updates

well, actually a lack of updates. sorry for that, but i was just too busy (with work) the last few months. and when i have some spare time i rather go climbing then writing up blogs (not) - sorry for that ;)

i therefore decided to put up an instagram-account as its way less time-consuming. feel free to follow my climbing-adventures there (klick on the pic below).

if i manage it i will still (from time to time) put up a more into details blog-post here on my blog.

keep rocking, martin

highlander, 8C - finally - the (s)end

2016 - what to do (change) to finally send the "highlander"?! i did make a plan - and it worked out :)
pic by angelawagner.ch

in winter 2016 i sat down at my table at home. i knew i had to change some things. i was getting 39 years old. and i could just not "afford" to go down on that last move off the "highlander" for another six years. i knew i lacked crimp-power. the short "hangboard-test" back in 2013 and in fall 2015 had shown me the potential. so i decided to go for that again. luckily my fingers managed to cope better this time. still not a 100% but better. i reduced my workload at my job for better recovery (=more sleep!!!) and more flexibility to be at the crag when conditions were prime. 

as the "highlander" is pretty long (around 30moves) i needed "endurance" as well. so i was three times a week at the gaswerk-climbing-gym for some 30minutes-non-stop-climbing-sessions. very easy routes. max 5a. it was all about active recovery and building up some basic endurance. (people were laughing at me doing these easy climbs. but i always was more interested in who laughs last. this was followed by some core-workouts, antagonist-training and stretching. the stretching was important as well as there is a crucial foot-move in the middle of the crux. with enough flexibility you do not have to pull so hard on the holds to replace your foot.

last but not least and may the hardest part; i did cut my daily after dinner chocolate-intake from 50-100g to 25-50g and went for some light running/biking three times a week. this resulted in my weight going down from 72.5kg to 69kg.

2016 - first signs of better power. first ascent of the sds to the beautiful "heritage" in valle bavona

i could soon see the first signs of benefit from my new training-regime when i managed to make a (for me rather quick) repetition of the beautiful carlo denaliboulder "heritage" in valle bavona and adding a very nicesitdown-start to it. and i felt way better on "big-cat" in chironico as well.

focus
pic by angelawagner.ch

already in march we had some unusual warm weather up in the higher mountains. so off i was to sustenpass to make use of the great spring-conditions. there was still a lot of snow. so i had to walk up two hours with my splitboard and shovel off snow for hours. but it was totally worth it. it’s truly beautiful up there when the road is closed. and thanks to some nice "foen-wind" the air was not too cold but super dry. friction from hell. and i immediately could see the difference to the last years. the crux sequence suddenly felt super solid. even easy. i finally managed to step up my game and leave that five-year plateau. i clearly was stronger then ever before.

first crux of the "highlander"
- it took some time to feel comfortable doing it without a pad... pic by angelawagner.ch

this was the moment i got nervous again. i did not feel like that for years. but now i really knew this spring was different. i felt in great shape and already on my second day up there i managed to get through the crux move for the very first time ever. after falling off that move for six years this was a really surreal moment. interesting enough i still could feel my fingertips. despite just some eight degrees and bit wind.

first crux of the "highlander" - physical.
pic by angelawagner.ch

at the resting point i could feel how i got tired. so i decided to go for it. this last five-move-7B-sequence is really powerful. and almost everybody who climbs "le reve de faire, 8B" (the second part of the "highlander-project") goes down there at least once. already years ago i had sworn to myself that i would not let go there when coming from the "highlander-start". i had the beta dialed. i was able to climb it really really tired.

bad thing was i had no pinky on the second last hold and did not catch the hold perfectly. with the last remaining power i was able to match the hold. i tried to bump my left hand into the little slot but missed it. one split second later my fingers did open their grip and sent me back onto the pads. sitting down in the pads i did not know if i should be happy to finally have made it through the crux orbe angry i managed (so martin like) to go down on the very last move.

going for the move that sent me down for six years - looks easy on the picture. but it is not. at least not for me.
pic by angelawagner.ch

three days later i was back there. and sure enough it did not happen. i was failing three times super close on the crux move. then bad weather hit. snow again. lucky me the following week i had some free days. day one was spent with hiking up with my splitboard again. shoveling the fresh snow off. day two i was up there for climbing. this time ready to finish the business. 

