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Bottom Feeders... 27-Dec-2012 At 10:46:46 AM kraut_named_ulf

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Hi, I had some fun to follow this thread, since
i'm the kraut named Ulf that made a first free accent
of the route named "Einstuerzende Neubauten" in september 1988.
My handwriting was and is not the best, the "r"
switched to "v" and some happend with "e" to "c"
and "n" to "h", but I have no clue what happend to the
"u". It is a influential german punk band.

Allthough it is almost 25 years ago i try to write
what is left in my memory.

The original route started with a boulder problem protected with
the first bolt preclipped with a stick. The main point was to
move with a big chisseled hold to some small ledge. I would say
this was the crux move. Then it followed the logical line
straight up tending slightly left towards the top, where i put
some anchor. By that time i found that route pumpy and there was
one passage that was almost as hard as the start (possibly close
the the third bolt?).

In retroperspective i would say the grading might have been 28,
since I spent quite a while untill the first free ascent. I did
climb occasionally that hard by that time, later i did even climb
much harder, and now beeing older i'm less ambitiuos.

In 1988 there had been many chisseled or enhanced holds in the
centential glen area, almost all of them had been small 2-3
finger pockets. In my route i broke that tradition and made
a "big" artifical hold. The debate whether manipulating rock is
legitimately or not, was by that time not really considered a
point in the climbing ethic. For me a main point was not to
steal future generations the possibility to free climb the route
without manipulations. The crucial hold i made was obviously non
enhanced. Since it was so close to the ground it actually caused
as far as i was told problems with the rangers, who became
because of my work aware that climbers do manipulate rock. Since
i was on my way home i can't tell much about that dispute, but i
expect that this caused the filling of the hold.