It seems like low gravity is the order of the day in Flatanger. After Kangaroos Limb and a few bouldering projects, Alex Megos is sending Iron Curtain. He's undecided about the difficulty level, though.
With or without knee pad
The line in the granite sea of Flatanger was first ascended by Adam Ondra in 2013 and repeated by Seb Bouin in 2022. Ondra climbed the route without kneepads and graded it 9b. Seb, in turn, climbed it with kneepads and awarded it 9a+.
Alex emphasizes on Instagram how extraordinary Adam Ondra's ascents in 2012 and 2013 were, as he climbed all the lines he first ascended in Flatanger without kneepads and still rated them "only" 9b.
"There aren't many kneebars on the route, but the one at the crux makes a huge difference," reports Megos. Instead of an 8A+ boulder, like Ondra's ascent, the pad makes it more like a 7C/+. "From the ground, this obviously makes the route much easier."
The most beautiful line in Flatanger
According to Alex, the route is divided into three cruxes: Directly after the anchor on the first 3a pitch, there's a section with 7 moves, all of which are incredibly tough. This is followed by a rest and then the actual crux of Iron Curtain. The route then ends with a pumpy, difficult finish in the classic flatanger.
The grade is difficult to assess, even for Alex. He hopes for more repetitions of the line so that everyone can agree on the grade.
To be honest, I have no idea. It felt hard for a 9a+—compared to the other lines in the cave—but with the kneepads, it certainly wasn't a 9b either.
Alexander Megos.
One thing is certain for him: Iron Curtain is one of the best lines he's climbed in Flatanger. "4 out of 5 stars. 5 isn't possible, unfortunately – because it's not in the Franconian Jura," he writes at the end of his Instagram post.
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Credits: Cover photo: Benjamin Schelker