Wolfgang Güllich
 |
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | German |
| Born |
October 24, 1960 Ludwigshafen |
| Died | August 31, 1992 Ingolstadt |
| Website | www |
| Climbing career | |
| Type of climber | Sport climbing |
| Highest grade | |
| Known for | |
| Updated on 13 May 2013. | |
Wolfgang Güllich (24 October 1960 - 31 August 1992), 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 ascent 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 boarding 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.
...
Wikipedia