Iceberg

I didn’t plan to do much, if any climbing today as it suddenly seems awfully soon that I have to be heading down to Italy and then up to Ticino for the granite blocs. So, with a lot to get sorted before I leave i’d decided to spend the day getting everything in order to allow for two full days climbing here in Bleau.
After a round of washing (marigolds compulsory), I went off in search of a new suit so as not to be the scruffy git tagging along with the Capgemini hierarchy this weekend. Steph had run me through a bit of the lingo that I might need help me achieve such a feat, and miraculously I pulled it off. I feel practically fluent now.
Next on the list was new tent and carry-mat which didn’t require quite the lingual feat I had performed at the tailors, although I did have to spend a while convincing the security guard at Decathlon that I hadn’t actually nicked anything, as I seemed to be setting off the alarms every time I tried to walk out!
A quick blast around Carrefour for some munchies and I realised I was left with a couple of hours daylight. Not wanting to waste them now they suddenly seem so precious, and knowing that the bloc would be in prime condition at this hour, I decided a quick trip to Isatis wouldn’t go amiss to have another short session on the Iceberg.
By 19:00 I was setting the mats out, and by 19:05 I was setting the camera out too, as on my first go I had made it straight through into the sit-start moves.
I could talk you through the other goes too, but I might as well let the video do the talking... check it out.



So, the three problems I have on my ‘last few days list’ have now incredibly become two, and I have yet another personal best to my name. It really shows what four weeks in the forest can do for your climbing – before I came out here my hardest tick to date was a 7a+ and my hardest tick in the forest (where it really counts), was 7a. In the space of four weeks i’ve bumped that first to 7a+, then 7b+ and now 7c (with a 7c+ in brackets, according to Bleau.info!).
I am aware however that the two big ones there are both on the same bloc, and I know that this problem is just perfectly tailored to my strengths. I am also aware that I seem to have missed the grade of 7b entirely. So my final two days here will be spent attempting to amend those stats, and with a bit of luck, my two remaining projects will be going down imminently. I’ll keep you posted.

On Friday morning after a late start, I met up with Nick and Deb at Bas Cuvier
While I proceeded to get a thorough spanking by everything that I pulled onto, Nick and Deb went over to Duroxmanie. Nick proceeded in spectacular style, to do all 3 variations (standing, direct and sit start) with Deb coming really close to linking the sit start too.
Of the problems that I was trying the first 'Picon-Bière' involved a really nice rock over move. Whilst I didn’t top it out, I’ll definitely be back to give this another go. I wasted a lot of skin on a couple of sloper problems, but for the sake of my skin I left them (unconquered) in the forest for another day ... the boars can have them.
Lance and Lou turned up, and while Lou set to work on ‘Fruits de la Passion’, Lance and I worked a really nice high-ball slab ‘Super Forge’ along with a chatty Scandinavian bloke. On his last full day in Font, Lance wasn’t messing about, so quickly and surely crimped his way to the top.
I had to leave to go and pick Steph up from the airport, which I managed slightly more successfully than last time, and also made it back to the gite in time for a couple of beers with Nick and Deb! We then headed to bed, in preparation for what was going to be a jam-packed weekend climbing with Steph.

We’d had some heavy rain overnight from the sounds of it so didn’t wake up too hopeful of finding dry rock, but surprisingly the patio was dry and the sun was shining.
Steph was eager to get back to Sa Pelle au Logis, and sure enough, after a few attempts to refresh her memory of the moves, she fired it off in style.



She had a quick look at the variant Variaspol but was eager to go and check out some new problems after her send.
I thought Steph might like one of the problems we’d done the other day at Apremont – Retablissement, so we moved on and sure enough within half-an hour she was topping it out (with the obligatory Font-style top-out!)



Next up I fancied another look at Onde de Choc. I was getting up to my highpoint with relative ease but didn’t get much further (some beta from Neil later on has given me hope so I’ll be back to this one too).
We then wandered back for a look at a problem Deb had recommended – 'Jérémiades assis' which, while looking really good, was pretty painful on the fingertips. After a few goes on this a short shower put paid to our efforts (and spared our fingers) so we decided to call it ‘beer o’clock’ and head on home.
In the meantime though we had received a text from Nick to say that, in typical last-day style Deb had nailed Magic Bus (Font 7b+) with hours to spare and that they were heading home well satisfied with a good haul from their trip out here. Props to Deb for getting this done and fighting through the pain barrier after the razor sharp undercut she was using had taken a chunk of flesh out of it the other day. Ouch!
So after saying farewell to Team Wolf, we came home, ate sausages, and Mr P got drunk and found himself a girlfriend (see his gallery).

Today, after eventually figuring out what the actual time was (disappointing to find we’d lost an hour overnight) we hiked back up to Rocher Fin as Steph was keen for another round on Memoire de Outre Tombe. It only took a couple of goes for her to realise that she can definitely do it, and a couple more before she was powering through the crux moves and into the last few moves. Unfortunately, despite coming agonisingly close to topping it out, the beans ran out and it’s going to have to wait a few more weeks. I’ve a feeling this one’ll go down pretty quick next time though.
Meanwhile, I had decided I should really have another look at the other variation on this bloc – ‘Chevalier Errant’ and after a little trial and error realised a sequence that I was sure would work. The moves out of the roof though, revolve around a finger trashing crimp, in stark contrast to the lovely slopers on Memoire, and I didn’t quite make the link before reaching my pain threshold.
So no more ticks for either of us today, but a really good session none the less.

