"Tiefflug, 8A/8A+" and "Imhotep low, 8A+" - FA

Since many years I'm climbing in Chironico during the winter. It's by far the closest area where I can climb outdoors. Usually...!!
This winter I was three or four times in Ticino so far... the last day in early December. Since then I just climbed the north of Switzerland.

The northern "hemissphere" never got a lot of snow this winter... and when, then it melted within hours.
I like to call it "hemisphere", because of our big luck to have the alps between these areas and the possibility, to have completely different weather conditions inbetween of one hour drivetime. If it rains on the one side... it is often dry on the other side and vice versa.
What lucky guys we are...!! ;)
So this winter was good chance to try some "northern hemisphere projects", which usually just offer good conditions a couple of days per year. AND... Blattiswald still offering some of these lines, which are rarely possible. ;)

Aldo in "Imhotep, 8A"... Blattiswald.

"Ex Nihilo":
I never went back to this project (see my last entry). this project is still open and undone... at least the intended way to climb it. Now... after I did some more FA's at Blattiswald and I don't have any other open projects... I like to go back there for some more attempts. Who knows... after some weeks with other physical stresses, it could be a good chance to be fresh enough (physically and mentally) to wrest an ascent.

"Tiefflug, 8A/8A+":
The next project after my FA of "Imhotep, 8A" was a low start to "Blindflug, 8A". Already the very first day at this boulder I've seen the possibilities to either climb it out left (Imhotep), or to try a low start version. Some days after the ascent of "Blindflug" I started to work on a low start, but was not able to find a good sequence to climb it. It seemed possible, but pretty hard.
Next one was "Imhotep", so I forgot a little about this low start and focused on the beautiful and powerful prow of "Imhotep".
As soon as this project was climbed too, I had no other options as to go climbing by myself, or to find something new on this boulder. Some friends were still working on "Blindflug" and "Imhotep", so the decision was made fastly and I restart my work on the low start. It's much nicer and above all much more FUNNY to climb with friends...!!!! Even if I sometimes really enjoy it to climb alone too.

The first day back on the low start was succesful... at least for a possible sequence for the first moves. The second day then I climbed "Tiefflug, 8A/8A+".
"Tiefflug" adds three moves and some foot chances to the original. The moves are not extremely hard... but all together they add quite some difficulty and I really had to get used of these moves to climb them safe and economical.
I wrote already that "Blindflug" is a pretty soft 8A in my opinion. However, I realized that others are thinking very differently about it. Nevertheless, I'm not sure if "Tiefflug" deserves an 8A+.
But who cares... let's give 8A/8A+ and anyone can take the grade he likes. ;)

"Imhotep low, 8A+":
Since I'm now climbed this low start ... so why not the same for "Imhotep" too?
This version needed quite some additional effort from my side, compared to the upper start. "Imhotep" already felt pretty hard to me... and even the other solutions I've seen and tried now are not easier (depending on your preferences and preferred style of climbing). The low start adds just two moves... but due to the fact that the original is already quite long, it gets more a question of endurance than maximal strength. This is also the reason why I had to fight a few more days for this FA and in my opinion the low start really deserves 8A+.
Will be interesting to get some feedback to it...


As always lately I have some vids for you...

"Tiefflug, 8A/8A+"    ... without music. :(

"Imhotep low, 8A+"   ...with music. :)



cheers