La Clé, this slopie little egg shaped boulder in Bas Cuvier - a real cutie! I’ve given it a few tries on all my trips to Font without success. But this time I actually managed to hold on and squeeze myself up those slopers. Was I in better shape? A better climber? Or was it simply just better friction…? On top I felt like a real Master of the Font Slopers. But then, I saw the video… did I really crimp those holds?! Well, maybe I’m just not the slopie kind.
I’ve started to upload some videos from the trip (see link below).
I begin with Carnage in Font. This day we ran in to some Swedish friends and I was inspired to try this Font classic with them. This time it was done quite easily. Felt good, since I’d tried it a few years earlier without success. The trick is to know what to do when you can’t reach the footholds. You campus!
It’s been really inspiring to meet several girls in the woods who climb hard. More of that! It has pushed my limits further and I’ve tried harder problems. Don’t know whether if it is mother power or a new mental strength, but it has made me climb another hard problem, Teamwork.
Wanted to climb this one since we first got here, but it wasn’t until the last week that I actually tried it. Did all the moves quite quickly, even though it took me a while to figure out how to do the rather high top out. When I eventually found the right way it wasn’t too bad. So, now I thought I had it. But when I was about to send, I just wouldn’t do it. I could do all the moves, just not put it all together. Why was that? Lack of perfection? Lack of skin for those small crimps? Lack of mental strength? I was really close, but then… a few days of rainy weather and I was afraid I wouldn’t get another chance. Until our last day. Blue sky, cold and crisp. I told myself:
- Anja, your last chance! You can do it and you will regret if you don’t…
And first try – it was done! Total happiness and satisfaction. Now I was ready to leave Ticino for this time.
Had another go on Le pilier, but after falling again on the top move I decided to leave it for a few days. But today I went back. I met this local girl who I’d run in to a few days earlier. She had just done Les doigts verts so I felt the sending spirit in her happiness. I decided it was time for a go.
I sit down on the pad, place my feet and start pulling. Get the first crimp good and keep moving. Pass the first crux and it feels solid. I know exactly where to place my feet, how to adjust my balance. I get a perfect heel/toe squeeze so I can do the reachy move up to the second last crimp. And then, the most delicate move (for me)… again knowing exactly where to place my feet, I go for the hold, take it, feet still on, replacing them, and then a final move up to the top jug. And then it’s over. All moves perfectly executed.
Suddenly, it all felt so easy. Some sends can be desperate but successful – you make it, but it feels hard. But when everything works, it can feel so easy. That’s how I should climb. Always.
The first day we just walked around looking at some problems. The crimps felt so nasty. Is it really possible to pull on this?? The first climbing day though, with chalk on my hands and a nice breeze, I felt: -Oh yeah, it is “pullable”. So I tried Le Pilier, 8a, inspired by some guys (size smaller) and pulled those crimps. Got surprised when I passed all the cruxes and… then fell on the top move! But at least I know now. I can do it.
Arrived to Ticino valley, Switzerland, today. Renting a small apartment/ room with a beautiful view. Look forward to some great climbing in Chironico and Brione.
So, I lost the star battle. Stefan ticked some serious stars the last few days. One of the problems, Hypothese, is described like this in the 7+8 guide book:
‘The problem is one of the perfect gems in Fontainebleau that illustrates the beauty of bouldering.//E. It shows the essence of bouldering in way that is rarely seen in the centre of Fontainebleau bouldering these days.’
Met this nice local French woman with whom I climbed a few times. Olga bonded with her two year old son and played around with his grandfather. A typical French climbing family. Got some nice beta and the few times I tried my own way, the grandfather just smiled and said in French something like: ‘No no, it is easier the other way, trust me.’ Just another one of those bleausards who have climbed in Font for ages. What can you say? They know.
I also got some inside info of some original climbs. For example: Biceps Mou – the big sloper out to the left? A heelhook with your right? “No no, that’s not how it was climbed originally…” I didn’t dare to do it in any other fashion than the original… And Carnage – starting with your right hand far out in la Berezina? Big no no…
You’d better know the original beta if you want your ascents to be counted for by the locals.
Stefan and I have this little battle – who can climb the most gold star problems? I have to admit I’m a little behind so far, but there are a few days left and I have my mental tick list. Last night I couldn’t really sleep well because I was thinking too much of all the problems I want to do. Going through the moves in my head over and over… I guess all of you climbers that read this know what I mean, the rest of you civilians may just think I’m crazy. I know.
Today is rest day so I’ll try to upload my last few days posts. Angelica and Christoph are in the woods for a few days, so hopefully we’ll catch up with them later. Four more days here, and then we’re off to Ticino, Switzerland.
Sometimes I wonder if I have a little ghost in my head. I was working this problem in Bas Cuvier and managed to do all the moves, but then fell on the top. Next try I got really nervous and jumpy. Probably because I knew I could do it and felt the pressure to do so. And the result? I fell off again. Sometimes I wonder if I don’t want to get up? I decided to leave the problem for a while. Met up with some friends at La Berezina (7c) which felt better than I thought it would.
Later my friends suggested to go back to the first problem. By this time there was a bunch of people there and I decided to make another try. And I did it! Was it because of the presence of the other people? I don’t know. But the holey ghost was gone, and Holey Moley (7a) was done.
