#08 Chri Bindhammer

"I can vaguely remember a family trip to the Kastlwand in Altmühltal (which was the closest climbing area from home for us). It must have been around 1982 or '83. It was the high end spot for the climbing elite back then, with an idyllic fire spot at the bank of river Altmühl still in its natural form, the crag yet without Kanal im Rücken. Kurt and Wolfgang probably sat with us by the fire, but being 6 or 7 I had yet no knowledge of the climbing scene, unfortunately."

Chri Bindhammer started climbing early for the times. It was mainly thanks to his father, who was an avid mountain athlete. Though himself inclined rather towards alpine adventure than sport climbing, which his sons later excelled at, it was dad who was responsible for the siblings' first days at the crag.

The climbing lifestyle really kicked off for Chri when he was about 14 years old - of course in Altmühltal, which is easy to get to from his hometown of Landshut. "Beginning in this footwork-intensive area wasn't bad for my technique, I think", Chri jokes. He still holds a vivid memory of routes Powerpudding and Luftschloß at the said Kastlwand, which challenge the climber by requiring precise foot positioning in small finger pockets.

​His first highlight routes are also in the southern Frankenjura: at the age of 17 he ticked off Conan (9-/7b+) and Mr. Magnesia (9+/7c+). A year later, Jerry Moffatt's ultra classic The Face followed - a very technical and at the same time powerful 10- (8a+).

It was around the same time that he read Wolfgang Güllich's biography, a very formative piece for the Allgäu youngster.. The book made him really eager to visit the northern Franknejura and try himself on the famous routes there. The top of his bucket list consisted of such classic as Sautanz, Fight Gravity, Magnet and Windstärke 9, to name a few.

Regular visits in Germany's biggest climbing area resulted in fast growth for Chri as a climber. Soon he ticked off Slimline (10-/8a+; often called "little Action"), while Alexander Adler hung just to the left, in the real Action Directe, checking out the holds. Chri was completely captivated by Güllich's masterpiece, although back then he was very far from being able to climb it himself. At the time, it was still Franken's hardest route.

With background in competition climbing, Chri had more endurance than most others in Franken at the time. He describes himself as an "endurance talent and maximum strength weakling" (to be taken with a pinch of salt - just look at his ticklist!). Nevertheless, his performance in Franken and beyond was only improving, soon placing him among the best climbers of his time. In 1996 he repeated Drive by Shooting (10+/8b+) at the Bärenschlucht. From a trip to southern France he brought back the proud ascent of Bronx: his first 8c+ (11-/11), a line that belonged to world's top 5 back then.

The time between 1997 and 2002 was full of hard ascents and competitions for Chri. He lived in Nürnberg and then Bamberg, which made it easy for him to fit in rock climbing around the competition schedule. He climbed most of the routes between 10+ (8b+) and 11-/11 (8c+) that the Franknejura had to offer. Once he succeeded on Werner Thon's notoriously hard 11-, Showdown, he felt ready to try the route he'd been fascinated by since he saw Adler try it: the one and only Action Directe. It was autumn 2002.

Chri's first tries in Franken's first 9a went well. The jump at the beginning of the bulge was a challenge, but he quickly found his beta for the upper part - "less dependent on two finger pockets and more athletic, but possible". As the winter came, he switched to specific training - something he was used to doing thanks to his competition career. He was preparing himself for proper tries on Action in spring, including specific exercises for the jump.

He returned to Waldkopf in May 2003. 7 sessions later, he found himself on top of the crag, having just climbed one of the most historically charged routes worldwide. "One of my personally most meaningful climbing moments; also because with this ascent, a youth dream came true for me: to climb something that first seemed impossible, and that in a style that didn't suit me very well."

No wonder that when asked about his favourite Franken routes, Chri mentions Action first. He has great memories from Giudo Köstermeyer's masterpiece Shangri La. Battle Cat and Showdown are also high up on his list - just as his 50RP route: Wallstreet.

A little behind the scenes insight: the photos on the left are some early poster tests.
Click here to view the 50RP Posters.

He ticked Wallstreet off in 2003, "overall probably my most successful year in climbing". The story isn't long: he came, figured it out and did it - in two tries. The intensive winter training had clearly paid off. The friend he was at the crag with that day even said after Chri's first go that he'd climb in his next attempt. He turned out to be right, knowing Chri and his current shape very well.

“It’s almost a shame - because the less you have to invest in a route, the less intensive the feeling of accomplishment and thus the memory has less of a meaning. Here, however, I can still remember the day very well: because the route has such an important story. Climbed by one of the true Redpoint climbing pioneers, one of a kind."

Wallstreet is the first 11- (8c) worldwide - such a milestone!

Apart from crushing on rock, Chri is an IFSC routesetter with a successful background also as a competitor (another one of his 2003 achievements: 4th place in a lead world championship). His life has never ceased revolving around climbing, Franken being his second home for many weekends every year.

Thank you, Chri, for being a part of 50RP!