpected heart operation push Stefan to his limits. “The Wallride” threatens to fail. But nothing can break Stefan’s will to overcome even the toughest challenges. A bike & climb tour of extremes that certainly won’t inspire everyone to follow suit, but whose participants are inspired with every day of their hellish ride to leave the comforts of everyday life behind and develop themselves further. Stefan and Philipp show: Real adventures don’t just wait at the end of the world. The really great adventures lie within ourselves.