Poc a Poc... Pure Barry

Little by little, as it is said here in Catalunya, I am making some progress on La Fabelita.  This has been a very frustrating week for getting on the project though.  Wednesday morning saw 40-odd school children close down the cave to climbers for the morning while they learned about neanderthal man.  I think it would have been much more educational for them to watch and cheer me on on a redpoint but it wasn't to be.  Then on friday, my only other midweek gap in my schedule, I was forced into Llieda for a meeting which was about as useful as sun-tan lotion in Glasgow.

Anyhow, the weekend finally arrived and the climbing conditions were "barry" as we say in Vilanova.  Finally the cold has arrived in La Noguera.  Although it might have been nicer to have had it a few degrees warmer I can't complain too much as the friction was muy bueno.

Tired in the summer, and we weren't even working, imagine what its like now.  The three of us are almost dead! L-R Tom, Ellie & Me

Saturady and Sunday have come and gone with progress made all round.  Lynne nearly, so nearly sent Devora Hombres which is the hardest 7c+ this side of Disblia.  I moved my foot a little higher using my Fabelita sequence I pinched from Tom, only to finally discover a method that suits the fat and weak a little better!

As for Tom, well Titan, has been making daily gains on the sickness that is Fuck the System 9a.  Today was incredible though, he fought his way through his high point and now has very little to do before the route goes down.  It is such an inspiration to watch and belay him on this route and makes me want to try my own projects with the same determination he puts in.  Nice! 

Tom Bolger, a little bit strong, OK, very strong, but we don't want him getting a big head!

On the inspiration front too, Andreas Bindhammer sent La Novena Enmienda 9a+ today in the most static, slow and incredible piece of climbing I have ever seen.  This route climbs from the bottom to the very lip of the cave, not a cop-out like my route which stops at half way.  I'd love to imagine myself doing this route one day, even if its only in my dreams. 

Frustration

Redpointing is hard on the head. One minute you are making progress and think things are going to go down quickly, the next it's all going tits up!

Or at least thats the story with La Fabelita this week. I'm happy with the sequence, especially with some new improved foot beta making the technical crux alot easier, but i still can't get through to the working end of the route. I just have to tell myself that its a hard route and these things take time. But I want it all now, there are far too many routes at the cave to get stuck on one!

I did manage to ease the load of the to do list slightly on Saturday by crimping my way up the more Malham-esque Blomu as far as the 2/3 height belay. This far is 8b, but really just a cop out. The full thing goes to the top of the crag at 8c+. A project for the future.

La Fabelita...

Santa Linya is on the cards alot more now the temperature has started to take a serious nose dive here in Lleida. Having finally dealt with the demons of Rollito I was searching for a new project and was attracted to a line up the very steep (it's all steep) right hand side of the cave. Here abouts there is a trio of 8c, 8c+s which share a common start and a cool ramp line which loks more like 7c than 8c. Anyway, it turns out the holds are all a little unhelpful and making upward progress requires a very complicated series of up, down and sideways moves which makes for one of the coolest sport routes I have tried.

Mid crux, the crack and ramp feature proves alot harder than it looks and is shared with La Fabela 8c+

I have been working on La Fabelita which is the entry level version of the 3 routes and goes at 8c. Thanks to Tom I have been able to skip all the hard, frustrating work of figuring out a sequence for the ramp, as I was more or less able to adapt his hard faught sequence to suit me. Unfortunately the power endurance needed to link together all the moves is not quite there yet but training on the route is so fun and will be a great tool for me to progress to mastering 8c a bit better. After 3 days of trying this route my back and abs are ripped apart, my middle finger has a blister from the huge yard on a mono that marks the start of the redpoint crux and I'm psyched out my tiny little mind.

The poor rest at half height, not the no-hand kneebar effort on Pata Negra, La Fabelita 8c

Approaching the redpoint crux in the amazing last light of the day

About to be swallowed by the dark!

I did however find the energy to climb all the way to the top of the cave via a long steady 8b, El Arqueo Logico which was a spicy warm up on my 3rd day on, but a really recommendable route at the grade. (I had done the finish from an easier start the previous day which, perhaps 8a+).