I’m writing this now, having had a bit of a nightmare getting Steph to the airport in time. In fact, we weren’t on time, and if it wasn’t for the fact that her flight was delayed she would have missed it. Not sure how bothered either of us would’ve been about that though, to be honest!
So i’m sitting here now sharing a beer with Mr P as we plan our last few days in Bleau, before the next phase of adventures begins....

Pain, rain and round three on the Iceberg...

It had to happen at some point I guess... After two weeks of perfect weather and five consecutive climbing days sending some of my hardest problems to date, my biceps finally gave in and I lay awake on Monday night unable to sleep thanks to the constant dull aching sensation in both my elbows. With the weather due to turn sour on Wednesday the last thing I wanted to do was take a rest day while it was still dry, but it would’ve been foolish to ask any more of my body when it was crying out like this.
So on Tuesday I broke out the prescription drugs i’d been saving for such an occasion and left my boots behind as I went out on a little exploration and left the others to do the hard work.
I’d gone out early to show Nick and Deb ‘Magic Bus’ and ‘Strappal’ at Buthiers, then headed out to a small crag near 95.2 that i’d noticed in the 7+8’s guide called Chateauveau. There’s a small prow at the back of the hill called ‘EOS’ that looks good but it’s one of those problems where the line is unclear along with the correct starting holds to use, so i’m not sure i’ll be going back to try that one.
By then the others had moved on to Gorge aux Chats so I wandered over to see what they were up to. Lou was having another crack at Sa Pelle au Logis, so I showed her the starting sequence that i’d used the other day and after a few goes she’d cracked it but was too tired to piece together the finishing moves. Still, she was happy with the progress she made.
Nick had managed to send Magic Bus earlier on and was now wandering around aimlessly as Deb had a rest in the van ready for a session on Magic Bus. So I showed him an arête i’d been looking at the other day. Nick quickly got it sussed and whipped up it. It’s a good job I left my boots in the car as i’m sure I would’ve pulled on and tried to follow him up it despite the pain, had I had them with me.
Lance and Lou decided to call it a day, and I moved on to Buthiers with Nick and Deb to give Deb some moral support on Magic Bus. She came really close to it and made the crux moves look like a walk in the park, but due to her stature she has to do a particularly powerful throw for the final jug and just couldn’t latch it consistently

Wednesday came, and the pain in my elbows had started to subside, but I remained cautious and only gave myself a light session in the afternoon.
The rain had arrived as predicted, in the form of the occasional passing shower, but despite this when Team Wolf headed out to Drei Zennen they found the majority of it still climbable and had a pretty good day.
I’d gone for another recce around Dame Jouanne and Manoury, finding some good problems (eventually – the place is a maze of huge boulders on a steep hillside), but turned up at Drei Zennen just in time to see Deb crush ‘Diversion’ the problem she’d started the other day. Nick had done a couple of other problems earlier on and capped them off with a send of ‘la Fosse aux Oreilles’, another nice tick. I then joined them on ‘Torments d’Armour’, but while they both got it done I couldn’t quite get there.
I had a quick play on a sloper problem called ‘Nostalgie (assis)’ but didn’t quite top it out. I’ll be back for that one though. Likewise Nick was trying ‘Multipass’ but had to leave it for another day. I’m sure he’ll get there though.

Today I woke up feeling pretty good – no pain in the elbows, a decent amount of skin and surprisingly the patio was completely dry!
After a quick discussion about where to go we set off for Franchard Isatis.
First stop was at ‘Sur-Prises’ for Nick. After I tried unsuccessfully to remember the beta that Neil had been using the other day, the man himself turned up and sent Nick in the right direction. The pair of them gave it as good crack while I tried ‘la Vacherie’ round the corner but it wasn’t long until a passing shower put paid to our efforts and we decided to move on.
I took Nick and Deb over to the Iceberg which despite not being in perfect condition, was looking climbable. Deb had a good crack at it but decided it just didn’t fit her body shape that well and left us to it and while Nick and Lou worked the standing start I began looking at ‘Iceberg’.
The traverse along the rail isn’t at all tricky in its own right but it does take that little bit out of you by the time you move into the Iceberg raccourci problem. I was getting through it and into the first couple of moves of the sit start i’d done the other day, but the sloper that’s used to move out from under the roof was feeling pretty slimy compared to when I did it other day and just didn’t have the beans to pull through. I’m quite capable of getting this done i’m sure, I just need to get the moves wired and find it in good condition when i’m feeling fresh.
After a few goes Nick got the standing start done but couldn’t quite link the sitter, so we packed up and while Lance and Lou headed over to Haute-Plaines, we went back to Buthiers for Deb to try and finish Magic Bus and for me to try out their new beta.
Unfortuantely the beta didn’t work for me, and Deb didn’t manage to latch the final move, but she’s got it wired now and despite the nasty rip in her finger i’m sure she’ll get it done before she leaves.
I had a quick play on Strappal which feels very fingery, but might just be possible with a bit of beta. It'll take some work though for sure.

Deb working Magic Bus -



The weather's still looking a bit iffy for the next few days, but as we've come to realise there's still plenty of climbable rock about providing it's not pelting it down, so there's sure to be more to come before Team Wolf leave on Saturday.
And what's more, Steph just couldn't resist the urge after her last visit and will be heading out again tomorrow evening.

