Bouldering in Engelberg

      -- last change, 10th of sept. 2007

      Welcome to the boulder guide to the blocks in the valley of Engelberg in Central
      Switzerland. See bottom of the page on how to get there.
      
      It is a small area with about 120 lines on more than 10 Blocks. The first Block is right
      above the parking. It has some of the best lines of the area. For the other blocs you have to 
      walk 20 - 40 min on easy trails surrounded by glacier and mountain rivers scenery.
      
      The difficulties of the lines are between 4a and 8b and some projects of course. 
      But most of the lines are beteen 5c and 7a

      Best season is from october till december. Then it gets sticky as hell. Spring is sometimes
      not too bad but maybe you have to dodge some avalanches. Summer is good on overcast days.
      Most problems face the sun. 

      I gonna give you a little tour on the spot, so you get an impression what the climbing
      looks like and which are in my view the best lines.
      
      At the end you'll find a MAP with an overview of all the blocs, some thoughts about
      the grading and some links contact info.      
 

BRUENDLER (KIANA BLOC)

      This bloc is right above the parking. You can spend easy the whole afternoon there.
      The Kiana Bloc has the first ever developped boulder in Engelberg. It was in spring
      2003 when I called Simon Wandeler to check out this bloc. We spent 5 hours until we
      figured out the moves to the most obvious line on this bloc. We thought it was going
      to be a 6a and felt like loosers ... Looser Line was born. 

KIANA BLOC 

Character: Limestone, small crimps

Number:    6 Lines
Exposion:  Never Sun

Best:      Kiana        8b
           Looser Line  8a

Walk:	   3 min from the car parking

Pics:      U L: Domi action in looser line
	   U R: Chris on the swing of kiana 
           D L: Dave ready to fly on kiana


	************* Bruendler (Kiana Bloc)  *****************************************************

	Alpaeroesli               	 6a+    The obvious arete from left to right. Slopers on
						limestone to big holds 
	Maenteli                  	 6a     excellent mantle if you don't use the crimps
						only the slopers
	Montags Maler             	 7b+ 	nice jump from crimps to pocket, but contrived :(
						only the jump is maybe 7a? 
	Looser Line               	 8a 	find out where to place your butt. this is a classic
                                                rythm boulder, once you find it, its not too hard. 
                                                FA Simon Wandeler 
	Get Down                  	 8a  	real SS to Looser Line. 3 more moves, but you get
						better into rythm.
	Kiana     	        	 8b	smaller crimps and longer moves than looser line 
						First it seems impossible, then it seems close and
						then so impossible again :)
                                                FA Dave Gisler
        Kiana (Stand)                    8a     There are 2 main different versions to do the last
						bit. Dave Gisler does it going up with the right
						Hand. Chris Jones does it crossing with the left
						Hand. Both is so hard and so different :)
                                                FA Chris Jones
	Killer Kante              	 6b+/c  Sooo friction dependent. There is a long traverse 
						from down the corner to it, too.
	Low Traverse            	 Proj   I have no clue how 

CORNER BLOC


This was a late discovery. In summer it's a bit dense to get there. It is not far
from the Kiana Bloc. From the parking you can walk up 500m the path until you see
on your right side a bridge. The bloc is just on your left, about 10m in the bush.
What a shame i do not have a pic from that bloc. But in the pics below you
see what you see from that block. 
      CORNER BLOC 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Funky Vertical 
      
      Number:    10 Lines
      Exposion:  No sun in the bush
      
      Best:      all 
      
      Pics: 
	  U L: when you look east 
      	  U R: just 4 the colour 
          D L: when u look south 
		     

	****** Corner Block  *************************************************************
	Alles ist erlaubt              	 5c 
	With		               	 6b  	If you use the Block of 'alles ist erlaubt'
	or without you                 	 6c  	without the block
	Tango				 5c	dance left, right, left, right :)
	Umarm mich			 5c     hug is the trick
	Schnabel Kraft			 6b	pinch it hard
	Surprise			 6a	surprisingly easy with the beta
	the mess we're in		 6b	watch the rock, the tree and the lykon.	
	sandflies			 7a	find your way with both corners	
	proj				 ?




