Alexander Huber, Thomas Huber crown their Sonnenkönig on Untersberg
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Heinz Zak / IG @heinz.zak
In spring Thomas and I - like all of us - were forced to react to the restrictions and come up with some alternative plans. Our backyard mountains were logically the ideal destination! And when it comes to rock climbing, then Untersberg with its amazing south face is one of the pearls of the Berchtesgadener Land. And what’s more... I can see it from my home!
Sonnenkönig, the "Sun King”, is one of the most obvious lines on the entire south face. It isn’t not necessarily a new idea, since Michael Grassl and Rudi Brandner made their way up this ideal line more than 20 years ago! At the time however they were forced to bypass the central, steepest section by veering to the left - nevertheless their Child of Sun still delivers solid grade IX climbing.
Thomas and I set off to add a direct finish, thereby creating a perfectly straight line from start to finish. An extremely demanding, tough enterprise. Steep climbing up fantastic rock in a grandiose setting!
From the first three days on the wall to the first free ascent a little patience was needed. Last summer wasn't easy for climbing hard up in the mountains. Firstly, because conditions quickly render climbing on the south face impossible and secondly because the huge water streak rarely dries out after summer thunderstorms. We needed to wait until September until the first redpoint was finally in the bag!
by Alexander Huber
Sonnenkönig 300m
The first three pitches of Child of sun, followed by 3 new pitches
6c+, 7c, 7c, 8b, 7b+, 6a
Links: huberbuam.de, IG Alexander Huber, IG Thomas Huber, IG Heinz Zak, La Sportiva, Petzl