Nick and Deb arrived early on Sunday morning. They’d done the long drive overnight but still, after a quick power nap in the van they were psyched to get out and get crushing.
We headed up to Apremont to meet Lance and Lou, who are also out for the week and had arrived the previous evening.
I’d been eyeing up ‘Retablissement’ a few days earlier as it looked right up my street – good holds up to a rock-over move to a small rail and a slopey top-out.
I got up it pretty quickly, but made a right meal of the top out. Luckily when I repeated it for the camera I managed it with a bit more grace!
Nick, Deb and Lance made quick work of it too and Lou put in a good effort but couldn’t quite reach the rail, so we moved on.
After stopping at a problem Lance and Lou had been working before we arrived, ‘La Lune’ which Nick and Lance despatched quite quickly (a long move put the rest of us off, so we left that one to the lanky lads), we hunted down ‘Onde de Choc’, another problem I had spotted on my recce the other day. I turned out to be just as good a problem as it looked. We spent a while working out the crux sequence and pretty soon Nick fired it off in style. I was making pretty good progress but was tiring quickly and was wary of my thin skin, so after coming close to sticking the crux move I decided to return another day, when my skin was better and I was feeling fresher. I’m hopeful that I can get this done while i’m out here though, it’s certainly be a nice one to get ticked.

A change of scenery was called for, and Drei Zennen was the next port of call. It’s another crag i’ve wandered round in the wet, but never climbed at, and I remembered there being some good steep problems with decent holds, which we quickly found and set to work on.
I spent a while working a savage, pocketed overhang with Nick and Deb – ‘Diversion’
Nick got it done after a bit of (hard) work and Deb came really close – i’m sure she’ll be back at some point to polish it off.
I, on the other hand wasn’t enjoying greasing off the slightly damp feeling pockets and quickly threw in the towel. I wandered off and found a nice little wall climbed on small slopey crimps, but didn’t quite mange to top it out.
All feeling pretty tired by now, we surrendered to the need for food, beer and sleep and after arranging to meet up with Lance and Lou again in the morning we headed back to the gite.

On Monday morning, feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep we set off to Mont Pivot. This is a small area on a hilltop near Rocher Sabots, with one bloc in particular providing a couple of highly rated routes. We only really tried the left-hand line – ‘Belle Gueule’ which climbed on small one and two finger pockets, and after I demonstrated that yes, unfortunately, the way forward was dependent on a long move move off a mono (which I hasten to add I didn’t fancy doing), Nick and Lance got it done with Deb following up on a different sequence of even worse looking holds, to get round the long final move. Lou gave it a good go and was making it up to the mono but decided to leave it to the others, who had turned their attention to the sit-start. Again, Debbie was forced to use the poorer holds but this didn’t stop her getting it sent, along with Nick and Lance, (Lance for his first Font 7b tick – good stuff!)
By now I’d been on a wander again to check out the problems at Rocher Oiseaux across the path, a few of which looked pretty good, so we moved on to give ‘em a crack.
First up was ‘Action Directe (assis)’, and after Lance and I had worked out a rough sequence, Nick proceeded to flash it and Deb made quick work of it too. After fiddling around with his sequence a bit (for once it wasn’t helping to be tall) Lance sussed and sent it, and once i’d broken through the Font-elbow pain barrier I finally grunted my way up it. We looked around at some of the other problems, but none really grabbed us, so with a couple of hours daylight left we went for a quick session at Rocher Sabots.
Debbie and Lou wanted a look at the two different variants on ‘le Jeu du toit’ and after watching for a minute I decided to have a crack at the left-hand one. It took a few goes to get the final tenuous rock-over sussed out, but once I was sure I could do it, I sat down at the start and fired it off.
While Deb continued to work the other variant, I went for a play on ‘L’Oblique’ with Lance and Lou. The final move is a big throw out to the sloping arête and although I was getting my tips just over it, I couldn’t quite get enough on to stick it.
Beaten by the fading light we were forced to call it a day.
Here’s a few clips of what we’ve been up to so far...



Needless to say, it’s been great to have some friends over here to session the boulders with. And equally great to see them make such a strong start to their trip. Also, despite the thin skin and an aching bicep, i’m feeling stronger than ever at the moment and with the renewed psyche that comes with having a few friends around brings, i’m sure there’s more to come.
Unfortunately though, after nearly two weeks with barely a cloud in the sky, i’m currently sitting in the gite listening to the sound of rain pattering on the windows. Fingers crossed it’s not here to stay, but i’ve got a few wet-weather possibilities saved up to try so we’ll be climbing something regardless of the weather.

Iceberg raccourci (assis)

I took another rest day yesterday... sort of.
I lounged around reading Jerry Moffatt’s ‘Revelations’, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Iceberg raccourci - how quickly i’d done it, how much it suited me and how do-able the moves on the sitter had felt. So, by early evening I was heading back out to Isatis.
When I got up to Iceberg there was a Japanese lad trying the stand and after giving him a few pointers he whipped up it and joined me working the sit start.
We quickly got the hang of the starting moves and were both powering through into the stand, but just couldn’t get the heel to stick for the final move.
A few Canadian chaps came by – real nice guys – joined the siege and we ended up having a really good session. But, despite repeating the standing start a couple of times just to confirm I could still do it, I couldn’t link it all together. We were all in agreement that it was a cool problem though and that we’d be back to get it done another day.

