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