September 2014 - New projects

The last months has been pretty busy under different aspects and my mind has been invaded by a big wave of projects. The wrist had a positive trend for all the month, but the tendons and ligaments are still weak. I felt they are not ready for a hard training period, but at least they don't give me troubles when I climb on the rock. As I mentioned the month has been various, rich and a bit confused too. First of all I had a wide list of boulders I would have liked to brush. At the moment, I am feeling quite excited about going to search awesome lines around and the discovering side of climbing is providing me always bigger and bigger satisfactions. The top boulders I wanted to brushed are all situated in the north west of Italy; few of them are in Valle dell'Orco, others in Valle d'Aosta, and a couple of cool projects are even present in a valley close to my home. During this period I was able to brush just four of the many projects and three of them required me one day and a half only for cleaning up the holds and making a safe landing.

One of them is up to Champorcher, an area whose potential is probably getting to an end. This was maybe the last thing I was interested in developing here. Since the beginning, It looked to be a really weird line: you have to climb a little easy stone and then grab the starting holds in the roof above your head. From there the climb begins in an imposing overhang and it gets out in a slightly overhanging wall with compression moves and heel hooks. The hardest part was the first section on the roof, where everything seems to be tricky and pretty physical. During the second day of attempts, I tried this problem together with Max. He got a really smart heel hook beta which looked to be the best; but unfortunately neither of us was able to link the moves with what it seemed to be the most obvious way. I opted to work another system, based on body tension and specific points where to grab the holds. After many attempts where I was getting closer and closer I finally got the big triangle pinch at the end of the roof and I linked the first part to the easier finish, putting up the first ascent.

Rust in Peace V11/12, FA. Champorcher. Photo Max Buvoli

Rust in Peace V11/12, FA. Champorcher. Photo Giulia Paoletti

The other two main projects I was interested in, were the big diamond I discovered in Noasca and a great river stone in a valley close to my home. The first one is huge; It is an impressive granite diamond with some slopy rails and a long climbing to reach the top. Once the day of brushing was over, I decided to come back with Ricky who helped me a lot to make a good landing. Meanwhile, the dirty residual of the brushing was drying up and the grip started to be better than the first time I touched the holds. The first intro part is pretty easy and the taller you are the easier it becomes. Instead the upper part results really strange with a big dynamic move to the lip. It is definitively a wonderful move, where from two slopy pinches and a really high left foot you should grab the final lip and you'll probably remain with only one hand hung. Considering the height of the boulder, I tried that move with the rope only. After this, I decided to postpone the attempts when the temperatures will be colder and the grip on the holds will be much better.

The diamond. Valle dell'Orco

The third one is probably the project I am most inspired for. It is 40 minutes up to my home and the feeling to have a project so close is an unique sensation, since it is never happened to me. I can get up in the morning and I can basically see the valley where the proj is. This thing makes the question sweet. I brushed the line on this big egg  last spring and I got a quick session in April without any good successes, despite my best shape ever. I love this project for two main factors; the first reason, as I said, is to have something so cool and so close to home; while the second one is due to the beauty of the line and the good rock it has, especially in the second part. For September, it was at the top of to-do list but I have been a bit unlucky with this problem.

The first time on it,  I brushed all the last slab again, since it became dirty during the heat of the summer and just before the dark I tried a bit the upper moves with the rope. After few tries it became too dark and I quitted.

2nd day on. The first part was damp so I could just attempt the second easier section. After having put the chalk  and tried the moves, the rain came and I had to leave once again.

3rd day on. The sky looked to be clear. I put the chalk on the exit again and I dried up the third hold which makes the crux part. I finally could try it seriously. Thanks to Ricky who helped me a lot in trying the moves with big push ups, I could understand the right sequence. The sessions got over positive. The crux move was still missing, but I did it with 4-5 kilos of push-up. The other move that missed was the 5th, but for this one I had positive sensations because it looked easier, I had just to try it more.

4th day on. I went up alone just to dry up the crux hold and to be sure for the day after (it usually remains wet for few days). Surprisingly it dried up faster than what I expected and I decided to try it a bit. I was alone with three smashed pads, but it was enough to try the bottom. I couldn't expect what it happened; I grabbed the damned holds and I failed on the move after. I opted to quit and to rest for the day after. I started to know that I was close and that probably the crux move would have been the 4th, since the 3rd one looked to be hard but in the end it is totally position depending. Once you get the right body position, you can do it.