Today I was in two minds about what to do. My skin was begging for a rest day and I couldn’t decide whether to risk another session at Isatis. I’ve come to learn the danger of ‘redpoint fever’ when a problem feels so close you keep going back session after session, getting nowhere in your eagerness to get it finished and by the time you actually send it it’s become quite stale. So part of me thought I should go and do something else.
Of course, despite knowing all this, the lure of my fattest tick to date won over, against my better judgement and I found myself beneath the Iceberg once more.
I warmed up by almost doing it first go. The heel came off at the last move again. Second go I didn’t even make it that far, so I sat down for a bit then spent a few minutes brushing it down setting up the camera. I squeaked my boots, chalked up and set off again. I felt strong through the starting moves, reached up into the slopers, stuck the heel on and started slapping upwards. I was convinced my heel was coming off and as I pulled up to see the final hold within grasp, instead up popping for it or pulling up that little bit more, I just reached out and latched it gently. A bit of a foot shuffle and I was there, standing on top of my hardest problem to date – check it out...



I honestly didn’t know what to do after that.
I could’ve had a look at some of the problems i’d found the other day. Or I could’ve had a look at the low left-hand start that traverses into Iceberg raccourci. But Nick and Deb arrive tomorrow and i’d like to get a full day in climbing with them, which right now means growing some skin as i’m desperately thin at the moment.
I might go back for the full ‘Iceberg’ tick, but if I do it’ll purely be grade chasing, as the moves are easy and don’t really add any quality to the problem, they just take that little bit out of you before the crux. Still, if I happen to be back there in the next few weeks i’ll probably give it a go.
For now the beer is tasting sweet, there’s steak for dinner and a pretty long list of problems to try at Apremont tomorrow with Nick and Deb, so i’m looking forward to that.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, Mr P is fine. He’s been staying indoors out of the heat the last few days, trying to avoid becoming a Mr ‘baked’ Potato. It’s due to cool down a bit from tomorrow though, so i’m sure he’ll be out and about soon!

Tip of the iceberg...

I was feeling pretty trashed still when I woke up yesterday, but it wasn’t until I picked up my morning brew that I realised I wouldn’t be doing any climbing that day. I’d left a lot of skin up on Salathe and it was another roasting hot day, so I decided not to waste any more.
I took a stroll round Apremont in the evening though and checked out a few problems that I’ll be going back for another day.

This morning, I headed out with Neil again, this time to Franchard Isatis. It’s another area I don’t really know too well so it was good to have Neil with me to show me a few of the classics.
We warmed up on a bit of the red circuit and then while Neil began working on ‘Sur-Prises’, I was trying the wall just round to the left – ‘Rognures d’Ongles’. I didn’t get too far as the starting crimp for the right hand was a fingertip crusher and to get established you just had to take the pain and pull through on it. It didn’t take too many goes for me to decide it just wasn’t worth the agony, so I packed it in and, as Neil wasn’t managing to latch the last hold on Sur-Prises we moved on for a look at ‘l’Angle Ben’s’.
It’s a striking, square-cut arête; Very balancy and on some really poor footholds. Again, I didn’t make too much progress, but after a few goes Neil somehow managed to get his feet to stick to the blank slab on the right and topped it out.
After giving me a few pointers for ‘el Poussah’ Neil had to leave me to it and go and do the school run. I had a quick play on another wall first – again no success – and wandered round for a look at el Poussah. It looks a good problem, but there was quite a crowd already working it, which never helps on a sloper problem, when you want to keep the holds as cool and grippy as possible, so I went off to look around the rest of Isatis.
I found a cool little problem called ‘Tequila sunrise’ which went down in a couple of goes and it was nice to top something out.
I carried on the search for new projects and as I did I came across ‘Iceberg raccourci’. It’s an undercut wall that’s climbed on small but positive slopers, the kind you can really pull down on, while rocking over your right foot. By now it was cooling down and with a breeze blowing and in the shade of the trees, the small slopey holds were feeling in prime condition. Every time I pulled on I was making a little more progress, which is a really good feeling, and it was only around made fifth attempt that I found myself topping it out fairly easily.



There are a couple of other variants to the problem – a sit-start, and one that traverses along a low rail into the sitter. The moves on both feel well within reach, so watch this space – this might just be the tip of the iceberg!

I packed up as the light started to fade and had a quick recce around the other problems at the far end of Isatis.
As I was walking out, down the ‘Route de Gorges de Franchard’ I heard a rumbling to my left and suddenly a huge dark beast thundered across the path not ten yards in front of me, quickly followed by two slightly smaller shapes. Boar.
No time for photos i’m afraid, they’re pretty damn quick. But with my first confirmed sighting of the trip, and another excellent problem crushed, I walked out a happy man.

Another good day...

