Rocklands, last part

Roadside sector, Rocklands.

My trip in Rocklands is over and I arrived at home on Sunday morning. Five weeks seemed long and sufficient, but when you do bouldering every day the time passes fast and the days are never enough. At the end I still had a bunch of problems which I would have liked to try or to see and the list counts always many good lines. The last two weeks were anyway good and in the second half of the trip, I started to work boulders I had already tried at the beginning of my stay. The first two ticked lines were in "tea garden" sector, "Black shadow" 8A+ and "Brown shadow" 8A, both in the same roof. In The first one I had some troubles in the middle, where I felt my leg too long to stay into the position and every time I would have liked to cut it. My feeling was bad and it made me quite nervous. In fact, the movement in the middle part was hard and I had to fight a lot to win one of the most classic ones of all Rocklands. In the same evening we went to the sad camping bar and a bad notice came out: from that day "tea garden" area was closed, this fact is due to some problems like trash, no walking in a unique path and no respect for the private area. It is really shameful hearing about this kind of problems, since many places around the world are not so respected by climbers or common people, who have fun by getting away its own trash like bottles, tape and other stuff.

Besides the usual problems, my adventure went on with other good climbing lines. On 28th of July , after a rainy/rest day the weather was still bad in the morning and I started to be bored at home. At midday the rain stopped and after one hour we decided to go to check the campsite, the closest sector. I was doubtful, it looked all wet from the view of our house. My plans were to go in solo mission to check a problem not so often frequented by climbers, which I found lovely. This one was the line on the right side of "gliding through the waves like a dolphin", put up by Bernd Zangerl on 2011 and called "sitting in a corner with depression". The line follows a wide arete, like a big orange/grey egg with moves in compression, spans and beautiful climbing. During the way to reach it I found the ground wet and I was not so sure about what I was doing. surprisingly, at the top of the hill the wind was optimal and every piece of rock was perfectly dry. Also the temperature was cold and I started to get warm extremely motivated. I put the pads under this gem I saw the first day and I was hit by its beauty. After some hard times, I had every move and I was super happy to be under a boulder like that, with grey sky but also with awesome friction and completely alone. The climbing is amazing, the line too and I don't understand why climbers usually don't attempt this problem. The wind was too strong, so I put my shoes and other stuff to lock them in the ground. After some rest I did it, and I would like to advice this line to every climber, since it is usually marginalized.

The days after I managed to do "The power of one" 8B, in Roadcrew. Also this one was always present in my mind by Progression film. I have to say that on this line I had a bit of luck, since for the last swing I was really close to the pad but fortunately I didn't touch it. Seeing the effort which It required me, I am not sure that I would have been able of doing it again after that attempt. The fourth week was dedicated to the most two desired problems, aka "el corazon" 8B and "moiste mooise" 8B. The problem of "el corazon" is to find a good day when also other people want to try it, since more pads you have and better is the fall. The 30th of July was my third day of climbing in a row and I decided to take a rest for the next day. In the evening Jernej passed from our house saying us he was syked to try this mega line the day after, and, despite a bit of tiredness, I knew I would have seized the opportunity. In the morning I rested, preserving skin as I could, and, in the afternoon we went there to prepare the landing. The boulder is only possible in ground up, a style which make it still better than it is. The big span to the crimp is simply one of the best move that a climber could desire and it looks hard not being dazzled under a line of this quality. It presents itself bigger than the videos and its shape is perfect. It looks like an amphitheater in front of you, with its majesty and its importance which make you feel smaller. The color is orange and the light, which passed form a big hole, makes the atmosphere still more motivated to attempt a gem like that. Descriptions apart, the first two tries I failed and bad feelings attacked me. I started to say in my mind that probably it was not the right day to do it seriously. I took a longer rest, while Jernej fell after the big move to the crimp. The attempt after the rest was good, but during the dynamic I lost everything, keeping the crimp with one arm and I was really bad to grab the last jug. I rested more and, during the try after, everything went as I wanted and I sent it. For sure, not losing the hand in the first jump is a big advantage. 