5th day on. I went up with Ricky again. The friction looked even better, but in the end it was the same or even worse than the day before. I was anyway motivated and focused on the proj. I felt some possibilities to finish the rig the same day.  I put the chalk on the exit for the nth time and I repeated the final moves over and over. I knew them perfectly. I rested until the evening, when the "colder" temps came and the skin got harder. I made good tries. I managed to grab the third hold again, but I failed on the 4th moves. I tried that part with the push up and I did it. I felt I was going closer and closer. On the other side, I also felt my skin sweating a lot, so I rested for ten minutes or so. I finally perceived my hands a bit colder and I decided to go. I took the third hold perfectly and I did the hardest move after. I linked this one to the 5th and I grabbed the jug with a bit of fatigue and a strong shout. A shout which meant effort, but even a shout of possibility to complete the whole line. I was out of the hardest part. I got into the central sequence, where the overhang becomes a wall with wonderful pinches. I did it and I got the good pinch-jug; I was tired. From there the wall become a slab and there is a possible rest. From that point to the top is something like 6b composed by a little mantle into the slab and the slab itself. I rested and my hands were damp, cold and totally pink. I thought about the chalk, but I hadn't the bag with me. I tried to dry up the fingers on my pants, and they started to be numb. I put the hands close to my neck to warm them up and the feelings started to be slightly better, but not enough. There were two possibilities: to go on in the slab, or dropping off and trying it again hoping to get into the upper part in better conditions. The last option seemed to be far from my possibilities, because I felt tired. By knowing what there was between me and the top I decided to attempt; the boulder was done and I just had to do the last easy part. I breathed and I went. I started and once my body was totally on the slab and my feet still under in the wall, my right foot slipped and I fall down. I got scarred and I totally missed the pads, falling on a bunch of stones. Fortunately my heel hit a flat stone and I got just a really hard hit. It was done, but not at all. I have to come back to finish this beautiful problem but for the moment I have to recover a bit the foot and to get back in a good mentality for this gem.

Beyond these great projects, In my mind there is also another 5 starts arete to get free; A line I brushed last march in Donnas (Valle d'Aosta) which is incredible. A perfect vertical arete which is probably the biggest project of the year. For the moment the temperatures are still too high and I have to wait for a while; but once the temperatures will drop and the heel will be ready, this project will probably be at the top of the list.

The crux move of the project. Valle Cervo. Photo Ricky totò Monetta 

The arete project. Valle d'Aosta.

Beyond exploring new boulders in the north west of Italy, two weeks ago I began training again. I started a short program which includes some sessions using different systems of training and the goals are to equal the right side of my body to the left one, since the right arm is really weak. Secondly, I decided to include different sessions in order to get the confidence back on the systems I usually use for training. I set 2 sessions in the climbing gym, 3 of core works, 5 of stretching for the flexibility, 2 of campus training (fingerboard and PG), 2 sessions with overweight and 2 sessions of rock bouldering in the projects I mentioned before. But in the second week, since my heel was painful after the fall, I needed to stop and I could just climbing outdoor. I went a couple of days in Averstal with Rudy.  I was also excited to work some boulders, leaving the tall projects aside for a while and feeling again the peculiar sensations of the place. Unfortunately, none of us completed the own goals; no achievement for both after the weekend. He went really close to grab the ascent on "Morgenlatte" 7B and he made huge progresses on "Man of a cow" 7B+; Instead, I worked one day on "Ill trill", making every moves except the exit and I missed the ascent on the top out of "Muttertag". We are both motivated to come back soon, trying to complete something before the snow comes.

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

A week in Valais

Hi everybody,

This blog spot will be mainly dedicated to describe my week in Valais, an amazing area where many gems deserve to be visited. Before the principal topic I would like to write something about one weekend in Magic Wood and Murgtal, a new area for me.

Magic Wood has been almost absent from my summer list for some causes, but basically because I wanted to avoid it since it is completely crowed by climbers in july and august and I would have difficulty to find a quiet place where to climb and where to put my tent.

In september an abundant part of people usually leaves the place,the temperature goes down and it becomes good for the conditions because although a lot of climbers consider it like a summer spot, I think it isn’t because in september or in april/may everithing is different.

My friends and I planned to go there on the second weekend of the month, but during the night I was sick and I had to quit. The weekend after I went there with Marco, Alice and Max. During saturday I crushed “steppenwolf” 8B where I failed three times on the mantle in june. Max shot me some good photos and filmed me during the ascent. 

In the morning we were in the higher part, lake sector. The place is enjoyable, among the mountain, green grasses,red rocks and blue river which flows into the lake. Marco and I climbed a really particular boulder called “unscheinbarer pfeiler” 7A+ then we decided to go down to the lower sector.

