E91: Bernd Zangerl - Himalayan bouldering, development and climbing beyond the numbers
Apr 3, 2024
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Bernd Zangerl, a bouldering legend, discusses his involvement in developing climbing areas like Ticino and Magic Wood. He shares his recent project in the Indian Himalayas, explores unique climbing experiences, discusses climbing destinations and experiences in Racham, and touches on the evolution of climbing landscapes and grading systems.
Rak Sham offers a unique climbing experience emphasizing joy over grades.
The climbing community struggles with balancing performance metrics and love for climbing.
Guidebooks face the challenge of maintaining authenticity in grading climbs.
Alternative methods like color-coded circuits may enhance climbing grading accuracy.
Deep dives
Rach Sham: An Iconic Climbing Destination
Rach Sham is an iconic climbing destination, known for its mesmerizing beauty and challenging boulders. Climbers are drawn to this remote part of India, nestled in the Himalayas, for its unique rock formations and breathtaking landscapes. The area offers a mix of powerful climbing routes, featuring black rocks with subtle features that provide solid grip and inspire climbers of all levels.
Ungraded Climbing Experience
The climbing experience in Rach Sham transcends traditional grading systems, focusing more on the joy and challenge of climbing rather than strict numerical ratings. Climbers explore the area without the pressure of grades, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the natural beauty and adventure of the boulders. This emphasis on the pure joy of climbing creates a sense of authenticity and freedom in the climbing community.
Impact of Climbing Grades and Social Media
The discussion touches upon the influence of climbing grades and social media on climbers' perspectives and motivations. The reliance on grades for validation and recognition in the climbing community, driven by social media presence, can sometimes overshadow the true essence of climbing and exploration. The balance between performance metrics and the love for climbing is highlighted as climbers navigate the evolving landscape of the sport.
Grading Dilemma and Personal Touch in Guidebooks
The dilemma of grading climbs in guidebooks is explored, with a focus on maintaining the personal and authentic touch of climbing experiences. While formal grading systems have practical benefits, such as aiding climbers in route selection, the uniqueness of each climbing area, like Rach Sham, may warrant a more nuanced and individualized approach to grading. The hand-drawn map and personal anecdotes in guidebooks add a special dimension to the climbing experience, creating a deep connection between climbers and the rock formations.
Challenging the Grading System in Climbing
The discussion delves into the subjective nature of grading in climbing. It highlights the value of grades in guiding climbers and providing inspiration. It questions the complexities and limitations of grading systems and proposes alternative methods like using color-coded circuits to indicate difficulty ranges. The importance of knowing one's capabilities, being inspired, and avoiding climbs that are too challenging for individual skill levels is emphasized.
The Journey of Developing a Tri-boulder
The podcast explores the journey of developing a challenging boulder problem over many years. It narrates the speaker's experience with a tri-boulder that presented a single difficult move at the crux. The discussion reveals the speaker's perseverance, setbacks due to injuries, and the eventual success in completing the climb. It highlights the mental and physical challenges faced when attempting a one-move boulder problem.
Climbing Dynamics in Group Settings
The conversation reflects on the dynamics of climbing in group settings. It recognizes the collaborative nature of climbing with peers and the enhancements in problem-solving and creativity that arise from collective climbing experiences. The benefits of group climbing in generating multiple perspectives, varied solutions, and boosting motivation among climbers are underscored. The social and supportive aspects of climbing within a group setting are celebrated as avenues for shared growth and inspiration.
It was great to be joined by Bernd Zangerl this week! A true legend of bouldering he's been involved in the development of loads of classic areas like Ticino and Magic Wood and has been climbing elite level boulders for over twenty years. In more recent times Bernd has been pouring everything he has learned into the development of Rakchham in the Indian Himalayas. We talked about that as well as a bunch of other things, I could write them here, but you could also just listen and that'd save me the trouble!
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