Hats off to Tom as well, who is going like a steam train at the moment. He sent Digital System, 8c, third go this weekend. In my mind this further cnfirms that Ramon is talking out his arse in giving Guilty-Perpetua 8c, the guy just has no idea how good he is, simple as that!

Rollito-Sharma Part 1

The last post talked about me having too many projects. Although this remains the case, I ticked an intermediate project of mine, the fantastic Rollito-Sharma 8b+. Every now and again certain routes turn into personal nightmares and Rollito has been one of those for me. I don't know how many goes it took me in the end but it could have been done in 2 and took more than 15 attempts. For what reasons did I lack the killer finish with this route? I can't put my finger on it. Somedays it was hot, somedays I had a cold, others I felt fine but some strange mental block held me back. Whatever it was, it was a real battle. The problem is I really want to do Rollito-Sharma Extension and Ingravids Eskerps (and its extension). Both of which require me to be a bit more definitive on the crux of Rollito which they all have in common. A little change of scene then battle will recommence. If only I could do it as nicely as Daila in Dosage V!

Too many projects, classes and not enough blogs...

Well I haven't been able to blog very much since I arrived in Catalunya. This is partially due to trying to climb as much as possible but also to the absence of an internet connection at home. When I'm at work, which seems to be taking over all my time now the school year is in full flow, I simply can't be bothered to sit at the computer and think about writing English after hours of trying to explain grammar points that I don't even get right myself!

Since Pata Negra I have been searching for the next big project while ticking a few classics along the way. In Rodellar I followed up with Botanics and Phillipe Cuisiniere, both given 8b+ but neither worth more than 8b. It's a bit of a shame that such routes are so well known and so soft as it gives the impression that Spain is just full of soft touches.

Las Ventanas still has a few routes for me to try!

It certainly isn't as I disciovered when I tried climbing at Disblia, an amazing cave near the village of St. Llorenç de Montgai. This site is about 10mins from the house and is set to be my training ground. It's hard though! I've been working Cadena Perpetua an "old-school" 8c of Dani Andrada's. I've been on it 4 times now and each time I feel like sacking it off. It just seems so unlikely that I'll get it done. I'm going to try and take on Dave Mac's mentality and have more belief and try to enjoy the process of working something close to my limit but I'm very impatient by my very nature.

This trad-like adventure got me thinking of home

With access to Santa Linya still delicate and the weather still a little hot for the cave Rollito-Sharma (and maybe the extension, which I find really really hard) is turning into a long-term project, but only for lack of attempts. We've also managed a few trips to Margalef's Cova Boix, where I'm attempting to stuff my oversized fingers into the little pockets on an 8b+ but again it'll be a siege as this kind of thing does not suit my fat fingers and heavy body!




¡Ramon es mutante!

Tom has been ripping it up at Disblia too. Having done Cadena Perpetua earlier this year he added in 2 harder starts, first came "Arresto Perpetua" which adds an even harder start (than the one I find impossible on Cadena) which he believed to be more like 8c+ and certainly very hard 8c and then came "Guilty Perpetua" which adds a 3 bolt 8b+ to the start and which he thought was harder than the 8c+'s he has done. With a bit of persuasion he gave it 9a only for Ramon to say that he had already done this link and thinks it to be 8c!!!


Ramon seems to be on another planet I don't think he even knows hos strong he is. If Guilty Perpetua is anything less than 8c+ then Cadena... must be more like 8b+ max making Pata Negra more like 8b and further down grading every single route in Rodellar and I don't think I will never climb 8c ever. Cheers Ramon! LOL

Mission Accomplished! 8c

Since I pinned the poster of Ben Moon on my wall climbing Azincourt at Buoux I have dreamed of climbing 8c. In those days that was the hardest route in the world (give or take) and I never actually thought that 8c would be achievable for me. Still, I could dream! As the years have gone by 8c has become less and less cutting edge and more and more of a real possibility for me to actually climb. Having climbed a few 8b+ routes I knew it wouldn’t be beyond me to achieve my personal magical grade.

