I was very pleasantly surprised when I got a message from Jan (Gorrebeeck) this morning, asking where I planned to go climbing. It meant that he was nearby, so I invited him for a coffee, after which we both went to the boulder of "Crabe d'Or" in Moigny-sur-Ecole. Just like me, he likes to be in quiet spots and I knew that he would enjoy that boulder. After a short warmup, I repeated "L'Oreille Cassée" on my first attempt, showing him how to climb this nice line, which he also did, even though requiring a couple attempts more. No surprise since he hadn't built up the muscle memory for it yet and it had been a long time since he climbed in the forest. The key holds of "Crabe d'Or" were finally dry, the main reason why I had decided to come back to this boulder. We helped each other out, sharing beta possibilities and after some tweaking my method, I was able to top this beauty out.
Fontainebleau - Moigny-sur-Ecole - Crabe d'Or 7B
While Jan was still trying "Crabe d'Or", I worked in and ended up doing the slightly harder version "Crabe d'Or (droite)". It had become quite hot in the meantime though, but the vibes were good. Jan came really close to doing "Crabe d'Or", but had to throw in the towel when he pulled a bad flapper on one of his fingers.
It was a great session in a great spot on a great boulder and with great company. If Pieter would have been there as well, it would have been complete.
The first time I went looking for the boulder of "Muramasa" in Noisy-sur-Ecole, the village where I live, was back in September 2016. When I had finally found it, I was slapped in the face by it and couldn't even let go of my left hand when hanging on the tiny crimp under the roof and an extremely bad left heelhook. I was only able to the part right after a series of three cruxes. That part on its own was already worth 7A or even 7A+. Over the years, I went back two times, but still was never able to the first crux move. This was really hard! I believe it was the need to avoid crowds, that made me decide to go back to "Muramasa" today, and I left home without any expectation to send the problem, but I was only hoping to be able to progress and hopefully do the first crux. My first attempts were no different than the other times, but I was more motivated than ever and gave it all I had, trying to ignore the pain on my right fingertips and the split that had started to form on my middle fingertip. Suddenly, I was did the first crux, only to get into trouble with the second and third ones that follow immediately after. After a while, I suddenly had done the first two in a row and decided to focus on the last part. It's not possible to work out the second and third cruxes separately, so I was forced to repeat the first one each time, but had started to become persistent with it. If I could do the last part again, I knew that I could have a chance when I would finally stick the third, and apparently the hardest, crux. As soon as I did the last part again, I turned on the camera and started with some real tries, hoping for that tiny bit of luck and finally sticking the third crux. If I would, then I was quite confident to top out. If only I would remain calm enough. Many attempts later, I was forced to tape one of my fingertips, where a painful split was keeping from trying hard enough. Thinking that the tape would be in my disadvantage, I started my next attempt without any expectation, but I noticed that now that the pain was muffled, I was able to crimp harder than before, did the first crux, immediately followed by the second. Now I was at the third crux again, where letting go of the right hand always made me swing out. On the spot, I found something under the roof to keep myself from swinging immediately by stopping the swing with a small right toehook and suddenly had my hand on the slopey knob. I let go of my right foot, took a hard swing, somehow didn't swing off, and threw my feet over the lip of the roof. I knew at that moment that I could top out, and did. I couldn't stop smiling for at least ten minutes after the topout. A great problem with beautiful moves, definitely worth five stars in my humble opinion.
I was eager to try "Voluptueuses" in Long Boyau Ouest today, but was greatly disappointed to discover the lower slopey ledge for the first moves of the original sitstart to be wet. There was some wind and the ledge was about to get some sun, but I knew that this wouldn't dry any time soon, if at all still today. I was able to work out the moves of the upper part though and link them all from a standing start, but the lower ledge was so wet that I couldn't even try the first moves of the sitstart. I decided to publish a video of the quite logical standing start anyway, but will have to go back some day for the sit.
Fontainebleau - Long Boyau Ouest - Voluptueuses (debout) 7B+(7B)
I had to move somewhere else, but decided to stay on the ridge of the hill and try some other problems along the blue path. "Cadeau de Noël" was one of them and was done quite quickly.
Fontainebleau - Long Boyau Ouest - Cadeau de Noël 7A+
Afterwards, I stopped at "OK Duck", a very high arete being completely my anti style. I always have a hard time keeping my balance on such aretes with as good as nothing for the feet. I saw it as a good occasion to work on my weakness, and after a lot of persistence, was glad to finish it off. A very nice problem.
Fontainebleau - Long Boyau Ouest - OK Duck (assis) 7A+
Looking for some other quite hidden boulders more down the hill, I bumped into a den of about five or six newly born boars. Cute as they were, I quickly took a picture and left as quickly as I good before their mom was back.
