11-/5.14c

Words: Alexander Huber

I obviously climbed my first route in the 11th grade at my home crag Karlstein.

The 11th grade had just detonated inside the scene like a bomb, and we tried to follow our masters. Wolfgang Güllich had shown the way with groundbreaking ascents, first climbing Wallstreet, and then Action Directe. Most importantly he had shown how important appropriate training is.

We followed his teachings, trained hard and were soon enjoying the fruits of our work. After I climbed my first 10+ route in 1989, I entered the realm of the 11th grade in 1991 with Shogun (5.14c).

The Eleventh Grade

Words: Alexander Huber

An amazingly beautiful route at a crag that holds a special place in my heart. How much time have I spent high up in the Endstal, at the foot of the west face of Hoher Göll. It’s great when there are routes up there that you can push your limits on.

That is why I always had a good reason to hike up there and challenge myself on the rock. The rock doesn’t care whether or not I send, but I grow with challenge.
 
In summer 1992 I spent a lot of time up there and I was able to climb a bunch of nice first ascents, out of which Om certainly stands out: It was my first 11 (5.14d)  route and the second of its grade in the world after Wolfgang Güllich’s Action Directe.

THE UPPER ELEVENTH GRADE

Words: Alexander Huber

»Weiße Rose«, German for White Rose, is one of those king lines that climb the entire central overhang of the rock dome on the Schleierwasserfall.

35 meters that get steeper and steeper, with roof climbing towards the end, lead to the lip,  with a slow transition into vertical terrain. While the extremely steep part of the overhang is relatively featured, the crux comes at the lip!

The holds which are just barely there are so far apart that it is unclear at first how to use them. Step one is to find a solution! At the end you link the moves so that you somehow stay attached to the rock, at the same time keeping the momentum in order to reach the next hold that is a meter and a half away. For two weeks I worked this sequence of extremely difficult moves, until I had them wired individually, then came the first big step forward:

I managed to climb the crux sequence for the first time! The crux of Weiße Rose is probably the most complex sequence that I have ever solved.

By doing countless sessions on the route, my body became familiar with the moves and with every attempt, I felt a bit more solid. Even though I am not able to say what exactly I had improved on, my body was able to learn and memorise the complex moves.

I don’t know how many attempts it took exactly, but I know that I continuously tried the route for no less than four weeks. A next step after my previous ascents: the first route that checks in at 11+ (5.15a).

The Weiße Rose is one of my most beautiful routes, not only because of its difficulty but also because it has a special name: Back in the day when I gave White Rose its name, I often walked across the Geschwister-Scholl-Platz (Scholl-Siblings Square) to university.

The square is named after Hans and Sophie Scholl, who were members of the intellectual resistance group »White Rose« that opposed the Third Reich in the face of almost certain death. They were executed on February 22, 1943.  Many times I stood on the first floor of the university during breaks between lectures, and looked down at the areaway of the entrance hall. At precisely the same spot, the Scholl Siblings had thrown several leaflets into the hall below. Leaflets that called for resistance in face of the cruel war led by the Nazi Regime. Hundreds of leaflets flittered through the air while Hans and Sophie Scholl fled down the stairs towards the gate. They were seen. The janitor had recognised the two, and had them taken into custody. Four days later they were both dead. The university looked exactly the same than today… I could picture so well how Sophie puts down the leaflets, and then pushes them into the hall below, and all I can say is that I have tremendous respect for their actions and the courage of the White Rose. Seeing where it all happened is very touching.

With the name Weiße Rose, for my climb on the Schleierwasserfall, I want to pay tribute and show my deep respect for the actions of the Scholl Siblings.

THE SCHLEIERWASSERFALL -

A PARADISE OF THE ELEVENTH GRADE 

Words: Alexander Huber

Climbing at the eleventh grade - a sport with very intense physical and mental stress. The extremely difficult moves on such routes require a special technique and an enormous amount of raw power.

In 1991, the eleventh grade (5.14d) was introduced to the climbing world by Wolfgang Güllich with the first ascent of Action Directe. He was one of the first to understand that the eleventh grade was possible only with professional training and introduced modern systematic training methods from other sports to climbing.  A year later I managed to climb the second route of this grade in the world by doing the first ascent of Om.

For the following years, I kept focussing on the upper end of the scale and tried to push the limit even further. From today’s perspective, I was able to climb the upper eleventh grade (5.15a) as early as 1994 with Weiße Rose (White Rose). Adam Ondra commented on his repeat: »…very hard for the grade, maybe 9a+(5.15a)«. A definitive answer would have to wait until there is another repeat ascent though.

Two years later, I sent another route at this grade, Open Air. The reason for upgrading these routes is as follows: For years the rating scale as been continuously softened and this re-adjustement is something quite common for most »old-school« routes.

UNREPEATED

Words: Alexander Huber

The first ascent of Open Air at the Schleierwasserfall marked the end of my efforts at top level sportclimbing.

It became clear to me that with the first ascents of Weisse Rose and Open Air I had reached a level which I would hardly be able to improve on. And then there were all these other challenges, which were waiting in Yosemite, the Karakoram and the Himalayas.

Still, I never fully abandoned sport climbing, given that it is the foundation for success on the world’s big walls. That way sportclimbing wasn’t just enjoyment, but also training for the big missions.

As I aimed to redpoint Bellavista in 2001 I put more focus on sport climbing again… Old projects were waiting -  in spring 2001 things were moving forward again.

The crux of a route I bolted years ago on the Schleierwasserfall had kept spitting everyone off for a long time. Even though Orca is twenty meters long, the difficulties are concentrated on one »hellishly« difficult move. How to get set up for the crux move: From a large hold far up and right to a slopy pocket. Then it’s on: Put the foot to the hand and pull as hard as you can.

Up until today, nobody has been able to repeat Orca.

OPEN AIR (5.15a or XI+)

1996, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

1. rep.: Adam Ondra, 2008

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WEISSE ROSE (5.15a or XI+)

1994, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

1. rep.: Adam Ondra, 2008

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OM (5.14d or XI)

1992, Endstal, Berchtesgaden, Bavaria, Germany

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BLACK POWER (5.14d or XI)

1994, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

1. rep.: Thomas Katzlberger, 2004

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ORCA (5.14d or XI)

2001, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

unrepeated

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SHOGUN (5.14c or XI-)

1990, Karlstein, Bad Reichenhall, Bavaria, Germany

1. rep.: Thomas Huber, 1995

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RESISTANCE (5.14c or XI-)

1992, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

1. rep.: Stefan Fürst, 1994

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GAMBIT (5.14c or XI-)

1994, Schleierwasserfall, Wilder Kaiser, Tyrol, Austria

1. rep.: Stefan Fürst, 1994