FUCHS STEIN

The Fuchs Stein is on the other end of the area. It is just the biggest block
you can see from the restaurant Staefeli. 'Ehrlich Lump' is the first line
done on this block. It is a looong line, starting on almost roof climbing and
ending on slopey crimps. Rene and Tabea found an easy end to it which i won't
tell you. Cause I prefer my difficult original way :)
'Lieblingslaster Eitelkeit' needed 4 months to find
a beta to it. I was several times told that there is no line there, but it
turned out to be one of the most beautiful lines with the funkiest beta. 
David Noden put up Effervescent Elephant which was 8a when he did it. But
when i tried it i cleand the lycon and moss away cause i just could not hold
this stuff. It is somehow easyer now ... probably 7b+ or so ... It makes
a huge difference when you brush very very slopey mossy slopers :)
      FUCHS STEIN BOULDER 
    
      Character: Gneiss, slopey and crimpy
      
      Number:    7 climbed Lines, 3 projects
      Exposion:  mostly afternoon sun
      
      Best:      E. Elephant   7b+ 
                 Eitelkeit     7c+/8a
      	         Ehrlich Lump  7b/+
      
      
      Pics: 
	  Up L:   Domi on the ehrlich Lump 
      	  Up R:   Fred flashing Eitelkeit 
          Down L: Chris kicks ass in Eitelkeit 
		     

	****** Fuchsstein ****************************************************************************

	Effervescent Elephant      	 7b+        Start big hold, crimp left and big move to slopers  
					           FA by David Noden from Wales
	Eitelkeit geht weiter		 7a        Start where Eitelkeit ends. Big move to slopey arete
					           and bring your feet around that arete
	Lieblingslaster Eitelkeit 	 7c+/8a    Classic! Start lying down underneath the prow. 
					           the heels are going to heal your soul
	Jenseits von Abseits	  	 Proj      Start ehrlich lump, but go straight left.
	Naked in the Rain         	 7b        Not a nice finish hold yet. Start like Lump, big move
					           R to small crimp, balancy move to last slopey hold 
	Der ehrlich Lump          	 7b/+      Steep 6c to 7a/b slab. So it is more a short
					           route (~ 14 moves) than a boulder
					 7a/b	   Go left on crux to sharp crimp and then to end Flake 
						   instead of blocking the small bad sloper ;) and
						   finishing over the right to the flake 
	Zwischen Lump und Held    	 Proj      Yet another playground ... 
	Der falsch Held           	 7b+       Crimpy shit, same finish as 'ehrlich lump'
	Chipp n Tales	               	 7b        Another crimpy shit with a nice mantle to finish




KOTLET

The Kotlet has its name cause it looks like a pieace of meat.
It is just above the Fuchsstein and has two excellent lines.
Kotlet itself is a deluxe slab 6a and Big Steak is a wonderful
Arete. 
      KOTLET BOULDER 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Arete n Slab
      
      Number:    5 Lines
      Exposion:  mostly afternoon sun
      
      Best:      Kotlet     6a 
                 Big Steak  6c 
      
      
      Pics: 
	  Up L:   Domi styling Steak 
      	  Up R:   Barti desperate on Kotlet   
          Down L: Jude jugging on big Steak
		     

	****** Kotelette ******************************************************************

        Chicken Curry		 6c      Go as low as your table manners ;) 
	Big Steak           	 6c   	 Climb the whole arete and mantle 
					 when you get the perfect hold
	Steak             	 6c      mantle in the middle of the arete
	Kotlet            	 6a 	 classic slab, easier top over crimps to the left 
	Kotlet sitstart          6b 	 if you like meat 
	Bratwurst         	 6b      Somehow weird, but in the end you get the sausage 
	Zwoei a            	 5  	 Not as easy as you think 


MOLOTOV

Molotov is just right in front of the Fuchststein. As you can see
you can spend all day between this three blocs.
This Block is like the Band Molotov. Full of fun, it has some funky
lines. Then some serious social critics and a lot of punk rock
as well. Read between the lines, read between the holds. The truth
lies there ... in between i mean ... oh well, just enjoy yourself.
      MOLOTOV 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Slabs, funks 
      