This part of murtagl isn’t as nice as the first one, the wood is middling, the rock has a poor quality and many mosquitoes buzzed around us. In the evening we moved to other side of the road where the place is better and there is one of the greatest line I have seen in Swiss,“entlinge”. I was a bit tired and cold but I really wanted to put my hands on it. The rock is amazing and it gives an incredible sequence of perfect holds. I was able to do every single moves except a turning of feet in the middle. I am really psyched to come back.

steppenwolf 8B Magic Wood foto: Max Buvoli

unscheinbarer pfeiler 7A+ Murgtal foto: Max Buvoli

The week later my plans were to go to Switzerland and to follow a logical tour from Martigny to Sustenpass together with Giulia. The weather made hard our projects and after three or four days in Valais we wanted to go to Bleau, but also there the rain was expected so we stayed in Valais for a whole week.

We had our base in a camping in Vernayaz and from there I wanted to check some spots like Vernayaz itself, Massongex, Branson and specially Fionnay because since three years I was curious to see the big cave and permanent midnight. I will write a little diary of the trip below.

Day 1 (19/9)

We started from Valdengo and we reached Vernayaz at 6 o’clock in the evening. I didn’t climb that day but I was really motivated to visit at least one of the principal areas. We went to Vernayaz whereas it is really close to the camping and it seemed quite easy to find. Obviously, like every new place where I go I’m a genius to lose the right way, in fact we got lost into a private area.

During the second attempt, we reached the right parking near the fishes pool and we took the path alongside to the boxes of the bees. After two mins I was under the devil’s boulder, a huge overhang where there are the famous lines of the crag like touch by the devil,satan and so on. After a fast tour into the wood, unfortunatly still rich of the green leafs on the trees, we went to the camping to eat a pasta and I got nervous during the assembly of the tent because every time I fail the right sequence of the sticks.

Day 2 (20/9)

We went to Vernayaz in the morning, hoping to take advantage of the freshness below the shadow of the devil’s boulder. I warmed up on two nice easy boulders and immediately I understood that the rock was great.

I started to work on “les yeux rouges” 7C+. It starts on a good rail, takes a good hold for the left hand and then it has a gaston move in the middle which is the crux because I had to keep strong my body and don’t lose my left stretched foot. After that it goes almost easily to the top.

After some mins of rest I tried “touch by the devil” 8B and I did every single move fast enough by getting a good motivation for the days after. In the early afternoon we reached fionnay,finally. We walked on the path and, getting into the wood, I was dazzled by the greatness of the big roof. It has a white,grey and black granit, the roof stands 2 meters and half from the ground and it has three overhanging walls for the exits. I knew just three lines on it but I don’t have any idea of how many of them are possible. It is incredible and no film or no photo can make true its largeness. If you go there, you would remain completely hit by it.

After checking out it and a fast lunch I put the pads under the most significant aims of the trip, “permanent midnight” 8B. Looking at it, it seemed really possible and totally suitable to my climbing style, powerful and with a compression at the end. Also this one is a big boulder and it is black and grey, amazing to see. I crushed it on fourth go from the start and I was super happy and cheerful when I was at the top because I wanted to do it since some years and it was a big satisfaction for me.

I made some photos then we came back to our tent to eat something since we had a rich day.

lex yeux rouges 7C+ vernayaz foto: Giulia Paoletti

permanent midnight 8B fionnay foto: Giulia Paoletti

 Day 3 (20/9)

I was a bit tired from the physical second day but I was also motivated to go to climb. We went to Vernayaz for some photos and videos on “les yeux rouges” then I tried “touch by the devil” again, but I failed on the crux. At 13 o’clock I decided to leave and I moved toward Massongex. There, I really wanted to check out the “Aquila” boulder. When I found it it looks pretty cool but I prefered to start with “asterie” 8A which has the same start of “aquila” then it lightly goes to the right in the middle of the roof. I went for a flash attempt but I missed the correct beta to do it. I worked it a bit and I took one of my biggest snaps on the last little crimp. After some mins of rest I managed to climb it and I took a day of rest also because the day after it would be rainy.

 

Day 4 (21/9)

Rest and rainy day.

