Hello. This is Wolfgang
rockclimber. pioneer. visionary.
Wolfgang Güllich was a famous German rock climber known for his groundbreaking ascents, an innovative and dedicated approach to training as well as his raw finger strength. Güllich is most well know for his development of hard sport climbing routes in the Frankenjura, a massive climbing area just north of Nuremberg Germany. At the age of 16, Güllich was already known for his skills as one of the top climbers in the region. At the age of 24 he began establishing many of the world's hardest rock climbs. Tragically, Güllich died at the age of 32, only one year after establishing the world's hardest sport climb at the time, Action Directe.
Impact on Training
power. power. power.
In 1988, Güllich pioneered the training technique of campus boarding. It was this training that contributed to his success on Wallstreet(8c) and Action Direct, the worlds first 9a in the Frankenjura. Campus board training is now widely used in the world of rock climbing training. Climbing coaches consider it to be a top exercise for power recruitment. Campus boarding is an extremely difficult exercise to perform using all of your fingers, yet in a very famous photo, Güllich is seen performing the exercise using only one finger each hand, demonstrating his strength and power.
Notable Ascents
frankenjura. austria. yosemite.
Güllich shattered the boundaries of what was thought possible in the climbing world at the time. From 1984-1991 he established the world's first 8b, 8b+, 8c and 9a sport climbs. Güllich was most well known for his sport climbing, but also maintained an impressive resume of big mountain climbs and free solos. Güllich's legacy is heavily featured in a new movie by Patagonia called "Rotpunkt" which follows another German climbing phenom Alex Megos through his battles with his hardest route to date. Some of Güllich's top climbs included: