[Muenchener]

The previous lists:
Aims for 2008
Aims for 2009
Aims for 2010
Aims for 2011
Aims for 2012
Aims for 2013
Aims for 2014


I'll start. The 2014 autumn sport climbing season seems to be definitively over for me: I only have one free weekend before Christmas and I plan to spend it snowboarding with M jnr, snow permitting.

Sooo ...

Last year: UIAA VIII.
This year: French 7
Next year: 5.12

1. (as per last year) Alpine / trad trips to any two or more of: Dolomites, Oberreintal, elsewhere in Alps e.g. Ecrins, UK trad excursion.

2. Sport climbing: redpoint 7b as per Nik's instructions. Wait:

Numbers have their place, but most of the time they aren't very inspiring. Climbers are inspired by stunning lines in a beautiful setting, interesting history, and the heroic characters of each generation that made the sport what it is today. ... strive to select goals that are specific as possible, such as a particular route.

Sez the Anderson Bros in their training book.

And Mark Anderson in his Frankenjura holiday blog sez:

The first day I climbed one of the most famous routes in Germany. Sautanz was first freed by Kurt Albert in 1981, and it was a very futuristic type of climb at the time of the ascent, not to mention the first 5.12c in Germany. The photos of Kurt on the route made it onto the cover of Germany’s climbing mag Boulder, making Kurt and the route instant stars. It’s still the most sought after 5.12 in Germany. .... The rock was phenomenal, and the climbing was just as good as the best 12c’s I’ve ever done

One of my local climbing walls has the a big print of the classic picture of Kurt Albert on Sautanz in the bar; it looks heinous and the idea that it might be possible for me wouldn't even have crossed my mind a couple of years ago.

But wait. It still looks heinous, and it's 7b+ on 8a.nu.

But wait. German guidebook author Volker Roth sez (my translation)

We "saved" Sautanz for a long time because I was expecting a really hard route, not least on account of of [Kurt Albert's] aura. I didn't even think of trying it onsight. So I was all the more disappointed when the route gave in first go after after a short inspection. In the course of our classic-collecting, we recently did "Kalauer" on the same crag. What a stark contrast. The hardest 7a in the world for sure. And it easily bears comparison with Sautanz. The difficulties on both routes are limited to about five metres, and the climbing is definitely comparable.

But wait. Duncan's mate Andy sez:

beware, Sautanz itself is thin, technical, surprisingly powerful given the barely beyond vertical angle and very polished.

Whatever. Fuck it: Sautanz. Maybe 2016.


3. Sport climbing: place in the top fifty old codgers in Germany per 8a.nu routes ranking. Your days in the sun are numbered, Kai Holdgrewe and Rainer Schlienkamp. Especially if I do Sautanz.

4. Do a muscle-up. Not particularly climbing-relevant, but:

older athletes need to replace skill practice with heavy strength training in order not to lose vital power and strength.

The road to Sautanz.

Having redpointed three 6c+'s and one 7a so far, I have some serious pyramid-building to do to get to 7b+ in a year or two. As follows:

6c+
Schöne Aussicht. A minor classic and somewhat Sautanz-Lite (very lite): circa vertical, techy, cruxy. I've been on it twice already, should get it next visit.
Katalysator, Löwenherz. Not at all similar to Sautanz, but *the* Frankenjura classics at the grade so I must get them done.

7a
Dampfhammer. Not at all similar to Sautanz except that it too is a famous, polished Kurtie classic. But a must anyway for the German 7a aspirant.
Pfeilerweg, Griesen. Obscure route on obscure non-Frankenjura local crag, but looks superb.
Edelbitter, Konstein. Not similar to Sautanz, but the first 7a I tried and excellent. Finish this project in the spring when it's dry again.
Die Blaue, Konstein. Ron Fawcett route on obscure local crag. I haven't even looked at it yet but my mate Tom says it's good.

7a/+/b
Kalauer. "World's hardest 7a"? Sautanz-slightly-lite. On the same crag, similar in style and supposed to be not much easier. The benchmark.

7b
Maßarbeit, Zugabe: I know nothing about these except that Patrick Matros recommended them as targets for the Frankenjura 7b aspirant.
(Clipsticker: totally uninspiring three bolt boulder problem. Everybody's first UIAA IX- in the 'jura. Would be a shame if I had to resort to this.)

[AJM]

Best of luck Muench. In my role as "Duncan's mate Andy" I feel obliged to say don't let me put you off! It's a very imposing wall by local standards and the moves are cool if polished. Fwiw, I could do all the moves on Sautanz, but if Kaluer is the VIII on the left end of the crag where the path arrives I failed to do the crux on that one on my one trip up it.

I think I've done the Schone route, which was good. If lowenherz is the one on the tiny crag just north of Obertrubach then it's ace. Dampfhammer is brilliant, as are most things on that wall. I had a few goes at Zugabe but never finished it (fell off the last hard move, never got back) - seem to remember working out some sort of techy sequence on the first wall by the 3rd clip (and a late 3rd clip itself), then quite power endurancey to the top. I thought it was 7b+ (based on the guide) but the translation tables seem to vary between guides - it's IX- isn't it?

[chris j]

With chris j junior due to arrive on the scene next weekend I'm not sure how much climbing will be done next year. I suspect I'll be lucky to equal this spring's high points, never mind exceed them. But being an optimistic spirit here goes (in order of importance):

1. Be a good dad.

2. Don't get injured. This year was good in this regard. Becoming increasingly important as niggles and tweaks seem to take exponentially longer to heal with increasing age.