Day 5 (22/9)

Maybe the best day of the trip. In the morning we always went to Vernayaz, good place to get the temperature and great rock to start in a good way the day. After a fast warm up I tried again touch and for a plentiful hour I went on to be rejected by its. Then, I understood that I had to change some little positions with my body which permitted me to reach the gaston with the index in the right point and not just half centimetre below. It seems crazy how sometime just small micro changes can make a big different between do it or not do it. before understanding it, I failed because I had my right foot coated and the left one on a foothold, then I tried to release the left foot and I got the pushing just with the right one but my position was different and I took the handhold correctly to rise up the heel hook which seemed hard with the other feet beta. It is considered like an 8B and it required me an hard work as a true 8B but, considering the temperature, 17 degrees, I though that it could be easier with the cold in fact I proposed 8A+.

After that, Fionnay called me, specially the big roof of scarred for life. We reached it in the first afternoon and when we were under it other guys were trying the line which I want to check. After a good warm up I was ready to try “scarred for life” not the whole dave’s line but the higher version, 8A+.

During the first go I fell in the middle, climbing the first part. Then, after having tried the upper moves I went for the second attempt and I did it. I risked to fall down on the last move because I took the jug really pumped. It was great climbing it, an amazing line with a solid and perfect rock, really emotional for me. 

scarred for life high 8A+ Fionnay foto: Giulia Paoletti

touch by the devil 8A+ Vernayaz  foto: Giulia Paoletti

Day 6 (23/9)

Rainy day again, I had to rest and my skin was reborn in a good shape. In the evening we went to martigny to eat a great crepe, it  was already six days that I missed sweet eating J

Day 7 (24/9)

In the morning we were on “touch by the devil” for some photos and I truely realized that with more cold it’s easier but however such a great line to climb. After some photos I came back to Fionnay and I figured out a beta for the first part of the whole “scarred for life” and it adds a really big hard sequences to the higher one. Six hard and long moves on roof and hard feet works to stay on which tired me after few attempts. When we left the rain came again and we had to search a new spot to climb. We went closer to the pass but the clouds were threatening, so I decided, despite the temperature, to go to Branson, just above Fully. Like many knows, there are the most historical boulder problems in the world, opened by the big visionary Fred Nicole many years ago.

My goal was trying “radja” the first 8B+ in the world.

Recently, from 2 years I think, some climbers who did it, used a different beta from Fred and it results easier. When Nicole did it, he went directly to the undercling from the fourth hold. Now it is used a new crimp, really close to this one, and it allows us to get a higher body position to take more easly the undercling. The grade obviouisly changes in 8B but I think that it is logical to take the crimp. After some minutes I did every single moves while two years ago I felt them really hard and three of them rejected me completely despite the cold temperature and the fantastic grip. I understood that it would be possible, maybe the morning later. I rested a bit, meanwhile two locals climbers arrived. When he worked on radja I administrated my attempts very well and I felt that radja would be possible. I tried again and surprisingly I was at the top. I took the undercling perfectly and my body was in a correct position to rise up as when I tried it like a single move and I grabbed the higher crimp. I was insomuch focused on it that when I did the last two moves i wasn’t able of understanding what I was doing. Two strong shouts came out,I closed my eyes when I was going to the last jug and I was completely exhausted, but extremely happy and cheerful because I climbed a pure line like radja, a little dream came true!

I came back to the camping with a big happiness.

radja 8B branson foto: Giulia Paoletti

radja 8B  Branson foto: Giulia Paoletti

Day 8 (25/9)

Last day in Valais. Basically destroyed by the previous days, skin hurted and back aching, but the motivation was still high. The destination was Branson again and we passed among the tight curves protected only by the house’s wall of nice village of branson for the last time. My aim was “La transion celeste”, already tried two years ago but really strange to climb. I did every single moves, but I couldn’t link up the whole historical line. I had to quit. We left Martigny and we went to another spot but I was really tired and I had an emptiness of energy. We took the return way really happy about the trip and with a bit of melancholy. I really want to say thanks to her because it was our first trip together and it was great staying there. Another thanks to my friend Marco to have given me the right info for Fionnay, an amazing place, maybe the best of these eight days of climbing.

Another adventure of these days was the routesetting for an event in Finale Ligure. There, took place a manifestation for Nepal, a competition of 29 boulders set by me and Marco Nardi on which 200 climbers had fun for 6 hours. In the evening the best 8 men and 8 women challenged on two boulders of semifinal. Then the best 4 for category passed to a turn of final composed by a boulder with a dyno in the end. Michele Caminati won the compt doing the last boulder, while in the women field Giada Zampa took the first place. It has been a fun experience and I hope to set other compt like thisa because through the routesetting I can propose what the climbing is for me and what kind of boulders I like.

If somebody wants to have some info about Valais don’t hesitate to write me.