The Power of one 8B, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

Two days later, I decided to come back in Riverside, to try "moiste mooise". Also Adrian had some projects there, so we planned a full day there. In the morning my friend Simo came at my house and he joined with us. I was happy about this, finally I was able of climbing with him in South Africa after one week that we were both there. After the warm up in "take off your shoes" we moved to "au bord du l'eau" 8A a historical wall with perfect sandstone pockets. The last hole was still wet as the first time I saw it, but I was too motivated to rest and I put on my shoes. after few goes I did it, but the way with a shoe off is definitively better for me. Having the bare left foot is an advantage since with the finger you really can grab better this particular foothold. As I knew "moiste mooise" remaines in the sun for all the day, so when the sunset came I decided to go. The friction was not as good as I hoped, in fact I didn't feel the slopers so better respect the first session in the morning during the days ago. After two goes with team shoes, Simo advised me the oldest soft shoes I had in the bag, and it worked well for the crux toe hook. With this soft shoes I could turn better my foot behind the corner and the move looked easier. The problem for me was when I started from the bottom, since I went on to fail it on the last hard move. The night came and we could continue to climb thanks to the Nils' big lamp. After other unuseful attempts I rested and I decided to do the last go of the day for quitting after it. Before start, I surprisingly felt a little source of energies and I decided to try to use them. I arrived before the crux move and I don't know how but I grabbed the last sloper remaining with my body on. I was a bit confused since didn't believe I managed to do it. Amazing emotion also on this masterpiece.

After that evening I felt really ok, I thought about my trip and I saw that the most part of the boulders I really wanted to do were basically done. I was happy because all the problems were chosen with a quality criterion after having removed the lines that didn't hit me. Having climbed "el corazon" "Caroline" "sitting in the corner with depression" and other ones, made me happy and relaxed. Anyway, The day after I decided to start to work a line which for sure would have required me more sessions of attempts. I decided to dedicate to "Golden Shadow" 8B+ in Roadcrew. I went there with Adrian again and we got warm just on the side of this cave where there is "orange heart" a 6C on some cool rails. I started to work the moves and the session went better than the last one of few days ago. I managed to find a good way for the exit, so the full second part was done and I did the middle hard sequences of five moves. At the end of the session I cut my index tip and it started to bleed: the hole seemed quite big. My mistake was to have not removed the higher skin with sandpaper, so the crimp raised the skin up the letting me the wound. I have nothing to complain, since this kind of stuff is not so usual in my skin. after a fast check in my mind I thought it wasthe second time that I cut my tip and I have to admit to have been lucky. 

Two days later I came back with Simo and the resume of the days is this: In the morning, I used the softer shoes and in this way I could use well the new beta, with the toe hook on the right. since my foot was more free, I was able to put it deeper and not touching the stone during the exit. This way, if you don't touch the stone, it is easier that the original one. At the end of the day I fell three times when the boulder was basically finished, before the toe hook. During the little swing I touched twice the rock and for little dab I felt fair to quit and go down. In the evening I planned two days of rest, hoping in an improvement of my skin. I had to sacrifice some other personal project but I thought it was the right way to take. The choice was repaid three days later when I did it with Nils just before a storm and a big rainy day.

The day after we should have climbed just few hours since we wanted to leave at midday or so to go to Cape Town. Three friends of us started on Thursday and only Nils and I were still there on Friday. Nils had some troubles and he lost his phone, so he carried me to 8 days rain at 8 o'clock and his searching went on. I was alone in all the sector and after no kind of good felling in "quintessential", I went towards "golden Virginia" where a not so good surprise was waiting for me. I started to work it and I felt some steps going towards me in the path. In my mind I thought it was Nils', but after few seconds some bushes started to move and some scream drew my attention. I had a look and a bunch of four big monkeys where 30 meters in front of me and they looked quite angry. I was totally alone and I didn't know nothing about their behavior. I was fucking scary and I didn't have any idea about what I should have done. After few minutes, I checked the situation and one of them  stood up of the bush and they looked at me moving at my sight. I kept hidden and I knew that the path was blocked. I choose the coward way and I decided for an alternative back path to reach the parking, letting all my thing under the boulder. Finally, after some effort in the wild I reached the parking where there was the car and Nils was going to search me. bad timing. I shouted and he answered me coming back to the car. After few minutes we went there in two and the animals had already left the place allowing us to take my stuff abandoned there like a stupid. It looks maybe strange, but being so close to wild big animals was scary for me and I passed big fear moments alone in 8 days rain. The trip finished with this wild experience and fortunately no fight between man and nature happened. :)