3. Throw the grade pyramid out of the window and redpoint Just Revenge/Avenged at Ansteys (7c+).

4. Maintain bouldering around the 7A level, hopefully improve.

5. After this year's debacle of 2 days trad climbing, do some trad.

I don't know how compatible goal #1 is with 3, 4 & 5, I think I'm going to be relying heavily on my secret weapon of the new garage board, which means goal #2 may come under pressure...

[Muenchener]

In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)

[Oldmanmatt]

In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)

Now in tenth year of fatherhood and basically surrendered to mentor/coach/observer/has been/old man mode...

Life of my own.

I think that was a fantasy movie I saw once, no?

Otherwise, I am unfamiliar with the concept.

[Sloper]

1. Do some exercise and lose the gut.
2. Go back to Northumberland.
3. Climb more see 2.
4. that's about it really.

[abarro81]

In rough order of importance..
1. Era vella
2. Finally have fully healed collateral and be able to climb UK sport again - progress, hajj, bat route
3.Onsight more 8bs
4.Flash 8b+
5. Louis lankstrong or keen douche
6. Finish PhD

[Wood FT]

surely this is too early?

c'monnnnn we're supposed to be pontificating our new year targets with a fattened belly while ignoring our gathered family members, that's not until the 23rd/31st at least....

[lagerstarfish]

7C as usual

[kelvin]

surely this is too early?

I've got at least 7 days climbing left this month and more than one target left to get for this year... The psyche's still high for 2014!

[GCW]

After my epic failures to do much from my lists, I will keep it simple in 2015.

1.  Don't die trying to do the Lakeland 100
2.  Get back to climbing after the Lakeland 100.

[Wood FT]

surely this is too early?

I've got at least 7 days climbing left this month and more than one target left to get for this year... The psyche's still high for 2014!

That's the spirit

 I've still got 3 weekends to do Right Wall, I'm ductaping skyhooks to my wrist as I type.

[cheque]

I have 13 potential climbing days left, which is good as I still need to clock up 11 E-points, ten 7th grade sport routes and ten 7th grade boulder problems. 

Definitely going to need a solid festive period of eating too much, reading too many guidebooks and touching too little rock to get into the overambitious target-setting frame of mind too.

[rginns]

After my epic failures to do much from my lists, I will keep it simple in 2015.

1.  Don't die trying to do the Lakeland 100
2.  Get back to climbing after the Lakeland 100.

Blimey G....
Put your balls on the line and get some routes down lad

[kelvin]

I'm ductaping skyhooks to my wrist as I type.

... and women say men can't multitask. Pfft.

[moose]

Keeping it pretty simple:

1. Try not to let pressures of work entirely destroy my mojo.
2. Try not to let winter cold and damp (and likely too much indoor bouldering) entirely destroy my mojo.
2. Come nice weather in Spring, bring residual mojo to Yorkshire limestone, try to pick-up where I left off, then keep on trucking.

[tomtom]

To be there when Lagers does his 7C.






and tell him he dabbed

[kelvin]

To be there when Lagers does his 7C.






and tell him he dabbed

Shouldn't that be in the 'So, UKB's StS "Cunt of the Year" awards' thread

[Stu Littlefair]

I have two goals for 2015.

Rain. Shadow.

[nik at work]

2015:
1) 8c (Mini Sukarra at Margalef, or Make It Funky(?) any thoughts Stu??)
2) All the eights (ideally 8a on-sight, E8 fa or flash, >8A font) at 40 years of age (Feb onwards...)
3) An 8b fa
4) Either of the cave projects
5) A trad fa harder than E8
6) Get on a 9a

3 out of 6 would be a result

[nai]

I sit here, injured, season brought to a premature end, fattening my already fattened belly and pontificating on next years targets.

As usual 8a will be the main goal, came so close, last move close, but success was elusive. As per the Andersons book to name and train for a specific target, the main aim will be Raindogs but having put so much into Hot Funking Closing this year that will be the local aim.
E4 onsights, ultimately Resurrection.
Brad Pit.

[nai]

In my experience the first year of fatherhood was intense, then from year two onwards I was slowly able to resume having some kind of life of my own. Good luck (and congratulations in advance)

Now in tenth year of fatherhood and basically surrendered to mentor/coach/observer/has been/old man mode...

Is there a point between toddler and 7/8/9(?) that life resumes briefly after the effort to get them walking, etc. then their demands take over again? Mine are now seven and five, they have interests - dance, music, Judo, gymnastics - is there a point soon when they start competing at these activities or doing them several times a week and your weekends & evenings are just making sure they're where they need to be?

[Stu Littlefair]

1) 8c (Mini Sukarra at Margalef, or Make It Funky(?) any thoughts Stu??)

I've not been on the former, but would have thought the latter would have suited you pretty well, unless you have fat fingers?

[nik at work]

Sorry I wasn't desperately clear in my post, I was asking you particularly about MIF. Having seen the video of your ascent it did look suitable.
It's certainly a slightly more local project than anything at Margalef (only one flight rather than two, the joys of tax exile...).
I guess my next question would be does Raven Tor, and specifically MIF, stay in condition or is it going to be a waterfall until next summer? Perhaps that's a question for the Raven Tor Conditions thread... 

[abarro81]

I have two goals for 2015.

Rain. Shadow.

Well it'll definitely rain, especially on you, since God hates you. Your paunch casts a significant shadow too, so tick to that one. 2/2 and the year's not even started! That's success.