After a short work week of physical rest, I felt in good enough shape to go back to the big roof of Eléphant Ouest. I especially wanted to retry "Grosminet", but upon arrival, I started warming up in the vertical last part of "Splatch". Starting from the big hold right at the lip of the roof, it seemed like the most difficult part of "Splatch" was there. It took me a while to figure out how to get from the big hold to the good slot far left and took a few good falls there, luckily each time on the only crashpad I had taken with me, besides the starter pads. Once I had figured it out though, I decided to go for "Splatch", took a few good deep breaths and set off. The first part under the roof went quite good, and when I got to the big hold on the lip of the roof, I didn't waste time or energy trying to rest there. Being a pure boulderer, I haven't learned how to rest well at big holds. Mostly they just continue sucking the power out of me. Knowing what to do, I got passed the sketchy move to the slot, stayed focused and topped out. That was a nice surprise.
Fontainebleau - Eléphant Ouest - Splatch 7B(7B+)
After a short break, it was time to retry "Grosminet", and I immediately felt the difference compared to last time when I was feeling so tired. It still felt really hard, but I could move and started to believe it was possible. After a couple of tweaks, I finally also managed to do the crux move and I started doing some real attempts from the start. It was hard and I fell a few times, but with each attempt, I memorized the moves better and better, until finally, it all stuck and I was able to top out. It did feel hard though, and I really had to put up a fight to get this beauty done.
My body felt quite tired this morning and it was already pretty late in the morning when I arrived at the big roof of Eléphant Ouest. My initial idea was to try "Sherpa", but I was alone, feeling tired, and after inspecting the whole line and seeing the quite exposed topout, I decided to try something else. "Grosminet" looked nice and in my style, but no matter what I tried, I just didn't have enough power to do the crux move. As a consolidation prize, I settled with a flash go of "Le Grand Toit (droite)".
Fontainebleau - Eléphant Ouest - Le Grand Toit (droite) 7A(6C+)
Yesterday I wanted to go try "La Soirée des Galères" in Long Rocher, but what I thought was going to be a Northern orientated line, was in reality facing South and completely in the sun. It was a bad judgement call and I should have looked more carefully at the small map that is posted online. Way too hot for that problem, directly in the sun, so I looked for "Un Vendredi 13". This was is indeed facing North and on top of that, starting in a rather deep pit, very shady. The starting position is a bit strange, but once I knew what to do and figured out the moves, it went down quickly.
Fontainebleau - Long Rocher - Un Vendredi 13 7A+
This morning, I made a good choice by going to Coquibus Longs Vaux to try "À Préhension". A big quite low, but very shady roof. Perfect to try on hot Summer days like today. I warmed with the easy topout, after which I figured out the first part quite quickly. The middle section with the left heelhook and the very far reachy move to the lip gave me some trouble, but after perfecting the heelhook position, it became quite consistent. I had a few good attempts getting up to the lip, but the dynamic move to the jug up on the lip felt extremely wild and I couldn't hold it without hitting the ground or the crashpad. During a short break, I watched a few videos posted online and noticed that all of them were going right hand to the jug instead of the left, like I had been trying. It seemed strange at first, but when I checked it out, it did seem logical in a way. It seemed like going right hand would allow for the left heelhook to stick a fraction of a second longer, a small detail that could make a lot of difference. After the break, I was determined to try it that way, and miraculously, it worked out on my first try. The swing was wild, but I had the jug and I wasn't going to let go. Having done the topout as a warmup a bit earlier, I didn't get nervous and topped out just like I knew I would. Great problem!
