September 06, 2024 - Gone wild.

I remember that the first two times I went looking for the very isolated and well hidden boulder of "Into the Wild" in Boissy Le Goulot, I didn't find it, not realizing that I actually even stood on the boulder while looking for it. The third time was in the Winter of 2016, together with my good friend Maarten (Robays) who was visiting me from Belgium. I remember that it had snowed those days, because we were actually doing a snowy walk in the neighborhood of Boissy-aux-Cailles when we decided to go look for "Into the Wild" again. I almost can't believe that this is already almost eight years ago. As it turned out that the problem was dry, I went back to the car to get a crashpad and my climbing shoes while Maarten waited for me on top of the boulder so I could easily find it back. "Into the Wild" has not stolen its name. Back then, I could do a few moves, but it was unbearably cold and I couldn't spend too long on it.
For some reason, it took me almost eight years before I decided to go back to it a little more than a month ago. It was near the end of my Summer vacation, in the beginning of August. It was very hot that morning, and the even though the dense foliage of the chestnut trees offered a lot shade, the heat of sun pierced through with ease and while taking breaks to rest, I had to sit as deep under the roof to find the cooler spot. It was a long session during which I was able to work out most of the moves, except for the crux, going left hand from a shallow two finger pocket under to roof, to a small knob above the lip of the roof. I just couldn't keep my feet far under the roof and always cut off, taking a swing, impossible to hold.
Last weekend, I went back for my third session, along with Matti (Faes), Quinten and Brent. Again a pretty long session, but with good progress. that time, I did the last move, the dyno, and was also able to do the crux move, but with a left barefoot. I had come up with trying that move barefoot, as it allowed me to hang with my big toe in the small crack deep in the roof. Unfortunately, doing the whole problem barefoot wasn't an option, even though I tried. It made the part under the roof way harder. I then tried to do the crux again with shoes, and even though I was really close that time and actually started believing it was possible, I still hadn't done it with both shoes. Nevertheless, I felt that if I would be more fresh, it should be possible.
I had a very busy and stressful week at work this week, but I always kept thinking about going back to "Into the Wild". The weather for the weekend doesn't look good at all, but as today was a beautiful day, I decided to go back this evening after work and stopped half an hour earlier. It was exactly 17h when I arrived at the boulder and despite I felt tired and a bit dazed from work, it was only tiredness in my head, but my body felt strong and fresh. Already when I only touched some of the holds, I felt that I was going to climb much stronger on it. On top of that, the conditions felt very good.
During my first attempt as a warmup, I got to the crux, but fell off, even though I did have the small knob left hand. Without giving myself any false illusions, I knew that a send could be any time. 
On my second attempt, it all flowed, I stayed in control the whole time, did the crux as if I had done it many times, looked towards the top, set off and got it. Climbing on was only a formality and I topped out, not even fifteen minutes after I had arrived at the boulder. To top it all off, I immediately did it again, for having a video from another standpoint. I felt amazed and psyched and the crowd (in this case just me) went wild. A beautiful problem that I can finally get off my list.

Fontainebleau - Boissy Le Goulot - Into the Wild 7B+