The new Kalymnos topo with 448 pages including some 2700 routes is at the printer's. The majority of photos and photo-topos are new, and in addition to the practical information about each crag (shade, exposure, approach etc) little extras, like GPS coordinates to each crag, have been added. The biggest change, however, is that you will also get a code for a free App, that has been created in cooperation with Vertical-Life. Matthias Polig invented the Zlagboard and started Vertical Life almost three years ago with the plan to contact the local topo authors and offer to be their publishing house including a topo App. - Being the local topo producer of the South Tyrol topo I know how much hard work these guys put in and also that they help rebolting etc. At the same time, the locals are threatened by topo companies who just fly in and copy old topos as well as by user generated web topos. We believe that digital publishing has a great future, especially in the outdoor area. Together with locals all over the world, we are creating a global digital climbing guide. The Vertical-Life Climbing app is a comprehensive mobile guide to the best crags, boulders and multipitches. In addition to our own climbing guides, we cooperate with local authors and digitalize their guidebooks.

Planet Mountain reports that Nina Caprez and Barbara Zangerl have done Die Unendliche Geschichte, a 420 m long 8b+ put up by Beat Kammerlander in 1990 and only repeated once by Pietro dal Pra. (c) Robert Bösch Barbara started out getting head lines for boulder ascents up to 8B meanwhile Nina made routes up to 8c. During the last year they have been challenging the hardest multi pitches in the world, almost equal to the top male and Nina comments. "In my eyes there is no difference between girls and boys, especially on vertical and technical faces like the ones in Rätikon. There is only one difference that matters and it's between the first ascent and all that follow. Redpointers are always in the privileged position, they already know that the route is possible to climb."

luis alfonso felix himself declares to be on a winning streak since on September 3rd he emulated his friend and co-partner, José Luis Palao 'Primo', in bolting of the line by also sending Seta Total (pic© Javi Pec ). "It's got a hard start, super bouldery with weird shouldery moves and being able to hit a two-finger pocket, then a transit zone with generous holds up to a fake rest which we know as 'los ojitos' ('little eyes'); from here to the chain there's a lot of power-endurance with big and morphological movements between two-finger pockets and crimps and, in the end, a thin headwall, Cuenca style, with a pumpy finish. Most of the route overhanhs around 40º, it's got some 63 moves and, as I said before, two-finger pockets and crimps abound. The hardest thing is to correctly perform the first section so as to not squander too much power and properly rest in 'los ojitos'; that way you have chances to success on the morpho move at the lip." Three days later and also in Cuenca he managed to do the FA of Quassam Mix. He explained us about the route's name and grading: "It's located in Valdecabras Sur, it's next to 'Palestina' 8c+/9a, it shares a little section with 'Vivir en la Ignorancia' 8b+ and then it ends up by a super aesthetic wall by where the original harder line bolted by 'Primo', 'Qassam' 9a/+?, passes. Since we're still trying that original route, we conceived this 'easy' variation which weights in at around 8c+ or 8c+/9a. I'm not sure. That day I was feeling super strong, so future repetitors will confirm it or not. Personally I feel it like 'Palestina'... maybe the question is what grade this later will be left... hahaha. Seriously talking, I feel they are the same grade. Other than that, it's a 5 stars line: super steep at the begining and with a power-endurance slightly overhanging part in the end, with distanced bolts and some air below your feet; all an ode to the 'courage'..." // Ignacio Sandoval Burón.

La Sportiva Zlagboard contest 2015 // Arco from Vertical Life on Vimeo.