Cleaning Routes and Dealing with Wet conditions

Hi,
This weekend it was predicted to be  humid, wet and rainy, nevertheless we decided to take 3 days weekend in our favourite trad location Ettringen.


Ariving in St Johann Toms Lay we saw that al the routes where too wet, bummer.
We left and went to Kottenheim, there we decided to visit Zeckenloch, famous because of the ticks?
We started with a nice crack called Mausebar (5), delightful jamming and placing gear by San in the sun. Tricky ending though.
Then the technical Mach Dich Fot (7) took some Caribbean hip moves to get the job done.
The obvious line to the right was Demenz,(8), it took a try to define the hard start and the technical upper arête but could be achievable. Second go I got it send. Whow.
Last route of the day was at Verlegenheidsturm, a classic 6-, San made it, but I was 3/4 and the rain hell came down. Brrrrrrrrrr. I loosened the rope on top and walked downwards , scrambled back to the base.
We got wet to our underpants!




Next day we visited our glory place called Dornental.
It was wet but the sun came quit on time.
Starting with a 6, San believed she was ready for the 8- Dornenriss.
Piasing the first few meters to place gear at a horizontal crack and a cam 5 in the crack did the work.
Then some classic style movements to hang some slings in loose flakes (they wont get out) and the upper part with some 3-4 cams the route was in the pocket. Well done Sandra.
Now my turn.
We cleaned for one hour the route called Rehsturz (8+/9-), upper part was still wet from the rain but I put some tissues in it to dry, first go was artificial C1 (No Top rope) finding the correct entrance?
Then we both tried various versions, but none worked.
I believed a third version could work. It did, placing gear and taking the tissues out I could manage to hold the grips, nice technical fingertip moves and balancing all the way up, Yeah made it.




Last day we went to Ettringen, always full on normal climbing days but now almost empty (only a school class). We spend our time in rehearsing trad routes in the sun.
I got a tan, but importantly we enjoyed :-).

Dornenriss 8-

Rehsturz 8+/9-

Re-open classics

In May we used our time to re-open some classic Trad routes in Ettringen Germany.
Most of the routes showed green layers and scary tree trunks on top or loose rock from from winter time.
We did a lot of cleaning by brushing or scraping, that took additional energy from us.
Nevertheless we enjoyed the great settings and wonderful trad routes in Ettringen.


Due to my elbow injury I had to coach San to do the leading.
She managed very well and even got inspired to lead scary un-protected routes.




This weekend we finished only two routes due to the humidity but they were oh so nice.


Café Bendisberg is a real beauty in Toms Lay.
Some weeks ago the route was full of needles of the Pine tree and unclimbable, but now it seemed worth while of trying it, but still some cleaning work was needed.
San did during leading it, a real effort for one hour.( Pain in the legs and arms)




For more information please take contact with us or provide us with some input so we can serve you what you want read.




Enjoy climbing trad routes, San and Jan

Germany Ettringen shots

Just some shots from this summer



Grain Field to Finsterley Mayen



Clean Crack



Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

 

True Romance



Finger Crack, love it

Spain Mula May 2015

We had a wonderful week in Spain.
One of the crags had a interesting setting, perfect rock and steep overhangs.
In Mula sector Ferrari we enjoyed climbing the rock and we tried push ourselves.
Ramera was one of topper for us.

Ramera

Trying Yaceis 7c

Italy Cadarese Crack, crack , crack, crack

Yes we admit we are crack addicts, no drugs but real crack Climbing!!!!!!



Cadarese Crag view from our apartment

Walking Path up and down along the face of crag.

La Freccia crack

Tricky move to get out of the roof

Enjoying some nice crack by San

Slight offwidth

Germany Bouldering Ruhrtal 7 February 2015

In a frozen but dry and sunny Avalonia Ruhrtal we love to do some bouldering.
Not high level but just enjoying climbing and the life we live.

Started with -2°C

San

Surgery

Today I will get my 4th surgery for my Graves Disease.
Hopefully it will be the last one.
It took me 2.5 years to recover with up and downs.
I'm thank full that I still have the ability to see.