I’d bumped into Neil last night on my way down to post the last blog and after giving me a bit of beta on Serenite (take some spotters and a bit of commitment), he offered to show me round Les Beorlots today. I’d been up to take a look at Katioushka a week or so back, but hadn’t fancied hiking another 2km to go and find the main area, so I jumped at the chance to grab some local knowledge, particularly as he mentioned a secret parking spot that cuts the walk-in down to about 500 yards!
So, this morning I dragged myself up fairly early and after a bit of trouble keeping up with Neil round the country roads we were walking in ready to crush.
The area has only been opened up fairly recently and is still being developed. There are quite a few problems that have been done since the latest 7+8’s guide came out and in fact there was a new dyno that Kevin Lopata had added just yesterday, which explained Neil’s eagerness to come here – he’s a big fan of dyno problems.
We warmed up a bit on a problem called ‘Don’t take the Bonsai’ (unfortunately somebody has, as Neil pointed out that the miniature tree that was perched on top had disappeared), and I nearly did it second go, but couldn’t quite drag myself over the top.
We then started to look at ‘Mickey Mousse’. I’d checked out some video footage last night for beta, but it’s hard to remember such things until you’re actually familiar with the piece of rock. Having looked back now there’s a couple of things that perhaps would’ve helped, but to be honest it was right in the midday sun which wasn’t helping matters, so we’ll have to return when it’s a bit cooler for another crack. It’s a really good looking problem though, worth going back for.
After a non-starter on a slopey arête problem round to the right, I decided I had to finish off Don’t take the Bonsai and after a couple of goes flailed my way up and over the top, leaving the pair of us in stitches.
The dyno that Kevin had done yesterday looked rank, even to Neil, so we moved on to another cluster of boulders, and a problem called ‘Salathe’. The line laybacks up a big crack, with your feet pasted on smears, a bit of tricky footwork and some body-tension to stop the barn-door and latch the good hold on top, as Neil demonstrated. I was getting close, but was losing a fair bit of skin every time i peeled off, so I decided to leave it for another day before I went through my tips.
Neil had his eye on a problem round the corner called ‘Mort Sur’ which he nearly flashed. He got it second go, and then repeated it for the camera in good style. I had a quick go, but couldn’t reach the good finishing holds with my heel still locked in under the roof, as Neil had done, and decided it wasn’t for me.
There was some rustling in the bushes nearby, and Neil quickly grabbed his camera, as he’s still trying to get a boar sighting on film. But whatever it was must have heard us and disappeared sharpish, as nothing appeared. So we moved on again, looking over our shoulders as we went.

‘74% Cacao’ is one of the problems that has made it into the guidebook. It’s a roofy problem on some big slopers and undercuts that uses a knee-bar and a slightly scary heel-toe to top out.
Neil ran me through moves including a choice of two knee-bars, one for the shorties and one for the lanks, and I pulled on from the start. I surprised myself by getting right through to the knee-bar move (I think I took the shorties option), first go and thought for a second that I might flash it. But I screwed up the heel toe and bailed off. After a couple more unsuccessful attempts I was slapping at the top holds and Neil was pointing out the foot placement I needed to get over. He’d warned me not to screw up the top-out earlier, but the finishing hold looked like a jug from below. It wasn’t quite as good as i’d thought though and it was a desperate struggle to eventually haul myself over. Another ungraceful top-out, but a top-out all the same!

With energy, skin and time running out, as Neil had to head off to pick up the little man from school, we went to look at one last boulder.
As Neil was talking me through the moves though, he noticed that the huge jug that you (used to) use to pull round the lip of the roof, was lying unattached on the floor.
There’s still a pretty decent jug left further back, but it might make it a little harder to pull through. Either way, after a couple of attempts I was feeling totally trashed and decided to call it a day.
So as Neil headed off to pick up his son, I headed back to the gite to kick back on the patio with a beer and some serious grit-rash. Another good day.

On Sunday morning we awoke to clear blue skies and aching muscles and after a quick breakfast we packed up and headed out.
Steph was eager to go back to Sa Pelle au Logis and get it ticked, but after working so hard on Saturday she just wasn’t feeling fresh enough. It’s going to have to wait for a few weeks i’m afraid.
So, we drove round to a packed Cuvier, and headed off to Duroxmanie, which thankfully was in the shade, as it was getting pretty warm. I wasn’t expecting to get too far on my first go, as despite knowing the moves they still feel hard and fingery to me. But suddenly I was back at the top and knowing that Steph was right behind me just reached up high and fairly casually latched the ‘brained’ sloper to top it out. Not bad considering it was the first bit of rock i’d touched so far that day!
I had another look at the direct start, which for some reason felt savagely hard compared to the other day. Still, I was more than happy with the weekends tally, so perhaps i’ll go back to it another time.
We wandered up to Rempart for a spot of lunch, and to show Steph Noir Desir. It’s a problem that gets all the sun going though and the crux sloper was feeling way too greasy for it to be worthwhile trying, so we decided to find something else to play on.
Steph had been working on ‘Beatle juice’ a problem at Franchard Cusiniere, last year, so we headed off for another look.
She’s definitely looking stronger on it now, and what was previously looking slightly out of reach for her, is now looking a lot more achievable. It might take a couple of trips to get it all linked up, but it’s another one i’m sure she can do. Her training is paying off for sure.
All too quickly though, our weekend together drew to a close and we had to head back to the airport for Steph to catch her flight home. I drove back to Maisonbleau, feeling slightly subdued and thoroughly shattered after what has been a brilliant weekend. So thanks again Steph, and keep up the training – you’re looking strong!

This morning I took a well deserved lie in and then spent some time doing some household chores. It was another hot one today, so after lounging around in the heat of the afternoon, I headed out with a few hours of daylight remaining, to go and check out a new area. The hunt for new projects continues!
Coquibus Rumont is an a small area only recently developed. There’s a couple of problems mentioned in the 7+8’s guide that take a line up the left side of a big prow, that I was keen to check out, and I wasn’t to be disappointed. ‘Serenite’ is the name of the problem. It’s quite cruxy, with the moves past a small crimp providing most of the difficulty, but it’s a really cool line. There’s a hard problem round the other side called ‘Conviction’ (which I think Tim might like to take a look at in April if he gets the chance), and wandering round to look at this I suddenly recognised the piece of rock I was standing under, and that all these problems are dwarfed by. It was ‘The Island’ - Dave Graham’s Font 8C test-piece. I can confirm that there are starting holds, and finishing holds, but there’s a whole lot of blank looking, upside-down, compression moves to be done between the two. It was chalked up too, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Tyler’s been working this recently. Maybe we’ll find out soon, as he’s certainly in-form at the moment, and he’s only here for another couple of weeks.
Anyway, after a quick play on Serenite, a gawp at The Island, and watching a stunning sunset from the hilltop, i’m back at the gite, beer in hand, looking forward to another great day in the forest.