Also this travel is anyway done and during the five weeks I was really happy and glad to be there. The place is for sure one of the best I have ever seen and I liked a lot the natural contest which it presents. The rock has a high quality in the pass sector, while in other part like campsite or other place it has a medium quality in my opinion. For sure I don't feel to compare this kind of sandstone to the Bleau's one, since for me the Font's rock is on another step respect to Rocklands' one. The spot offers true gems to climb with amazing features and really good climbing, but I should say that some easy boulders are medium and not as good as a person expects seeing all this media pushing that Rocklands has. The most impressive thing is for sure the natural place, where you can really stay in the nature and climbing in amazing landscapes. I had really great time and I will come back one day for sure.

Madiba 8A+, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

 

Golden Shadow 8B+, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

Rocklands, second week

Time is passing fast here in Rocklands and every evening we reckon how many days left. We are in the middle of the trip and we still have some areas to visit, many projects to try and goals to achieve. After "King of limbs" I finally felt that my two previous months of training started to work well enough; not as I would, but It is obvious that the physical shape has higher and lower points in the graphic. I am feeling in a pretty good shape but for sure not as I was in "gandalf il grigio" or in Sweden. Last week I managed to put some ticks on my list doing a couple of problems I found really lovely. The first is "derailed" 8B, it looks like a ball of glass to squeeze and it has the first ascent signed by Daniel Woods. I watched this line in Progression film, I think four or five years ago, and I was pretty impressed by its slopers and its movements.I remember I said that I wanted to try it one day in my life and that it would have been a dream to see it and to be in a place like that. But everytime that I asked to my dad to go to Rocklands his answer was always doubtful because I was too young or things like that. He often explained me to have patience during my life, in the climbing side. When he saw me disappointed after a day of climbing he said me that with patience and no haste I would have climbed in south Africa or would have done some hard boulders around.For sure "derailed" is not the best line in the world, but last tuesday it was like a little dream for me to be under it; because I waited four years for it and there I was conscious about my dad’s words, probably he was right . Finally I could touch that sloper which was always present in my mind and never in my hand. After a fast warm up, my goal was under the sun, but I decided to try it a bit since the wind blew and it refreshed the holds. After a session of work I understood how to do the first move and the changing of feet which is probably the hardest part for me. At the end of the session I missed the last crimp from the bottom and my energies went down while the sun was heating up more and more. I took the best decision deciding to wait for the evening, when the shadow would have fallen. We went in another wall and I rested thinking about "derailed". In the late afternoon I started to go towards the line with Adrian but we took a halt to see the monkeys on a boulders. When we arrived it was already in the shadow and my motivation grew up fast. I did it on the first go. I’m really happy about this line, it is very significant for me and for my climbing journey.
The day later we went to Sassies. My friend max told me that the walking would have been really long and sandy  so I was ready to walk; or probably I just thought that I would have been ready. Fortunately the walking skipped. we managed to go up with the car until the highest parking and shorten the path to few minutes. The approach with the car was crazy, because we spent 15 mins to push it since it sank in the sands  so it was really hard getting there. During the day I flashed "Pinotage sds", a probable 7B+ and climbed "Shosholoza" 8A which is a well known line of two moves simply awesome. Also for Nils was a good day since He flashed his project "leap of faith", a hard jump with a scary fall. The two days after were rainy and we all got new skin and good energies for our projects. During these rainy moments boredom was high for all and we tried to fill our days with ping pong and poker tournament. On Saturday 20th, we woke up and surprisingly It was raining again, despite the positive forecast. Fortunately at 10 o'clock in the morning it stopped and some blue sky started to appear. We had many indecisions about where to go and we went on to ask ourselves which sector would have dried first. Probably the time for "sky" was arrived and in fact at midday the final decision was to go to Kleinfontein. I felt a bit of pressure because I knew that I wanted to have the line in a perfect conditions to attempt a possible flash go. We parked and a slight rain restarted. Anyway we went towards the project and when we were under this marvelous thing the azure of the sky started to appear again. I was a bit more relieved.I don't write here about the high beauty of the problem, since everyone knows about the perfection of this rig and the videos of today can explain well how pure and essential it is. In my mind the first move was a bit shorter, but when I was in front of it the move looks long with arms completely open. After the warm up I was ready to try. I brushed it and I was focus. This moment was often present in my mind and also my friends knew the possibilities about a good flash go. I took the first one and I lost my feet, I matched and I failed going to the last pinch. Shame for this, but the pressure immediately went down, letting me more quiet for the next tries. After two attempts on the last move I crushed on my second go and I was anyway happy to have done this super orange gem. Concerning the stupid grade system, my personal opinion made some discussions but for my size I thought that the grade can't honestly be higher than 8A+. I think that this kind of number doesn't matter as I always said and it seems ridiculous to put discussion (o start a discussion) about grades in front of a boulder. I think that whether it is 8B+ or 8A+ or 7C, this kind of valuations doesn't ruin in any case a perfect line as sky is.