      Number:    12 Lines
      Exposion:  mostly in the sun all day 
      
      Best:      Puto 6c 
                 El Salto 7b
      
      Pics: 
	  U L:  Domi, mista style in Puto 
      	  U R:  Barti on molotov traverse 
          D L:  Dave on getting the kick 
		of el salto
		     

	****** Molotov ************************************************************

	0-T                       	 7a+ 	same start as puto, try to mantle 
						over the left side of the arete.
	Puto                      	 6c	complicated foot hook at start, 
						then swing :) 
	El Salto                  	 7b	2 moves to jump. funky .. if there 
						was a sitstart  
	Molotov                   	 6c     That is the traverse. Many many many 
						variations end wherever
	El Poder                  	 5c      
	Dame                      	 6a  
	Latino                    	 6b  
	Piolin                    	 5a  
	Secreto                   	 4c  
	Sin Calzetin              	 4   
	Boca de Vaca              	 5b+ 
	Frijolero                 	 7a+	one mover ... try it when you are bored 

AMEISI

A Ameisi is an ant. This is kind of the the highball bloc. It has a superb slab on
one side and some crazy crazy highballs on the other. Matthias Trottman and Dave
Gisler had the balls to do the first ascent of this cool arete. They were to humble
to give it a grade and a name. But this line is a majesty, so it is called Queen
of the Ants. And there are 3 new High balls on it of the same quality.
There are still the hardest high balls to do ... grab a box of balls next time
you come here. You will need them
  AMEISI 
  
    Character: High Balls, 
    
    Number:    12 Lines
    Exposion:  all 
    
    Best:    Antz      6a
             Bine Maya 7a
             Queen     7b 
    
    Pics: 
        U L: humble the nose 
     * 	U R: Bine Maya  
     *  D L: Annina Atomica
        D R: Antz 


     * pics by tabea schwab  

	****** Ameisi **************************************************************
	Queen of Ants			 7b	HIGH BALL FA by Dave Gisler, Matthias Trottman,
						So high so high
	Bine Maya			 7a	HIGH BALL FA by Sebi Huber and Tabea Schwab
						fucking scary
	Sch 		 	    	 6-7? 	FA by Dave, Matti n 
     						Stuart Partridge (stuey 8some)
	8some				 7a/b   dyno from small crimp to 
						thumb undercling
	antz Nose               	 7a 	sit start under the prow. 
						patch your way up 
	Pipicacahuets             	 6b+/7a Start like Antz. do it static or
						the 2 hand dyno, which looks 
						better :) 
	Antz                      	 6a     First line on this bloc
	Fugazi                    	 6b+    weird sitstart, stand is better 
	Hormigaz                  	 6b+    even more weird
	Fourmiz                   	 5b  
	formica bombastica		 6c	Morpho HIGH BALL FA by Sebi Huber
	formica atomica			 6a     HIGH BALL



PIXIES

Walk a bit down from the Ameisi block and you will bump into the Pixies.
The Pixies are one of my favorite Bands, so they deserve a whole Block.
This Block looks tiny when you get to it. But once you are on it, you see 
the deepness of the lines. Just like the band, the beauty lies in the 
secret of knowing how to see the beauty. Once you know how to look at 
it a whole new world is ready to be climbed.  
      PIXIES 
    
      Character: Gneiss, funky 
      
      Number:    10 Lines
      Exposion:  mostly sun 
      
      Best:      Rock Music 6b+
		 Canonball  7a+  
     
      Pics:  
	  U L: two muscles no brain 
      	  U R: dirty minds need clean holds 
          D L: domi canon the balls 
		     

	****** Pixies *****************************************************
	Hey                       	 6c  
	Planet of Sounds          	 7b  
	Where is my mind          	 7c/+ 	FA and only ascent by Dave Gisler
						... haaard man, just hard 
	Los Angelis               	 6b+ 
	Is she weird              	 7a 	so weird, she could be a woman 
	Bossa Nova                	 6b  
	Rock Music                	 6b+ 
	Canonball                 	 7a+	FA Dominik Seitz, so long ... long man 
	Havalina                  	 5c  
	Hang Wire                 	 6a  



