It was a hot day today.
At work, my car was standing in the sun, and when I got in, the thermometer read 44°C in the sun.
By the time I got home, it went down to 31°C but it was clouded and without the wind it had become a sticky heat.
On my way home I was thinking about climbing somewhere close to home after diner, and Roche au Oiseaux, being only a two minute drive away, is always a good choice.
"Action Direct (assis)" was going to be my goal.
I had tried a couple of times before, but only as an in-between other problems when it was free from other climbers, which is not often the case.
On my previous tries, I never managed to come out of the roof and stand up in the wall.
It turned out that I was using a wrong method for me.
I always immediately took the big undercling with the right hand to try coming out of the roof, but always failed.
When I arrived at the boulder and opened the crashpad, I could vaguely hear small drops falling onto the leaves of the trees.
It had started to rain, so it was time for immediate action.
This time I slightly changed my method and went straight for the far small crimp above and to the right of the big undercling, and then took the big undercling with the left hand to stand up.
It went like a glove and just when I thought that I had it, I came out. I was too confident that it was over after taking the small pocket in the wall left hand.
I practiced the outclimb once and did the whole problem right after.
Just in time, because by the time I had packed up to leave, the top sloper had become completely wet.
When I arrived back at the car, I was still wondering why I had never seen that method before.
Fontainebleau - Roche aux Oiseaux - Action Directe (assis) 7A(6C+)
My plan was to go to Apremont Envers to try the newly published "Le Trône de Fer".
After I parked had the car, however, I walked straight to the "El Paso" bloc to try "Clandestino" first.
After my couple of tries I had to give up because my fingers were hurting badly and I needed to warm up in something else first.
I stayed at the same boulder and quickly repeated "El Paso Droite" for the video.
I did it on my first try. Not a flash, because I had already done it in 2011.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Envers - El Paso Droite 7A
It all went a bit too quickly to properly warm up my skin but then I noticed that there exists an easier left version of "Clandestino", obviously called "Clandestino (gauche)".
It starts at the same point as "Clandestino", but exits more directly and slightly left of the original, thus skipping the crux.
This one went down on my second try, but I was warmed up now.
Now at least my skin felt ready for sticking the bad sloper far right for the crux of "Clandestino".
It soon became clear that for me the most difficult part of the crux was keeping the left heelhook in place for the next move.
My heel kept slipping away, up to the point that I was becoming angry. I could do the problem in 2 overlapping parts, but every time I tried from the start, that heel slipped away.
I needed to calm myself down and took a short break.
Ten minutes later I felt relaxed again and started again with a clear mind.
Two tries later it was done. Sometimes it's amazing how a mood can determine success or not.
Fontainebleau - Apremont Envers - Clandestino 7B
I still tried some other problems without success and also "Le Trône de Fer", but that one was a little bit too exposed with a small boulder right underneath the quite high mantle and I didn't dare to give it all in the end. Not alone, not without a spotter.
We were all up early because my wife's mom was who was on a visit had to leave for a long drive back to Germany.
That's why I arrived early in Franchard Raymond. No climbers, no hikers, just me and the forest.
I went to Franchard Raymond, because I finally wanted to try "Futebol" and I was determined to do it.
On my way I made a small detour to pass the other sector for a short warmup in "Traîne Pas sur les Pieds".
It ended up being a very short warmup because I did it on my second attempt.
Easy 7A, but good to loosen the skin.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Raymond - Traîne Pas sur les Pieds 7A
Now that I was warmed up and my skin loosened, I went straight to "Futebol".
Twice I had already stood before the boulder, but for some reasons never went for it.
Now it was my main goal of the day.
It didn't take long before I got the hang of all the moves up to the last one.
The last one, however, is a very far completely stretched out move to a bad sloper. Numerous time I fell at that last move and I even came close to giving up and come back when it's colder.
But then I decided to really go for it on the last move and give it even more than I had.
I was becoming nervous, a little afraid of making a bad fall, but I made it and climbed to the top.
It truly is a gem, a classic!
Fontainebleau - Franchard Raymond - Futebol 7B+
In the afternoon I went back to Franchard Raymond to try "Etalonnage Physique", a quite recent problem along the blue path, not far from "The Big G".
The first couple of moves started out really well, but the last moves appears to the crux.
No matter what I tried, I just couldn't make it to the last good hold.
I was getting tired and in need for something else, something easier, but I will definitely come back for this one.
At the start of the area is a small cluster of low boulders where I was only able to do "Un Peu de Trois".
Not hard, but the last moves on the bad dusty arete were a bit morpho and I had to go deep to make it all the way up.