first try was very good. i did stick the crux-move but lost my feet. i did hold the swing but dry-fired off in the very last moment. BIG bummer. this was a big effort and i was really tired. i needed over two hours of rest and lots of food. when i was somehow ready again it already was 7:30pm and getting cold at 2'000 meter above sea level. so i literally was running trough the sequences to be faster than the cold. suddenly i was up there in the crux-sequence again. the move never ever went so solid. perfect climbing. no error. i felt still strong and after a short rest did set up for that last sequence. 

setting up for the last part. easier terrain. but very physical. gets the better of you when you are really tired.
went down once up left on the last move. and was so close on falling on the very last move on the send go as well!!!
pic by angelawagner.ch

and again my pinky was not on the hold. but this time i managed to rearrange it and go for the final move. then while going for the intermediate sloper i suddenly was empty. i was hanging there. but i could feel that if i would do something with my left arm i would fall down. if i would do something with my right arm i would fall down. i was unable to move and i was laughing at myself that i would go down with the finish-jug in front of my face.

in an act of panic and desperation i bumped my right hand up out of the shoulder. somehow it stayed on the second and better sloper. now all i had to do was to lock with my right and go with my left to the monster-finish-jug. easy. but watching my right arm in pure disbelief it just did not do anything. then instincts and experience of twenty years of climbing  kicked in. i flagged my left leg and kicked it hard twice. the resulting swing got my left arm to the intermediate and finally - thirteen years after i first tried this line - into the big finish-jug. it was done. i could not really believe it. may i still can't today.

thirteen years after touching it first. finally on top of the "highlander".
pic by angelawagner.ch

arriving at the top i was so tired i had to sit/lay down for a few minutes. i literally was not able to stand. sitting there on top of the boulder all alone in the middle of this natural amphitheater of big mountains i could see the moon rising. nearly too much to take. after packing up and leaving the "highlander" i may have had my best moment in all this years up there.  the ride and hike down at 9:30pm in bright full moon light with my splitboard was just amazing. words can not describe these moments.

to finish this story i would like to say thanks to all my friends and people who i met and supported me during this journey. in the end i climbed it just by myself. but i am well aware it would not have been possible without all of you. now i can finally quit climbing and start playing chess ;)

on the approach/way down when the road is still closed. as beautiful as it gets!

this may sounds cliché. but after spending so much time up there, putting a grade to the "highlander" seems totally irrelevant to me. when you spend thirteen years of your life to climb a line it really does not matter anymore if its a 6A, 7A, 8A, 9A, 10A... it simply does not matter anymore. all i wanted was to climb that line i had imagined all these years ago. the question was: would i climb it. or not. 

  

for me it’s my hardest boulder for sure. i was not able to complete the highlander when i climbed all the other harder boulders i did in the past years. so for me it's in the  8C-area...  - ("soft" - (because i am so strong) to swing with the mainstream these days). but then i was sooooo close again and again over the years. and its not really my style. its more about finger power. and finger power is not where i am particularly strong and its pretty long. when i finally climbed through the crux-sequence on my send-go it did not feel that super hard anymore. but that was because i am clearly stronger then the previous years. not because the boulder got easier. and despite feeling strong through the crux i still nearly went down on the very last easier move to the finish jug. when something is at your limit it gets tricky. its may a big step up for me. but for somebody stronger its may just a minor step up from other problems. well i have problems myself sometimes to say if something is 6A or 6A+... ;)

so i am sure others will find this easier. may there is better beta (i will write another blog about this). and others will find it hard(er). everybody has his own perception of difficulty. and that is totally ok. grade-discussions about "norming" a grade for "everybody" therefore normally are pointless. you just can not (literally) force somebody else to how hard a route/boulder has to feel for him/her. and if you climb a bit longer you may see one day that there is a lot more to enjoy in climbing then pointless discussions (in the internet) about grades. and honestly i don't really care. climbing outdoors for me is not about others in the sense of competition. i don't want to be stronger then mister or miss xxx. that is not the reason why i went up to sustenpass for thirteen years. 

i (still) have lines in mind i want to climb. some harder and some easier. with the "highlander" it was the same. this was not about others. this was all about me and this piece of rock. very selfish i know. but i am not sorry. the question was not 7A or 8A. the question was getting up or not. very simple. finally i did get up. very simple. this fact and the journey to that special day and the lessons learnt is all that matters. even though i could have just walked around the boulder to get to the top. very strange thing to spend that much (life)time for something you could get so much easier (getting to the top).  but it’s very often the same in life. it does not matter too much what you do. but it does matter how you do it. go for it. whatever this may be for you. good thing though; "there can be more then just one... "- ...and chess can wait... i am off to scramble on some rock... ;)

highlander - the best and the worst

then came 2012. this was one of the best and the worst year i ever had. in spring i was able to do the first ascent of "der mit dem fels tanzt, 8C" in chironico (still just one repetition from dai koyamada). 

but despite great form i did not manage to send the "highlander" that season. last move. but that's not enough.