"Sky" 8A+, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

Apart from the usual problems about numbers, the day after we finally went to Fortress where it is the line of "the vice" 8B. This line was put up by Thomas Willenberg fourteen years ago. Its true looking is for sure better than what it seems in the video and it counts 13 movements which made me pumpy before the easy exit. I was happy to have done also this line and I think it is a worthy one despite the long path to reach which made tired my thin legs.

"The vice" 8B, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

As every climbers can image the lines here are good and the rock too. But for me it is not the most impressive thing of this place since Fontainebleau has a better kind of sandstone. For my experience, Rocklands is the first  climbing place where there is not any kind of artificial noises and you can stay alone among the natural landscapes without seeing and hearing cars, airplanes, roads, cities and other human made stuff. In my opinion this is the best aspect of this place, the possibility to be alone in this marvelous scenery surrounded only by rocks and natural elements.
After Friday we will have still two weeks of climbing. for now I would like to say thanks to Nils who is taking me some really nice shots.

South Africa, First week

King of limbs 8B, Rocklnds. Photo Nils Favre

At the end of a travel lasted 29 hours , last monday evening I reached Rocklands. The first week of my trip is basically over and I decided to write something about these days in African landscapes. As I said, the journey was obviously long from Milan; it was my first flight out of the Europe. The halt in Dubai lasted almost nine hours and we sat in a jack daniel pub to have a dinner. Sunday night we took the second flight and Nils and Gulham got the upgrade to Business class and I had to settle for the economy one. Next morning we arrived in South Africa and Nils bound our pads above the car, since it was really small for all the luggage. The driving lasted about three hours from the airport to Clanwillian, the closest city to Rocklands. We passed through the grasslands which was rich of sheep or similar animals and in the evening we were exhausted so we decided to go to bed early to be in shape for the day after.

