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Gripped e-Mag, Issue 3, Full Edition |
December, 2006 |
In This IssueWelcome to The Gripped e-Mag |
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Eric Odenthal on Balanced Boulder V4, Castle Valley, Utah.The Gripped e-MagWelcome to the third issue of the Gripped e-Mag! Published monthly and full of interesting articles on climbing personalities, destinations, techniques and new gear that you won't find in the magazine, the Gripped e-Mag is FREE and a great compliment to Gripped Magazine.Register now to receive the Gripped e-Mag and you will be entered for a draw to win a brand new CAMP Starlight Helmet, valued at approximately $124, (see sidebar for more details)! Please feel free to forward the e-Mag to any other climbers that would find it interesting! If you have any comments or suggestions please contact us at info@gripped.com. 
Gripped Interviews Andreas BindhammerAndreas Bindhammer has been at the forefront of German climbing since the late 90s. This summer at the age of 33, he successfully redpointed The Abyss 9a/9a+ (5.14d/15a) and won the German national climbing championship.
Andreas Bindhammer on Abysse 9a/9a+ (5.14d/5.15a), Déversé, Gorges du Loup, France.Age, height and weight and how long have you been climbing?33 years, 1.71 m, 56 kg, climbing for 16 years. Where do you currently live and why?I live in Kempten, a medium size city in the very south of Germany, near the Alps. Here I have many training possibilities including several indoor climbing gyms and a good bouldering wall only a five-minute walk away. There is also huge amount of rock in the Alps and many great new bouldering areas. If the weather is not cooperating, I can go over the Alps into Italy (around a four-hour drive) or to the South of France (about a seven hour drive). In the winter I can be snowboarding in thirty minutes – it’s never boring here! What are your most significant ascents and you favourite type of climbing?Some of my most important ascents include:
These were my most significant ascents, until this fall when I successfully redpointed the well-known international testpiece Abyss 9a (5.14d). You recently climbed The Abyss 9a/9a+ (5.14d/15a) Can you briefly describe the route?The 25 m route climbs a severely overhanging (45 degree to 60 degree) section of limestone balls and tufas for 40 moves without a rest, and requires intense pinch strength and intricate footwork – and it is a completely natural route. Did you do anything special to celebrate after redpointing the Abyss?I was really happy to be free to pursue new projects again and had a small party with my girlfriend in the evening. It’s a long lasting good feeling when you succeed on such a challenging route! There seems to be an almost unending number of Spanish climbers climbing at or close to this grade. Are there many German climbers climbing at this standard? What do you think has contributed to this increase in standards?I don’t know of many German climbers, who are able to repeat routes at this grade. Most focus on doing a first ascent in their home climbing area and that often requires more than a year of work. Currently there’s Markus Bock and my brother Christian – they are the only ones I know from Germany consistently climbing 9a or harder. Some years ago Alexander Huber was also very active in route climbing. But we have many strong boulderers, especially in Frankenjura. Markus Bock and Austrian Kilian Fischhuber are great examples of very talented boulderers that also climb well on routes. It’s true that in international climbing some Spanish (mostly competition climbers) are really strong. They have the great advantage of being able to climb outside all year long and they are able to perfectly combine training on artificial walls with climbing on rock. Here in Germany we lose nearly five months of climbing because of the weather. We are limited to only training indoors or occasionally bouldering outside. Alternatively we can spend lots of time and money travelling to warm and dry areas. What is your training regime?I’m not too strict with training but I try to do two training days followed by a rest day. On the training days I focus on what my current project requires and during rest days focus on stretching and exercises for body tension. In general the first day is more intense and the second day has more volume. In the winter I often go for long periods of only campus training and bouldering. Both you and your brother are incredibly talented climbers. Do you have any training advice for our readers?Our biggest talent is that we always stay focused. Sometimes we train more, sometimes less, but we are always climbing. It’s important that you stay motivated and find new projects, learn new movement and change between bouldering and route climbing. If you are motivated, you can do competitions or travel to new areas. Don’t be afraid to change your training from time to time. The most important thing is that you continue to have fun and don’t become bored with climbing – at least most of the time. Do you prefer competitions or hard redpointing on rock? Why?I started to love the sport by working on hard redpoints – that’s free climbing for me. I like to see what is physically possible and overcome psychological and emotional barriers. I used competitions to maintain my motivation (when the weather was too bad to train outside), to please my sponsors, or to win some money to pay for my next climbing trip. In the last few years with more than 10 international competitions and more than five nationals, I ended seeing competitions and training as my job in addition to my normal work at my own company. I was no longer having fun climbing and I did not care about any rock projects. This autumn, after the completely crazy and unprofessional World Cups in Malaysia, I stopped doing international competitions and focused on rock. I repeated The Abyss 9a/9a+ (5.14d/15a), did six routes between 8c (5.14b) to 8c+ (5.14c) and worked on a really hard future project. At the same time, I managed to win the last two national climbing competitions (one being the German Championship). The results speak for themselves – I’ll focus on rock-climbing! What are your future climbing plans and goals for 2007?In spring I would like to take a trip to Spain, and after that, if I’m in the right shape, try the project I worked on late this year. If the situation is right, I’ll also do some competitions just to keep things fresh. I have to see – but for sure I’ll be climbing more on rock than the last few years. Where would you like to climb that you have not yet visited?I’m very curious about South Africa and about many areas in the US. I was there once several years ago and although I was ill and unable to climb, I liked the rock and the landscape very much.