2012 - fa of "der mit dem fels tanzt, 8C". great line. amazing 3d-climbing. pic by angelawagner.ch

in late fall things turned very bad. it was a beautiful fall and i again i was close to stick was close to stick that last hard move of the highlander-project at sustenpass. the weather-forecast predicted one of the last days of the season. so i was up there one more time. it was a beautiful day with great friction and i felt super strong and did not have too cold fingers when arriving in the upper crux of the highlander-project.

very unfortunately i managed to rip of my hamstrings off from my hip bone while going for these last two moves. quite the shock. great pain. complicated surgery. eight months of rehab. no real guarantee i ever could climb (doing sports) again. for somebody loving sports and the outdoors not a nice outlook. lucky me surgery and rehab went well. but i learned for sure some lessons!

2012 - two permanent anchors in my hip-bone fixing the hamstrings to where they belong

two months after surgery i was able to walk again. one of the best days of my life!!! i was in rehab for up to five times a week. three hours of travel to get there and back home. but it was totally worth it. the pt-guys and girls have been as motivated as i was. i was working really hard on my hamstrings and for the first time ever started to regularly do some campus- and hangboard-workouts. in spring i could feel the benefits of this as i was as strong as never before. i could not wait to test my new gained power on the "highlander".

just a few days before i was officially allowed to climb outdoors again i was training indoors. i was sitting on my left heel doing a basic move. nothing special. no pain. just a little scratch. i did not pay too much attention. some days later while playing with the cats at home my knee "locked" and i was just was not able to stretch it out anymore. i really had to push hard to stretch it again. first i did not think too much about it because i was fine for days. so i went up to sustenpass again after that eight month break to test my fitness. immediately i could feel how much stronger i was. the problem was my knee that decided to lock spontaneously.

so i had to look for new beta to practically climb the "highlander" with just my right leg. this was not too helpful. it got quite a bit harder. but then i was stronger. it was crazy. after a few days i was up there in the last two moves again. but without being able to really use my right leg it was just too hard. and the knee really did not felt good. so back i was in the hospital.

2012 - hospital again: split-freegliding-meniscus. locking my knee. NOT nice!!!

the mri-pictures showed a split meniscus. one part was free gliding - this part was going into my knee and was locking it. not good. surgery did not look promising. so my doc (thanx a LOT for that) insisted to "just wait". doing nothing. he told me that there would be a small chance my body could fix this.

so coming out from eight months of rehab i was straight on my way into the next three months of rehab. that second stretch was even harder to take. in the end 2013 was spent more or less in rehab. but i am very, very, very thankful that my hamstrings are back to 99% and also my meniscus fixed itself again. what is one year when you gain another 40???!!!! at the end of the year i even was back up at sustenpass. falling off the highlander on the last two moves again. same same.

campus-boarding for the first time. very efficient. but be careful. my fingers (and elbows) could not really cope!

2014 - transforming the newly gained crimp-power to rock.
compression-climbing as its best: first ascent of "gepresster hase, 8B+". pic by angelawagner.ch

in spring 2014 i finally could transform my better crimp-power to rock and was able to make the beautiful first ascent of "gepresster hase, 8B+" just some 4m left of the "highlander-project". despite feeling and being strong i somehow managed again to not send the "main price". the highlander fought back hard and resisted one day after another. then there was an unusual wet fall and i struggled with wet holds nearly all the time. i climbed to the last moves a few times again - but no send again as well.