Three in a day!

After picking up some supplies yesterday morning, I jumped in the car and headed off to meet Steph at the airport. Her flight had been delayed a bit, which gave me just enough time to make it round the Boulevard Peripherique and up to Charles de Gaulle after missing the right turn off.
I’ve been to some of Europe’s major airports before, but my god, CDG is a city in its own right! Maybe I should’ve checked which terminal she was flying into, coz the place is MASSIVE. After a few rushed texts and phone calls, I finally found her (at the departures drop-off point), and we headed back in time for a quick session at Gorge au Chat, as Steph wanted to hit rock asap and check out the beta on Sa Pelle au Logis.
Fair’s fair, so after I showed her how to get out of the cave, she pointed out a much easier and less powerful way to do the last move, and by the time dark set in we were both pretty psyched to go back in the morning and get it ‘done’.
After a steak dinner, a few beers, and a one armer demo from Mr P, (see the gallery), we hit the sack with an early start in mind – eek!

Given that Steph’s a fan of the ‘Dave Birkett warm-up’ we were straight back to Gorge au Chat and after some fine-tuning, into redpoint mode. Steph’s first go saw her agonisingly close to topping it out, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be today. She’s got it wired though, and it’s purely a matter of time before she sends it now.
After a few false starts myself, I surprised myself by getting to the finishing holds without once feeling fully in control. ‘Tis just the way it seems – sends either feel like a walk in the park, or desperate all the way... and this one was definitely one of the latter! I topped it out though and was well chuffed with my second proper tick of the trip so far. Amazing what a difference it makes having someone to work a problem with.




I’d noticed on Bleau.info the other day that there’s another problem on this block, where you traverse in from the right and take the same finish as Sa Pelle au Logis, ‘Variaspal’. So, after a spending a while figuring the start out, I followed up with the second tick of the day. Awesome!

We were both feeling a bit bushed by now, so we decided to take a stroll up to Rocher Fin, for Steph to have a crack at Memoire d’Outre Tombe, and for me to have another go at the problem opposite – ‘le Nain Vert Sait’.
Steph did really well on Memoire... a problem that felt a little out of reach for her last year, finding that little extra stretch, and getting all the other moves sussed too.



She’ll be back to get this one linked in April for sure (she sends her apologies BTW for sporting the climbing boots and socks look! It's an ankle –scraper, so kinda necessary. Function over fashion, for reeal ayyight).
Mr P had a real good crack too, but he nearly had his chips as he attempted the slopey top out!
After a halting start on le Nain Vert Sait, finding it impossible to get off the ground on the problem that had felt so do-able the other day, I suddenly cracked it, and found myself desperately slapping at the finishing holds and topping it out with all the style of a beached whale. Still, a tick is a tick is a tick. And today i’ve managed to bag myself three Font 7a’s! My most successful day’s climbing ever I reckon, and it’s really cool that I got to share it with Steph, i’m not sure any of ‘em would’ve gone down without her constant encouragement.

I’ve only got her for one more day unfortunately, but we’ll be making the most of it again for sure, and I reckon i’ll be taking a well earned rest day come Monday!

Two whole days climbing and i’m absolutely shattered!

Wednesday arrived along with the predicted good weather. Clear blue skies, warm sun on my back and plenty of freshly grown skin to dispose of.
I packed up and we headed off to Rocher Guichot to warm up, since it’s right by the car park in Vaudoue – about a 30 second walk in. We pottered round some of the red circuit between drinking tea and napping in the sun. It was too hot to try anything hard really, so we were just killing time until the sun started to drop and the cooler evening temps kicked in, at which point we headed over to Cuvier Rempart.
The plan was to quickly despatch 'Duroxmanie' before heading over for another session on Noir Desir, but it didn’t quite go down like that. I made a couple of changes to the sequence i’d been using in November, but it still wasn’t easy going. It’s quite powerful and fingery climbing with a bit fat sloper to top out on. I’d fallen pretty hard from this a couple of times in the autumn, and although it’s not really highball, if you don’t get over the top of the sloper you’re coming off backwards, which is what happened again this time. Not to be deterred, initially, I kept at it and was getting up to the last move regularly, but just couldn’t make myself slap for the top again, and I didn’t really have enough left in the tank to just overpower it. Another one to go back to. It should go down next time though. On the upside, I tried the moves on the direct start, which didn’t seem too much of a problem, so hopefully when I get the last move sorted there’s two ticks to be had!
We moved on to Noir Desir, armed with an extra pad this time, although to really give it your all I think a spotter will be needed. I sussed out the next move on the left-hand variant, so there’s just one more move to get sorted and it’ll be time to start trying to link it. I reckon it’ll be the crux move though, so don’t hold your breath.
Like I said before Rempart is a beautiful spot, and it felt great spending the evening trying this brilliant problem whilst watching the sun go down. Happy days.



This morning brought cloud but it was still dry so, feeling pretty trashed from yesterday I dragged myself up to Gorge aux Chats. I stretched out a bit and went to work on 'Sa Pelle au Logis', which i’ve never really tried before, but for a brief look last year sometime. At the time I couldn’t figure out how to get out of the cave, but i’ve got it all sussed now, just need to link it.
I wandered round for a crack at 'Rubis sur l’Ongle', which I felt like i’d made surprising progress on back in November, and I was pleased to find myself back at my high point on my second attempt today. Unfortunately the crux hadn’t got much easier, but I did feel a lot stronger on it than before and almost latched the next hold a couple of times. I seemed to be going up a lot more square-on than before, and was using my toe to pull in to the rock rather than just rocking over on it. Still some way to go on this though.

