It was already a while ago that I saw Pieter, so I was glad that he wrote me that he was coming to the forest for the weekend.
It was expected that the bigger areas would be crowded, so we agreed to go to the relatively unknown Apremont Sanglier.
We both never went there before and it would be nice to discover another part of the forest.
The boulders are a bit spread out in a small valley with a small chaotic sector in the middle of it.
We were a bit disappointed that most boulders low in the valley were wet and those in the sun were showing a lot of signs of condensation.
Luckily, the boulder with "Soundgarden" was dry enough. Also condensed here and there, but not in the spots that were needed to climb some problems on it.
We warmed up in "Jeu d'Ombres (droite)" that sitstarts in a pit, uses jugs to climb through the roof and finishes on bad slopers and a hard mantle (if you don't place the feet right).
It felt really easy for the grade as it was the first climb of the day and I was able to flash it.
The jugs in the first part served as a good short warmup.
Pieter climbed it in two parts but wasn't able to link them together. He didn't climb for a month, got some extra kilos and just got back from Japan.
He needed some more time to warmup and get back into it.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Sanglier - Jeu d'Ombres (droite) 7A
When I was browsing on bleau.info through the problems of Apremont Sanglier, I had made a list in my head of problems that I wanted to try or at least see if they were wet.
One of them was "Soundgarden", on the same boulder.
This was also dry enough, even though the sloper for the right hand high up felt damp and uncertain.
When looking at it, it doesn't look that nice, but we both changed our mind while trying it. The moves were nicer to do than expected.
After working out the moves I did it quite quickly.
Pieter had to go deep, almost slipped off on the last easy part, but managed his way to the top too.
He was motivated!
One of them was "Soundgarden", on the same boulder.
This was also dry enough, even though the sloper for the right hand high up felt damp and uncertain.
When looking at it, it doesn't look that nice, but we both changed our mind while trying it. The moves were nicer to do than expected.
After working out the moves I did it quite quickly.
Pieter had to go deep, almost slipped off on the last easy part, but managed his way to the top too.
He was motivated!
Fontainebleau - Apremont Sanglier - Soundgarden 7A+
We then strolled around in the valley, looking at other problems, but they were condensed or sometimes simply wet.
"La Catapulte", the boulder with for instance "The Enterprise", "Mon Précieux" and "Day of Tentacle" all looked really nice, but were forced to be left untried. At least we have something to come back to.
Last on the list, and my favourite, was "Spidercochon".
I had seen a video of David Evrard opening it a long time ago and from that moment on I knew that I had to to try that one day.
It has some very unique moves on it and I was curious to see how it would be like to do them.
After watching the video you will know what I mean.
We found the boulder easily, right next to the path and were happily surprised that it was dry.
At first, after our first try, it seemed impossible to do, but try after try we got closer to finding the right sequence.
It took a long time, but I ended up doing it after all, unexpectedly.
Pieter was able to find his way into the hole, but got stuck balancing over into the undercling.
Really glad with this one!
Never climbed anything like it before.
"La Catapulte", the boulder with for instance "The Enterprise", "Mon Précieux" and "Day of Tentacle" all looked really nice, but were forced to be left untried. At least we have something to come back to.
Last on the list, and my favourite, was "Spidercochon".
I had seen a video of David Evrard opening it a long time ago and from that moment on I knew that I had to to try that one day.
It has some very unique moves on it and I was curious to see how it would be like to do them.
After watching the video you will know what I mean.
We found the boulder easily, right next to the path and were happily surprised that it was dry.
At first, after our first try, it seemed impossible to do, but try after try we got closer to finding the right sequence.
It took a long time, but I ended up doing it after all, unexpectedly.
Pieter was able to find his way into the hole, but got stuck balancing over into the undercling.
Really glad with this one!
Never climbed anything like it before.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Sanglier - Spidercochon 7B
While Pieter gave some more tries, I tried the right exit, "Spidercochon (droite)" which goes at 7C.
I was able to reach the last hold a few times, but couldn't hold on.
The sun had gone behind the valley in the meantime and it had started to be really cold.
We decided to call it a day.
Pieter gladly accepted my offer to stay over for diner and sleep in a warm bed instead of his car.
We had a fun evening playing Cluedo.
On Sunday we left around 10am and went another quiet area, Coquibus Auvergne.
Here on the South face of the hill, the boulders were dry and in relatively good condtitions.
We first went to the back of the area, to the roof with for instance "Little Crotale" that I did about a year ago.
Pieter got very close to doing it, but lacked the remaining strength in the end to mantle out.
After I finally figured out how to start in "Little Cobra", I pressed record and sent it straight away.
Really powerful first moves, even getting the second foot off the ground is hard.
I was able to reach the last hold a few times, but couldn't hold on.
The sun had gone behind the valley in the meantime and it had started to be really cold.
We decided to call it a day.
Pieter gladly accepted my offer to stay over for diner and sleep in a warm bed instead of his car.
We had a fun evening playing Cluedo.
On Sunday we left around 10am and went another quiet area, Coquibus Auvergne.
Here on the South face of the hill, the boulders were dry and in relatively good condtitions.
We first went to the back of the area, to the roof with for instance "Little Crotale" that I did about a year ago.
Pieter got very close to doing it, but lacked the remaining strength in the end to mantle out.
After I finally figured out how to start in "Little Cobra", I pressed record and sent it straight away.
Really powerful first moves, even getting the second foot off the ground is hard.
Fontainebleau - Coquibus Auvergne - Little Cobra 7A+
On the way back we stopped at "À Six c'est Assez" that I was able to repeat on my second try.
Pieter cruises through the problem until the last dynamic move to the top.
He tried a lot, got very close, but threw his towel in the ring.
We moved to Drei Zinnen where we wanted to try "Pantoum".
It didn't catch much sun today and the key crimp felt greasy.
I did manage to do it in two overlapping parts and I'm quite sure that I would be able to do it, but I needed better conditions for the slopey crimps.
The low sun made us go to the boulders on the South crest of the hill where she was still shining and we ended up at "Floréal" that looked to be in very good conditions and nicely in the sun.
It's a very nice problem and I was almost disappointed that I flashed it with ease.
I wouldn't have minded trying it some more.
It seemed to be to too morpho for Pieter, but I think he was getting tired.
If he would have been fresh, I'm sure that he would have done it easily too.
It was getting close to evening and Pieter still had a long drive ahead, so we headed back to the parking, said our goodbyes and went our own ways.
My body felt tired from fighting against the cold and I was glad to come home and put on the fire.
Pieter cruises through the problem until the last dynamic move to the top.
He tried a lot, got very close, but threw his towel in the ring.
We moved to Drei Zinnen where we wanted to try "Pantoum".
It didn't catch much sun today and the key crimp felt greasy.
I did manage to do it in two overlapping parts and I'm quite sure that I would be able to do it, but I needed better conditions for the slopey crimps.
The low sun made us go to the boulders on the South crest of the hill where she was still shining and we ended up at "Floréal" that looked to be in very good conditions and nicely in the sun.
It's a very nice problem and I was almost disappointed that I flashed it with ease.
I wouldn't have minded trying it some more.
It seemed to be to too morpho for Pieter, but I think he was getting tired.
If he would have been fresh, I'm sure that he would have done it easily too.
It was getting close to evening and Pieter still had a long drive ahead, so we headed back to the parking, said our goodbyes and went our own ways.
My body felt tired from fighting against the cold and I was glad to come home and put on the fire.
Fontainebleau - Drei Zinnen - Floréal 7A
No comments:
Post a Comment