Fabi reports a mixed bag from the Frankenjura:
The climber's life in Frankenjura is pretty much unpredictable. The conditions are changing so fast from totally wet to perfect. So you have to be at the right place at the right moment, and like always, have a bit of luck. I decided to start working on Montecore again and try to finish it in 2010. Three years passed since I climbed Alpha Man and I felt the motivation returning. After two sessions I figured out the right sequences to link a weird side pull toe-hook combination into the standing start, which is called Omega Man, and I was able to climb it in two parts.
The last week of weather was a bit warm but the forecast raised the hope for cold and dry conditions. Meanwhile I climbed a perfect 30-degree shield opened by a good mate two weeks ago. The name is Gutter Queen and its graded 8a+/b (v12/13). The character of the climbing is quite similar to the Montecore. After a short and powerful start with a demanding dyno to a not so bad crimp you have to hold one of the poorest crimps in the Jura which then leads into an uncertain finish with a move around an arête to a hidden slope. On my first day I figured out the moves but failed on the last shaky move. After a rest day my skin felt good and with the know-how from the day before I did it first go. A big compliment to Markus for climbing it although it’s definitely not his style!
The next two days I spent in a little sandstone quarry not far away from my home where the limestone freaks can have a little sandstone friction taste. Even though most of the climbs are artificial as on quarried faces, it’s a long time since the quarry men left, and the rock is pretty solid. The Quarry offers a 60 moves 8b (5.13d) traverse ("Fram") and a very good 8a+ (5.13c "Stranded"). I was quite surprised that I did both of them during two sessions.
After this nice variety and a rest day I went back to Montecore. Unfortunately the expected cold and windy weather stayed away and within one hour of trying I had a big cut directly over my fingertip of the right index. To tell the truth I was really pissed off, but shit happens! After I calmed down I drove to a nice roof which is called "Bettlkuch" 8a. The last time I tried it I didn’t find a good solution for the top-out part. I pulled out all from my magic bag like feet first and delicate toe-heel-hook combinations but everything failed from the start. This time I came back with some good beta figured out by a friend without all the technical finesse just standing open and pulling a little gaston around the lip. The method suited me very well and I did it third go.
Check out the German photo album if you want to see what Frankenjura sandstone looks like!