I seem to be using the word ‘progress’ annoyingly often on this blog. I feel like I should be using the word ‘done’ a lot more. I guess it’s just because everything i’ve been trying has been hard, if not slightly beyond me. Maybe i’m grade chasing a bit, but mostly the problems i’m working are ones that i’ve chosen due to their quality too. I don’t really know, but i’m having fun trying them, and that’s the main thing really. Hopefully it will all come together over the next few weeks and i’ll move into ‘crush’ mode. Hopefully.
Anyway, just looking forward to tomorrow now, as Steph’s over for the weekend – Whoop! Whoop! – a friend at last! Can’t wait!
And if the weather holds out for a few more days we might even get something ‘done’!

Rain, rain, rain....

The showers that arrived on Saturday stayed with us into Sunday, but given the need for another rest day I wasn’t too bothered. There’s nothing worse than having to give up a fair-weather day due the exertions of the day before. So I just sat around the gite trying to grow some more skin.
Monday seemed to have brought some brighter weather... until the moment I stepped out of the car at Dame Jouanne. I’d walked down to Buthiers from Maisonbleau on Sunday evening to have a look about and found ‘Magic Bus’ a low roof problem that appeared to be sheltered from the rain for all but the finishing jug, and thought i’d keep it in mind as a wet-weather problem. So I turned around and drove back to Buthiers from Dame Jouanne, and managed to warm up on a couple of damp, but easy enough problems, before heading over to Magic Bus. It’s a very cruxy problem, starting on huge undercuts and finishing on big flattys and jugs, just one hard move to get between the two. I just couldn’t seem to figure it out though, so after a couple of hours with little progress being made, and with regular hail-showers between short sunny spells I sacked it off.
This morning I didn’t even bother getting up until midday as the sound of rain drumming on the windows all night had crushed any ideas of getting out today. Chatting to Neil I picked up a bit of beta on Magic Bus – a thumb-catch coupled with a drop knee may help with the next attempt, but I don’t think i’ll be rushing back to try it until the next rainy day. He also seemed to think that things’ll be brightening up again from tomorrow, so i’m keeping my fingers crossed on that front, and hopefully i’ll have some climbing to blog about tomorrow.

Headed out to Franchard Haute Plaines to the 'Surplomb de la Coquille' boulder yesterday, with the intention of trying the right-hand sit start I came close to last autumn. I started by trying to repeat the standing start but quickly realised i’d worked a lot harder the previous day at Rocher Fin than i’d thought, and the familiar burning sensation flooded my biceps. I had a quick try of the assis moves, but just couldn’t stick the first move. It’s a pretty low percentage move for me – either a long span (which I don’t have) or a powerful deadpoint to a poor crimp. The moves from here into the stand are pretty straightforward, but without the first crux move, or the redpoint crux – the final dynamic rockover, I was going nowhere fast. So after a couple of hours I decided to pack it in and write the day off as a rest day.
On the plus side, I stopped off on the way back for another try at finding Les Nobrilistes, successfully this time! It’s a great looking boulder, standing on its own deep in the woods, but was too damp still to bother trying. I’ll be sure to go back to it later in the trip though.

Having polished off the first book of the trip - Slumdog Millionaire (a bit ‘meh’ if you ask me), along with 5 episodes of Prison Break, I was feeling pretty refreshed this morning, and felt like I needed to check out some new problems.
First on the list was ‘Double/Triple axel’ at Rocher Cassepot du Grises. Having seen Neil do this in his October dose, I was disappointed to find that pulling on was going to be a whole lot harder for me. My negative ape index certainly wasn’t helping here. It seemed I had to start a lot lower to work my way up to the decent holds, and even then I was at full stretch. So after some small progress I decided to quit while I still felt strong and move on to the next problem on the list – ‘Noir Desir’.

Well, what can I say - this problem is AWESOME! It feels like everything I’ve been training for these last few months. Powerful, technical, balancey, beautiful rock, and in a beautiful setting. It’s simply amazing.
There are two variations - the direct and the slightly easier left-hand. They share the same powerful undercut start, into some perfectly sculpted slopey scoops, and although they head in different directions the following moves are fairly similar, the left-hand version being the ideal preparation for the direct.
Again, I made good progress, figuring the start out quickly and feeling strong on the next moves too. But with the landing strewn with small boulders, having no idea which way I was going to come off if I went for it, I decided to return with another pad next time.
I can’t describe how psyched I am to do these problems. And from my experience that’s half the way to doing a problem - having the motivation.
Anyway i’ll stop ranting about it now, but Nick - I seem to remember this being on your tick list in November, and if it wasn’t it should be. I hope you’re ready for a few sessions on it when you come over!

So, happy with the day so far, despite not topping anything out again, I stopped at Carrefour to stock up on breakfast and have a quick coffee.
There’d been a quick shower while I was inside, but since the next problem on the list was in an area i’ve not been to before, I carried on anyway just for a look around.
The problem in question is a prow called ‘Katioushka’ at Les Beorlots. It took a bit of finding, as the boulder is out on its own, and the tree to which the all-important ‘Route de Collet’ sign was attached has fallen over and wasn’t immediately obvious.
Still, I got there eventually, and as expected the rock was absolutely soaking. No chance of even pulling on to try a few moves, but it looks like it’ll climb really nicely, so i’ll definitely be back.

