Back in Averstal

After a full year of absence, Averstal restarted to arouse my curiosity and I decided to come back two days in October, to climb among trees, moss, berries and mushroom.

During this summer I sadly heard from climbers about few issues that hit Magic wood: too many people under the boulders, chaotic climbing moments, a crowed campsite, but especially trash and paper scattered in a such great forest that covers this thin Valley. For those kind of troubles, I avoided to go there in the hot months. First of all, I usually don't like to climb with a lot of people around, since this fact could ruins a bit the nice link between nature and I; Besides this, I wouldn't have liked to see the big trash impact and to climb with warm conditions. So, Giulia and I decided to go up just at the beginning of October and when we got there everything was different. In the campsite were present just four of five tents and the parking was almost empty; the air was cool and it looked like to be back few years ago, when the place were not so frequented. Also the forest was quite clean, not so much plastic or paper on the ground and it had a better looking than what I expected.

After few steps in this "soft" wood, my motivation started to be higher and I felt syked to be in this kind of fable contest, with green and brown spot in contrast of granite grey boulders. My goal for this fast stay, were to try a bunch of lines like "Sofa Surfer", "Pura vida", "Muttertag" and "Believe in two". The path and the roots were wet and we immediately understood that many lines couldn't have been dry. My forecast became real after the short way to reach the first problems, but I could get warm in "traversatta", a long traverse that I am always glad to climb. It has good rock, good moves and it has some unique features I like, for example the big moss carpet which drops from the top that makes this place an awesome forest where to climb. I like this boulder to approach my day in this spot, beyond the positive fact that it remembers me the first line climbed in Magic wood five years ago. After that, we moved towards "pura vida" 8A+/B, which was surprisingly dry and I was motivated to grab its nice solid crimps. During the last years I had big fights with this line; I had hard times at the end of the sequences, where I wasn't able to stay hung to the really tiny hole to take the last crimp for top it out. This year was different, at least for that move. I quickly did this sequence which made me crazy in the previous seasons and I started to work it out from the bottom.

Pura vida 8A+/B, Magic Wood. Photo Stefan Kurzi

Traversatta 7A+, Magic wood. Photo Stefan Kurzi

Probably the improvement is due to the dry conditions in this angle of the forest, and for sure to have got a bit more flexibility in my hip during the last year. This time, The good heel hook allowed me to stay lower with my ass and to stay hung  in a better way than the position I felt years ago. Moreover, the finger strength I trained, helped me to grab smaller hold, even though the small crimps or the tiny finger pockets are still in my weak points. Back to the previous subject, after some attempts I did this beautiful lines despite the ridiculous effort before the mantle. In fact, at the end, I took the risk to fail it again since I didn't remember the correct jugs like a real stupid.

In the afternoon another personal enemy was ticked off. It deals of "Sofa surfer" 8A. For sure It is not the best looking line, considering the fact it doesn't top out and some of its hold are sharp. Finally I found an optimal sequence for me and after few minutes I linked all its moves together.

The other climbing moments regards some work sessions in two worthy lines. The first is called "Muttertag", an explosive single move with awesome holds; while, the second problems, is the right line to Steppenwolf, put up by Chris Webb and named "believe in two". I tried once this boulder and I loved it so much. Nice scenery around, big tress, wild woods, good rock and cool holds. Every time I was under this wall my feeling was perfect and trying this line is always a pleasure for me. I was able to do every move, except the exit because it was wet and it looked really hard for my clumsiness in that kind of moves. The beta that I figured out includes really nice and funny acts, with crossing and big spans on slopy edges. Describing them would make the text really long, but one day in the future would be nice to send a cool line like this and share few photos of the moves it can offer.

After this year of absence and no consideration for this place, my motivation became higher and I would like to come back. Climbing in a forest like Magic wood is always great and I didn't remember the rock as good as it is. Unfortunately, I don't count to go back this fall since the snow seems to be close, but I hope to be there in the fresh spring after the ice dissolution.

My next plans are to go to Macedonia, in the area of Prilpep, together with my brother. We are syked and we don't know what it could be there. We just took inspiration by few photos of the place, that present it like a desert grassland covered by aggressive granite boulders. We are curios and motivated to see this scenery and also to try to brush new stuff and searching for new problems. It is the first time that I am planning a trip in a not well known climbing zone and it looks really exciting. We will see.

Walking in Magic Wood, Photo Stefan Kurzi

Sofa Surfer 8A, Magic Wood. Photo Stefan Kurzi