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Profile picture Clemens Thalhammer
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The Journey to Magic Wood

After a busy week of research at ETH, Lisa and I decided to escape to Magic Wood for some quality bouldering. The drive from Zürich took us through stunning Swiss countryside, with the autumn colors in full display.

Magic Wood never disappoints - the concentration of world-class boulder problems in such a compact area is truly remarkable.

Saturday: Warming Up on the Classics

We started with some warm-up problems to get our movement dialed in:

Magic Carver (V2)

A perfect warm-up with beautiful, flowing movement. The autumn conditions meant incredible friction on the holds.

Downunder (V4)

This overhanging traverse was the perfect step up in difficulty. The crux sequence felt manageable in the cool weather, and after a few attempts, I managed to link it together.

Sunday: The Wizard Project

I’d been working on The Wizard (V6) for a while now, and today felt like the day. This powerful roof problem demands perfect body positioning and commitment on the final moves.

After about an hour of working the individual moves, everything clicked on attempt number seven. The satisfaction of finally sending a long-term project in such an iconic location was incredible!

Lessons Learned

  • Timing is everything: The cool autumn weather provided perfect conditions for hard bouldering
  • Community matters: The encouragement from other climbers made all the difference
  • Persistence pays off: Some problems just need time and the right conditions

Next Trip

Already planning our return in spring to work on some of the harder test pieces. Magic Wood has so much to offer, and each visit reveals new problems to explore.

Trip Stats:

  • Days: 2
  • Problems Sent: 8
  • Hardest Send: The Wizard (V6)
  • Best Moment: Sticking the final hold on The Wizard
  • Conditions: Perfect autumn friction