Baume Rousse as a group of three

Now that we have been joined by Paul we are now a group of three. Paul has come from the UK to receive coaching for a week with Adrian so he is now joining us in our escapades.

To start Paul off on his first day we selected Baume Rousse as it offers a good range of climbs and styles of climb so that he can get used to the rock and climb the type of climbs that suite him. So we spent the better part of the morning getting him warmed up to the rock on a 5+ and a 6a. We was more than strong enough to climb them but needed some time and help to get over the mental aspects of it. His hardest red point to date has be 6b+ but I recon he gets a 6c or more on this trip. He looks good just needs to believe he can hold on to that stuff.

Since we were in the neighbourhood I decided to jump on a 6a+ and 6b slab routes called "Etoile des Neiges" and "Soleil Levant". I managed to move up them with relative easy and Adrian snapped a few photos of me on route as there was a good vantage point that you can get above the climbers from.

We hiked up from sector Facile and moved to sector Central Competition. Paul got on a 6b that called "La Caraille" which Adrian and I had climbed before. He made his way up after a pause on a ledge and worked through some jiters he completed the on-sight. I seconded the climb and then climbed through to do "La Racaille" a 7a that was the first junior mens qualification route for the competition that was held here in 1995. The lines is beautiful, is starts straight up this golden limestone over hanging at 20 degress. Your pulling on huge holds for the first 8 meters then you hit a head wall where you must traverse right a few meters on good hand holds but small foot holds. Once you step right using and undercling you are in a huaco and the climb is back to jugs and more vertical climbing. Not a real test for technical climbing its more of a power endurance crux.

I only made 3rd bolt before I got stuck being unable to figure out what to do with my feet on the stupendously overhanging rock. After sitting back on the rope for a look around I figure out where my feet should go and took another run at it. This time I made it in to the crux sequence before once more losing sight of where my feet go and fell off. It took too more runs to resolved the foot situation but once I did I climbed through to the top. The foot work clearly underscores my challenges with overhanging rock. I need to sort that out if I'm going to get on hard climbs in the future. The only way I can see to resolve the foot work is to get more experience. I guess I'll be making another attempt at this 7a.

After letting Paul have some fun on the top rope I set up on "La Racaille" we came back down to the ground and packed up our things and moved to sector Right Competition. There Adrian and I wrapped up the day on "2002 L'Epicier De L'Espace" a 6b that had bolted on holds. Yes folks, there are gym holds on the rock out here. I'll take a picture next time I'm in the sector. The climb not that ascetic because of the plastic but it is a really nice route.

I almost forgot not only was there fun on the rock but some in the air as well. The French Airforce had a Mirage 2000 flying maneuvers through the mountains behind us earlier in the day. It was like something out of top gun, we were even height with the fighter as is rocketed by.

The day wrapped up with a beautiful sunsets of gold and red in the distant mountains. I see that the sun is shining on the friends back home. I hope you all got out on Sunday!

I hope climbing isn't put off to much by this but I seem to have cut my finger nails a touch short and now chalk has gotten up under then and caused the skin under two of my nails to separate from the nail. Ouch! they sting so much now. I've had this happen before but not quite sure if there is any way to avoid it. Seems to be something I might have to just deal with.

I hope you all well and life is shining on you. Hugs!