NILPFERD

The Nilpferd bloc lies close to the river underneath the staefeli restaurant.
The whole summer of 2003 i did not go to explore that boulder until Dave Gisler
and Matthias Trottmann came to find out a way up this magic line. It is pretty
much slapping up your way on the back of a hypopotamous. Don't ask me why i
know this 
      NILPFERD 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Steep and Prow 
      
      Number:    2 Lines
      Exposion:  late afternoon sun
      
      Best:      Nilpferd   7c 
      
      Pics: 
	  Up L:   Matt chilling in Nilpferd 
      	  Up R:   Matt slapping the bitch
          Down L: Dave walking on Nilpferd 
		     

	****** Nilpferd **********************
	Nilpferd                  	 7c/+	What a wonderful climb! FA by Dave Gisler 
						(he thinks it's 7b+, try it out) 
	Nil rechts                	 proj 
	Nil quer rechts           	 proj 


FRAUENBLOCK

This one is just opposite of Nilpferd on the same side of the river 
as the restaurant Staefeli.
The Frauenblock has its name from one of the first Schaffhauser
Sessions. The first line was put up by the brave bunch of girls that
day. Yes, you are right. GIRLS! They are everywhere ... and ... they
are wild. WILD. if you don't believe it, come and see. They will kick
your ass, cause they are real bad ass hard core climber girls. 

      FRAUENBLOCK 
    
      Character: Gneiss, really small crimps 
      
      Number:    2 Lines
      Exposion:  early morning sun 
      
      Best: 	 Frauenfeind 8a
	    	 Girlfight   6b 
      
      Pics: 
	  U L: Annina doing the Girlfight * 
      	  U R: Dave on Frauenfeind Movie * 
          D L: Chris is not a Frauenfeind
               He has a wife and 2 daughters 
		     
* pic/video by Sebi Huber

        ****** Frauenblock ************************************************************

        Girlfight                        5c/6a      
        Frauenfight                      6b        ? Is that the sitstart to Girlfight?
        Frauenfeind                      8a	   The floodings provided a real sitstart 
					           FA by Dave Gisler 
        Frauenfreund                     Proj 
        Frauenversteher                  MegaProj  The one who understands woman 
        Frauenschwarm                    6b  
        Der mutige Charmeur              5c  
        Elektra                          ?
        Wonder Women

	****** Rutschbahn **********************
	degres glissants          	 5?  	FA by Brice




HAARNADEL


Close to the river and on a sharp turn on the steep part
just underneath the restaurant Staefeli you will
find an arete with a funny mantle and a high ball.
Dave Gisler and Sebi Huber have been working on
the highball 
      HAARNADEL 
    
      Character: Gneiss, High 
      
      Number:    3 Lines
      Exposion:  early morning sun 
      
      Best:      highball project   
      
      Pic: Sebi and Dave working in Neuland 
		     
	****** Haarnadel **********************************************
	Kante                     	 Proj 
	Mantel of Arete           	 7a+	Standstart to the Arete  
	Highball			 Proj   Lots of Pads should do 


BANDS BLOC

When you come from the restaurant Alpenroesli there will be a very
steep bit. Just before that 40m to the right you will find the
biig black massive bloc. 
This bloc has history. It had the largest number on problems, but the
floodings in august 2005 ripped off 2m soil from the riverside of the
bloc. 11 problems have become High high balls. And i mean high and i
mean balls. Cause that is what you need now to climb these lines.
So far we climbed only 3 of the old lines and they became fair a bit
harder. 
The problem is that the river and the big rocks make the landing really
hard to protect which result into more static climbing which makes it
harder to climb 

      BANDS BLOC 
    
      Character: Gneiss, crimpy shit and 
		 slopey highballs 
      
      Number:    12 Lines and some projects
      Exposion:  mostly afternoon sun
      
      Best:      Notwist 7a
		 Smash Mouth 8b 
      
      Pics: 
	  U L: Domi on the funky mantle of 
	       notwist 
      	  U R: Chris T rising into smashmouth  
          D L: Dave crimping the uncrimpable 
	       on smashmouth 
		     

