Rakchham 2022 to 2024

Bouldering is the premier venue for pushing the absolute limit of free climbing 

Sugar Fish Fb 8B+ ✅

 After the last season's project with Bernd Zangerl, Guilliano Cameronni and Melislisa Le neve the psych was high and we invested more time for training, from January to April we worked at a climbing gym as coach and route setter and as the summer approaches headed up to the mountains. this year the motivation was high for some really hard and high quality lines. Rakchham harbours world class bouldering and climbing, so it was our main focus of the year. We reached Rakchham around April and immediately started working and trying the test pieces. While climbing in Rakchham we had to make a few breaks as we have to go to Manali for doing some bouldering and climbing workshops for a few weeks, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it provided some important phases to recover and rejuvenate which is so important while projecting at your limit. This year turned out to be the best one in terms of bouldering for us, with one period in summer months and the other during the fall

Summer 2022

During last year one of the lines we tried was "Brick in the wall" opened by Bernd, and had a few good session on it, also we found a possibility to traverse the break to the right to create a new line which we could finish by climbing the top section of the line called "Premium gravity". This time we invested our full effort on this particular boulder, a huge and impressive block about 20 feet tall, one of the classic and proud block of the area.

Brick in the Wall Fb 8A✅

We started working these two lines simultaneously, the temperature was not optimal so skin condition was not great which allowed short sessions while we worked the problems.

The crux of the Brick in the wall  was at the start, hard heel hook and lock offs on small crimps to reach the good holds of the stand start problem, from there around a V6/7A to the top, the final moves to the top out were easy but you enter a no fall zone as it gets really high and the landing is not the best. For the traverse, after starting moves of BIW from the sit to the break we found a nice sequence with crossover and small jump to a right hand crimp. The final hard moves before the juggy top out involves shoulder moves with small crimps and high feet. 

After three sessions working the staring crux moves started to feel consistent and we could link the traverse through break till the exit of "Premium gravity". The next sessions we could link the traverse multiple times till the exit and did the top out, linking the crux two moves at the start was the key now. 

The next session we came very close as we were able to link the starting crux and the traverse through the break but fell from the final hard shoulder move.

On 22nd June, our 6th session on the problem we were able to send the line. We felt super happy to establish a first ascent on such a stunning boulder with hard and technically demanding climbing. 

We name our line Brick and the break , the difficulty we propose is Fb 8A / V11

After a couple of rest days, we decided to go for the BIW, as we had already dialed the crux starting moves, we felt we should be able to send that line quickly

On 25th June we warmed up by climbing the top out with rope once and then decided to go for the send. We could link the starting moves straight away but fell from the throw while going to the starting good holds of the stand start. 

We decided to rest long and then went for it again. As evening was setting and there was a nice cold wind blowing the friction felt good and we were able to send the line. We felt great joy by repeating one of Bernd's test pieces, a hard and high line , a classic of the area 

The  crux of Brick in the wall

Brick in the wall Fb 8A✅

Brick and the break Fb 8A✅

The rising temperatures and unstable weather during the last week of June made the condition hard and as monsoon was fast approaching decided to leave Rakchham and head back to focus on training for the upcoming post monsoon season 

Autumn 2022

We came back to Rakchham at the start of September, we reached on 2nd September, as we travelled the roads we could witness the damage the monsoon did this time causing rock fall and landslides, resulting in fatal accidents. After arriving we took the first few days slowly. As it was raining pretty frequently we spend our time on some easier climbing during this time, did some guiding work and hung around with Bernd. During this time we opened a nice problem Open for fun (Fb 7A), We then went to Manali for couple of weeks to run a climbing and bouldering workshop

As October arrived, climbing condition improved, and together with Bernd we started to focus on our projects. The first line we did is Steinflug SD around Fb 7B, we made quick send of this classic crimp line. During this month we spent sessions on Sugar Fish, was able to link the upper section a few times, but the starting crux moves remained elusive. At the end of the month Aners a young strong climber from Denmark arrived at Rakchham. We had many good sessions together on some hard lines which helped us. After a few session working together we sent Gangotri express Fb 7C/7C+, a classic power endurance challenge with a hard start from a small right hand crimp, and super cool moves on edges on a clean overhang. Another hard line we did is Betlaken remix Fb 7C+, a crimp test piece opened by Bernd back in the days 

Gangotri Express Fb 7C/7C+✅

Betlaken remix Fb 7C+✅

Around middle of November couple of snow storm hit Rakchham and the forest became wet and the lines inaccessible, so we shifted our focus on  sector Sunny side, a half an hour hike above the village

Sunny side was mostly developed by Steffen Kern, and hosts a lot of quality problems. During this time we mostly focus on lower Sunny side, where Bernd established two amazing lines,  Sunride & Keep it safe in the Mountains. We had sessions on both of them, but latter put our focus and energy on Sunride , which felt more possible for us 

 

Keep it safe in the Mountain 

Sunride 

Sunride is an amazing line with compression and heel hooking through an impressive steep prow. As it was in the sun whole day, we needed to wait until the evening to try this problem. We were joined during our sessions by Thomas, a mountain guide from Austria, who joined us in Rakchham around mid November.