I don’t know what it is about 8c that captured my imagination so much more than 8c+ or even 9a which, being a whole number higher, just seems that much more unattainable. What ever it is 8c has filled my thoughts an unhealthy amount. Whether it was in the library when I was meant to be studying for medical exams or down the wall training, my mind has always been occupied by the dream of climbing this grade. I nearly did one a couple of years ago, True North at Kilnsey, but this still remains an ongoing project after 2.5 years of almost perma-wetness, hold breakages and the general fatigue of trying a project so far from home stopped that one in its tracks.

The amazing roof of Las Ventanas de Mascun, Pata Negra quests straight through the middle!!

Then this April I came to Spain with Jonny Stocking and during what was largely a wash out of a trip I got on Pata Negra, probably the most famous 8c in Rodellar. The route tackles a 30+ metre unrelenting roof, climbing upside down almost all the way. It is sustained but never super desperate and I though it sounded like the perfect first 8c. Especially seeing as it had been onsighted!

Lost on the roof of Pata Negra, 8c

I was surprised by how hard the sections felt back in April and after going up once decided that I was unlikely to do this route without masses of training. On my return home it started to fill my thoughts more and more. Maybe I could do it afterall? And then, (on a brief return to Spain for the job interview that brought me here now) I heard the bad news…. A Spaniard told us of how a hold had broken after the 1st of 3 boulder problem “cruxes” on Pata Negra, this added a further new crux where a relatively easy but sustained section had been and he said it might not be possible anymore!

Working the moves on the first boulder problem

Still, when I decided to move to Spain I knew what I was going to get on first, I wanted to do 8c so bad and I wanted it to be a “King Line” and I knew of few quite as stunning as Pata Negra. I arrived in the second week of August and got straight to it. After a few sessions of working out the most efficient methods on each of the boulder problems and unlocking a dyno to a small tufa that made the “impossible section” still possible I was ready to start redpointing. Having spent most of 2009 nursing a very sore elbow the fitness was low. The first few days of attempts were more about building up the fitness to climb a route harder than any I had achieved before.

Then all of a sudden on the next visit I stuck the jump move for the first time from the ground, I kept going. I reached the good kneebar rest close to the end of the roof, then the 3rd crux “el paso de ombro”, the shoulder press move (which is probably the iconic move of the route) was done, I fell just after, but I knew it was on. Then the lurgy hit! 3 days on the sofa made me a little lighter but added more to the frustration than anything else.

Close up of the same boulder problem

After another visit and another few days away from Rodellar I returned with a plan. I had been trying the route in very hot mid 30s heat most of the time which was unbearable but largely unavoidable given that most climbers seem to be allergic to early mornings. This time however I was going to persuade Lynne to get out of bed early so as to benefit from the cold morning air. She agreed and to my surprise she did manage to get our her van when I came knocking at 7.10 the next morning. After a gentle warm up I was tying in under the route just before 9am, the sun was just coming up over the hill but the rock had not felt so sticky in all the time I had been trying the route.

Hitting the first crux holds perfectly I knew I felt good, landing the jump felt easy, the sustained traverse into the kneebar like a doddle. Unusually I didn’t feel the need to stay there as long as ususal. Into the shoulder press… a formality. The redpoint crux, right at the lip now all that stands between me and my dream. This time the holds felt better than they ever had. I put in the huge drop knee and slapped the crimp that usually felt so far awy…the 2 finger pocket, cut the feet loose, “YES”, still there, sloper, crimp, lunge for the jug…"I’m still on!" I scream for focus. Its only 7a ish from here but I don’t want to lose it now. I clip the chains. “Its over. I have climbed 8c!”

Kicking back with Dillan after a cerveza too many in celebration!

Afterwards the feeling of lightness that took over my body was incredible. I felt indestructible. I just wanted to climb everything. Nobody could understand it. Why would I want to climb anything else after doing the project of a lifetime? But I did. 10 mins later and a 7c+ onsight in the bag, then an 8a, then 7b+, another 2 7c+s. I felt like I could just keep going and going. If only every climbing day you felt that good! Alas the day had to come to an end and the hangover has definitely begun. Typing this I’m still tired 2 days later, wondering when I’ll next feel like I did that day.

