Wolfgang Güllich
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Güllich was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany
, and is widely considered to be one of the best sport climbers in history.
He first started climbing on the Sandstone
-rocks of the 'Südpfalz'. Soon he became one of the best climbers in this region and made the first free ascent of 'Jubiläumsriss VII-' at the age of 16.
He travelled to the Elbsandsteingebirge, and to the Shawangunks and Yosemite Valley
, US, where he could climb most of the top routes of each area, including a 2nd ascend of Grand Illusion, 5.13b/c (FA by Toni Yaniro).
Later he moved to the Frankenjura and created a great number of hard climbing routes such as:
Thus Güllich added several grades to the grading system
. In fact, with the exception of Ben Moon
's Hubble (the world's first 8c+), Wolfgang was responsible for 4 consecutive step-ups with the world's first 8b (Kanal Im Rücken , 1984), 8b+ (Punks In The Gym, Apr 1985), 8c (Wall street, 1987), and 9a (Action Directe, Aug 1991). Güllich also invented the modern training technique of campus board
ing in order to climb Action Directe.
He was also responsible for first ascents of routes like 'Eternal Flame (IX- A2)' in the Karakoram and 'Riders on the Storm (IX A3)' in Patagonia. The boldness of these routes showed that he excelled at difficult mountain routes as well as one-pitch sports climbs.
He broke his back falling off the Master's Edge
at Millstone Quarry in Derbyshire, England but when he recovered climbed Separate Reality
in Yosemite National Park
, USA (1986). Climbing without a rope, he negotiated a twenty foot horizontal crack in an overhanging roof.
He was also a climbing double for Sylvester Stallone
in the movie Cliffhanger.
In 1990 he became acquainted with Anette, whom he married one year later.
On August 29, 1992 Wolfgang's car veered off the Autobahn between Munich
and Nuremberg
. Two days later he died in a hospital in Ingolstadt, never having regained consciousness.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and is widely considered to be one of the best sport climbers in history.
He first started climbing on the Sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
-rocks of the 'Südpfalz'. Soon he became one of the best climbers in this region and made the first free ascent of 'Jubiläumsriss VII-' at the age of 16.
He travelled to the Elbsandsteingebirge, and to the Shawangunks and Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
, US, where he could climb most of the top routes of each area, including a 2nd ascend of Grand Illusion, 5.13b/c (FA by Toni Yaniro).
Later he moved to the Frankenjura and created a great number of hard climbing routes such as:
- Kanal im Rücken X- (1984)
- Punks in the Gym X / 8b / 32 (1985)(Mount Arapiles, Australia)
- Amadeus Schwarzenegger X- (1986)
- Wallstreet XI- (1987)
- Action DirecteAction Directe (climb)Action Directe is a famously difficult sport climb in the Frankenjura, Germany.Milan Sykora bolted this line in the 80's. The first ascent was by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991, who climbed the route using a 16 move sequence...
XI (1991) (still considered one of the hardest routes worldwide)
Thus Güllich added several grades to the grading system
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
. In fact, with the exception of Ben Moon
Ben Moon
Ben Moon is a rock climber from England. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ben Moon, along with his climbing partner Jerry Moffatt drove forward the level of sport climbing in the UK especially, but also throughout the world. He was the first person to climb a route at the grade of 8c+,...
's Hubble (the world's first 8c+), Wolfgang was responsible for 4 consecutive step-ups with the world's first 8b (Kanal Im Rücken , 1984), 8b+ (Punks In The Gym, Apr 1985), 8c (Wall street, 1987), and 9a (Action Directe, Aug 1991). Güllich also invented the modern training technique of campus board
Campus board
A campus board is a training tool that has been widely adopted to improve rock climbing performance. Typically, a user ascends or descends the campus board using only their hands. Campus boards can take a variety of different forms and may incorporate a variety of materials...
ing in order to climb Action Directe.
He was also responsible for first ascents of routes like 'Eternal Flame (IX- A2)' in the Karakoram and 'Riders on the Storm (IX A3)' in Patagonia. The boldness of these routes showed that he excelled at difficult mountain routes as well as one-pitch sports climbs.
He broke his back falling off the Master's Edge
Master's Edge
The Master's Edge is a rock climb route at Millstone Quarry. Rated E7 6c, it is one of the world's most famous gritstone climbs. The first ascent was made by Ron Fawcett in December 1983....
at Millstone Quarry in Derbyshire, England but when he recovered climbed Separate Reality
Separate Reality (climbing route)
Separate Reality is a 20 metre long climbing route in Yosemite National Park in California, USA. The famous route is well known for its exposed crux and six metre long crack in its roof through which the sky is visible. The route's access is about 200 metres above the Merced River, but is better...
in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
, USA (1986). Climbing without a rope, he negotiated a twenty foot horizontal crack in an overhanging roof.
He was also a climbing double for Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
in the movie Cliffhanger.
In 1990 he became acquainted with Anette, whom he married one year later.
On August 29, 1992 Wolfgang's car veered off the Autobahn between Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
and Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
. Two days later he died in a hospital in Ingolstadt, never having regained consciousness.