Received this report from MOON's German friend Fabian Christof:
After a long and snowy winter with temperatures far below zero degrees and endless gym sessions it was time to leave the Frankenjura. After hearing about the bad conditions in Font we thought about going to Tecino again. The last visit in December was a complete flop because of too much snow but this time we hoped for the famous dry weather with a nice breeze! Our three weeks started like the other trip 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 of our normal Frankenjura playground.
After a few days the weather turned and the conditions improved. I was keen on trying the new boulder Ninja Skills from Nalle Hukkataival. Ninja Skills is a great pure 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 into two parts. The first part is maybe a powerful 8a+/v12 bloc with big moves on slopey holds. What makes these moves hard is the fact that there are no footholds to help push through the long reaches so it’s more like a deadhang session for the left hand. The second part (around 8a/v11) 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 to an easier finish. After three days of trying I did some good links but I was not able to do the second move or the dyno. What’s really hard with the dyno, even though the hold is so big, is the fact that it has to be hit very precisely. At that time I felt that there was no chance of doing 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. It’s a very hard boulder and one of the greatest achievements in Tecino bouldering.
The next goal was to climb Passo Tecino (8a+/v12) . I had a mental block last year at the very easy top-out where I climbed back and jumped off (urrggh!). Passo Tecino is a seldom-repeated huge dihedral with a hard crimpy start that leads into big burly 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 encouragement from my girlfriend and my friends I did it. This time without any doubt at the top-just the pure pleasure of 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 few years. It looks more like a Fontainebleau boulder with big slopers 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 fell on the last hard move because of being too 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+ (v11/12) or an easy 8a+/v12. We will see!
Another first ascent I managed is an old existing project 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/v11 Höhen und Tiefen. A big "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 occasional 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.
-Fabian Christof, Germany