Hannah Meul: highball action in Val Bavona

The German climber Hannah Meul leaves her comfort zone and does the highball Auf quiet Pfoten (8a) in the Bavona valley in Ticino.

Hannah Meul started climbing at the age of seven and since then has hardly imagined a life without climbing.

The feeling of being on the wall and doing what I love, be it in the hall or on the rock, makes me incredibly happy like hardly anything else.

Hannah Meul

Many know the enthusiasm for climbing, but Hannah turns it all into an extraordinary achievement. In the youth Olympiad in Buenos Aires 2018 she finished fourth and made it to the Boulder World Cup in Vail 2019 in the top 10.

The motto of the boulder on quiet paws: "The best comes at the end". (Picture youtube / lines)

Successful on the rock

The 19-year-old on the rock is no less strong. In October 2020 Hannah visited the Brione bouldering area for the first time - and was impressed. Open projects and the enthusiasm for Ticino gneiss recently lured her back to Switzerland's sunny parlor, this time to Val Bavona. There the young climber from Germany bit into a decent high boulder: On quiet paws, rated 8a.

I am so impressed by this dream line in the beautiful Val Bavona.

Hannah Meul

Micro strips, sloping plate steps and a lot of air under her bum lured Hannah quite a bit out of her comfort zones. She didn't think about giving up, which ultimately pays off with a climb through the highball boulder. Chapeau! The video about the attempts with high exits and the passage is available here.

That might interest you - Hannah Meul in a video portrait

+ + +
Credits: Cover picture Kim Marschner

News

Mountains on Stage 2026: Mountain Cinema and Adventure in the Winter Edition

The Mountains on Stage film festival returns to the big screen with its Winter Edition! Starting November 23, 2026, the festival, centered around adventure and mountains, will be back on stage in 23 countries worldwide. The German-language tour kicks off on November 23, 2026, in Basel and will stop in 38 cities across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

From 8C to 9A: Matthew Mendes replays Realm of Torment

This week, 20-year-old Briton Matthew Mendes made the second ascent of Will Bosi's "Realm of Tor'ment" (9A) in the Peak District. It is his first boulder problem of this grade – after only five years of climbing outdoors and indoors.

Climbing and knee problems: where they come from and how to prevent them

Knee pain is common among climbers. Klaus Isele explains what to do in case of knee pain.

A tie in the final: The decision at the German Lead Championships 2026 was that close.

Anna Maria Apel (cover photo) and Yannick Nagel remain Germany's number one in lead climbing. Both successfully defended their titles at the German Championships in Darmstadt. While Apel had to wait anxiously until the very last moment, Nagel set the decisive mark in the men's competition.

Mountains on Stage 2026: Mountain Cinema and Adventure in the Winter Edition

The Mountains on Stage film festival returns to the big screen with its Winter Edition! Starting November 23, 2026, the festival, centered around adventure and mountains, will be back on stage in 23 countries worldwide. The German-language tour kicks off on November 23, 2026, in Basel and will stop in 38 cities across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

From 8C to 9A: Matthew Mendes replays Realm of Torment

This week, 20-year-old Briton Matthew Mendes made the second ascent of Will Bosi's "Realm of Tor'ment" (9A) in the Peak District. It is his first boulder problem of this grade – after only five years of climbing outdoors and indoors.

Climbing and knee problems: where they come from and how to prevent them

Knee pain is common among climbers. Klaus Isele explains what to do in case of knee pain.