Historic climbing guides of Frankenjura

Intro

Frankenjura is one of the most important low mountain sport climbing areas, with a long tradition, and setting mark stones for the development of climbing. This album contributes a bit to enlighten this point by documenting the development of the climbing guides of the region.

For about 50 years this has been the work of a Nuremberg climber named Oskar Bühler, who also contributed in an essential way by inventing the cemented Bühler piton, becoming ubiquitous in Frankenjura since the end of the 60ies.

The 1st Bühler guide appeared in 1949, described 893 routes, and followed a still earlier guide of 1931 called "Der Kletterer im Frankenjura" (The climber in F.). Documented here are 5 subsequent editions, which appeared in 1964, 1973, 1979, 1983 and 1991. After that, new guides by other authers (not subject of this album) emerged and began to prevail, in the style of so called topo guides.

Of course, the excerpts given here are in German. However, there is - to my view - sufficent historic weight to the thing to make it here available as a child album attached to the main Frankenjura page.

Enjoy reading and comparing the development stages of the guide!

1964 Bühler guide

Cover
Preface	Intro
On climbing	Difficulties/Rating
Read here, among other things, about the rapidly grown route number (893 → 1835), the gear recommended in the early 60ies, and the beginning of the cemented-piton era.

1973 Bühler guide

Cover	Preface
Rating	Clean style and artificial difficulties
Read here, among other things, about the comparison with the preceding guide and a differentiation of free and artificial climb rating.

1979 Bühler guide

Cover
Preface & Glossary	New expanded rating scale
Preservation of routes	Notes about the Bühler piton
Read here, among other things, about the emergence of the red point movement and the opening of the UIAA-scale to the 7th grade, about the perservation of classical routes and how to set the now most important cemented "Bühler piton". Those planning a trip to Frankenjura from abroad can also learn here how tell strange words like dihedral in German.

1983 Bühler guide

Cover
Preface	Rating
Read here, among a few other things, about names important for the new development and about the opening of the UIAA-scale to grade VIII and beyond, based in part on new routes in Frankenjura.

1991 Bühler guide

Cover	Preface & nature protection
This is the last Bühler guide which appeared. Read here, among other things, about a retrospective on earlier editions and about the relationship of climbing and nature protection in Frankenjura.

Images

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