Costa Blanca Day 3 & 4

Hanns did not behave, so we had to constrain him

On the next day we decided to go to a sector, whose name I have forgotten. But sitting in the car we realized that we would have to drive for at least 40 minutes, so we went to Los Pinos. Having rained the night before, the wall seemed wet and not very inviting from the parking area. After the usual discussing and moaning we took a look and there were actually good conditions.

Thomas pulling the hard finish of Espresso(7a)

 First project of the day Espresso (7a). I first belayed Hanns in this route. When it was my turn, I thought the crux would be the very overhanging start. So I put all my strength and got over this steep part without falling. After this the holds got smaller and smaller but I still was of the opinion that my flash is for sure, but I underestimated the last small pocket to the top and fell off. But this has not broken my will to climb that route and I managed like Hanns to do it at the second go. Stefan had not such problems and did it the first time.

Peter in 2004(7b)

Peter falling off the alternative exit of 2004

Meanwhile Peter has tried himself on 2004 (7b). In an epic go he choose not to take the anker of this route but to top out in the left neighboring route. He gave everything and reached the anker only to fall off before being able to clip it. After this fight he was to exhausted to climb that route. 

Hanns doing dynamic beginnig part of Stormbringer(7a+)

Hanns at the anker of Strombringer(7a+)

As was I after trying that route. I no longer had the slightest chance in Stormbringer (7a+) or in Esco Picant (6c). Hanns had some good attempts in Stormbringer but this wasn't his day either. In the end of day Stefan tried Tirade(7c+), but there was not enough time left for him to do that route.

Panorama view from Los Pinos

In the next morning we had to get up early, because Franzi and Stefan wanted to do a multipitch route at the Penon. Peter, Hanns and I drove to Alcali. Thomas had a rest day, because of his fingers. After warming up in Elendigliches(6a+) and the route with the very informative name Route 5(6b), which are both recommendable, we got to our project Heaven Can't Wait (7b).

Hanns, Peter and I almost can't wait for heaven

 This 26m route has some tricky crossings, where one has to use his whole reach. Hanns was the first one to try it and managed to come to the ramp at two thirds of the route without falling. The following part offers some nasty ledges and a lot of leg spreading. So Hanns needed a while to find a solution for this last part. Next One was Peter who came just as far as Hanns. He also needed some time for the last part. And I also could not learn from the mistakes of my predecessors, and fall off at the same spot. I read once an article about that music could help someone to climb better (http://www.bergleben.de/klettern/2267-regeneration-nach-dem-klettern-kaelte-und-musik-foerdern-erholung.html). And in Hanns and my case this was true. After hearing motivating music at the beginning of the route we were able to do our project. Motivated by this success we climbed Elendigliches again to finish our climbing day.

In the evening we drove to the beach. Hanns took a cold bath while Peter and I watched the Penon , the seagulls and the sea.

Bye for now
Haschi

Viva Espana!

Yeah endlich gehts ab nach Spanien. Heute starten Wolf und Peter in Richtung Margalef. Beim Packen wurden, auf Wunsch unsres Autors Haschi, Fotos von Peters "Materialsammlung" gmacht.

"Materialauswahl" :-)

Wie man sich nun denken kann wird dies doch kein zwei bis drei Wochentrip. Wenn dann wärs scho bissl krank. Bei diesem Foto denkt man vielleicht das ein "kleiner" Schuh- oder Materialtick vorhanden ist. Dies würde Peter eindeutig abstreiten. Evtl. ist es auch Ansichtssache.
Auf jeden Fall gibts morgen den ersten Felskontakt in Spanien!!!
Stefan wird am 15. in Barca abgeholt und ist wohl größtenteils in den mächtigen Ausdauerhammern des Straßensektors zu finden sein. So der nächste Eintrag wird aus Spananien kommen und sich wieder mehr um das Wesentliche drehen.
Bis dahin
Adios

Costa Blanca Day 1&2

Like every year University closed over Christmas and new-year, so it was  the ideal time to escape the bad weather in Germany and go somewhere climbing where it's warm and sunny. Costa Blanca in Spain was the area of our choice this year.
So on December 26th Hanns,Peter,Stefan,Thomas and I landed on Valencia airport. From there we took two rental cars. While Thomas and Stefan waited for Franzi who arrived later, the rest of us took the Renault Kangoo Combi to drive to Calpe.

Valencia

Valencia: palm trees

Our Kitchen

We made an involuntarily detour through Valencia, because we took off while our navigation system was still initializing. Valencia as far we saw it is a very beautiful city. But maybe we were still dazzled  by the sunny weather. When we finally realized that the navigation system would never initialize we rebooted it and found our way out of the city. On the way to Calpe we found out where all oranges in Europe were grown. There were orange trees almost everywhere.We even found a Lidl in Calpe, where we could buy provision on second Christmas day.