	****** Bands Block ***********************************************************************

	Fettes Brot               	 3b 	 how cool ist that one :) 
	The Doors                 	 6a  
	Slayer(highball)          	 6a 	 FA Martin and Marc. jump to big holds.
						 underneath is the project wall with futuristic
						 lines.
	Notwist                   	 7a 	 classic, crimps to mantle. FA Dominik Seitz 
	Radiohead (stand)         	 7a+ 
	Radiohead                 	 7b+ 	 don't do it on the sun, cause it will peel
						 your skin off
	Tricky		           	 8a      one move wonder. lot's of coordination. 
						 crimpy and painful. Not sexy at all	
	Tricky Sitstart                	 Proj    crimpier and more painful 8b? 
	Nomis                     	 7b	 route grade, cause endurance. FA
						 Simon Wandeler 
	Moloko                    	 6c/7a 	 The first problem on the bands block, now first
						 hard move from sloper undercling L and crimp R 
	Morcheeba                 	 7a/b	 start on sharp small side crimp L and pinch R
						 Pull up to place a left hook. Grab left crimp 
						 and cut loose to place right hook ... and then 
						 what? :) 
	Smash Mouth			 8b      High ball to desperate mantle. Bring lots of
						 pads and even more good friends. Will never be 
						 repeated i guess
        Sitstart Smash			 8c?     oh man ... i want to see who can climb that ...
	Riders on the Storm	  	 7a      On the complete right. Jumpstart if you are 
						 short. Get a ride on the capricorn. Standing up 
						 from it is the crux. 
						 FA by Matthias Trottman and Lukas Boller

FUSSBALL

This bloc is between Bands and Downunder on the right side
of the road when you walk upwards.
If you ever wanted to test the technique of your feet then
this is your bloc. All the boulders on the slab side should
be possible without using the hands. Unless you do maradona
then you are alowed to use the hand of god.
        FUSSBALL 
    
        Character: Gneiss, Slab 
        
        Number:    8 Lines
        Exposion:  late afternoon sun

	Pic: I have no pic of this bloc.
	     So i let Matt and Jude 
	     entertain you.
		     

	****** Fussball **********************
	beckham                   	 6c  
	Ronaldo                   	 6b/c  
	Platini                   	 5  
	Maradona                  	 5   
	Pele                      	 5   
	Ronaldinho                	 5   
	Flanke                    	 4  
        No Hands		         No Hands! 




DOWNUNDER

When you walk 5min from the restaurant Alpenroesli towards Staefeli you will see that
bloc 30m on the left side of the road.
In autumn 2003 things were set for a trip around the world. The destinations were 
New Zealand and Australia. So we had a theme for this block. It is a good bloc
to get you body into operational conditions before you go to the bands bloc.
But it is a great bloc in itself.  
      DOWNUNDER 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Arete 
      
      Number:    11 Lines
      Exposion:  late afternoon to never sun 
      
      Best:      New Zealand 6c 
      
      Pic: A chilled november day on New Zealand 
          
		     

	****** DownUnder ****************************************************
	All Blacks                	 6c  
	Australia                 	 6c  
	Dingo                     	 6a  
	Jimothy				 6c	 Low Traverse from Newzealand
						 to Australia :)
        New Zealand               	 6c	 The obvious arete from right
						 to left
	Tasmania                  	 5a  
	-4 Grad C                 	 5b  
	Fiji                      	 5c  
	Kiwi                      	 5c  
	Koala                     	 5b  
	Forsters                  	 4   
	XXXX                      	 3   

	****** Treibholz **********************
	Treibholz                 	 6b+	FA by Martin and Marc 
	Rundholz                  	 5b  	FA by Martin and Marc
	Kielholen                 	 5a  	FA by Martin and Marc



DAECHLI

Just opposite of Downunder on the other side of the river.
The Floodings just missed this small roof. The roof gives you the possibility
to so funky moves. I feel always so uncoordinated here.
      DAECHLI 
    