Better BetaV ThreadsDescending from pure ice routes can be one of the simplest or most complex situations you will likely encounter. If the route tops out and there are natural anchors (rock blocks, trees, etc.), simply sling some webbing around these anchors, thread your rope and you’ll be back on the ground in time to hit the bar for a few drinks – easy. If the top out is lacking natural anchors or you are forced to retreat due to poor conditions, the situation becomes more complex. An inexpensive and secure solution is to use a V thread. V threads are simply a V shaped tunnel formed in the ice that you sling with 8 mm cord. In good ice the resulting anchor is more than strong enough to use as a rap anchor. To construct a V thread, all you need is a 22 cm ice screw, some 8 mm cord and a wire hook for threading the cord (Petzl Multihook, Grivel Candelaor or Glacier Plastics Abalakov Hooker).
Ice and Mixed CraggingEven the most committed ice climbers dread the long approaches that are so common in ice climbing. Trudging for hours in the dark to get to the base of a single line and walking out in darkness is difficult to sell even in the best of conditions. Throw in cold temps, short daylight hours and post holing in knee-deep snow and you understand why ice cragging is becoming so popular. Borrowing from the sport climbing tradition, modern ice cragging recreates that convenient and accessible climbing experience during the winter months. Eschewing the epic approaches, ice climbers can focus on actually ice climbing rather than spending hours slogging through waist deep snow. Here is our list, compiled with help of Guy Lacelle (one of world’s most seasoned ice climbers) to some of the top ice cragging locations in North America.Pont-Rouge in QuébecLocated 30 minutes from Québec City and with only a 10 minute approach, Pont-Rouge is an excellent example of what ice cragging embodies – great climbing with little or no approach. With 40 routes that include 15 pure ice lines (WI 3 to WI 6+), some great pillars and dozens of mixed lines in the M5 to M8 range Pont-Rouge has something for almost every climber. As an added bonus this is also the location for Festiglace du Québec one of the premier ice climbing festivals in the East. For more information check out: Ouray Ice Park in OurayWith a five minute approach from your hotel room, Ouray may hold the record for the most accessible ice climbing in North America. Over one hundred routes ranging from moderate to M10 ensure that climbers of all abilities will have a great time. Ouray can be busy during the week leading up to the Ouray Ice Festival but at other times you can have your pick of routes. For more information check out: Haffner Creek in the Canadian RockiesIf you are looking for the perfect ice cragging/training crag, look no further than Haffner Creek. Located near Banff and Canmore, Haffner offers a great social atmosphere with over 30 mixed routes ranging from M5 to M10. Check out Sean Isaac’s guidebook Mixed Climbs in the Canadian Rockies: Lake Willoughby in VermontThis is Guy Lacalle’s “favourite place in the world for a high concentration of great ice routes.” Located in Northern Vermont, Willoughby boasts over 20 lines ranging from single pitch grade 3 to multi-pitch 5 +. A short approach (between 15 -30 minutes) ensures muti-route days. For more information check out:
BootyScarpa Mago Climbing Shoe – 2007 Sneak Preview
Scarpa has always been known for high quality climbing shoes, but outside of a few notable exceptions, their performance rarely pushed the cutting edge. Starting in 2007 that is all going to change. Renowned climber and shoe designer Heinz Mariacher has overhauled the complete Scarpa climbing line. Part of six new shoes in the Steep Collection, the Mago (Italian for magician) will set a new benchmark for high performance climbing shoes. Built with an aggressive down turned last, the Mago is also tensioned with a unique three-dimensional rand design (X-tension) that locks your foot and provides incredible control on tenuous holds. This new design and the thin molded midsole creates a shoe that excels on steep terrain and tiny edges. Heel hooking is rock solid and the rubber toe-cap is handy for tenous toe hooks. The Mago uses a medium volume forefoot and heel cup and should provide a good fit for most climbers. Rubber on the Mago (and all new Scarpas) consists of the new Vibram XS Grip, which is noticeably firmer for better edging and stickier than previous Vibram rubbers. Scarpa claims that the Mago is more comfortable than other aggressively downturned designs and although this is true, the Mago is not intended for all-day comfort; these are the shoes you want for onsighting or redpointing at your limit. If the rest of new Scarpa models perform as well as the Mago, then you’ll be seeing more Scarpas at the local gym and crag. |
Contest of the MonthNow you can win a brand new CAMP Starlight Helmet, valued at approximately $124, by subscribing to the FREE Gripped e-Mag.Simply forward us your email address to be entered for the draw that will take place on January 20, 2007. Enter as often as you like, just as long as you provide a new valid email for a friend that would also like to receive the Gripped e-Mag for each new entry. Offer closes January 18, 2007.
Previous WinnersCongratulations to Barbara King. As the winner of October’s contest she is the proud owner of a new Mammut Revelation 9.2 mm 60 m climbing rope, valued at approximately $200.Congratulations to Brendan Wilson. As the winner of November’s contest he is the proud owner of a pair of new Edelrid Live Wire 8 mm 50 m half ropes, valued at approximately $200.
Gripped Presents
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publication Assistance Program (PAP) and the Canada Magazine Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage toward our mailing and project costs.
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©2006 Gripped Publishing Inc. The Gripped e-Mag is a monthly publication. |
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