All in all, it’s been a pretty typical trip so far. Some good days, some, well, less good days. Some sun, some rain, some cloud. Lots of getting shut down, a fair bit of progress and a little success. Sore skin and aching muscles. And of course lots of beer - and tonight - the mother of all chilli!

Memoire d'Outre Tombe

One of the good things about being out here for so long is that the need to climb every minute of every day, whatever the conditions isn’t quite so overpowering. There hadn’t been any more rain overnight by the look of it, but the fields behind Maisonbleau were covered in frost and fog.
Normally I’d have been out like a shot flailing around on semi-dry rock, but today I could wait until things had dried out a little before heading out. So, I pottered round the gite all morning waiting for it to clear and praying that it didn’t start raining again.

Knowing that Rocher Fin is quite a quick drying crag, up on a hill; And knowing how close i’d come to doing Memoire d’Outre Tombe the other day, I decided to head back, while the beta was still fresh in my mind.

I got up there about 15:00, and feeling refreshed from the rest day yesterday, I just warmed up by doing the top-out from the lip of the roof – easy. I did it again, starting from the crux moves and topped out once more, then set up the camera, having remembered to put a memory card in it today, and shuffled to the back of the cave to try it from the start. A little foot slip quickly corrected, and I was topping out the first of the problems on my tick list, and also my first of the grade in the forest – sweet!



I had a quick play on the right-hand variant, which tops out with a powerful throw and a razor-sharp crimp, so after a few goes I sacked it off and started to play on the problem just opposite – a nice wall on slopey pinches. I made pretty good progress on it and thought it might go down in one session, but after setting up the camera again I bailed from the top in spectacular style, and then split a tip on my next attempt, so decided to call it a day – another one to come back for.
So i’m now sat in the gite, supping a nice cold victory beer, very happy to have got my first decent tick of the trip. Hopefully i’ll keep ‘em coming!

Also a quick thankyou to my buddy Mr P. who’s been egging me on all week. Admittedly his spotting skills ain’t up to much, but he’s good to have around!

Two out of three

Woke up to a perfect day on Monday – cloudy skies, which gradually cleared as I headed out to the boulders of Rocher Fin, and by the time we got there it was warm, dry, and completely deserted.
I started off by wobbling my way up a couple of easy problems on a huge square cut boulder – Le Cube.



A couple more problems on the red circuit, and then I headed over to a roof problem i’ve tried briefly before – ‘Memoire d’Outre Tombe’. It’s always been sopping wet when i’ve come here before, so i’d worked the moves, but never given it a proper go.
I worked through the moves again, and after a while found myself powering through the crux moves every go, but just running short of beans to get through the final slopey top out.
I’ve got it wired now though, so I think next time I go out there it should go down, fingers crossed.

Yesterday, in an effort to mix things up a bit and not beast myself too bad in the first few days, I decided to do some slab work at Rocher aux Sabots. I did the usual few blue problems to warm up, and then pulled on to ‘A l’impossible’, which felt hard, but – after some tips from a friendly Bleausard - definitely not impossible. The sharpness of the crimps meant I had to back off before going through my tips, so after a quick play on Jet Set, and L’Oblique (too sketchy to try properly having only brought one pad out, but it definitely felt easier than last time I tried it) I called it a day.

This morning, I woke up to the familiar sound of rain pattering against the window. I’m trying to take this as a blessing in disguise, as I know i’m going to be rubbish at forcing myself to take rest days when the weather’s good but i’m still aching. And two good climbing days out of my first three days here is pretty good going really!

So, i’m going to take Mr P. for his first visit to Carrefour and Decathlon this afternoon, and the obligatory cafe au lait at the usual place. Hopefully things will dry out for tomorrow and I can actually get something sent... hopefully!

And... we're off!

After months of anticipation, Mr P. and I have packed in our jobs, packed up our things and after one last quick session on the grit, said our goodbyes and set off on part one of what is set to be one hell of an adventure.
A late night drive down to Dover, quick beer and a nap on the ferry and a foggy drive through northern France saw us rock up at Maisonbleau Sunday morning.... and ready for bed!



But, with not a single drop of moisture falling from the sky(!), there was only time for a quick power nap before heading off to one of the local crags - Boissy-aux-Cailles - to hunt down a quality little slab named Les Nombrilistes (recently featured on the excellent Unclesomebody.com production 'L'Etranger' - check it out if you’re in need of Font-flavoured SYKE).
‘Course, you're never long in Font without some sort of reminder of just how fickle the forest can be sometimes, and after two hours of traipsing round trails, apparently trodden only (disturbingly recently from the looks of it) by wild boar, we decided to admit defeat before the dark crept in, and head back to the gite to get some beta for the walk in next time.
Apparently we were practically stood on top of it without realising it - but at least we’ll get there next time, and I still have skin for my first proper day after resting up tonight - bonus!
Not sure where we'll be off to tomorrow. I'm going to try and approach this trip with as little planning and expectation as possible. We’ll go where the weather dictates and climb what the body and the skin allows.
I've come here with a huge list of problems to try, either recommended by friends, or scouted out on Bleau.info whilst waiting for my impending redundancy, and most of them are at the upper end of the achievability scale. But it's just a list of possibilities.
At the end of the day i’m just here to relax and enjoy the forest. But hopefully the months of winter training will pay off and there'll be the odd pleasant surprise along the way. We'll have to wait and see.