Once is never enough!

A long road travelled

Well all the travelling is over and I have arrived in my new base, 15 mins cycle from Santa Linya! I can't express in words how motivated I am to be here and I'll get back on the blog scene as soon as I'm a little more settled in. For now I'm getting my teeth in to achieving my lifetime climbing ambition of sending an 8c. I've been surprised at how well that has been going inspite of the 35+ degree heat. Perhaps I'll be readjusting the lifetime objective up a notch in the future, who knows? First things first, I guess. Hasta lluego!

On the Road...

This blog is going mobile. No more sitting about in front of the computer in Glasgow with nothing better to do with my spare time. I'm leaving for pastures new and a lifestyle change. The trad revival 09 has been great, there is definitely more of that to come in the future. I have a growing list of trad goals to come back for but for now, I'm off to get strong (provided this bloody elbow doesn't stay like this forever) and fitter than I have ever been. I am so psyched!

Psyched out me face!

On the road to somewhere steep and bolted

UK Competition Climbing - Attitudes & Participation

I do climbing competitions and I enjoy them. A short while after I started climbing, Alien Rock opened its doors in Edinburgh and not long after that held their first competitions, both for bouldering and routes. This was in the heyday of UK bouldering comps, there were loads in Scotland alone and they seemed to be much better attended. So what happened? There are less local competions obviously because of climbing wall owners spreadsheets telling them -£/$. But does that have to be the case?

In this neck of the woods there was at one point; an Alien Rock (Edinburgh) series of leading and bouldering competitions and the same at GCC (Glasgow), a Carnegie LC (Dunfermline) bouldering competition, the infamous Aberdeen garage league, probably one in Dundee that I can't remember, the Vango Scottish Bouldering league. I even have a tape somewhere with a Reporting Scotland report from the final at GCC of the "Scottish Leading League". People used to travel about and do them all. Traddies, spotty youths, the lot. In the early days I had some personal battles trying to keep up with the skinny youth in this photo.

Niall McNair at a junior comp at GCC (on the cliffhanger wall!!!!) c1995? (Photo: Niall McNair)

There were regional competitions (Vango Scottish Bouldering League vs Cumbrian Bouldering League was a big one) and a 5 round national competition (in those days the BICC). I have enjoyed competing ever since and have always considered it a valid and enjoyable aspect of climbing. It shouldn't be about beating everybody but rather about giving your all on the day. From there good results come and what is a better result than the feeling that you couldn't have tried any harder at something? I enjoyed my first comp and I was 2nd last but I tried hard.

Another man I grew up climbing and competing with: Ross Henighen (in the days when he trained and competed), BICC Ratho 05/06

In 2009 the British Bouldering Championships is still going strong with 51 men competing but the equivalent leading competition is in poor shape in the seniors at least. At Ratho only 10 women and 20 men chose to turn up which does not make it a very representative competition. There were more entrants at the Scottish Leading League all those years ago. Compare that to this years French Difficulty (Lead) Championship where 91 men and 79 women competed after coming through Departmental and Regional qualification rounds (there is also a French Cup, and several Open Competitions in France). The high participation numbers make the competitions better for the competitors, more worthwhile for the organisers and the results more representative of who are the best (competition) climbers in the country. Difficulty competitions can be slow but this is got around through good organistaion and planning. For instance the French have multiple qualifying routes set to the same difficulty to make the competition run faster.

After every BLCC the forums are full of rubbish about the results. Things along the lines of " I can't believe Alan is on the British Team" or "came 4th." "He's rubbish can't even boulder v12 or do a 1 armer, I would have beaten him". Well I'd be happy if you did come and beat me but you have to be in it to win it and really the only valid way of claiming to be a better competitor is by competing. I am more than aware of how good or bad a climber I am, i don't enter to massage my ego, I do it for fun and I wish more people would too. For a start everybody who enters the BBC is more than capable of pulling hard in a routes competition. Being strong is more helpful than being super fit. So boulderers, come along.

