Despite that, there was a dense fog and it was still cold when I started walking towards Franchard Basses Plaines. The amount of vans, campers, and people slowly waking up near them, indicated that it was going to be crowded today in the forest, hence my choice for Basses Plaines deep in Franchard.
I had scouted the area for the first time on a rainy with Stef Jacobs a few months ago, and now was a good moment to go try what we discovered back then.
I didn't have in mind to try too long on something, but wanted to try as much as possible and come back for the nicer lines that I would not be able to finish today.
All the boulders are scattered around in an area of about 100m on 200m and located on sometimes different hills. I knew that this meant a lot of walking, but I had a route planned out.
First stop was the boulder with "Casper".
This looked like something that could be flashed, but the topout turned out to be the crux. With the slippery marbled slopers, it reminded me of the topout of "Excalibur" in Cuisinière Crête Sud, to give you an idea. Maybe if you're taller it would easier. Nevertheless, a very nice arete that definitely felt like a spot on 7A for me.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Basses Plaines - Casper 7A(6C)
Tried "Le Nombre d'Or (droite)" and "Le Nombre d'Or (gauche)" briefly, but it was lying in the sun and already quite hot warm in the meantime and as it required too much cleaning for the topout, I quickly gave on them. Maybe some other time.
Next stop was the boulder with "Les Alcôves" not very far from there, but quite hidden now with the flora growing again.
It was difficult to place the camera, and the sun didn't make it easier, so the video does a lot of injustice to how how nice this problem actually is.
Even though I only needed two attempts, I really enjoyed climbing this one.
Next stop was the boulder with "Les Alcôves" not very far from there, but quite hidden now with the flora growing again.
It was difficult to place the camera, and the sun didn't make it easier, so the video does a lot of injustice to how how nice this problem actually is.
Even though I only needed two attempts, I really enjoyed climbing this one.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Basses Plaines - Les Alcôves 7A
On to "Flesse Bleue" on the top of the hill, one that only required a handful of attempts.
It's harder big brother "Longbow" starts the same, but climbs directly through the roof with a small crimp and exits a bit more to the right. I tried it a number of times, but seem to lack length to do one of the moves. I didn't want to loose too much time in it, so it's one I will definitely come back for.
It's harder big brother "Longbow" starts the same, but climbs directly through the roof with a small crimp and exits a bit more to the right. I tried it a number of times, but seem to lack length to do one of the moves. I didn't want to loose too much time in it, so it's one I will definitely come back for.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Basses Plaines - Flesse Bleue 7A
I was starting to get tired, but decided to have a last stop at "One", an isolated roof just under the plateau on the neighbouring hill. The kind of roof where you can stand on top of looking for it and not seeing it. To my surprise though, I did find it quite quickly, but going down and up a steep hill again took a lot of energy in this warmth.
Opened by Manuel Marquès, and with only one hard move, it promised to be a hard one.
It definitely was a very hard move! Pulling up on a slopey crimp in the middle of the roof, without footholds, then placing the left foot on a tiny crimp close to the body and push out and grab a good hold, but with a very sharp edge to it.
That one move was really hard, but once you stick it, the problem is over and there already has to happen a lot to still fall out of it.
I don't really know why I finished the way I did, but as it was possible I just did it in a kind of reflex.
Opened by Manuel Marquès, and with only one hard move, it promised to be a hard one.
It definitely was a very hard move! Pulling up on a slopey crimp in the middle of the roof, without footholds, then placing the left foot on a tiny crimp close to the body and push out and grab a good hold, but with a very sharp edge to it.
That one move was really hard, but once you stick it, the problem is over and there already has to happen a lot to still fall out of it.
I don't really know why I finished the way I did, but as it was possible I just did it in a kind of reflex.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Basses Plaines - One 7A
The parking was overloaded and cars were parked until more than halfway the Route du Loup. There were people everywhere, but where I had been, I didn't see anyone.
While driving back home, I remembered that I was going to reach the 1000 boulders 7A and higher very soon. After counting again later it turned out that "One" is number 1003.
No comments:
Post a Comment