Fortunately, on Tuesday we had a couple of hours to climb here and we checked the first sector close to our home in pakhuys camping . Finally I was able to try a few lines which I desired for years. We tried "ray of light", "glading the waves like a dolphin" and "el corazon" where I missed the ascent touching the top on my second go. Nothing was climbed during these first hours, but I immediately understood that the place would have been worthy and it would have offered me some awesome landscapes and sick boulders. The day after we went to the pass, probably the most famous area of all Rocklands, where I was finally able to crash some problems like "nutsa" 7C+, "out of balance" 8A, "green Mamba" 8A and "caroline" 7C. In the first three lines I always missed the flash at the last move like a stupid and I climbed them in the second go. I was really hit by the beauty of Caroline, for sure the best problems climbed in this week. The rock represents a perfection of pinches and cracks, probably made by the water and these features made it really unique. I really liked also Green mamba, which has a really lovely sandstone at the beginning and cool moves at the end. For Thursday I planned a day of rest, but it is really hard in a place like this to have a day with no climbing. In fact, in the evening I reached Benoit in "witness the sickness" 8A, since it is one of his project for this trip. At the beginning I was strong to withstand this inviting problem but at the end I fall in its temptation. Fortunately I climbed it fastly and after two goes I was at the top with no additional dangerous troubles at my skin. On Friday the time for "moiste mooise" finally arrived and Nils and I were extremely syked to put our hands on it after long period of waiting and dreaming. We got warm in a crazy and marvelous wall, which has some easy lines and I’d like to have always such easy and beautiful problems to warm up). It deals of a slightly overhang whit a black slab before the topout, it was amazing being under it. After climbing the four lines on this wall we put the pads under one of the meanest problems which I would like to do, Moiste mooise. It was completely at the sun and with 23 degrees it looked hard. My skin got worse after few goes and I wasn't strong enough to do it. I did it splitted in two sequences twice, hoping to get an improvement the next session. The riverside sector is really particular and nowadays everything is burnt after the big summer fire in January. Nils told me that last year It wasn't so simple to find the lines, because a lot of bushes and trees hinder the path. Now the area is bare and the boulders are pretty visible going towards the zone. This zone has also a little river, which makes it a bit different than the other ones I saw so far and this stream was a bit useful to refresh my hands, since they was burining after the two hours trying Moiste Mooise. In the late afternoon I was under "black shadow", knowing that the ascent would have been quite hard for me, because I felt tired again. In fact I failed miserably at the end of the problem. after calling the day, I decided to take one/two days of rest and I started to think a wish problems list by the selection done during the first days. For sure I will come back to try "black shadow","el corazon" and "moiste mooise" and during the next days I would also like to check other lines to put them in the working list and to climb other easier stuff.

After the rest I felt quite better and today, after the warm up in a classic like "the rhino", I could climb in few attemptes "king of limbs" 8B, a cave with a big gaston move and a powerfull finish.

The first week is gone and I’m going to have other four ones to visit new places and try other sick sandstone lines :)
 

Green Mamba 8A, Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

The rhino 7B,Rocklands. Photo Nils Favre

 

Last month

Here we go! Only few days miss for the second trip of 2013 and South Africa come closer and closer. I desired Rockland for long time, but during the last years my motivation started to go down. Too many climbers went there in last three years and it seems to be like a summer trend going to the south. Except this fact, I am sure about the beauty of the place, with pieces of orange sandstone scattered in every angle. Last winter Nils invite me to join with them in this experience and I decided to seize the opportunity to visit the famous paradise many climbers tell about. I have to admit my motivation before Sweden was still higher, because Scandinavia lands always inspired me a lot. Despite this, I am obviously Syked to check a place completely different under the environmental aspect, I guess everything will be barer and the colors of nature will be the opposite of the Swedish ones. Even if it is different, I think it is an awesome place with a great and spectacular natural contest.

Beside Rocklands desires, this last month was dedicated to training, looking for get a decent shape before leaving. The newest thing in my program was the hang exercises of Chris Webb Parson, which would have had to last 12 weeks but I had to modify it in a 10 weeks program for questions of time. This kind of sessions were pretty useful for me, and it seems they can work well. I feel like it is giving to me a little finger strength improvement which I have always needed . In addiction of these hangs, I also did few Pan Gullich sessions with new exercises like some crossing moves, and some abdominal working, which make body tension a bit stronger. During these two months of preparation (may + June) every week was accompanied with two or three hours of stretching and some climbing on the rock; or in the gym when the weather was negative. In the gym I tried to do three session of endurance-strength with boulders 16-18 moves long, meanwhile in June I returned to try normal boulders with few movements and some different features to try different kind of skills. 