Me climbing outside, on plastic BLCC Blackpool 08

Obviously the general attitude to climbing is different in France with sport-climbing being the norm and participation numbers higher. But contrary to what some might believe sport-climbing in its self is no more competitive than trad climbing (indeed I'd argue that there is nothing more competitive than UK trad-climbing) and the people out at the crags in France are not all trying to get one up on each other. They are out to have fun through climbing just like the queues at Stanage. Yet they still see the value in having a shot at the national championships. Brits and French have similar levels of national pride but in France that is represented by having a go at the national competition no matter where you might come whereas here it is seen as un-British to compete in the first place. Indeed it is so un-British that the governing body responsible for competitions, the BMC, has a clause saying it cannot promote competition climbing!

Now I prefer outdoor climbing to indoors 100 times over and I climb indoors and out for my own enjoyment but it is only human to be a bit competitive and it is fun to come and test yourself against other cimbers and a difficult route on a set day. You learn so much about your climbing and really it doesn't matter where you come at the end of the day. If your ego takes a bashing, you'll probably come out better for it anyway. I'd urge anybody and of any age to give the BLCC a go next year. It's great fun honest. All I ever hear is "I'm not strong enough" etc. Even if you aren't strong enough to get to the top you can still try with all you have. And that is what it is all about.

I'm trying hard and going nowhere. IFSC World Cup, Bern 08

Welsh Tapas

After the fun of the BLCCs it was good to get back to the outdoor action. So on Monday Neil McGeachy and I began a journey south, with no real direction except to hook up with Neil Busby, Jonny Stocking and Paul Williamson and avoid the bad weather as much as possible.

After a late start McGeek and I met up with the others who had decided on a trip to the fabulous Chapel Head. We had planned a week of trad, so we thought why not start with Android E4 5c which the guide describes as one of the best Limestone trad pitches in the country! (The guide writers obviously haven't been to Limekilns.) Distinctly average was my take on this route. A relic of a past era on a crag which has been taken over by the sport routes. Now I'm not a puritan and I think that this crag is better as a sport crag anyway so on that note we opted for a couple of sport routes instead. Nothing too hard, just a few 7s to ease ourselves in to the week ahead.

We awoke the next day to a complete washout in the lakes and decided to head for Wales...

A Taster of Welsh Bouldering...

With drizzle lurking in the pass but keen to actually do something, I managed to motivate Paul and Jonny to come with me to Jerry's Roof to save the day with a bit of bouldering. The Neils however were both more interested in relaxing back at the digs and heading to the pub.

Paul Willianson trying Jerry's Roof V9

I've not done a lot of bouldering in North Wales but I knew exactly what I wanted to try. Having done Jerry's Roof before Bus Stop V9 was on the hit list. I haven't bouldered in ages, nor have i bagged many V9s, so it was great to actually get this done. I definitely need to address my weak bouldering skills though if I want to improve my climbing. This is definitely going to be high on the agenda when the elbow is back to 100%.

Paul bears down

As for the youths, well Jonny totally burned me off, sending Bus Stop in only a few tries which was very inspiring. Paul was finding it hard with his reach disadvantage but I'm sure with a little more work it will go for him too.

and of Welsh Sport....

The fabulous LPT: Me vs Statement of Youth 8a

With heavy rain the following day in the pass we decided to head towards the coast to see what was doing. Everybody was keen for some sport at LPT and as I am a big fan of the place, there were no protests on my part. LPT was in great nick and sporting some lovely new bolts which was brilliant. (Well done folks.)

The scene of many a personal epic the last few moves of Statement of Youth 8a

LPT is home to one of my 2 UK nemeses, Statement of Youth. Nemesis status was achieved due to the fact I have fallen from the last hard move at the top of this route on over 10 occasions. The frustrating thing is that this is an essential UK sport tick and I really needed to add it to my list. So, I opted for yet another attempt on the off chance that today might be the day. It was! After a warm up putting in the clips and familiarising myself with the horrible closing sequence I managed to bag it first go (this time, nth in total). I very nearly dropped it yet again but somehow summoned some extra grip strength from somewhere to finally lay this one to rest. Only the dreaded Connect 4 remains with nemesis status for now.

