Allgäu-Update

Since the bouldertopo Allgäu-Block came out in September 2006 many things changed in this southmost German bouldering area. The Allgäu-Block is sold out now, last copies are available at specialised dealers (e. g. Bergsport Maxi in Kempten) and some bookstores.

Time to make a review about these one and a half years and to presentate a little summary of some new boulder problems as well as some changes which occurred since the printing.

Content

Changes of grades

- Rottach Block 1 (Grenzwandl)

- Rottach Block 21 (Treppenwand)

- Freidorf - Quellwand

- Freidorf - Parkplatzwand

- Rechte Obere Maiselwand

- Rockland

- Kammeregg

- Starzlachklamm

Selection of some new boulder problems

- Straight Ups

- Traverses

- New areas

Changes of grades:

Sometimes I hear complaints that some grades in the Allgäu are not correct. As already the introduction of the bouldering guidebook says, all problems have been done in an extremely short time and often in high summer. In general new brushed boulders don't have the final grip, often the problems are still a bit humid and therefore it is sometimes not easy to give a correct grade. It can also happen, that for the one or two problems the easiest method has not been found. There have probably also been days with different power performance, after 4 days of brushing new problems it can easily happen that you have the impression of doing a 7c while in fact it is "only" 7b....

Unfortunately there are also massive manipulations of holds in some problems. DON'T USE HARD BRUSHES in the soft conglomerate! Here you can "find" new holds wherever you want if you brush too much. But like this you don't face the original problem and you are betraying just yourself.

Therefore the grades in the Allgäu-Block have to be taken as a suggestion which is giving you an idea of the range of difficulty in which the problem is. If you want to report (best by E-Mail) a personal impression of the grade of some problems you have done which are different from the given grades, don't hesitate, we appreciate this very much. That's the onliest way to get a "better" grading in the future.

Here you will find some already changed gradings (table is not complete):

Rottach Block 1 (Grenzwandl)                (Top)

Late light edge  6a+ SD

Hasenfuß         6c+  SD

Grenzstein       7a    SD, lr

Stoneman        6c    SD

Rottach Block 21 (Treppenwand)           (Top)

Schachmatt   7b/b+  SD

Zaunpfahl         7b    SD

Freidorf - Quellwand                               (Top)

Crosstalk         7c  SD

Freidorf - Parkplatzwand                         (Top)

Monsterball   8a/a+  SD

In Florifer the crux-hold did break out, now much harder

The grade of Zupsi is given for a slightly defined problem with the obvious sloper.

Rechte Obere Maiselwand                     (Top)

Maiselstein        7c    SD (The original problem is done with sloper pinches (which is ultra cool!!!), but it's possible to skip them. Unfortunately there have also been "made" some new holds)

Black Pebble    7a+  SD

Rockland                                                (Top)

Here many grades still have to be adjusted, as all problems have been done directly after brushing in semi-clean conditions.

Kammeregg                                            (Top)

All problems in the roof are extremely morpho. Therefore a grade-range from / to is given. Very tall climbers feel the grades of the problems to be even more easy.

Colette          7a/a+  SD

Colltex      6c+/7a+  SD

Roofos      6c+/7a+  SD

Starzlachklamm                                      (Top)

Maximator         7c/7c+  SD (a bit morpho)

Wissen ist Macht    7c+  SD

Undercover     7c+/8a    SD (holds broken, easier now)

Selection of some new boulder problems

On the "old" walls have been done many new problems, here a table with a selection of some new problems sorted by grade:

Straight ups (also some traverses with straight-up character)                 (Top)

Traverses                         (Top)

New areas                     (Top)

Amongst others some new areas can be found next to  Tiefenbach, Burgberg, Martinszell and Freidorf. Besides many others the following problems can be found there: