That was my 2008

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Barcelona, Paella, Fashion Shows, ...

Easter in Germany... with snow... ;-/

The emblematic mountains in Catalonia: Montserrat and Pedraforca

Family vacation in Ibiza :-)

Fun in Barcelona: Sant Joan, Sonar Festival at MACBA, L'ou com balla

Summer vacation in País Vasco, Cantabria and Asturias :-)

Fira Tàrrega

Short trips to Hamburg, Madrid and the Pyrenees

California and Xmas in Germany...

HAPPY 2009 EVERYONE!!!

All pictures © Michael Schaub - www.mcschaub.com

Siurana

Last weekend I went to visit the Schmid brothers and their friend Lucio, who were staying in Siurana for a couple weeks. Here some pictures.

Thomas Schmid on Tic i Toc (8a+)

... which is located at the right part of L´Olla

Daniel Schmid on the same route

Lucio on La cara que no miente (8a+)

Daniel Schmid

Lucio

Thomas Schmid starting Migranya (8b) at the left side of L´Olla

Cross-over move to a mono

The rest before the upper part

Daniel Schmid on La cara que no miente (8a+)

Setting up for the dyno

In flight

Lucio on the same route

The last route of the day, Thomas stretching for the high clip on A cara perro (8a)

The last long move before the anchors

When L´Olla was in the shade, the show started in El Pati. There was Dani Andrada on Pati Noso (8c/+)






And David Laurent high up while being photographed by Pete O´Donovan.

Half an hour later, when the last sun had left, we watched Adam Ondra redpointing La Rambla. Impressive!

Click images to enlarge

ALL PICTURES © MICHAEL SCHAUB

Sector Falcó in Arbolí - Montañas de Prades (Tarragona)

The sector Falcó in Arbolí is a great crack for passing a beautiful day in the winter. Located in the Montañas de Prades this area is just aside of the famous Siurana crags. The sector Falcó offers long routes on excellent, mostly vertical rock.

Koji and Nacho warming up in the morning sun

The picture above has been taken on a late morning in January. At that time of year, the wall is in the sun from around 11 o´clock till sunset. The orange rock tends to warm up a bit from the sunlight.

From this crag you also have a nice view over to the neighbouring village Siurana, spectacularly located on loads of great rocks.

Victor warming up on the first part of "Chanidangerx" (6b)

There are some routes in the lower 6th grade, but most climbing is in the higher 6th and all of the 7th French grade. Two 8a´s are the most difficult lines.

With some luck, your climbing day will end with a beautiful sunset making the rock shine in orange colour.

At sunset: Victor gets his last burn on "Borinot" (7a)

Besides the view over to Siurana, you overlook a great part of the Montañas de Prades.

ALL PICTURES © MICHAEL SCHAUB

Pictures of 2007

Last year was filled with moving to Barcelona and saving for camera equipment. So here just few pictures of 2007:

Unknown climber high up at Sector Stop in Etxauri (Navarra, Spain)

Richard Brown on the famous "Sonata de Cuchillo y Metralleta" (7c) at the Sector Korea in Araotz (Basque Country, Spain)

Richard Brown on a 7a+ at a newly developed crag somewhere in a forrest in the Basque Country

Johannes Ecke buildering in Barcelona

Francesco in downtown Barcelona

ALL PICTURES © MICHAEL SCHAUB

Spot Check: The Red River Gorge

In 2006 I spent some time at the Red River Gorge. Here´s what I found:

Quick facts:
- Sandstone climbing area in eastern Kentucky with well over hundred crags spread out in the Daniel Boone National Forest
- More than 1700 routes*
- ~ 800 sport routes, ~ 770 trad routes, and ~ 80 mixed routes*
- Easier than 6a: ~ 95 sport routes*
- 6a – 6c+: ~ 340 sport routes*
- 7a – 7c+: ~ 300 sport routes*
- 8a and harder: ~ 50 routes*
- Best climbing season: Fall

Daniel Schmid is setting up for the already classic arête of “Paradise Lost” (8a) at the Purgatory. This crack is an example for the recent developments in the Southern Region that include some excellent lines.

What?
Deep in the forests of Kentucky, the Red River Gorge awaits you with loads of climbing on great quality sandstone, ranging from strongly featured to absolutely blank. Many routes are well overhung, offer lots of exposure and will pump out your forearms. Besides steep, athletic endurance climbs, the Red offers almost all kinds and styles of climbing, with just as many traditional as sport routes.
Many of the popular sport climbs are long and pumpy on slightly to severely overhung walls, with athletic and technical moves on pockets, edges, and crimps.
Popular traditional climbs often follow aesthetic cracks, flakes, dihedrals, and chimneys, demanding plenty of technique and stamina.
The recent addition of very hard lines, like Lucifer (8c+), might make this area more interesting for top level climbers. However, due to the high density of excellent routes in the seventh French grade, it probably suits best those climbers trying to push towards 8a.