2015 - the right heel works fine again. what a relief. "insanity of grandeur, 8C". what a great, full package boulder!!!
pic by angelawagner.ch

winter 2015 was spent in chironico and in spring, after quite some effort, i was able to make a repetition of dai koyamada's beautiful "insanity of grandeur,8C". soon after i was back at sustenpass. i felt strong but again lots of wet holds and falling off the last moves again and again. in summer i started to change some things. i knew i had to get better crimp-power for the highlander. so when projecting on rock i did not climb till total failure anymore. instead i went home earlier to go for a hangboard-session. in just a few weeks i could already feel how i got stronger on crimps. the crux-sequence of the "highlander" never felt better before. unfortunately my fingers did not cope with the added pressure and i had to quit the hangboard-sesssions. i could do just some two climbing sessions a week. that was more or less tolerated by my fingers.

nevertheless i could feel that i was strong as never before and was now able to climb up to four times a day into the last move of the highlander. i was getting really close now. again and again i went down super close. now already touching the rescue hold. i fell there one time last time in late december. dry-firing off the while setting up for the last move. winter hit hard one day later and it was over for the season.

---> the next blog will about year thirteen up there at sustenpass... and the final (s)end... stay tuned

highlander - early years

my journey with the "highlander" started with my first visit to sustenpass on a late afternoon in summer 2003. my friend simon wandeler showed me the „famous" traumland-boulder for the first time. it is a stunning 30 degrees overhanging shield with four climbed lines at that time. unfortunately it sits just some ten meters above the sometimes very busy, loud and stinky road up to sustenpass. so it is a very unpleasant place to be on an sunday afternoon. therefore my absolute favorite time up there is when the road is closed from november to june. its real "traumland" (paradise) this time of the year.

view from the "highlander": when the road is closed; it is real paradise up there

standing at the parking and watching up to this big boulder i instantly realized a line of holds crossing the whole boulder from down right up to the far left. i asked simon if this line already had been climbed. he laughed. he thought i was crazy. and well he was right. later in the day i tried the "middle-part" of the line i had imagined. this is the classic "traumland" and i was literally not able to do one move. nice try. but i was attracted to this big piece of gneiss nevertheless. what i did not know at that time was that i would be back climbing on this line for every year for the following 13 years.

2004 - way back in time while checking out the first part of the "highlander".
pic by angelawagner.ch

over the years i climbed lots of the classic problems up at sustenpass. the big line, the "highlander-project" was always in the back of my mind. but i knew it was way too big. so first i climbed the middle part, the classic "traumland". after climbing "le reve de faire", the second part of the "highlander-project" it was finally time to really go for it.

but i had to bail out pretty fast. i quickly realized that it was still way over my head. instead i opted to first top out via the easier and very classic"traumland". this was already a hell of a fight. but i got it back in 2010 when i was able to complete this easier version of the"highlander"-project. a nice line itself; "ikarus" ends at the traumland-finish and"deadalus" toping out.

2010 on the first ascent of the direct topout "ikarus/deadalus". "highlander" goes left from there.
pic by angelwagner.ch

feeling fit and having all the parts dialed i was back a few days later and went for a try on the real "highlander-project". i was pretty confident as compared to "ikarus/deadalus" its basically just two more (semi-hard) moves to the left. then a not really good restpoint followed by an not to underestimate topout to the left. i had two really good tries but went down setting up for that last hard move out left. then winter hit. but i was confident to send it the next season. that was not a total hybris with being twice already in the last move. just one more move. little did i know that it would take me nearly six years to finally stick that one more move.

going the extra-mile. 2hrs walk by split board. reward is a beautiful setting and perfect conditions

every year i was up there falling on the last two hard moves. battling wet holds when i was in great shape, missing perfect conditions because of illness, bad skin, too much work, broken holds, blew my knee, blew my fingers. once in the middle of the crux-section a foothold broke. making it just a little harder. but it took me two weeks to get to the last two moves again. and then winter hit. at your limit the difference between possible and impossible its very small. 

the most frustrating thing was to have really good tries, falling down at the last move and then coming back three days later and somehow not getting the first crux done anymore which is way lower in the boulder. and the craziest thing was that at the end of the day i still was able to climb all the hard climbing from just three hard moves in despite being super tired.

broken foothold from the crux-sequence - this did not make it easier...

my main problem though was (and still is) "cold fingers". arriving in the upper crux i usually could not feel the holds anymore. even in the middle of summer. this was not just "too cold". i somehow managed to press all the blood out of my fingertips. resulting in numb fingers. that resulted in countless dry-fires off the crux-sequence. i tried everything to avoid this. tried to activate blood circulation by running or putting my hands in ice-cold water.

or i tried to "shake out" quickly in between moves. this however just needed more power and the fingers on the other hand got cold because i had to hold on even more while "shaking out". it turned out that summer was even worse. because of the missing friction i had to dig even deeper and pressed all the blood out of my tips. with decent friction i did not have to press that hard on the holds and did not get such "cold" fingertips.

trying everything to get this circulation in my fingertips started.. ;)

somehow the years passed and i fell down again and again on this last two hard moves. but i did not even think about quitting. you can’t quit when there is just one more move to go. can you? and believe me, over the last six years. every time i was up there i was a 100% sure THIS would be the day. i mean. why not?! just one more move to go!!! 

despite feeling stronger over the years and climbing up to three times a day into the last crux i somehow just did not make it happen. i slipped off so many times with cold fingers. i lost count.

--->  the next blog will be about coming very close to finish the "highlander" and then injuring myself really bad while going for that last two moves and the following one year rehab.... stay tuned...

finally. after 13 years. peace in my heart

finally...

the video-still above shows the moment i was living for the last thirteen years. getting this finish-jug for the first ascent of the "highlander" was the dream i was chasing since my very first day up there at sustenpass. but then, this is not big (climbing) news. it's (by far) not the hardest boulder. it's not the easiest. it's not the longest. not the shortest. not the best. not the worst. not the highest. not the lowest. i am not the strongest. not the weakest. not the oldest. not the youngest. not the tallest. not the shortest. not the lightest. not the fattest. anyway: now i can retire to play chess ;)

setting up for the last moves for the first ascent of the "highlander", sustenpass, switzerland.
pic by angelawagner.ch

but it’s the story of a long journey that shows that you can turn your dreams into reality when you are truly passionate, willing to go the extra mile and ready to test and push your limits. as i was not one of these supertalents who crush their first 8C boulder or 9a route when they are 15years old i had to go more then once this extra mile. it all started when i did quit a possible professional career in soccer with 20 because i was really curious about climbing. 

at this time i was not even able to climb a 6a route in the gaswerk-climbing-gym. if anybody had told me at this time i would ever be able to climb in the 8th-grades i would have laughed at him. this was just light-years away and i did not even dare think for a second about things like that. but this was never the focus anyway. i was amazed by the whole package. the climbing. the movement on rock. the lines and puzzles nature shapes and creates. all the areas you get to know. the travels. the drive to the crag. the coffee on the way. the walk to the boulders. soaking in nature. during the day. during the night. with friends. just by myself. i am getting 39 years old this year and i am still loving it.

soaking up the sun in paradise - sustenwinterwonderland.
pic by angelawagner.ch

the ones who followed my blog during the last years know that a final blog-post about the highlander may take a bit more space. it is the story about 13 years of my (climbing)life. "second go, five minutes, soft" would not do the job here - as it normally does not anyway ;)

so for the interested ones this highlander-blog will come in three parts which i will publish over the next few days. i hope you enjoy the story. it was a hell of a journey for me for sure.

-first part: the early years

-second one: the best and the worst
-the third: the (s)end
-and some beta-remarks

the near send, part 6 - the glorious moment

well i have another one for you. after slipping twice after all the hard climbing i rested for over 2hrs. the conditions just were so good and they even improved. more wind. colder. and you always have another try... don't you?! and at 0:30AM i did start for another try. using all my new micro beta i made sure to NOT slip from any FOOTHOLD. and to my upmost surprise all the heels and toes stayed...

unbelievable.....IT FINALLY WORKED... 

...my right arm was getting tired but my left felt still strong. i was very close on falling on the second last move cause of this tired right arm. but somehow managed to stay on...

so i was up there for the VICTORIOUS MOVE TO THE LIP...

