Stefan Hochbaum FA’s Mind Flayer (8C)

Stefan Hochbaum, who last year did an 8C+ FA, has opened Mind Flayer (8C) in Scharfenstein.

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
Two years ago, when I was working on my main project Obsidian (8C+), I checked out the cave after my session. Back then, there was only Zugzwang (7C+) and the lower start of it, called The Cypher (8B+). I wanted to try The Cypher because I needed a break from my main project.

Two sessions later, I was able to send it and noticed that there was another possible line, still undone, going directly through the roof. It shares the first three moves of The Cypher (which are around 8B) but then goes right instead of into the V10 Zugzwang. At that time, I only had Obsidian on my mind, so I never got back to the cave and somehow forgot about this project. Two years later, after sending Obsidian, I remembered there was still a line waiting for a first ascent. So I decided to give this climb a chance. After some intense beta searching, I solved all the moves and started trying it from the ground. Three sessions later, I sent the new project and named it "Mind Flayer."

Overall, it’s a V13 starting sequence into a tricky and hard V12, making it a V15 boulder to me. The first three moves are really powerful with lots of compression. The middle and upper parts focus more on body tension and keeping everything together. You can still fall on the last move to the jug if the heel slips, so it’s quite an interesting boulder.

What is your climbing background and what’s next?
I climb and train 4–5 times a week and have been climbing for 16 years. I started with competitions many years ago but decided that I enjoy rock climbing more, so I shifted my full focus to climbing outdoors. Besides repeating problems, I really enjoy making first ascents and searching for new lines—it’s very inspiring to me.

My next plan is to go back to Ticino in the spring to look for a new project or try some lines I’ve never attempted before.