In June I also climbed on the rock, not so frequently, but I had some session in Champorcher and Barbara refuge. The developing of new lines in Champorcher goes on and a bunch of problems was born in last month. The first one was "Murano", a line I checked the second time I was there in 2011. It deals of a small cave, brushed by Mazrio Nardi who also made a really good base on the ground in order to try it in a safety way. Last years I was syked to try this powerfull crimpy overhang, but my ascent seemed really hard since the first move is a big dynamic to a glassed crooked crimp which I never did, despite numerous work session. Fortunately the foot hold is large and I knew it would be possible one day in the future. After the ghost ship days my shape was still good and I decided to try again the sick cave. On May 31th Rudy and I reached the spot after the usual halt to buy a fresh sandwich. The temperature was fine, in fact I needed my jacket and in this natural hole I was freezing. Surprisingly after some attempts I grabbed the crimp and I keep a good position to continue this short sequence. It has three moves and I failed on the last one which is a long span to the final jug. I rested and I did it. I was happy, because it was a test of my shape about crimpy strength since last year I wasn't able of doing this first movement. Moreover a new line was there to be repeated. The name chosen is "Murano" due to the kind of rock that looks like glass and the crimp is a bit smooth. 

Last Monday, Rudy got a day off and we decided to climb again there with Marco. On the weather web site, it was forecasted a light rain in the afternoon, but it was wrong and the sunny day allowed us climbing until 6 o'clock in the evening. They decided to change our Champorcher routine, buying a sandwich near home, where the shopkeeper contained us asking about climbing. We arrived in Champorcher and the warming up took place on a boulder marked with "13" sign which is really fun to get an ideal body temperature. It has eight logical lines, but we often invent new sequences to have fun, since the holds have a good quality of rock. After climbing a bunch of lines and after having seen the normal crimpy snaps of Rudy, we moved toward "la V". It deals of a line around 7A, with strange mantle which my mates never tried. Marco did it after a couple of goes instead of Rudy who had hard times to feel the slopy lip. During his attempts I tried to figure out a lower part which seemed to offer good pinches. The squat start was already done years ago, but the ascent used another boulder for the foot which makes it really horrific. After two hours I found a good beta to avoid this bad way, so the lower climbing is possible without any other stone. I hope to come back before Rocklands to try it again. 

In the afternoon Rudy discovered a new cave. He called us shouting, so me and Marco ran to check it. It was really nice, orange rock and high quality grain. Motivated by this, we took the pad and we started to try this sick line. After some tries I climbed it from the bottom using some tricky to stay on this slopy sequence. For sure it will be present on the video I hope to edit in September/October. We are all happy about this day, because another new line was born and we called it "orange madness", probably around 7C+/8A. Moreover, In the evening other two new problems were born in a boulder discovered by Max days ago. A wall with black and white stripes which had three possible lines. The straight line, called "yellow fever" has a really strange dynamic and it could be around 7C I suppose. The second one, is a traverse that join into this problems, which doesn't add difficulty but fun moves on serpentine.

It is really nice for me seeing a boulder area in its developing and this fact is motivating because every new line can offer something special that didn't exist before. I will come back in Champorcher on this Saturday for trying the V project and then it will be time to leave. I feel in a pretty good shape, probably I trained a lot some finger skills but at the same time I haven't done enough in climbing gym. This fact probably has worsen other skills like some climbing dynamic movements or muscle tone question that climbing gym training can usually offer. For sure I will not focus only on the hardest boulders, But I would like to climb what inspires me more. I am syked to see this new place for my eyes; beyond climbing stuff I hope to love this place I have always imaged and to feel me in a paradise as some climbers tell.

Murano, Champorcher FA. Photo: Rudy Ceria

King of Pratacco, Champorcher FA (2011). Photo: Giulia Paoletti

Champorcher

The Ghost Ship - Champorcher

The arrival of spring is often associated with hard times to climb in good bouldering spots like Ticino and many others. For April, May and June I think there are still good areas where it is possible to climb with cold and to keep the motivation high to bear the summer's arrival in the lower lands. For this season, the spots where I would have liked to go were Val Bavona, Barbara refuge, Fionnay and Champorcher.

