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The other day the youngin’ Adam Ondra made the first one day ascent of Dreamtime 8B+, the classic Cresciano boulder. Here is some underground video for your enjoyment.

Today we went back to Magic Wood and, although it was quite cold, we had a great day. Olson, Angie and myself all sent Supernova, an amazing 7C squeezing arete. Ang fought very hard and has been climbing well lately.

The amazing feature of Supernova

Olson was psyched on The Never Ending Story Part II 7C+ and he climbed it quickly.

I then went up the hill to try The New Base Line 8B+. This was much better than expected and I was really psyched. I did all the moves in an hour and am very psyched to return. I have been apprehensive about trying anything really hard for fear of missing out on classic easier things, but with two weeks left in our Swiss leg, I feel like its time to go for it.

Olson and I then had a great session on The Riverbed 8B. I did it in two parts and Ryan did all the moves quickly. This is an amazing problem and probably the first thing I will go back to after our rest day.

Switzerland continues to deliver, on the highest level. We have been climbing almost everyday and it feels amazing to be so on point. Everyday we climb it seems like someone climbs something 8A or harder. I climbed a very nice riverside boulder the other day called Ganymede Takeover 8A+, and Pinto and Angie both had great and inspring sends of Molunk, a perfect 7C. We spent the day playing by the river and enjoying ourselves on this incredible trip.

Today we went to Chironico and Olson and I climbed Serre Moi Fort 8A/8A+. This is one of the best problems at Chironico and one of the first hard problems there. Climbing some of these old Fredric Nicole problems here in Swissy is not unlike repeating the classic John Gill problems in the Front Range. Ange made quick work of Les Doigts Vert 7C+ and after falling off the first move, I did it second try. I also put some effort into a gorgeous problem called The Electric Ant 8B.

Electric Ant

Not unlike the Park, the number of quality hard problems here is staggering. Here are some more pictures. Enjoy.

Freak Brothers 8A+

Massive Attack 8A+

Photos by Pinto

Yesterday was a perfect day at Chironico.

The snow had melted and the goats were roaming about.

I was psyched to try and finish up Freak Brothers 8A+. It is probably the best problem at Chironico. I figured out the moves on the first day and was ready to send. I did the hard match move a couple times but fell going to the lip as my feet swung out. I took about a half hour rest and then gave it an good effort. This time I held the swing and pressed out the commiting mantle. Here are some more picstures of this perfect problem.

Angie had a great day as well, climbing Dr. Med Dent 7B+, Dr. Pinch 7C+ (given 8A+ in the guidebook) as well as the classic 7B+ Tomahawk, which climbs an very interesting arete feature.

Afterwards, Olson climbed several 8A’s, Souviner and Komilator. It was a great day of sending at Chironico.

Today was our first day of climbing in Magic Wood, a beautiful area about an hour from where we are staying. Magic Wood is near Ausserferrera, which is in a German speaking region of Switzerland. The valley is filled with rock, but only a small sector is designated as a recreation zone. Almost everything in the forest was wet but we did find two very nice problems to climb on. First up was the majestic river boulder.

The rock on this boulder is outstanding, polished granite that somehow retains perfect texture. Every problem on this boulder is a classic, unfortunately all of them were wet save Massive Attack 8A/8A+. There was nothing to really warm up on so I just started trying the easier moves to warm up. I did it fairly quickly and then repeated it for the camera.

Olson and I the hiked up the hill and climbed Piranja 7C+, a very nice wall with perfect edges. There is video of Dave sending this problem in the excellent short Swiss Gneiss, from Dosage 3, which we have been studying on a daily basis.

Olson sends Piranja 7C+ with wet holds.

Daniel just stopped by for his nightly chat and told us that he did The Dagger 8B+ today for the third ascent. Dave Graham’s sit start, The Story of Two Worlds 8C, remains unrepeated, however I’m sure young Daniel will have a go very soon.

Its raining today and so we are resting. Here are some pics from the last few days. I have recieved many inquires about many of the problems over here. Here are some pics of one of the most popular, From the Dirt Grows the Flowers 8C. This problem is in Chironico. It starts with an 8B crimping sequence through some slippery crystals and leads to a hard 8A+ mantle. Although it has been tried by many, it remains unrepeated.

Sissyfuss 8A+/8B climbs up the left side, from a low start, Dirt Grows the Flowers climb up the middle.

Dirt Grows the Flowers climbs up the crystal band to a slopey topout.

The crystal band starting holds

Here are some other shots from our trip.

Angela on a classic 7C Molunk, Ticino

Veccia Leone an amazing 8B

Old Lion

Rolson on the river boulder.

The past few days have been great. The weather has been perfect and we are learning a little bit of Italian. Brian and Herm left this morning, but Daniel Woods has arrived and is staying next door. Here are some pictures from the last few days. Enjoy.

Rolson sends the stand start to Dreamtime 8A/8A+

Brian Capps sending Sweet Home Alabama 7C+, an amazing highball in the Extra Jump sector of Cresciano.

Angie sending That Goes Left, a fun problem given 8A in the guidebook but one that is probably more like 7C, Chironico.

Pampelmousse, 8A Ticino

Ryan Olson on the first move of No Mystery 8A+, Chironico

Yesterday I tried an amazing problem at Chironico called Freak Brothers 8A+. The problem starts with some easier moves to gain a good undercling. From there a huge move is made up and left to a nice crimp. Hand foot match the undercling and make a hard match on the crimp. A commiting move to the lip is followed by an even more commiting mantel. The line might be the best in Chironico. I am very psyched to return to this perfect and scary problem.

Yesteray we went to Chironico to get some good conditions and try some things I had looked at previously. I was really psyched on a couple of short power problems No Mystery 8A+ and its counterpart Schule de Leben 8B. I figured out the moves and sent the left one, No Mystery, quickly. The powerful, crimpy nature of the climbs at Chironico seems to suit my style well. I then began working the right one and did all the moves. I thought I may have a chance to do this in a day and I really went after it. I fell off the last move several times but finally latched it and held on in the fading light. It was a nice moment for me. It feels great to be so on point and have everything in its right place.

Schule de Leben 8B

Chironico

After a “rest” day we went out to Cresciano and my mission was to finish off a problem I had tried the other day called Extreme Ironing 8A+. Often the granite here is very demanding of your technique and each hard problem requires a certain level of understanding. Olson and I had a great session the other day on the problem figuring out beta and we came back today ready to send.
I felt sore, but good, warming up. I gave it a few goes and sent it in good form. Olson soon followed suit and it was a great way to start off the day.

Extreme Ironing

Cresciano

Ang was psyched on a problem called La Pioche 7B+. She had tried it the other day and after figuring out some new beta did it quickly.

La Pioche 7B+

The rest of the day Daniel and I tried La Proue 8B, an amazing and beautiful problem and Mithril 8B. It was a bit warm but we had good time on both. Mithril felt very hard for 8B, much harder than similar style problems in places like New England or Hueco. Neither of us did all the moves.

La Proue 8B

Last night Daniel, Olson and I went up to check out a problem called La Reve de Mario 8A. This was this first 8A put up in Ticino by Fred Nicole. The story I know is that a friend of Fred’s (Mario) had a dream to climb the boulder in two moves, up left hand and then a huge move with the right. Fred put up the problem using a new 4 move sequence, but named it La Reve de Mario (The Dream of Mario) in honor of his friends vision. As far as I know, Fred’s sequence was THE sequence and no one had been able to do the problem using Mario’s dream. Last night, after much flailing, Daniel unlocked the problem using two perfect moves. Well done.