...started to pull on with (the still fresh) left arm... but WATCH yourself.... hahahaha....

somehow managend to dry fire with my left hand. at least my feet stayed - but somehow you can slipp off with your hands as well, can't you?!

but giving in is just not an option. there is some foe-wind in the forecast. so i will be back. already curious what magic i will produce to mess it up one more time... i am sure i will have something very creative for you on my next blog... hahaha

the near send, part4 and part5

thanks to to the magic "foen-wind" a 30min drive is all you need from snowy winter in the north to sunny summer in the south.... loving swizzy :)))))

i did make perfect use of the "foen-wind"....  and did look closely why i lost this heel last time (part3), there was a little "bulb" there in the rock where i slipped, i placed to heel 5cm lower.. and it slipped not when i arrived next time up there. but to make things not too easy i did choose to go for this:

slipping from the left foothold... should not, but can happen... bad luck... blalala

30 min later on my next try i did really make it again up to there; did concentrate on my left foot AND:

... somehow i managed to copy part 4 perfectly.... so strong... hahahahah... madness is lurking around the corner... *%&"+*&/(/é£_è

the near send, part 3

well i finally made it through the hard part again.... did not loose any heel in the hard part, (thanx to new micro beta) and then this happened:

well, i am afraid, no real excuse this time... but i still managed to go down true-martin-style.... hahah... to be continued

the near send, part2

well i have another one for you :) next day i had another shoe with me, guess what happened next???

well this time my heel broke on the left and right; may its time for a new shoe... hahaha....

i am already wondering WHAT WILL GO WRONG next time... the motto for me down here seems to be; WHAT CAN GO WRONG WILL GO WRONG... well never mind. I WILL BE BACK...  more serious punting ahead... hehehe

the near send

when you recently have fallen on your project a few times on the last moves when there were pretty bad conditions. when you feel stronger then ever. when you are well rested. when you slept enough. when you did eat enough. when you're skin is good. when you feel good. when you feel strong and light on your warmup. when there are perfect conditions. it is not a real hybris to expect at least a few good tries. isn't. it?! well. you know i can do better. this is what i do:

i may have a little excuse... but still. no matter which line i try to climb on this boulder, not matter what i do. it really gets the better of me. but i will be back, baby!!!!!!!

sticking the crux move again - BUT - watch yourself

seems like i really have to earn it. not that 13years of effort would be enough. haha. good thing when you have a few days off so you can shovel your project free from the last snow a storm brought over the last days. it just involves a 2hrs drive. a 2hrs walk up with your split board and gear. a 90min "board and walk" back in the night (cause of the avi-danger during the afternoon). and a 2hrs drive home. but there are worser places to spend a day off. for sure. its just so beautiful up there at the moment. i just can't get enough of these mountains :)

next day there was some climbing as well; no comment needed there.... you have to earn it as well.... hahaha....

one more try (day) and it will be done, they said

long but beautiful hike up to sustenbrüggli...

thanx for all the kind words after my last post. just one more try... thats what many thought. i knew better. i am always good for messing it up. haha. but have a look yourself how i can mess up rare days when you feel strong and and the conditions line up perfectly;

first go i felt really good, just a bit cold fingers, with high hopes i entered the crux and was giving all i had... when i slipped off the right foothold... lifted myself to high up and lost contact with my right foot.... beginner mistake

second go i got into the crux-move again; but somehow managed to punt on the deadpoint before, and did just have three fingers on the righthand crimp. no way i can do the crux move like that...

i just rested some 20min for my third go to avoid cold fingers... despite not really rested and feeling already bit tired everything went perfectly... i even got the hold... but was too tired to get the tension to hold the swing...  fitness is improving for sure... but why messing it up twice just to get through all the hard climbing already tired on my third go??? sometimes i really feel too stupid!!!

i only waited 6 years for that moment

2 day epic? try 6 YEAR epic. nearly 6 years ago i have fallen on this crux-move of the highlander-project for the first time on link. since then i must have fallen on this last hard move over 60 times... and its not exactly a walk in the park to get there... around 8B+ climbing itself up to there....

and now i was there again.... setting up for this last hard move once more;

setting up for the crux-move on the "highlander-project, sustenpass" - i have fallen here 6years ago for the first time... 60+ times over the last years....

sticking the move;
but i did that already a few times last fall but was never able to hold on....

lost my left foot - like every time during last fall - swinning out... and going down was what happened all the time....

but NOT THIS TIME - somehow killed the swing - for the first time in SIX YEARS i did this move on link!!!!
(and i even did not have the left hold in the right spot)

managed to get into the "resting point" - and desperately tried to shake out -
(at this point its up to all the couch-boulder-graders out there; its just a six move 7B from that resting point, that can't be too much of a great deal after climbing an 8B+/C... can it?!)

setting up for the last three hard moves.... going a muerte

setting up for the very last move (maybe 6C) to the massive jug up right at the lip; sticking that move would end my 16year journey with the "highlander-project..."

