8b+ SOLO by

自由的风

8b+ SOLO by "crazy" Huber 2004-05-06

“狂人”huber solo 8b+/5.14a
20多米，线路名称叫“共产主义者”。他还solo过8b/5.13d的“机会主义者”线路。而且他说，他在solo完那条线路后发现还没有接近他的极限！
他也不用抱石垫子。

Here's the fully story from the man himself:
The Communist
The Schleier Wasserfall is my favourite climbing area since about 12 years now. Its climbing, the scene and the scenery - all comes together. Coming back home from travelling, it never lasts long and I touch the steep limestone. Here, I know every single hold, all the moves of every single route. It's the kind of climbing I am really strong at and, of course, that's another reason, why I love to be here.

For me, climbing here means being at home and this gives me the necessary self-confidence to find out, where my own limits are. Free soloing the Communist is my limit. 22 meters long, steep and powerful climbing. The crux is about ten meters off the deck, directly above some boulder blocks. It's enough that you never would think about taking even a minimal risk of falling off - especially without the use of any crash pads.

Free solo - why?
For me, it is the search for my limits. After the free solo ascent of the Opportunist (8b) I knew that I haven't been coming close to my limits yet. On the other side, I am aware that the time is limited. With every year it gets harder to hold a high level in sport climbing. And in fact, my level is not much higher anymore than the grade of the Communist - there are not much safety reserves. Even after a time of intense training in the route I couldn't do the 'Communist' all the time - only under good condition and when fresh I could be sure that I am able to do it. But after many free solo ascents I knew how my mind and my body works while free soloing. That allowed me to bring the safety reserve down to a minimum.

20th of April. Already at 8 a.m. I am there. I am alone and I wanted to be alone. Nobody should disturb me and I didn't want to disturb anybody else with my ascent. I warm up, some bouldering and I know that my power as well as the conditions are perfect. At 9 p.m. I feel ready. I am just about to start climbing when a hiker shows up. I wait.
Some small talk. After 5 minutes I decide to do it, even though I am not alone. To keep my spectator busy I give him my video camera, which is already in position. Without knowing exactly what he going to film now, he gets into position. After a short while I start climbing.

It's chilly, the skin is very dry, the grip is perfect. Only at a rest point after 7 meters of climbing I chalk my hands again. Just a short stop, then I go on. A three-finger-pocket, a two-finger-pocket, an undercut and a sloping edge - only a few holds for the 5 crucial meters. The long, reachy moves
demand powerful climbing and don't give me any chance to think about, what I am doing in this moment.

Even at the rest point after the crux I don't stay for long. The rest of 10 meters climbing at the grade 5.12d (F7c) - I want to have it done. Again I chalk my hands and I go on. 15 moves later I am at the top.

A short yell, a fast down-climb via a neighbouring 5.10d. My 'cameraman' shakes my hands with the words 'You must be a crazy guy'. I have a bright smile on my face, because I am quite sure that, despite his comment, he does not understand exactly what he filmed just some moments ago.


http://www.8a.nu/site2/

自由的风

CLIMBING.COM - HOT FLASHES

Huber Solos 5.14

By Dougald MacDonald

Alexander Huber has soloed a 70-foot 8b+ (5.14a) at his favorite crag, Schleierwasserfall in Austria. Huber climbed The Communist early on the morning of April 20. He had hoped to be completely alone for the ascent, but after he warmed up and did some bouldering a hiker arrived. Huber drafted the hiker to hold his videocamera, not telling the unwitting cameraman what he was about to film.

In cool, dry conditions, Huber started climbing about 9 a.m. He chalked once at about 25 feet, then entered the 15-foot crux section about 35 feet above the boulders at the base. “The long, reachy moves demand powerful climbing and don't give me any chance to think about what I am doing,” Huber said. After a quick rest above the crux, he finished the rest of the climb at 5.12d.

Huber, 36, called his 5.14 solo a "search for my limits" and said he had found them on The Communist. "After [my] free solo ascent of The Opportunist [5.13d, also at Schleier, in 2003], I knew that I hadn't been coming close to my limits yet. On the other side, I am aware that the time is limited. With every year it gets harder to hold a high level in sport climbing. And, in fact, my level is not much higher anymore than the grade of The Communist—even after a time of intense training on the route, I couldn't do The Communist all the time. But after many free solo ascents I know how my mind and my body works while free soloing.

http://www.climbing.com/news/hubersolo14/