The best conditions are normally said to be around zero degrees and sunny or a couple of degrees warmer with no sun. On the other hand, cold fingers will not make you climb anything. The best tips on how to keep warm taking advantage of the prime conditions are actually to wear Vertic sleeves or something similar to keep your forearms warm. The blood from your heart is 37 degrees warm and the best way to keep this temperature until it reaches the non-protected fingers is by having an extra layer all the way to the wrist.

Here are more tips on how to keep warm, other than wearing a lot of clothing and being active while resting, especially doing the windmill.

1. Warm-up at home
2. Put your shoes inside your clothing
3. Use a bigger pair of shoes so you can wear socks
4. An electric or chemical heater that can be put in your chalk bag

Here is another tip we got from Bene Seibt in the forum. "Even better to put a flask with hot tea (or anything different hot fluid) together with shoes, kneepads and chalkbags in one of the bags and wrap all unused clothes around it. Keeps the climbing stuff super warm and also your jacket and so will be super cozy :-) Next one is to use a termopot for warm food for hot stones (not too big ones please) instead. Just put one or two of them in the chalkbag just before an attempt. Stones are more ecological than some chemical or electrical stuff ;-)"

Jacopo Larcher, one of the best multi-discipline climbers in the world, has done the first repeat of Bernd Zangerl's Into the Sun 8c+ trad in Murgtal. The Italian has previously done a handful trad routes 8b+ and harder including Tribe which just might be the only 9a trad in the world. Lately Larcher has not given grades to many of his hardest climbs. (c) Andrea Cossu

"Into the sun is located on a big boulder, which hosts several problems, and it traverses the entire block from the right to the left. The route is basically a top out of Bernd’s existing highball called “V.I.P. (Very Important Papagei)”, which ends on a jug next to a bolted belay. This is by far the hardest part of the entire climb; after skipping the bolts, you traverse left on an obvious big crack and top out on the other side of the boulder with a slightly harder mantle. This very last section has been climbed as a highball stating from a different problem. The climbing is easy, but the rock is often wet and doesn’t seem always solid, that’s why I think it makes even more sense to climb it on gear instead of doing it as a highball. As a trad climber, that’s exactly how I would do it.

So now the big question, which everyone is asking me, is… What is “Into the sun”? Is it a (green point) trad climb or an highball? How can we describe it? Honestly for me the biggest question is another one… Do we need to give a name to everything and fit in into a box? I personally don’t think so! For me "Into the sun" is Bernd’s vision of how to climb a nice piece of rock. It was the way how he challenged himself and got back to climbing after an injury, which according to the doctors wouldn’t allow him to climb anymore. He managed to overcome this huge challenge and set a new one for the other climbers. I take it on, found it really hard and I really enjoyed the process. That’s what I believe climbing should be. Someone else would have bolted, someone else would have chipped it, someone else would have free solo it and probably the most part would have never imagined to climb it… I think he did it in the best style and I personally would have done it the same way if this would have been my FA. The only thing I would have done different is the start, for me it would have make more sense to stat from the stand start of the boulder, instead of adding the first few hard moves… but once again, that’s exactly the cool thing about climbing, everyone sees something different. Thanks again for the experience Bernd and props for the FA.

… and of course big thanks to Babsi, Mauro, Andrea and Michi for the support. It wouldn’t have been possible without you!"

Zach Galla who did his first 8C+ two weeks ago has done in Joe's Valley (UT). "Pegasus went fast! got close last weekend, rested up over the week, then finished it up on Saturday in a few tries. The crux fit my style well and I really enjoyed climbing on this roof. Great addition from Drew!"

Jenny Jiang has done in Bishop (CA) and amazingly it took her just one hour. This was the 20-year-old's seventh 8A and harder in since July. "What a beautiful climb!! Managed to send in about an hour, felt pretty soft but to be fair it was very my style...psyched regardless."

How can you explain your extreme progress in 2021 and what about going for an 8B?
Not sure honestly, I’m just really psyched anytime I get the chance to climb outside! Haha trying to get on some new projects soon! 👀

Jenya Kazbekova, who previously has done four 8c's and harder back home in Crimea, has done Palindrome 8c in Siurana. "It took me three days to climb Palindrome. I climbed three days in a row and on the third day I was so tired, I didn't think I could climb it anymore. But Alex sent King Capella on that day, and I got very inspired. I decided to try, despite the tiredness. First, try I did to check out the moves and warm up again, then on the second try of that day, I did it." (c) Esteban Lahoz

How was that injury you had back in February this year and what is the status?
I had a bad fall in the bouldering gym, dislocated my elbow and ruptured ligaments, needed surgery to fix it. I'm not really fully recovered, my arm is still not fully straight and it is still painful to extend, but I'm able to climb again since June

How long will you stay in Spain and what about comps in 2022?
Only one more week in Siurana and a few more in Margalef. Yes, I'm planning on competing again🙏🏼.

The Ukrainian has been competing actively since 2010 when she won the Youth World Championship. Last year, she finished off by being #7 in the Combined World Champion. Her father, Serik, was also an active competition climber getting silvers in all three disciplines besides winning once in Boulder. Her mother, Natalia Perlova, has won a World Cup in Boulder and in Speed, she once made the podium.

Marcello Bombardi, who won the Lead World Cup in Chamonix in 2017, has done Ziqqurat (8C) in Gaby. On Insta he reports that he first tried it in 2017 but it was not until one month ago he managed to do all moves, when he saw Elias Iagnemma do it quicḱly.

"I was falling multiple times in the end, after the crux, between the 20th and 23rd move of the 24 in total (the embarrassment of falling there as a lead climber was quite high😅). Meanwhile, the climbing season in Gaby was coming to an end, as usual, I was late starting to try it, but one last day of stable weather and good physical shape was enough to send this beast!"

What are your winter plans and what about comps in 2022?
I don't have another project on the rock yet but I will find one quickly! Then in January, I will start the training for next year competition season. We still have to discuss and organize the plan with the federation but I think I will start to put some focus again on the combined.

Ola Przybysz, who previously has done two 8c+', has done French Gangster (8c) in Yangshuo. It is the first 8c in China and it is also famous as Chis Sharma onsighted it and did opt to not use the chipped hold and the name changed from American to French gangster. Ola says she used the chipped hold but that she wants to come back and do it clean. (c) Chuang Liu

So how is being a rock climber in China?
It's a very exciting place to be a climber. It's a paradise for people who are a bit more adventurous. So much to develop. So much to climb... and with the search of rock, the culture you see 'on the way's is so unique. If you only go out of bitten track, and out of big cities...

How much has the climbing scene grown the last ten years in China?
In the last 10 years? It grew from a community of 100 climbers in the whole country and from 'lead climbing is too dangerous' to having over 100 gyms in just Shanghai, having Olympic climbers and over 50 climbers that climbed 5.14 grade. 'from zero to hero' in 10 years.