UKC

Successful Summer of Bouldering for Clare Curling

© Clare Curling
Zentrale Traverse added to my Magic Stick of 7 & 8's  © Clare Curling
Zentrale Traverse added to my Magic Stick of 7 & 8's
© Clare Curling
On a one month bouldering trip to mainland Europe, Clare Curling ticked the Swiss boulder problem of Zentrale Traverse (7C+/8A) in the Sustenpass.

Clare's trip took her from Fontainebleau to Chamonix, then to the Gottard Pass in Switzerland and then on to Italy and Austria.

"I'm very lucky in the fact that I'm a teacher so I get very good holidays, and spend all of them away climbing." commented Clare.

We only got an hours climbing in up there [Sustenpass] before the thunder started, but was enough time to work all the moves on the Zentrale Traverse. I convinced myself that I could come back next year and be stronger and able to do it, so we left Switzerland for a few days off in Italy." Clare said.

But the traverse had stuck in her mind:

"From Italy we went into Austria, to climb in the Ziller valley, based in Mayhofen we managed to get some awesome climbing in Kaserler Alm, Ginzling Wald and Sundergrund. In the back of my mind however, was the 8a, so after 5 days climbing in Austria, we drove BACK to Switzerland. Wild Camping to avoid the huge expense of camping in Switzerland, we got an early start on the traverse. 1st go I got past the hardest crimpy bit, but with numb fingers, and no tea inside it was never going to happen. A cup of tea later, and a bit more warming up all the moves seemed to just flow into each other, and I soon found myself past the tiny crimps on the crux, and with just the lip travese and top out to go. All too soon it was done, and the most enjoyable climb I've ever done was complete. Having intended to stay in the Sustenpass for 3 or 4 days to get it done, a couple hours later we were trying to decide where to go, and what to climb next!"

Nearing the end of Zentrale Traverse 8A  © Clare Curling
Nearing the end of Zentrale Traverse 8A
© Clare Curling

Working an 8A in the Weir Secteur in Zillertal  © Clare Curling
Working an 8A in the Weir Secteur in Zillertal
© Clare Curling
A few of the harder ticks from the trip:

Chamonix:

  • Traversee basse du bloc du Superb (7B) at Le Col de Montets - Argentiere
  • MR2 (7B+) at Lavancher - Secteur du Haut

Austria / Ziller Valley:

  • Hart Wie Stein (7C) at Kaserler Alm

Switzerland

  • Zentrale Traverse (7c+/8A) at Sustenpass

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23 Sep, 2011
These tea drinking, grubby teacher types are all the same getting a years pay and then slacking off during the summer months climbing when they should be preparing the curriculum for the new year. Won't someone please think of the children! Jokes side well done Clare bear, was an epic showing and am super proud of you! Time to get training for next years trip!
23 Sep, 2011
Is that le John Gill? I've never heard of CC, but good for her. Are there loads of Brit women bouldering 8a I've never heard of, then, or is CC just the unassuming type? jcm
23 Sep, 2011
Well done Clare. Whether it's 8a, 7c or whatever, it's a standard only reached by a handful of British women so far, and Leah Crane is the only other reported Brit woman to have done the problem, with no mention of it being wildly soft: http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=57946
24 Sep, 2011
wot. on. earth?!?!
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