European climbing does not always get a lot of local coverage in North America. Often, we hear all about the big players in the game but rarely do we keep tabs on those individuals who continue to push the limits in their local areas.
This spring, I had the opportunity to hang out with Manuel Brunn in Joe’s Valley, Utah. Manuel Brunn is a climber from Germany who has lived in the Frankenjura area for the past 15 years. First, and foremost, Manu is a really fun guy to hang out with and always up for a laugh. He is a major proponent of time off from climbing and values new experiences above all other pursuits.
This being said, Manuel Brunn is no stranger to difficult climbing. Manu has had multiple ascents of difficult routes and boulders, including The Essential (9a), The Elder Statesmen (9a), and Montecore (8c) in the Frankenjura. He recently sent From Dirt Grows the Flowers (8C) in Chironico. Squamish Climbing Magazine had the chance to ask Manu a few questions about his recent send, his philosophy around rest, and future plans. Here is what he had to say.
Manu on Baroness (8c) in the Frankenjura. Photo by Markus Bauer ©.
Hey Manu, how are things in Germany?
Pretty good, thanks. I left the Frankenjura and moved down south near the Alps this summer to start doing more multi pitch stuff. It’s awesome here in the Allgäu with really good climbing and just two hours from Magicwood and three hours from Ticino.
Sounds like you sent one of your long term projects? Can you tell us a bit about it?
It’s really been a long term project as I was first trying From Dirt Grows The Flowers first around 2 years ago. That’s a long time but actually I just tried it maybe 5 days the first year. Last year I came pretty close and fell off the last move before the snow came and made it impossible to continue. In total I tried it maybe some 20 days with some really long breaks in between. For me definitely my longest Boulder project ever. It’s an awesome line from Dave. I really like the combination of very powerful crimpy climbing to the lip and a strange technical mantle at the end. So you have to change your mind and get into a totally different mode once you made it to the lip. That’s really unique and that’s why I chose this problem.
Is this your first 8C?
No, in 2012 I made a repeat of Montecore in the Frankenjura. For me personally a little bit easier than From Dirt, but definitely harder than any other stuff I made before.
For a long time, you have been a major part of the Frankenjura climbing scene. Can you tell us a bit of what it is like climbing in the Frankenjura?
Frankenjura is a really fantastic area for hard limestone climbing and bouldering. There are more than 10000 routes on small cliffs spread out over a big area. Even though the area is famous for steep pocket climbing like Action Directe from Wolfgang Güllich the newer harder stuff is mostly on edges and slopers. Most of the routes are around 15-20m high, so you need a good max endurance for around 20 hard moves in a row. I was living there for 15 years and there is still so much more to do for me. I like the small valleys and tiny villages with good beer and cheap traditional food. So nearly every climbing day ended up in a small brewery with cheap beer…
What is the community like in the Frankenjura?
The locals in the Frankenjura are sometimes a bit special, even though I really like the scene there. But you know, it’s the area in germany and very famous because of all the history like the first 8c and the first 9a in the world. So there are many people coming from outside during the season and that causes sometimes some trouble with sleeping outside, campfires, leaving trash, etc.. So I assume that’s why some locals are not so friendly sometimes and want to stay by themselves. There is no guidebook for Bouldering for example even though there is big and really good Bouldering around. So you have to know the people to show you around. That’s maybe also a reason why the scene got this image, but it’s changing. In the last years the scene has become more open minded as it became more and more international. I love hanging around there. Once you get to know the people you will love it. As I described above, coffee and cakes, beer and meat are a big part of the Frankenjura experience.
Witchcraft (8a) in the Frankenjura. Photo by Markus Bauer ©.
You are a big proponent of taking a lot of rest days and sometimes take long breaks from climbing your project. Can you tell us how this helps your climbing?
In my eyes hard climbing is all about motivation. I’m climbing for nearly 25 years and over this time I figured out a good way to improve by not just doing, thinking and living climbing. There is so much more besides climbing I don’t want to miss. That’s my key. I can get my motivation and become really psyched for a project by taking some breaks. I don’t have the feeling that’s counterproductive. Sometimes I don’t climb for 2 or 3 weeks. Than I really want to send something again… It comes in waves and you shouldn’t force it in my eyes…
You manage to sport climb and boulder. How do you find balance between maintaining both strength and endurance?
To be honest my weakest point is endurance. I mean real endurance like you need in spain on some 40+ m routes. So I started to go there and climb more in this type of style some years ago. I just forced me to shake out and rest even though it was really hard in the beginning. I don’t have the feeling this is bad for my strength. In my eyes it’s even better as I’m able to do more hard tries a day. Now I do some endurance climbing days even in Winter times where I just go Bouldering. I personally think that motivation and the belief in your success is the key factor in climbing. There are so many more points in rock climbing besides power. How important are conditions for you personally for example? I have the feeling that it’s not good to pay to much attention on conditions. To my surprise I was sending some stuff in really bad conditions just because I was so psyched on doing it. Or how do you deal with excitement and how often was over excitement the reason of stupid failures? Hard climbing is a mind game for me and even after all this years I’m still experimenting and learning.
Is there any specific training techniques that you use during the off-season?
No, I don’t train. I just try to find my weak points and do exactly this stuff more often. I try to avoid going into gyms and try to do as often as I can Mountainbiking, Skiing and other things in non climbing times.
The Essential (9a). Photo by Markus Bauer ©.
What is next for you in terms of projects and climbing goals?
I want to do more hard multi pitch climbs in the Alps. That’s really mind challenging and a new world for me. Maybe you should teach me some crack climbing skills. Would also be a new playground for me…
Ha, I do not think I should be teaching anyone how to trad climb! Any big trips planned for the upcoming year?
My girlfriend and me will spend the summer in Bali and Lombok hopefully making some progress in surfing.
Thanks Manu! Maybe some time for a trip to Squamish as well!
Manuel Brunn is sponsored by Scarpa, E9, and Metolius.
