Even a master in the "Art of Failure" sometimes gets something done. Even it's "just" a lowdown start to an existing problem, it does complete a nice line and it is always good to come back and do something you have not been able to do before :) After I was snowed out from Sustenpass some nice "Fön-Wind" was forecasted for Chironico. I have not been climbing in Chironico for over a year so I was very excited to touch this nice gneiss again. After a full day of work I was back in Chironico at for the first time after my injury - the first time after over one year. It was a pity it was already dark (7pm) but friction felt great. I wanted to have a lock at "Insanity of Grandeur, 8C" on which I was very close as it still was a project. I warmed up on the "Electric-Ant" boulder. There is a nice little line on the right side of it which I did the FA two years ago. Back then on my FA of "A cat on a hot thin roof" I started sitting but quite stretched out. So I was wondering if it may would be possible to make a not so streched, more logic low start on the obvious lowest hold.

Working the crux moves... on and off.. ;)

I first just wanted to try a bit but then i got sucked in and after fumbling and falling around for 2hrs I finally found a method that worked. As i felt already tired I rested quite a bit, had some food and set off for one last go. I went down on the intro move - chalked up and somehow managed to not mess up the start moves anymore.... but while entering the "easy"-6C-topout I got cold fingers and got tired till I could not move anymore. Desperately I tried to shake, to get some blood back into my tips. I knew I was too tried to make it again trough the hard starting moves. I just thought: "Don't f**k it up again...". With no pad on the exit and nearly falling off on every move I screamed and fighted myself up to a resting jut - did not let go on the topout and put it DOWN. For a very short period it was getting pretty lout in the dark woods of Chironico:) My little consolation prize for this fall: The First Ascent of "A cat on a hot thin roof (low), 8B" - "soft" as it's "en vogue" these days... :) [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] "Cat on a hot thin roof" - such a good line, really good moves - I LIKE :)[/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Good thing there is no "sound" to this pic... ;)[/caption] Then I went down to the "Fish-Boulder" and quickly refigured out my beta for "Insanity of grandeur" and linked the sequences - what a good night in the woods this was... ;)

"Insanity of Grandeur, 8C": what a LINE, RADest moves, one of the BEST in ticino for sure

And with a classroom full of kids with fever (They are so motivated (afraid of getting minus-lessons) they are at school even if they are ill - that's what happens when people don't think straight when messing with incentives %&*ç+"). It was a matter of time till "it" would get me as well and "it" got me well!!! So I will need a few days to be back on track but I am sure we will see the second ascent of "Insanity of Grandeur" very soon - "somebody" else is getting really close...