It hadn't rained anymore since yesterday, but new rain was expected for this afternoon. Still avoiding crowds, I went back to the boulder of "Oreille Cassée" in Moigny-sur-Ecole, hoping that the boulder had dried more than yesterday, allowing me to try at least one of the other lines on it. The right part of the boulder had dried more, just enough to allow me to try "L'Oreille Cassée (droite)", which I did on my first attempt. Still having the moves in my muscle memory definitely helped.
I was hoping the most for the key holds of "Crabe d'Or" to be dry, but it seems that those sucked up the moisture like a sponge and require a long dry period for them to dry. Instead though, I was able to do "L'Oreille Cassée (prolongé)" on my second attempt. I will have to come back in Summer for "Crabe d'Or" and "Crabe d'Or (droite)".
Despite it had been raining a lot yesterday evening and last night, my main goal was to avoid the crowds, so I went to one of the most interesting boulders in the relatively unknown area of Moigny-sur-Ecole, the one with "Oreille Cassée". I had scouted this sector two weeks ago to be prepared, so luckily I knew where to go and get to the boulder quite easily. I didn't really expect it to be dry, but I was hoping for at least the holds under the roof to be dry, so I could try some of those moves. Obviously, most of the boulder was soaking wet, but just as I had hoped, the holds under the roof were perfectly dry. On top of that, it looked like the only line, and mainly its topout, looked to be drying. Using a small ventilator, I gave the top slopers some wind while I started working out the moves under the roof, which only took me maybe five minutes. I had to be patient for the slopers on the top to feel dry. Nothing that can break off that part of the boulder, so as soon as I saw fit, I gave it a real go, only to slide off the last move. I had to be a bit more patient. About ten minutes later, I tried again and topped out.
There quite a few more lines on this boulder that I wanted to try, but the rest of the boulder doesn't seem to dry very quick, so I contented myself by doing the lower moves of "Crabe d'Or". At least I already know those now, and as I'm able to do the whole first part, sending it should be almost a formality next time, when it's completely dry.
Being so close to doing "Nouvelle Vague" in Cul de Chien last weekend, I was annoyed that the upcoming weekend will be the infamous crowded Easter weekend, and Cul de Chien will be a must avoid area for me. I felt annoyed not being to return quickly, but when I looked at my work calendar this morning, it looked like I could take the afternoon off. Only a meeting at 17h30 this evening, but I would be back by then. The parking was already very full, and it looked like the first new wave of Easter visitors had already arrived, but I didn't let it get to me and while walking towards the boulder, I prepared mentally for meeting a crowd. I wasn't wrong about the crowd, the area looked like a climbing hall and the roof with "Nouvelle Vague" was obviously crowded, but luckily not packed. The only advantage was that there were more than enough crashpads and some climbers who were willing to spot without me asking. It wasn't hot or really warm, but the slopers didn't feel as good as last weekend and I didn't expect any success. But when my youngest son, Noah, who came with me, told me that I could do it, it must have given me a boost. Not much later, I was able to do the far move to the right and, keeping calm, I was able to struggle my way up. One can still fall off the boulder until the very end, something that I witnessed someone else doing not long after. Anyway, taking the afternoon off turned out to have been the good choice. Thanks to my boss for letting me go on such a short notice.
My youngest son Noah came with me for climbing today, so I chose something nearby where we could each find something to climb for our own. We went to 91.1, where I wanted to try "l'Arbitre (assis)", an old (open) project of mine of which Antoine Maire got the first ascent a few weeks ago and graded it 7C. As I my right arm felt quite painful already when trying the standing start again, I decided to not loose time on this one and we moved to the nice overhanging boulder of "Pleine Prouesse". The last problem on that boulder that I still had to do. "Pleine Prousse" was proposed 7C(7B+), but after doing it on my second attempt, I concluded that it more felt like 7A+, soft 7B at most. Nevertheless, a nice problem.
Having done this so quickly, I decided to do it again, but without the good hold far right, for neither the hands, nor the feet and only using the crimp. It does make the move to the higher sloper dynamic, at least for my height, and it made it much more interesting. It took me quite a few attempts to control the move and finally top it out. I named this game "Pleine Prousse (sans la bonne de droite)", and doing it this way could be low end 7B+, or maybe 7B for taller climbers.
Fontainebleau - 91.1 - Pleine Prouesse (droite sans la bonne de droite) 7B+
Being Noah's turn to climb now, we went back to main area to find some boulders more suitable for him, where he made quick work work of "Le Ti'Bloc" (yellow 17) and repeated it for a video.
Fontainebleau - 91.1 - Le Ti'Bloc (yellow 17) 2 (Noah)
At the end of his session, he worked a very long time in the very nice "Le D.A." (orange 12). Easy for my height, but much harder for him, as he has to make a big dyno to the edge. He got close to doing it a few times, but had to throw in the towel when he was getting too tired. Definitely his project now and he's eager to come and finish it off.
