Birte Gutmayer in „Snail“ 8b (10), Geschlitzter Fels, Schwäbische Alb

It’s not just the start of Snail that’s outstanding, but the character of the rest of the route as well. The first part up to the rest is a solid 7c+, unfortunately with some pretty painful holds. The standout moves are the big lock-off to the right and the crossover to the left. After the rest, things get serious right away. There are at least two ways to reach the crux move into the undercling. I prefer the small left-hand detour. The move on the undercling is clearly the hardest of the entire route, as you have to place your left foot high while the undercling is still above your head. After that, you reach some fairly good underclings, where you can catch your breath, but probably won’t have the chance to shake out. The following dyno relies more on upper body power than lactate-free forearms. The route ends with a rewarding 6b+.