After a long and snowy winter with temperatures far below zero degrees and endless gym sessions it was clear to leave the Frankenjura. After heard about the bad conditions in Font we thought about going to Tecino again. The last visit in December was a completely flop because of too much snow but this time we hoped for the famous try and windy weather! Our three weeks started like the other trip has ended. Snow, rain and wet rocks. The first day’s conditions were quite bad so we did some easy climbing mainly to adapt to the very different style of climbing in comparison to limestone bouldering.
After a few days the weather turned and the conditions were getting better. I was keen on trying the new boulder Ninja Skills from Nalle Hukkataival. Ninja Skills is a great single line through a huge boulder with a bad landing. After we improved the landing a bit I started to check out the moves. The problem can be separated in two parts. The first part is maybe a powerful 8a+ bloc with big moves on slopey holds. What makes these moves hard is the fact that there’re no footholds to get the length so it’s more like a deadhang session for the left hand. The second part (around 8a) which is also a very good problem in itself involves this crazy dyno from a round pinch for the left hand to an obvious big four-finger hold that leads into an easier finish. After three days of trying I did nearly all the links but I was not able to do the second move and the dyno. What’s really hard with the dyno even if the hold is that big is the fact that it has to be hit very precisely? At this time I felt that there is no chance to do it within this trip and stopped trying. At least it was an inspiration for the autumn and I am motivated to get stronger to finish this perfect problem. Altogether I think it’s a very hard boulder and it’s one of the biggest achievements in Tecino bouldering.
The next goal was to climb Passo Tecino 8a+ after I had a mental blockade at the very easy top-out where I climbed back and jumped of (urrghh) last year. Passo Tecino is a seldom-repeated huge dihedral with a hard crimpy start that leads into burly and big moves on open holds. After the last hard move (a little dyno to a jug) it’s possible to relax and to prepare for the easy finishing slab. The first tries I was a bit nervous and I blew it at the second move but after a deep breath and the encouragement from my girlfriend and my friends I did it. This time without any doubt at the top just the pure pleasure while climbing the slab.
As always when we’re in Tecino we looking for new lines and there is still so much potential. One thing I wanted to do was a project from the last years. It looks more like a Fontainebleau boulder with big slopes on a green six-meter high wall. The crux is to hold a small four-finger crimp for the right hand, making a pull-up to get the left hook up directly next to the left hand and move the left hand a long way to a slope. The first go I felt pretty good, did the crux sequence and unfortunately felt on the last hard move because of being to slow while jumping from a slope to a good hold. The next go everything was perfect and a new problem was done. The name is "Nobody ist der Größte" and it could be 8a/a+ or an easy 8a+. We will see!
Another thing I did a first ascent is an old existing problem on the left of Sysiphus at Schattental. The rock quality was very bad and a friend of mine cleaned it. What remains is a very good 8a "Höhen und Tiefen" and a "thank you" to Markus who spent the time and work to make it that good!
Since we arrived the weather changed from wet and warm to humid and quite cold. Staying outside all the time it was harder and harder to stay warm or at least to recover a bit from climbing days during the nights or on rest days. Having a warm shower at Andreas Refugio at Cresciano was like being in paradise. So after nearly three weeks sleeping "under the bridge" with the cold, rain, snow and sometimes sun too we were kind of happy to drive back having a warm bath and a real bed. Back in Germany thankfully the half-meter snow at Krottensee is gone but at the same time conditions at the Jura are frustrating and most of the boulders and routes are wet or humid. Maybe it’s the right time to rest for one or two weeks and thinking back to the comparatively perfect conditions and unfinished projects to get motivated again.