Fontainebleau - Coquibus Longs Vaux - À Préhension 7C+(7C)
The first time that I was in Mont Ussy many many years ago, I honestly wasn't really impressed by the massive crack of "Amour Noir". It definitely wasn't love at first sight. Hey, I probably didn't even realize that there was a problem going through it. Even later, when I certainly knew about the line, it didn't attract me, because it looked impossible and I didn't know at all what crack climbing is all about. It was only a few years ago, when I briefly tried the crack of "Pure Line" in Rocher de Télégraphe, that I realized how difficult it actually is when you don't have the experience. I couldn't even link two moves in a row, and it was since that day that I truly learned to appreciate and respect the climbers that are into crack climbing. It definitely didn't feel as straight forward as I expected it to be. It was also since then that I played with the idea of trying "Amour Noir" one day, even though being a totally different crack than "Pure Line" and requiring a totally different approach. The good moment never came to me, but finally a few days ago, I agreed with Olaf to go try it today. I didn't expect too much of it, but I was eager to step in and feel what the moves are like. I did watch several videos, and the moves looked kind of obvious.
On my first attempt in "Amour Noir" this morning, I was able to do a few moves through the crack, but fell off after only a little more than 1 meter, but it felt like I had done 10. It surely felt more exhausting than I expected, and for a moment it felt like it would be impossible because I would have to do about 3 meters more before getting to the first normal hold. As the moves through the crack are quite repetitive, I knew I just had to give it all to be able to stand a chance. I decided to turn on the camera, just in case I would get far enough to make a chance for topping out, ruling out the possibility wanting to jump off to turn it on and start all over. I started my second attempt without real expectations besides trying to get as far as I could. I didn't expect at all to be able to slowly work my way through the first part, but I did. Now I had to find a way to get completely into the crack and find my way out through to the top. After a short struggle, I got in thanks to Olaf's encouragements, and listened to him when he told me I could take a rest where I was. It was easier said than done, but it worked. However, I was in there, looking for a way out, but couldn't turn my head anymore. I was definitely out of my comfort zone, but stayed calm and looked for options. Being able to lean back again after a while, I could turn my head again and found the best hold to pull myself out at the top, somewhat desperate, but it worked. Hearing Olaf's and Noah's shouts of encouragement, motivated me to give it one last push and then, there I was, out of the crack and on the top of the boulder. I was scratched, bruised and completely exhausted, but relieved. It was truly a great experience climbing this nice crack line.
Me and my youngest son, Noah, had agreed to look and climb at the quiet and for now quite unknown small area of "Le Miroir Magique", just outside of the town of Fontainebleau itself. Completely new to me, I didn't have any expectations and especially wanted for Noah to have a good time. Olaf, on the other hand, had planned to finally try the whole infamous but beautiful purple circuit of Dame Jouanne. Before I left the house with Noah, I saw on Instagram that Olaf had started his long journey at 9h in the morning, taking advantage of the morning freshness. At Le Miroir Magique, Noah climbed very good and I noticed a lot how much better his footwork has become. He's taking the time to read and analyze problems before trying and it paid off. When he needed a break, I used the occasion to climb some problems, starting with "Cœur de Pierre", which went quickly, on my second attempt.
Fontainebleau - Le Miroir Magique - Cœur de Pierre 7B(7A+)
I needed quite a few more attempts on "Coup d'Éclats" right next to it.
Fontainebleau - Le Miroir Magique - Coup d'Éclats 7A+
To finish my part of the session, I also got away with "Dargonne King" after having worked out the crux move.
Fontainebleau - Le Miroir Magique - Dargonne King 7B+(7B)
Noah then continued his session with doing an impressive variation, starting in "La Diagonale" (from the small boulder), and finishing in "La Conque" to the left of it.
Fontainebleau - Le Miroir Magique - Diagonale Vers La Conque 3 (Noah)
Finally, he also managed to climb "L'Écaille". I was honestly very impressed by what Noah all climbed that session!
Fontainebleau - Le Miroir Magique - L'Écaille 3 (Noah)
After our session, we drove to Dame Jouanne to briefly support Olaf with his full circuit attempt. He was just past halfway when we found him and watched him do several problems, including a very impressive ascent and downclimb of the Dame Jouanne itself. A staggering 15m high and part of the purple circuit. At 4h45 PM, I received a message that he was done, and can count himself as one of the few who climbed the whole purple circuit in one day. After more than 7 hours of climbing, covering about 800m of climbing meters, Olaf wrote a bit of history. Only few people have taken on and completed this challenge. I bet that there are even more climbers who climbed 8C in the forest, then climbers who have done what he just did today. Congratulations Olaf!