Thomas Schmid on one of his first tries of “God’s Own Stone” (8b+) that he later redpointed on his 5th go. This line is the hardest of several hard routes on the beautiful Gold Coast main wall.

Why travel to the Red?
Variety of climbing: The Red is famous for long and steep routes on great rock, so make sure to bring some stamina. However, you will also find short, bouldery routes and many climbs that require precise technique and balance, rather than stamina. Vertical crimp-climbs and delicate slabs together with easier climbs on walls covered with pockets, huecos, and edges make up for much more variety than one might expect after just seeing pictures of the Motherloads’ madness cave.
Number of routes: The lines on all the different cliffs provide for a lifetime of climbing.
New developments: Ray Ellingtons’ complete guide to the Red River Gorge was published in 2005 and describes 1311 routes on 104 cliffs. Now, just two years later, there are 1732 routes on 139 cliffs. A second edition of the guidebook will be available in September 2007.
Onsight friendly: White chalk on sandstone always makes for good tick marks. If you arrive with good stamina, you should get a reward for the training.
Traditional climbing: If you have some experience placing pro, you can set out for great trad climbing at the Red. There are few multipitch climbs, but many of the single pitch routes offer exposure and, possibly, leg shaking that will keep your adrenaline up for days. Numerous classic lines with perfect finger cracks, nasty offwidths, and demanding flaring cracks make for a complete experience and also offer solitude on busy weekends. Beware of sandbagged 5.8 and 5.9 climbs!
Setting: Forests covered in rhododendrons surrounding little creeks make a beautiful canvas for the cliffs whose color ranges from dark grey to bright orange.
Miguels Pizza Place: If you’re not impressed by the fact that it is a climbers-only campground and a great place to hang out and meet other climbers, just try Miguel’s pizza, his pasta dishes, salads, or breakfast omelets… and you’ll know why I need to go back soon!
Euro high: If you’re a euro, just check out the current exchange rate!

No yellow card due to short slacking? No flapper from the sharp pocket? Ajay Mehra gives all his focus to “Blood Bath” (7b+) in the cave of the Bob Marley Crag.

Why not take the travel?
Lower grade climbs: Despite continues development there is still a somewhat low density of sport climbs easier than 6a. Furthermore, very few of them stay dry in rainy conditions.

Stretching for some extra centimeters… Myself without the camera on “Dog Leg” (7a+) at the Bob Marley Crag (picture taken by Alex Sunnay).

When?
Year-round climbing is possible, yet summers can be hot and humid, spring might have a lot of rain, and winters can be quite cold. The best season is the fall.

Ajay Mehra on “Golden Boy” (8a) at the Gold Coast.

Where?
The Red is located in eastern Kentucky just some miles outside the little town Slade and about a one hour drive southeast of Lexington. Closest airports are in Lexington, Louisville, and Cincinnati.

Where to stay?
The most popular place among climbers is the climbers-only campground at Miguel’s Pizza place. The incredibly nice Ventura family together with their climber-dirtbag employees will provide you with great food and a variety of climbing gear. There is also a selection of other campgrounds, hostels, motels, and cabins in the proximity.

The steep routes make for excellent flight lessons… Thomas Schmid off “The Castle Has Fallen” (8a), which would have been his third 8a onsight that day.

Links:
http://wolverinepublishing.com/the_red_river_gorge.html Ray Ellington’s superb guidebook “The Red River Gorge” provides all necessary information.

http://redriverclimbing.com (*) All route statistics are based on this website. This page with its complete online guidebook is the best source for latest information about the climbs at the Red.

http://www.rrgcc.org Founded in 1996, the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition works hard to secure access and climbing at the Red:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_Gorge#Rock_Climbing

As shown on page 20 of the 8a yearbook 2006, one of the most famous walls at the Red: the Madness Cave at the Motherload, offering spectacular routes likes “Transworld Depravity” (8b+), “Omaha Beach” (8b+), “Last of the Bohicans” (8b), “BOHICA” (8a), and “Flour Power” (8a). Look closely and you’ll see the lines of chalked holds.

ALL PICTURES © MICHAEL SCHAUB