Jonny Stocking hiding on his flash of Mussel Beach 8a

McGeek, Jonny and Paul had opted for Mussel Beach 8a. For Jonny this was a path, he flashed it without even breaking sweat but for the others it was proving a sterner test. Meanwhile Buzz marked a return to sport climbing form with an efficient send of I've Been a Bad Bad Boy one of the best 7c(+)s in the UK, but a sandbag at 7c. This was good to see and I'm sure he will only go from strength to strength from here. Inspiration was on hand when fellow PodSacs man, Pete Robbins turned up to work on Liquid Ambar 8c/+ which looks amazing. That is now 2nd top of my "to-try at LPT list" after The Walking Mussel 8b+ which was being attempted by another Welsh wad in the form of Sam Cattell. I'm hoping with the injury fading and a good season of sport-climbing coming up that these routes will enter the realms of possibility for me.

"The Crime Lord" or is it McGeek contemplating the redpoint of Mussel Beach

With Jonny now trying Melancholie 8b, I had to make a decision on what to try next. As I'm only just easing my elbow back in to hard climbing I decided I'd rather just try another 8a and Over the Moon Direct 8a was well chalked and looked fun. I fought my way through the lower bulge of this only to fall fumbling a move to a crozzly pocket. It turns out a good rest follows just after this. I'm pretty sure I would have got the onsight had I made that move. Hey ho, can't complain at getting the route second go but it would have been great to get my first onsight of a UK 8a.

Jonny made light work of the first boulder problem on Melancholie 8b

and of Welsh Trad...

So far the trad plan wasn't really happening and with the Pass still soaking we all headed for Gogarth the next day. We were in luck, the sun was out and conditions were good. A team ascent of Positron E5 5c, 6a, 6a, (5c) was planned. McGeek and I headed off first with a battle of Paper, Rock, Scissors to decide who was to get first lead. McGeek won and I was very jealous when it came to the incredible pitch 3! Wish we had the camera.

My pitches were pretty disappointing. Pitch 2 had one tricky move then mostly followed a horrible crumbly corner, Jonny who got this pitch too agreed that it was a bit of a let down given the reputation this route has. However when I turned the corner from the belay of pitch 2 to second the 3rd pitch I discovered what everyone raves about. Pitch 3 has the line, the position and the great rock (apart from the choss filled corner that makes up the last few feet). I then had the alarming experience of the 4th pitch which tops out onto a loose heather rock and mud bank. Definitely not my scene! Overall Positron was a good day out but I'm definitely more of an outcrops/mountain man personally.

With everyone shattered the next day I did well to persuade Buzz to give me a belay on Cockblock E5 6b in the now sunny but seeping Llanberis Pass. This is a brilliant route with a fierce reputation. I was therefore pleased to onsight it without any real difficulty and was chomping at the bit to get some more Pass trad in, but everyone was more keen for the cinema so I had to concede. The 2 tied in however as we went from the sexual obscenity of Redhead to that of Sacha Baron-Cohen. Funky-Zeit!

Buzz thoroughly enjoying Resurrection E4 6a

The next and final day was to be a split between the Cromlech and LPT. Paul stayed close to the road and very nearly sent Jerry's Roof (next time mate!) while I went up with Buzz to finally climb on one of the country's most famous crags. It did not disappoint in terms of quality but the crowds were intolerable and by the time Buzz's turn had come round for Resurrection E4 6a it was getting pretty late. All I wanted to get on was Right Wall but the seepage seemed a bit much and I opted to just climb at LPT and save it for next time.

At LPT Jonny made good progress with Melancholie and I managed to "flashpoint" if that is the right term, Over the Moon 8a but having done the direct already it is a pretty grey area in terms of ascent. Nothing much else was climbed but we left happy with our haul and all resolved to return to North Wales as soon as possible.

Buzz ending the trip by seeing what all the fuss was about on Mussel Beach