View from our blacony at sunrise

Our holiday flat in Olta Mare was more than we have hoped. From our balcony we had an amazing view on Calpe, the Penon and the sea. Only the big hotel complexes disturbed the view a bit.

Our climbing group from left to right: Peter, Thomas, Stefan, Hanns and Franzi

 On the next morning we drove climbing at last. For the first day we choose the crag “Sierra de Toix - Toix TV – Amphitheatre”. When we got out of the car new amazing views on the Calpe, Penon and the sea came up.

Stefan looks very cool while belaying

Me in the first pitch of Cobra

Highlights in this sector for us certainly were the routes Monkey Wall(6c), Painted Wall(6b+) and the first pitch of Cobra(7b).  Monkey Wall and Cobra wall are excellent 30m routes which starts easy and become hard at a micro roof short before the anchor.  The first pitch of Cobra is only 20m long but is very complex. To do this route one has to pull on small holds and manage the wide reaches. Stefan was the only one of us who was able to do all this.

Amazing sunset at Sierra de Toix

Brotherly bond and the sunset

Me and the sunset

In the end of the day we were able to admire a nice view of calpe, penon and the sea in the beautiful light of the sunset.
More stories will follow soon.

Bye for now
Haschi

Schon wieder in dHall?

Nach den Ausschweifungen über Urlaube im sonnigen Spanien oder dem herbstlichen Frankenjura will ich mal was über das aktuelle Geschehen berichten. Denn Fakt ist, dass wir zur Zeit den Fels nur noch vom Hörensagen kennen und wir unsere Kletterzeit entweder in der Boulderwölt, der DAV oder der Unihalle verbringa. Deshalb hab ich mich mal wieder genötigt

Kälte ist relativ

gefühlt die Felsen in meiner Heimat zu begrapschen und ein Projekt zu versuchen an dem ich mir letztes Jahr schon die Zähne ausgebissen habe. Das Thermometer zeigt -5° in der Sonne und irgendwas grausam Kaltes im Schatten an. Naja, rausfahren kann man mal und vielleicht steht der Fels ja schon wieder in der Sunn. Daheim aufgewärmt, Tee gekocht und ab gehts. Die bittere Erkenntnis war: Schatten wohin das Auge reicht. "Schisse!" Aber immerhin: Projekt is trocken und es geht auch tatsächlich was. Zwei Versuche enden am letzten Zug. Nach einigem Rumgehampl, damit ich wieder warm werde, kann ich das Teil klettern und hab damit meinen bis dato schwersten Boulder in der Tasche. YEAH!!! Und damit solltens sich auch wieder 1 bis 2 Wochen in der Kletterhalle aushalten lassen. Hoffe ich kann damit n paar Leute motivieren loszuziehen oder hab zumindest dem ganzen Hallengedümpl wieder a bissl an Sinn gegeben.

Frankenjura part two

For all our non German speaking followers i will blog in English. This is also good for all German speakers, because my German is not comprehensible for people which don't live in the Oberpfalz.

After Peter has left us alone on Thursday with this creepy animals(hens), we escaped with only one car left to our next sleeping place. Because of that the free room in our car shrunk to a minimum. It became very comfortable ride especially for Hanns.
After sleeping a night next to a creek, the morning got a bit cold for us, cause of the moisture in the air (not recommendable). But it should become a sunny warm day.

Stafan far over the last bolt in"Schwarze Magie"

Hanns gripping "the face" with his left hand in "Schwarze Magie"

So we drove to “Schwarze Wand” where we tried ourselves on „Schwarze Magie” (8+). The distances between the bolts were very far, so i decided not to lead this thing. My decision was affirmed, when i saw Hanns falling off. This fall actually was the farhest i have seen for a long time.

Local spider

 Like the day before we found a new animal friend. The local spider has made itself comfortable on our ropebag.

Hanns and Stefan preparing coffe

Me concentrating on the coming challenges. Where is the easteregg in this picture?

Next day we went to “Schlosszwerwände”. The weather was perfect like all those days. After climbing seven days in a row, we were a bit tired and needed a coffee on the sunny parking place to get all the energy we needed for the day.

Hanns in "Chinesischer Osterhasenweg"

Me in "chinesischer Osterhasenweg".
This route demands a lot of strength.

As we arrived at the “Schlosszwergwände” sector, i was impressed by this very overhanging wall. We decided to do “chinesischer Osterhasenweg” (IX-)(actually a very funny name for a route; translation: Chinese Easter bunny route), which offers everything a good route needs.
It is overhanging, athletic and has a starting dyno.
On the last day, we decided to go to the neighboring “Schlossbergwände”. In this very amazing sector Stefan choose to climb „Liebe ohne Chance” (IX). He had very tough time with this route and was able to do it on the next day.

Me in "Invading Dala"

Hanns and I first tried „Dala“(8+/9-), but the start was wet. Fortunately there is alternative dry start for this route. „Invading Dala“(8+/9-) felt lik a high boulder, which I was able to do with speed, strength and a beda from Hanns (thank you).