.....want to see what happened next? follow this link to my new instagram-account - epic for sure - what else - hahah ;)

FA of the sitdownstart to HERITAGE in valle bavona

nearly forgot about that one ;) what an amazing place this valle bavona is; its remote, located far north in the mountains in one of the large ticino-valleys. there are just a few small picturesque villages like sonlerto which is well known after dosage4. So not much there, but its littered with (huge) granite boulders and stunning lines. most of it its not climbable, choss or no holds. but then there are this famous climbs; dave grahams "coup de grace", "kings of sonlerto, nalles "off the wagon", doro's slab, elysium, trigonometry. All five start lines that will let your jaw drop for sure when you see them the first time in real "climbing"-life...

...and then there is "heritage" from super strong carlo traversi. Its not as freestanding as other lines, but nevertheless a stunning line with amazing climbing. really powerful, still subtle with the various body placements and with a great move to the lip followed by a few interesting slab-moves (especially with ice-cold fingers) a bit higher above the ground. to make it short; a real must. pure fun to climb and with some repetitions as well.

heritage has a "walk in start" (aka american ads). that means you take the starting-holds first and place the feet afterwards.

the walk-in-start from original start to "heritage"; 

after completing "heritage" from its original start i wanted to have a look at a proper sit-down-start. you can grab the same holds from sitting (on a small pad) and you have footholds straight underneath as well. but the footholds are of not much use, as you need your feet to the very right. the crux now is to bring your feet from the start-foot-holds to the very right where you need them for the big first move. after some puzzling and some sore abs-muscles cause of all the toe-hooking i found a very nice solution which needs some core strength. 

the sit-down-start to "heritage" - adds a few tricky and strenuous toe-moves - makes this beautiful boulder complete - brilliant climbing!!!

after falling once on the very top (already had done the big move in the pic below) and some punting (so typical for me) i was able to climb "heritage" with a proper sit down start. making this beautiful boulder even more complete. thanx to nico for the good times, saving my ass while taking a big fall and for the good view in the mornings:

the view from nico's place; as good as it gets :)

i did not use carlo's beta for the upper part, way too hard beta for me and with his beta for sure in the 8B+ area. with the "new" beta; soft (to stay en vogue) 8B will fit better for the classic heritage. the boulder is for sure harder from its sds then with its original start. 8B/+ ? whatever - its still soft, cause i am soooo strong and sooooo cool, and soooo brave.... and sooooooo hummer..... hahah - go and climb it. its pure fun :)

sticking the big crux move of "heritage, sds. valle bavona". 

(the slabby topout is quite interesting with icing-cold fingers as well)

because i want to be ready

when the good conditions line up. all ticino was soaking wet, but the weather forecast had some fön-wind and unusual warm (up to 20C) and dry weather for the northern part of swizzy for the next few days. so back i was at sustenpass. it was a long and bit scary walk and i was shoveling for nearly 4hours... there was a lot of snow on top and the rock dripping wet. but i really hoped the effort would pay off when i would return in a few days.

really "traumland" at the moment. so beautiful and so calm.

my "little" hike up to sustenpass turned out to be a bit longer... 2:30hrs up in epic winter conditions...  there was no "road" any more... not too funny and even bit scary cause of a slippery snowpac and possible wet avalanches as well...

walking up with my split board. no way to just walk up in "regular" shoes at the moment. its still WINTER up in the mountains

long walk ahead

the "road" is filled up, lot steeper then it looks here, quite slippery and even bit scary with possible more slides coming down. better be early...

digging out the pads... uffffff

after digging out the pads for 2hrs and digging another 1:30hrs for the topout... i tried to dry the  seeping boulder a bit so i could climb a few sequences. after this 5:30 hrs exercise (walking up and digging) i felt quite tired and surprised myself to climb all the hard part of the "highlander" for two times... and the hard part of "reve de faire" part another two times. the whole day was a nice training session for sure ;)

getting in some training -  still loving these moves after all the years - feeling strong - which is nice :)

i was really pleased that the two last hard moves of the "highlander" felt as solid as never before. looks really like the bit of hang-boarding starts to pay off. more finger power. i am looking forward how this moves feel without digging snow for 3+hrs before climbing on them...