Soft 7A, or hard 6C+. I choose soft 7A.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Raymond - Un Peu et Trois 7A(6C)
Not far from there is the boulder with "Délire de Forme", a traverse, but on the picture the boulder looked beautiful. In real life it is too.
It's a traverse of about 10m, but all jugs up to the end where the topout still felt tricky.
I was already tired and it are a lot of moves, but still, as I secretly kind of expected, I was able to flash it. Even though the last moves were a bit sketchy.
Fontainebleau - Franchard Raymond - Délire de Formes 7A
Yesterday after work, I stopped at Cuvier to do some problems that I skipped on my lasts visits in Cuvier Nord.
The more popular problems were taken, so I started off with "L'Huître (assis)".
Soft for the grade, did it on my second attempt.
Probably a bit morpho for the shorter climbers among us.
Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - L'Huître (assis) 7A
Up next was "Fantasmagorique", another problem that I never tried before because it didn't attract me much.
It will probably never become very popular, but still, it's a nice one to tick off.
Fontainebleau - Cuvier Nord - Fantasmagorique 7A
When I arrived at home, I was surprised by one of my sisters, Manon, and her boyfriend, Ilias.
They were on their way down South and decided to spend the night here on their way.
My wife knew that for 3 weeks already, but they kept it silent so it would be a surprise. A suprise it was indeed, a nice one!
After diner we all went to 95.2 in a hurry, because darkness would fall soon.
We went straight to "Les Pieds dans la Lune", because on my way home, I had decided to give it a try again.
I could do the start, once even had the pocket, but I still had to figure out how to finish it.
Maybe it was because of the audience, but beyond my expectations, I was able to finally finish it off.
Hard physical moves, but a beautiful problem! A very nice end of the day.
I didn't bother uploading the videos yesterday, we all played Cluedo instead.
Fontainebleau - 95.2 - Les Pieds dans la Lune 7A+
Today after work, I stopped at Rocher du Mauvais Passage again, but this time I walked on the sector with "Nadine...".
A new boulder has been opened near it just recently and I wanted to see it.
"Equinox" is a 7B, but during my first try, I immediately felt that it's a hard one.
I didn't have very much time, so I set my goals on some other easier climbs and walked back to "Nadine...".
A straight up wall with a hard outward compression move as the crux.
I was able to do the crux fast, but was distracted by the top. A couple of times I went for the top straight up, but after a while I realised that I had to take it more to the right and more statically instead of dynamic.
Very nice sketchy problem where balance is the key.
Fontainebleau - Rocher du Mauvais Passage - Nadine... 7A
I then walked on to the start of Rocher des Demoiselles, determined to do "Le Repos du Sphinx".
With 153 registered repetitions on bleau.info, it's probably the most repeated and classic problem of the area, yet of all the times I came here, I had never given it a try.
This one felt really hard for the grade. At least with the given convention.
The convention says that you have to use a crimp on the right side of the prow, and that you are not allowed to use the good hold on the left.
There are some good holds on the left side, so being uncertain about which one was excluded, I didn't use 2 of the better holds on the left.
Maybe I unwillingly made it harder, or maybe it's just plain hard, I don't know which one it is, but this felt more like a 7A+ to me.
Beautiful problem, but I needed to catch my breath when I stood on the top of the boulder.
Fontainebleau - Rocher des Demoiselles - Le Repos du Sphinx 7A
The days are getting shorter and on the way home from work, I was about what I could try nearby and not too far from the parking to save some time.
It's one of the most classical problems of the area, yet I had only given it a try once many years ago.
The usual crowdedness kept from trying it ever since, but today it came into my mind and it seemed like a good idea.
I could hear some distant chatter, but the place looked deserted.
When I installed the crashpad, I remembered why I hadn't tried it more. The two boulders underneath it make the problem a bit exposed.
I stayed calm and focussed and gave it a try. Bad foot placement and I jumped off.
After checking the holds again and imagining the moves, I gave it a second try and climbed all the way to the top.
I wonder why I never did this earlier.
Very nice moves with a quite scary mantle at the top. A real classic!
Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots - Le Flippeur 7A
"Le Flippeur" was done sooner than expected so I still had some time, and even more motivation, left.
I remembered a sitstart of red number 13 at only 10 meters from there. I gave it a try once but it felt just too hard at that time.
With all the motivation inside me, I went for it and worked out the moves.
The first couple of moves are great to execute. Each one of them is nice and I just can't describe why. I guess the video will speak for itself.
The moves separately were going good and I saved the sequence into my mind.
Every move felt great and it all went smoothly to the top.
Not the most popular problem of the area, but certainly one that I can recommend.
I guess Jo Montchaussée couldn't agree on the name of it, but hey, what's in a name ?
Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots - C'est Assis mais C'est Tassé / Cavernicole 7A+
The weather, to be exact the rain, withdrew me from climbing yesterday, but even though it was cloudy today, it more or less didn't rain. Apart from some light drizzle in the morning.
In the evening it was warm but the air was humid.
I took my chances and went to Roche aux Sabots in the evening.
The boulders looked dry, but they were in bad conditions.
A little bit aside of the main area, on a low boulder where you wouldn't expect it is small problem called "Charybdis".
The boulder is about my height but the problem is on bad slopers and even worse conditions.
There were some small groups of climbers present in the main area, so I went for a try in "Charybdis".
Very slopey arete and a very bad sloper on the top with a thin humid layer of moss on it.
Conditions weren't in my favour, but I was stubborn.
I had to try many times and brush even more than that, but I kept on going, I didn't withdraw.
The problem on itself is not too bad, but there surely are much nicer ones than that.
Fontainebleau - Roche aux Sabots - Charybdis 7A(6C+)
A couple of weeks ago, when I repeated "EOS" again, disaster struck me when I stood on top of it.
The kneebar on the rough arete made a small rip at the knee of my all time favourite pant, my beloved Black Diamond Credo that my wife gave me some years ago.
It felt like a disaster, because I wore that pant everywhere and all the time in between washings and it suited for every occasion.
Okay, it was true that the rip got there due to extensive usage and the kneebar on the rough arete was simply the last drop it could take.
I still use it for climbing, it is in no way disturbing, but wearing it for work or special occasions that require a correct outfit is a bit sensitive now.
Being so attached to the pant, I had to get me a new one right away.
Some will say that any pant will do for bouldering, and they are right, but not any pant will make up for the comfortable climbing with the Black Diamond Credo.
It's a pant that is warm enough for cold Winter climbing days, but also not too hot on hot Summer climbing days due to its lightweight.
The stretchy aspect makes it extremely manoeuvrable and unlike most pants it doesn't stick to the knees when temperatures get high and you start sweating, making it ideal for doing sitstarts without having to adjust it to your bent knees.
I have lost some weight due to the heavy sweating in the heat these last weeks, but thanks to subtle built in adjustable waist belt, there's no need for an annoying extra belt to stop it from sagging.
I don't talk about clothing much, so maybe it's my female side speaking here, but for me the Black Diamond Credo is the number one bouldering pant out there and I can recommend it to everyone!
It doesn't make you climb harder and better, but it does make you climb in a comfortable fashion so it adds to less frustration that will turn into a positive experience, thus maybe indirectly to better climbing.
That said, I received my new one on Thursday and of course had to take it for a climb.
I was working from home on Friday, and during my lunch break I went to a remote solitary boulder in my village Noisy-sur-Ecole. The boulder with "Muramasa".
It's of course not in the village itself, but in one of the smaller remote parts of the forest on the territory of Noisy-sur-Ecole.
I know my village and its surroundings so finding the boulder was easy, but I can imagine that those who are not as familiar with the area will have some trouble.
Just use the small map on bleau.info with some common sense and you will get there.
I, for instance, parked at the water reservoir and walked the remaining distance by following the edge of the forest (do not cross the farmer's fields!). The walk from the reservoir to the boulder took me at most 15 minutes.
The boulder is small, but it's a beauty! A great find by David Evrard!
Those who like solitude and seeing some undisturbed parts of the forest should definitely go there, but please don't go in big groups. We shouldn't disturb the wildlife that resides there, and there is a lot of wildlife there.
Unfortunately it are also hunting grounds, so do avoid the area during hunting periods.
"Muramasa" is, just like most of the other solitary spread out boulders in the area, opened by David Evrard. It has also been graded by David, and it can be noticed.
I don't mean any offence to David, but I already noticed in the past that his gradings are mostly very tight and some of them have been or are on the course of being upgraded.
David gave it 7B(7B+), but to my first opinion, as far as I could tell and experience, this is closer to 7C, maybe even hard 7C. (See his video of the problem on bleau.info)
Placing the left heelhook is very hard, but the next move far towards the left that I use as a starting hold in the shortened version, was impossible for me. The right crimp in the roof is very small and extremely sharp. It gave ma a bleeding cut in the tip of my index finger.
Like I wrote before, it was my lunch break, and as I was there and no other boulder is in the direct vicinity, I pleased myself by doing a shortened version that starts off after the for me nearly impossible move.
It will not be published on bleau.info, so it's unofficial and more like a game, but I called it "Muramasa (raccourci)" and the grade will still be about 7A(7A+).
I will go back one day, but will need stronger fingers with better skin. All in all, it's an inCREDOble problem!
