Another update from our long-suffering Font correspondent, Dave Mason!
We have been in Fontainebleau for nearly three weeks now and so far I have climbed only 5 of those days! The weather has been awful and we have been forced to dry off wet rock and make the most of poor conditions. Climbing on damp rock shreds your skin and so I am left with very pink tips and little to show for it. This is when I find climbing hard and frustrating. It turns into a real mental game and making the most of each hour of dryness is important.
Whichever climbing area I visit I think it is important to try the historical boulder problems; the ones that were ground-breaking and have survived the test of time in the great grade debate. Last year I climbed C'etait Demain. This line, put up by Jacky Godoffe in 1984, was the first 8a (v11) bloc in Fontainebleau. On this trip to the forest two problems that were high on my to-do list were the direct to Surplomb de la Mee and L'aplat du Gain.
Last Thursday we had a gap in the rain and decided to head out to try Surplomb. When this bloc was originally climbed by Marc Le Menestrel it involved a vicious shoulder-busting move. However new beta was found which makes the climbing somewhat easier. After drying and chalking up the holds we decided to get cracking. The reason for wanting to climb the direct version of this problem is that you get to do one of the best moves I have ever done on rock, off a perfectly sculpted pinch. After a few poor goes at the first move, I realized that I wasn't placing my right foot on a crucial smear. The next go I pulled on, was through the first move and concentrating on finishing off the problem. The lip holds felt damp, making the final mantle committing, however I locked the sloper, reached back to a pocket and then again to the jug! Wow, a dream come true! Next, I had to try the original. One go, I fell from the lip ,and next go I split two tips!! Gutted ...! Everyone else found the starting holds comfy! I will be back for that one.
The rain commenced! Yesterday we’d had enough and headed to Calvaire to try to dry L'aplat du Gain-an 8a (v11) wall put up by Alain Ghersan in 1986! Luckily this climb only requires the use of a few holds. After 2 hours or so of drying, we started to climb. The first move is a large dead point off a small left hand crimp to a bad (damp) sloper. This is the crux and once you have stuck the sloper all should be over, however wet holds made this far from true. Showers continued on and off throughout the day, just as the light was starting to fade I managed to stick the first move only for my foot to pop when going to a wet sandy pinch! Next go, I was through the first move only for my foot to pop again! I started to think that today was not going to be the day. But the crux move seemed to become a lot easier after learning it; I stuck it again, weighted my foot and reached for the pinch, expecting to feel the foam of the mat, I was surprised to find myself holding the pinch. Grabbing a poor intermediate crimp my and my feet cut, forcing me to campus the final move to a slopey wet lip! Phhhoar what a palaver! A mini epic, but a very satisfying one! We managed a team ascent of this-awards for quickness go to Adam, style to Ned, and panic, resulting in the use of a mono to Tom!
Hopefully the rain will relent and we'll be able to try some harder blocs. Who knows...?
-Dave Mason, Fontainebleau