After a couple of session the individual moves were done, but linking them was hard. Also we realized we need to dial the hardest moves to link them together. The precise heel hooking and tension required to compress the holds on the either side of the prow for around total 8 moves at this altitude started providing us with the challenge that will push us to our limit. 

More sessions went by and the  battle became intense, we felt we don't  have much more time as December almost arrived and we needed to leave in a few days. And then on a crispy cold evening everything fell in to place, as we were able to experience the flow and  realize this amazing line. Sunride, Fb 7C+/ 8A, an amazing experience 

Sunride 

Sunride  7C+/ 8A

Sunride ✅

During this time we also focused on a crimp test piece from Bernd on Jawhar's Kitchen named American Yoga Problem , a crimpy technical face climb , after a few session it we could link it from sit down start to top jug , but as after a snow storm top was completely covered with snow , so we could not send it properly. As the season came to a close we left Rakchham , and started preparing for the next season 

Spring 2023, April 

In April 2023 we came back to Rakchham for a month, The condition we found were really good and we were quickly able to send American yoga problem Fb 8A 

American yoga problem Fb 8A ✅

A major breakthrough came in Sugarfish , where we could do all the moves , though the crux move from the matched crimp to the right hand felt super hard and low percentage. Other than this we opened a new crimp line named Bengal Brachial Fb 7C+ 

                                

Bengal Brachial Fb 7C+✅

After April we went back to manali, and was busy with our guiding and guest house work , later around August , September Jibbi suffered a bad respiratory infection and needed to be in hospital for a week 

Autumn 2023 October to mid December  

We took our time to start with hard lines, the first hard line we sent was One Hit Wonder Fb 8A , a right ward traverse line on Soy Como Soy Bloc, We felt the line is morphol and could be much easier for taller people with bigger span 

One Hit Wonder Fb 8A ✅

latter in the season Nikky Cerria from Italy arrived in Rakchham, it was great experience for us as we climbed and sessioned on problems together 

Himachal Brachial 8A+/B 

Also after feeling strong we started attempt on Sugarfish, it felt possible but also felt far sometimes, as crux move was still too hard. During this time we made first ascent of beautiful traverse problem in sunny side Sun kiss Traverse Fb 7C+

Sun kiss traverse Fb 7C+✅

As the season moved to November, the conditions started to became very good , during the time Nibbi made the first repeat of Premium Gravity Fb 8A 

Premium Gravity Fb 8A ✅

In Sugarfish , we continued with our attempts, and started working on an alternate beta where the crux move felt more high percentage and and we felt much close to the link, but at the end we it was too hard for us that season 

After the season ended in Rakchham we made a quick visit to Sethan near Manali. Here we quickly sent one of areas test piece, a beautiful powerful and crimpy line   Karma Fb 8A

Karma Fb 8A✅

latter we opened a new line on this amazing bloc , a brilliant traverse line , hard hard crimping and static moves to finish with last section of Karma, we named it Karma Coma Fb 8A+

Karma coma FA Fb 8A+✅

Spring 2024 April 

We completely focused all our energy on Sugarfish , though individual moves felt more in control , Nibbi decided to make attempts with original beta, the condition were great cold and enough dry, He made a super good link , just one move up from the start to the good pinch, but at the a snow came start of the may and we did not had enough time. but in between we climbed the crux start of Bear Necessities Fb 8A 

Bear Necessities Fb 8A ✅ 

After we went back to Manali, Alex whom we met in Rakchham came to manali.  Together we open two very cool climbs in Mushroom boulder  in Aleo forest 
Bengali Traverse Fb 8A and German Traverse Fb 7C 

German Traverse Fb 7C ✅

Bengali Traverse Fb 8A ✅

Autumn 2024 October 

At the start of the October we were back in Rackham, we were with our two alpinist friends with some big routes in mind, As we took our friends bouldering the very first day we came up on to Sugarfish and here Nibbi started the climb in a relaxed manner found straight away hitting the crux move bang on , from there he put his clutch game on and made the First Ascent of this Himalayan crimp test piece 

Sugarfish Fb 8B+ FA ✅

 

                                        

                                  Sugarfish      Fb 8B+ FA ✅

After realizing this life long dream, we went up on big alpine walls and had a time of our life , the season finished with the ascent of a really beautiful boulder named Soy Como Soy Fb 8A 

Soy Como Soy Fb 8A ✅