Here's what Franz has to say about Kryptos, his new 8C: "Kryptos is a problem located in a smaller bouldering area in the Swiss Jura close to Solothurn. Beside a few nice problems that I opened out there it is definitely Kryptos which is the hardest and one of the most beautiful lines.A friend of mine, who discovered the whole area, showed me the line a few years ago. I tried it already by then, but it was too hard. Last automne I went back and I found a good solution. But still I couldn't link it together. The problem was to match a very poor slopy hold in about
the middle of a slopy edge that leads from a sitstart to the top of the boulder. Because of the importance of good conditions and the fact that usually the problem stays wet for quite some time after rain, I didn't try it in the winter season. This spring I went back and I felt stronger than before, having done as well quite a few other problems in the 8B range. Last Sunday I finally made it through Kryptos.I'm glad that I could get to the top of that boulder. It felt not easy and think it is one of the hardest problems I've ever done. That's why I suggest 8C. It's a tough grade as I know. But for me it seems right and I'm open to hear what other people think.
Unfortunately I don't have a any good photos of Kryptos until now. But a shooting is planned next week :)"
Photo: Franz Widmer on his own unrepeated 'Somewhere in between", 8B, and on 'From shallow waters to riverbed', 8B+, in the Averstal, Switzerland.
