About a week ago the Tyrolean climber Christof Rauch managed the fourth ascent of the heaviest boulder in the Zillertal: Sierra Madre (8c).
It was Florian Schmalzl who first climbed the combined line, which consists of the two boulders Larch and the standing start Sierra Madre (both 8a +), in April 2018. Only a month later picked up Alfons Dornauer a first repetition of Sierra Madre and carefully suggested 8c as a difficulty. In November of the same year, the Austrian powerhouse was equipped Jakob Schubert The Zillertal a visit and came on the ascent of the Boulders in raptures.
“A few days ago I managed the third ascent of Sierra Madre, the hardest boulder in the Zillertal. It's not just the hardest, but for me the best boulder I've ever climbed and certainly my favorite block in Tyrol! "
Jakob Schubert after the visit of Sierra Madre
The fourth ascent of the line took about a week ago the Tyrolean Christof Rauch. He also goes into raptures and describes the boulder as the "Kingline". Until the ascent was successful, Christof invested a few sessions on the block. After trying the two individual parts several times and finally being able to climb, he tackled the entire line. This required several more sessions on the block in Ginzling, Zillertal.
“On the Monday after work I shoveled the snow off the block and then gave it full throttle on Friday. Nevertheless, I fell five times on the last heavy pull from Sierra Madre. "
Christof Rauch shortly before the visit
At his next session, the game continued like this, he fell again three times in the same place. The Boulder was thus a mental challenge. In a last go gave Christof then everything and fought his way to the top in an epic fight.
Alfons Dornauer on the second ascent of the Boulder Sierra Madre in the Zillertal
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Credits: Cover picture Michael Piccolruz