As always happen, it is really hard visiting all these places before the vernal temperature becomes summer. So I opted to climb in two of them so far,  by selecting on my projects list. Unfortunatly  the weather in Val bavona was really rainy and after a fast day up there, I decided to dedicated my energies to Champorcher and to do some First ascent experiences.

Some projects were in my mind and I was syked to climb on virgin rock. The first time I was in Champorcher two years ago, I saw a futuristic line on the overhanging  face of the parking prow. I saw some crooked holds and I imaged a line on this wall. After three scattered sessions in 2011 and 2012, this year my aim was to figure out a possible beta and to understand if it would have been possible for my abilities. On Saturday 11th May I went there with a bunch of good friends. The first time of the season in Champorcher it is always good: The place is nice, the torrent is still wide and spring days are often crispy, in fact the valley offers good natural place with great light. In this pleasant  contest the orange rock and the boulder caos stands out in all its beauty.

In the afternoon I started to work out a possible sequence of my big project. The years before I did the first three moves so I was curious to check the second part. At the end of the day every move, until the last jug, were done and I started to dream about its possibilities. I brushed a bit the exit, since it was the only missing  section and I went home really happy. Champorcher immediately gave us the wish to come back, getting profit by this low temperature of may. In the same day also a new line was put up, called "Il Salto del Corazza", a big move to a lip which requires a good arms lenght. 

Wednesday 23th. Conditions were good again, by being 1400 m on sea level Champorcher is really dry in these days, especially in this month where temperatures are under medium season values. Before warm up, I bound the rope on a pine and I brushed the exit of my goal. We climbed some stuff around the huge boulder, like a nice arete of 6C which I would advice and some lines on the back side of my project, around 7A/+ which were quite good to get ready. I attempted the top out previously brushed and I found a easy way to do it. Only one move missed and I was almost sure that it wouldn't have been so hard. I was completely wrong.

The session before I completed every move except the last one, where I had a good hold but I was totally open with my arms. I should have know that it was still a hard move, in fact from that open position I should have kept the swing with only one arm using the good hold, and then linking to top out. I tried this powerful move and I did it after some goes. thinking about the whole line, last move looked too aleatory and I knew it would have been too hard from the bottom. I started to work out the first part, trying to do some links.

The evening session was positive since I fell down on last move but at the same time I had the confirmation that it was too hard for the link. I made good progresses on the lower part but the final was still enigma. Thanks to pushing of my friend Gabri, I tried more times this last doubtful  sequence and I wasn't able of repeating  one arm action. I left the place conscious about my doubts and I knew that the next session would have been dedicated to figure out a different beta for the last piece of my puzzle.

Friday 24th. Rudy was off as every Friday and he was motivated to come with me up there. The evening before, we checked the weather web site and it promised a max of 8 degrees, sunny and dry. Once we arrived in the parking, the day seemed perfect as we expected. Blue sky, dry air and cold were really motivating  factors for both. Few things started to be really household, as the strong sound of the river and the moans of the cows on the background. After the usual warm up, Rudy climbed "antrace" a 7A on the same boulder and I started my session. After some work I understood a good way to replace that incredible last move with a low per cent of success. This was merit of a pair of old jet7, a kind of shoes whit a great toe hook which suited to my foot really well. The new way was a double toe hooks which permitted me to do the last swing with two hands and not with only one, basically a totally different foot sequence than the first one thought days before. I repeated the last part two times then I started to try it from the bottom and I failed high enough since my foot slipped on the first slopy crimp. I took a rest for all afternoon long.

Rudy tried "cochese night" a nice crimpy traverse situated on the right side of a grassed trail and engulfed by trees, which make this boulder completely in shadow. He liked it and he wants to come back soon. In the evening I had another valid tentative but I made a mistake and I failed before last move. I had to quit since my skin was a bit hurt and I couldn't feel the first crimp.

Two days later, on Sunday 26th I went there with Marco and I felt quite good since I rested well. We planned a halt in a little food shop before going up in the valley. This one was close and we went in a bar where we met a friend of us, Pero. His programs were to go to a cliff for rope climbing, but when he knew our destinations he changed his mind joining with us for a bouldering day. Same warm up of the previous three sessions and I put eight pads under the big wall. Some of them were left in a cave during this period of attempts.

