The French-speaking Swiss climber Dylan Chuat has been staying in the Norwegian climbing Mecca Flatanger since the beginning of July. In the famous Hanhelleren Cave he scored various difficult routes, including Adam Ondra's endurance line Thor's Hammer.
Dylan Chuat is in top form. The Romand already proved this early this summer when he was in the Valais climbing area Rawyl routes like HyperFinal (9a +), Super final (9a) or Le Voile de Maya (8b+/8c) repeated. He took this drive with him to the far north. hardly in Flatanger arrived, he drew the 8c line muy verdes. A little later followed Valkyrie (8c) Nordic Plumber (8c) Nordic Flower (8c) Massih Attack (8b, Flash) and Odin's Eye (8c+). A few days ago, Dylan Chuat also announced the inspection of Adam Ondra's test piece Thor's Hammer (9a/+)
«I finally managed to do this amazing route, although the first moves were wet which almost drove me crazy!»
Dylan Chuat
Strong start: Dylan Chuat climbs Muy verdes (8c)
Thor's Hammer: long, hard and demanding
When he first climbed into Thor's Hammer, he didn't expect anything, says Dylan Chuat. "I just wanted to see what this route is like." What made him positive was the fact that he felt comfortable with the project right from the start.
When he felt ready to try Thor's hammer from below, the start was pretty wet. So he skipped the first two or three moves and made it to the deflector. "Then it took a while before I was able to make a good attempt from the start, because the route is hard, long and very demanding."
"Thor's Hammer is hard, long and very demanding."
Dylan Chuat
In order to be able to dry the wet trains to some extent, he first had to climb up the rope before his go. Under these circumstances, it was not easy to stay focused. "It's exhausting and requires a lot of energy."
Dylan Chuat in the 8c line Nordic Plumber
Harder than previous 9a's
After his successful ascent, Dylan Chuat also comments on the rating of Thor's Hammer. "The route is definitely harder than any 9a line I've climbed so far." In view of the challenges described above, he thinks that 9a + is a good grade.
"Apart from that, it was really fun to climb this route," enthuses Dylan Chuat. "It's definitely the most beautiful difficult route I've ever climbed and definitely the most incredible in Flatanger." In no other route in Flatanger you will find such tiny ledges. The handles at the top of Thor's hammer are amazing.
"This route almost drove me crazy, but in the end I only keep the best memories."
Dylan Chuat
Dylan Chuat in Valkyrie (8c)
That might interest you
- Seb Bouin targets potential 9c in Flatanger
- Dylan Chuat scores Hyper Final (9a+) at Rawyl
- Dylan Chuat pulls Super Finale (9a) and Le voile de Maya (8b+/8c) in Rawyl
+ + +
Credits: Cover picture Marco Müller