When Olaf agreed yesterday evening to go try "La Nuit" in Coquibus Longs Vaux today, I already started to get a bit nervous. This beautiful problem has been on my list from the very first time I saw it, but I had tried it once briefly with Pieter. Given the exposure, I would at least need a second crashpad and preferably a spotter, to feel safe, so I never had the chance to go back for it, or just didn't think about it at the right moment. When I started realizing yesterday evening that today could be the day, I felt excited and nervous at the same time. The temperature this morning was perfect, still around 20°C, but compared to the past two weeks, it felt fresh and I could feel the difference in oxygen in the air as well. A light breeze made it all even better. The boulder allows for working out the moves separately, so that's exactly what we did. During the process, Olaf gained more and more confidence, and started believing that "La Nuit" could be an unexpected cherry on the cake of his trip. We both made good progress and after I had done all the moves separately, I took a short break before giving it my first actual go from the start. It was completely unexpected that I was immediately able to do the first move, and for a split second second I felt a slight hesitation, but I regained total control when I also did the second move. We had practiced the other moves very thoroughly and I continued, executing the remaining moves perfectly until I reached the top. It was a magical moment. By the time I had to leave to be back home for my son, Olaf was still missing one move, the first one. He had come close, and I felt sorry that I really had to leave. He understood though and walked with me back to the car so he could take a second crashpad for his remaining attempts. He was determined to finish "La Nuit" as well. I think I felt as much joy as when I stood on top of the boulder when he sent me a message a few hours later, writing he had done "La Nuit".
Fontainebleau - Coquibus Longs Vaux - La Nuit 7C(7B+)
With temperatures going deep into the 30°C the last days, it's extremely hot, just like in many other European countries. Because of the extreme, it's nearly impossible to climb in the afternoon, and even in the morning, it's best to find some very shady boulders. Yesterday, I met up with Olaf and Victor at Beauregard, to climb in the shady roof of "Seuls les Vrais le Savent". Olaf was working in "Seuls les Vrais le Savent" itself, while Victor and I were working in "C'est Toujours Pour Ceux qui Savent". Despite the three of us doing moving quite well, we couldn't finish our respective boulders. As a consolidation prize, we did do a team ascent of the easier "Savoir Limitrophe", after which Victor had to leave.
Olaf and I stayed at the boulder, where I was still able to squeeze out a quick ascent of "Les Sachants s'Echauffent (droite)", also repeated by Olaf later that day.
Fontainebleau - Beauregard - Les Sachants s'Echauffent (droite) 7A
Today, even though already very hot in the morning, I met with Olaf in Recloses where we walked straight to "Le Clapotis Rondouillard", a boulder that I couldn't try last time, a few weeks ago, because it was wet. Now it was perfectly dry. I warmed up in the standing start, but came to realize that the move to the right of the low start is really morpho. Despite being able to reach the hold, there was no way for me to hold it due to not being able to keep my left foot where it was, no matter what, my legs aren't long enough, and I always cut off. As I also couldn't do Manuel Marquès' method, I was about to give up, when I suddenly had the idea to try the far right move and keep myself from swinging, by doing a left toehook catch at the same time. It still felt nearly impossible, but it gave me hope and I decided to try that method some more. It's a kind of move that you would normally see in new-school competition style boulders.As I never climb indoors, I'm not familiar with that style of climbing, but thanks to my gymnastics background (I guess), I seemed to be learning fast and got close to holding it with every attempt.
When I finally did that move from one move in, I turned on the camera, was able to do it again two attempts later and finished it off.
Fontainebleau - Recloses - Le Clapotis Rondouillard 7B+
After doing the easy, but nice slab right next to it, we moved over to the nearby boulder of "Body Press", which seemed impossible with very bad slopers in the heat, but, very surprisingly, I was able to finish it on my second attempt. Definitely not a bad session in that heat.