Marco set the camera and I started. Everything went perfect until the last swing where I kept the body on and I did the exit. I was really glad, finally my vision of years before was done and this First ascent made me really joy for few minutes.  I loved this kind of experience and its climbing. My beta used every holds on that overhang and without one of them I wouldn't  have been able of doing. For this reason, I consider this sequence as one of the purest I have ever done. The name choosen was "The ghost Ship" and it might be a possibile 8B+ since I felt it harder than my previous boulders.

In the afternoon we moved again towards "cochese night", where Marco did fastly every move.  He started from the bottom and he missed the ascent on the mantle since the crimp was full of pine needles, postponing  the sure ascent on next time. Meanwhile I did the first ascend of another project which I called "calicot". It deals of a line brushed last year with Max, but really hard to attempt because temperature was too high. That day the conditions were quite good and my shape too and I took advantage by these facts. 

Champorcher starts to be an important bouldering spot of North west. The quality of rock is better than other places of the valley and there are almost 100 lines from 3th grade. Now other projects are waiting for a first ascent up there, but I would also like to go in other place like Fionnay or Barbara Refuge to change rock and environments.

The Ghost Ship FA, Champorcher. Photo Marco Pelle

The Ghost Ship FA, Champorcher. Photo Marco Pelle

Il Salto del Corazza FA, Champorcher. Photo Rudy Ceria

Training for summer

The first three months of this year have been set for training to get in a fine shape before my ten days in Sweden. The period of training worked well and in the middle of march I felt stronger than Dicember or January. I started to get in shape in the period of Gandalf il grigio and this feeling accompained me until the end of april. In Sweden, and during the few weeks later too, I felt good and agile as I wanted, in fact I was really glad for having climbed high quality stuff since this was my goal.

After april the 6^th I decided to take a month of rest or just climbing outdoor when it was possible. Rarely I had some fingerboard hangs.

The weather in the last weeks wasn’t so good. The first touch of spring seemed more like summer, in fact the medium season area in Aosta Valley were too hot, while the summer spots were still covered of snow.

I went once in Gaby with Rudy where we finished to brush a river arete.

I climbed it from the sit and he was close in the stand version. From the stand it has two moves on slopers which could be equal to 7A I though, while the sit adds two harder singles, really fun to do. The line remains on river sector, on the left of “Big Courier”.

Another time I was in Brione where Me,Marco and Aly tried to take the last freshness of the winter to grab the lovely Verzasca’s granite. In the morning I managed to do “the guilty of the hilti”, a Gaston line put up by Bernd Zangler. While in the afternoon I did the third ascent of “flash flood” on the river, just on the right of “ fake pamplemouse”. I climbed them both on second go from start, but in the first one I had to fight hard some tries to win the hard gaston move, which makes the hard part of the line. My back was destroyed the day after.

Marco showed me “Ballermaan” too, a stunning line with great rock. It deals of a compression boulder with a jump at the end where it is hard to keep the other hand on the slopy pinch. A really good line, probably one of the best in Brione around these grades, 7B/+.

Beyond these rock sessions, I climbed seldom until this week when I restarted training.

My next adventure will be in Rocklands this summer, from july the 7^th until August the 11^th.

My current aim is to get in a good shape before leaving, although I have just two month.

I have set a period of training where I would like to test some new stuff.

The first new thing in my program is Chris Webb Parsons hang advice, since his videos was on the web some weeks ago and it seemed really fun and useful. I think it could be worthy to try.

The second thing deals new exercises on PG, like some crossing moves or some changes on the previous exercises. As in the previous program, the first part will be all set in fingerboard, with three sessions per week (2 with hangs and one of Enchores). Over this, I will climb in the gym and on rock when it will be possible. While the second run the fingerboard will be linked on PG sessions. During All two months I also hope to get some rock climbing in Aosta valley and around, to climb new stuff for me and also to check how training works before SouthAfrica.

Flash Flood 8B, Brione. Photo: Alice Gariazzo