      Character: Gneiss, Small Roof 
      
      Number:    7 Lines
      Exposion:  morning sun 
      
      Best:      Cavage   7a+
      
      Pics: 
	  U L: xxx 
      	  U R: xxx 
          D L: xxx 
		     

	****** Daechli **********************
	Plantage                  	 6b+ 
	Sabotage                  	 7a+ 
	Stoneage grad             	 7a+ 
	Stoneage links            	 7a+ 
	Trickage                  	 7a  
	Cavage                    	 7a+	FA Martin Meier and Marc from 2strong.ch 
	X-A                       	 6b  


	Just 1                    	 6b  
	Just 4                    	 5c  




HOW TO GET THERE

      Find somebody who tells you how to get to Engelberg. (Hint: 36Km south
      of Lucerne)
      Once in Engelberg find another one who tells you where the Fuerenbahn
      is. That is a cablecar in the end of the valley.
      You ll have to pay 5 SFr. to go up to the parking 2 km further and
      up the hill. From the parking you are not far from the first block.
      the first one is the Bruendler (Kiana). See the minimalistic maps
      below. Hope you use them. If not, you might get lost in
      the beauty of this valley full of alpine flowers, glaciers, rivers
      and gorgeous girls (and boys if you are a girl :)

      

Overview

Parking Teil

Staefeli-teil

How to use this topo ...


      You will find little white arrows on the boulders and the names
      of the lines. The arrow is more or less on the hight of the head.
      So you can find out if it is a sit or a standstart.
      But of course it is not always like that. Just do it the way you
      like the most. You might find much better lines inbetween the
      arrows. 
      
      

Grades ...

      There are no grades in surfing or snowboarding. But there is
      a scale anyway. You hear them say 'a 5m wave ..' or '5m above
      the lip'. 
      We have something similar with High Balls. Then it comes to
      balls level. And we somehow prefer to describe it than to number it.

      On this topo you will find both, the character of a line and
      my suggested grade. Read below how i construct the grade.
    
      For the technical/power grade i do this: 
      ---------------------------------------
      1. Climb if possible the line 3 times on different days.
	 like that you should establish a feeling for the line
      2. Try to sell the line as hard as possible
      3. Try to sell the line as soft as possible
      4. Take the average of the hard and soft version
      5. Let others do the same experiment and compare    
 
      Example on Looser Line:
      ----------------------
      1. The first time i climbed it i was so happy about it and
         it went so easy that i thought it is a 7a.
         Then i tried to repeat it the next week and did not manage
         it ... mhhh .. maybe it is 8a anyway ....
         Eventually i managed to climb it again and it felt hard ..
         so was thinking that it is at least a 7c
         couple of weeks later i climbed it 2 more times. So that
         i achieved my minimum of 3 times to know the line much
         better than the ridiculous 1 timer.
      2. So if i sold the line grading it as hard as possible,
         i would give it a 7c.
      3. And if i was a soft grader, i would give it a 8a+, although
	 i don't know what a 8a+ is cause i never have climbed one.
      4. The average of would be 7c+/8a
      5. Lots of people tried this line. A few succeded. Lots were
         very close but then they could not remember the body
         position on the next goes.
    
      The character of looser line is a so called 'rythm boulder'
      You have to find the rythm, the flow to it. Once you are in
      it, every move becomes easy and when you are on top you feel
      fresh and happy. 
      The difficulty of this line is to find its rythm to the body
      position of every move. And that difficulty is 8a to me.
      From the power point of view i would give it a 7a. That is
      the power you need with the perfect body position.

     

Grades and Highballs


     What is the fun of the high ball? The adrenalin kick! Imagine
     how easy it would be to do those high balls in top rope!
     There would be no fun, cause normally they are not thaaat
     hard. 
     But how to put that into a grade? Would it not be simpler
     to just add (5m fall on rocky ground on a hill?)
     How much power do you need to do the move in a way so that
     you don't do a helicopter over the pads on the next rock? 
     If you have to climb with more power cause it is a more
     dangerous climb I put this amount into the grade.
     If the fall is ok and it is only scary and no danger of
     harm i leave it to the technical/power grade described
     above.

   

more pics and topo info of engelberg climb2surf.com - when barti is not in engelberg