Feb 9

Posted by: Matt Spenceley
09 February 2010 

6 years ago, when I first moved the van that I called home at the time out to Switzerland, I found a cave near Meiringen with huge potential for very hard mixed routes.  Together with some friends, I bolted a number of lines, all of which proved seriously difficult (and all of which also repelled any attempts to redpoint them).  When my focus moved on to other things (like long ski expeditions), I stopped making the pilgrimage up through the winter-clad forest and the routes lay dormant for a few seasons. 

Last week, a friend and I returned to find the ice in great condition (a factor that makes all the difference for me now; modern mixed climbing should be just that - rock and ice).  Since my last visit those seasons ago, the heel spurs have gone (and with all this skiing, my legs have grown a bit heavier too!) and so I return to explore a different game.  Gone are the days when I could hang like a bat for half an hour at a time, and in place I found intensely physical moves that involve a lot of body tension and multiple figure-4s/8s.  In a season I'm dedicating to skiing, it's exciting to find something new. 

We're heading back up today.  I really don't know how long this project will take, but I'm looking forwards to finding out...

The quickdraws can just be seen crossing the roof.

Dres

A long way from any ski resort... 40 minutes of skinning from the roadhead through a beautiful forest leads to the cave.

Back at the car, the Engelhörner shine through the low cloud.