Conquistadors

How crazy is this...!?!

I climbed “Conquistadors direct, 8B” in between of about two hours (over two evening sessions), but I’m not able to climb the “easier” original variant “Conquistadors, 8A+”. 

How it came about? How is it possible? “Conquistadors, 8A+” is a line to which I think for a long time.  The line is a bit remote… and as I usually climb only at evenings, I never found the motivation to walk all the way up to this problem. It’s kind of strange, because of the fact that this line is one of the nicest lines all over Chironico… but to be honest… I’m just A LITTLE LAZY!! ;)

Anyway… some days ago I got a message from an “old” friend. After some conversation he told me that he is working on that problem at the moment… AND the idea to finally have a look to it too was born.

So I went up there the last Thursday to give it some tries. After I walked around for about 40 MINUTES until I finally found the right way up to the line (how embarrassing! haha), I started to work on the original line for about an hour… until I realized that this problem is requiring quite some wingspan. I am - with my 1.77m and a zero or even negative ape-index - at my full limit or even above that. But it was not just the wingspan… also my body tension was not the best this evening, so that I was just not able to climb sequences and the crux a bit higher up was also not feasible. Aaarghh.

To cut a long story short… I just switched and tried the harder variant “Conquistadors direct”.

I was a bit surprised… but this variant worked MUCH better. After some work on it to get an idea of all the moves including the topout, I realized that it could be possible to climb that beauty the same evening. I was already a bit tired… but have begun to start off the ground. The big crux move dynamically from the left pincher to a slopy sidehold for the right hand worked… but I missed the target at every try or even slipped already from the left pincher. O.k… let’s come back in some days.

Yesterday the conditions were a bit better. It was not as cold as on Thursday (-1°C) and as a consequence it was much more comfortable at the current about +4°C. That sometimes makes quite a difference! If you‘re not in your comfort zone, things can suddenly feel pretty hard just because of you’re freezing. To climb SHIVERING can be quite exhausting…!! ;)

Joking aside… yesterday I felt GREAT and after a warmup on the original line, about half an hour in the direct-variant and some beta-improvements I catched the right sidehold and topped the line out. YEAHHH… what a turbo-ascent!!

Afterwards I restarted to work on the original and felt bit better. Also this variant could/should work… but is definitely harder for me because of the needed span. Into the direct-version I’m fitting in perfectly and so this variant feels much easier than the original, despite of the higher grade…!! Crazy… but it just shows how physical conditions can belie (deceive) of the grade….!!!! If I would do it like others… I could downgrade it now to 8A. ;)

Honestly… “Conquistadors direct, 8B” felt pretty soft to me… but after some ascents from Michele Caminati and Dave MacLeod and their grade confirmations, it really seems to be an 8B.

the solution to be able to climb the crux moves... the high foot-position...



before the first crux-move up to the left pincher...



the second crux...
don't slide away from the pincher and move up right to the next hold... 



the rest is peanuts... ;)

Funny… if I compare this line to my BIG PROJECT on the Sustenpass I just have to say that “Reykyavik low” feels WAAAAY harder to me. Well... must be 8B+ then!! haha 

The future will give an answer. :)

Cheers