(Picture is Le Rocher Du Saint-Julien)With the arrival of Erin and Carrie I found myself taking it much easier in the climbing. For their day of introduction to the rock in France Adrian and I went to Baume Rousse. Adrian still needed pictures for the book from that location and it has plenty of excellent rock with a full grade range.
To acquaint them with the rock here slowly we picked the slabs at the far right side of Sector Initiation. Since this was Erin's second time on real rock and Carrie had yet to clean an anchor I lead the first pitch and set myself up at the top so the could TR and I could teach them how to clean a sport anchor. I climb a 4+ (5.6) called "Tyrex" which run a full 30 meters. I would have suggested they lead the climb but the top 15 meters only had two bolts and I though it wouldn't due to have them thinking about bolts for their first climb or worse taking a long fall on slab.
So after a clinic on anchor cleaning, I descended and cleaned the route. Next up was "Sikarate" a 5 (5.9) which got three stars in the guidebook. I found the climb while well bolted and fun, had some thin moves on it. The angle I guess is what keeps the grade down as it a slab but decided it might be better to give Erin and Carrie one more climb on top rope before getting them on lead. I once more waited at the top of the route and walked supervised the simulated cleaning of the anchor (simulated since they were top roping).
I descended leaving the draws (short for quick draws) in the climb so they could lead it. We ate lunch basking in the hot sun, the temperature maybe reach 26 degrees and a light wind blowing. After lunch the light was right for pictures and Adrian soloed up a 6a to get on top of an adjacent pillar to our slab. I climbed a 3 (5.6) route called "Douce Colere" to get the draws in for Erin's first lead clean the draws out of "Sikarate" which would have ruined the picture as they would appear in the foreground.
Both Erin and Carrie did well on their first lead climbs in France and cleaned without any hitches. Since we had climbed all the good climbs in this section and Adrian got the pictures for the book we packed up and moved to the other side of the crag to sector Facile where I put up a 5 (5.9) called "Murmuroa" a three star face climb that is much more fun than the slabs we were previously playing on. Both Erin and Carrie lead the climb to the setting sun.
Day two Adrian decided to stay back and leave Erin, Carrie and myself to climb on our own. It was Wednesday April 2nd and that meant we were going to be able to shop at the market in Buis-Les-B. We made the rounds as quickly as we could because we had left late and the market closes at 12:00 noon. Stopping first at the fish monger we picked up a fillet of Salmon and then went to the produce are and got variety of vegetables and fruits for our week. We then moved up to the Baker and the Biofood store to get bread and some gluten free products for Erin. On the walk back to the car we passed through the vendors whom were selling clothes and other miscellaneous items.
We took quite some time at the market so I decide to go to Ubrieux for climbing as its a close location to Buis and you can practically belay from the car. I started the day by putting the draws in "L'ABC" a 5+ route that works up a crack system. The girls both lead this route and cleaned it.
Next up I put the draws in two routes: "Hesitation" 5 (5.8) and "Aphrodite" 4+ () and turned Erin and Carrie loose on them. They had no trouble pulling through the slightly technical "Hesitation" which requires a bit of route finding and footwork at the top. After they finished their leads and cleaned the route we stopped for a lunch break. The wind was hollowing at this point and the guts were enough to knock you off balance if you were on the rock.
I had one climb I was interested in climbing on this sector which neither Adrian nor myself has climbed, "Ecolo Man". The english guide gives it a 6b+ (5.11a) but I had known it to over grade quite a bit. The climb proved to be as hard as advertised. Basically a bolted boulder problem, the entire route took 4 draws, one of which is of little value as its at the 3 metre mark and you gain a large ledge just above it. The next clip comes at the 8 metre mark so I didn't bother clipping it as it would only add rope drag and put me in danger of getting caught on the rope if I fell at after the first bolt. I moved up on a some jugs at the start of a right diagonal crack system to make the second clip.
The crack system was shallow and provided no more jugs as you move up and right under the overhanging head wall above. I did a hand travers with my right which became sore as was forced to do a low right lockoff. I called for take but realized that I didn't in fact need to stop as I was able to shift my weight over my right foot, work my left hand up to an open hand slopper and then throw my left hand up into a finger lock and rock over my feet. The next move was a blind throw to a line of weakness on the face behind and above then a cross through with the left over the top to a big juggy ledge. You cut off you feet and swing them left to get some feet to stabilize you position to get the third clip. The rest of the climb was a jug haul to the top.
I set up a top rope on this climb and let Carrie have a crack at it. While having some fun falling off at the crux she did pull through and moved up to the top. Since the wind was so bad I moved us up and right to a dihedral with a three star 30 metre 5+ climb called "Mammouth Cave". I decided to climb a 6b right next to it called "Dernier Soupir" which worked up a slightly overhanging gray slab with technical moves on poor feet. A runout at the top made it interesting and instead of going right to the anchor which has 5+ moves I stepped left to setup the top rope on "Mammouth Cave".
There was only time for Erin to have a climb and clean the route. I had to be back to the house at 5:15 PM to go look at a car with Christian, Gabriel's husband whom I mentioned in on of my earlier posts. Unfortunately, the car was a not up to snuff, as it only had 2.5 seats which isn't enough for when the rest of the clan arrives in Aug-Sep time frame. The back was also a touch dingy, at a cost of 2500 euro I wasn't interested even if the mechanics were good.
While I was out Carrie and Erin arranged to hire Adrian for a day of climbing. This threw my plans to take them to the Mineral Spa at Montbrun into chaos. The idea was to have Adrian join us as this would be the only day it was possible to do the spa with him and he had expressed and interest. Alas, it was probably the only day they could have hired Adrian so I adjusted my plans and made the mineral spa day be on my Birthday.
I had to be up at 5:30 AM that morning so I could be online to attend a Soundproof meeting. Though totally exhausted from getting to bed at 1:30 AM and up at that hour. It was all worth while to see the friends I have been missing so much over here on the laptop. After the conclusions of the meeting I managed to sneak in a few more house of sleep.
So for Carrie's birthday they got a multipitch lesson and went and climbed "La Grotte" on La Roche Du St Julien. I accompanied them to the base and took pictures from a mountain just opposite and then took Adrian mountain bike and rode through the mountains on my first mountain bike ride. Alex, Sheri, James, Becca and all the others; I now understand the challenge of mountain biking. The trails its can be small and the turns sharp and steep angles. The ride was fun and popping off of jumps with a full suspension was tons of fun.
The girls were rather bubbly when they got back from their climb. I think I heard about a hundred times how Carrie "save Erin's life". As Erin had taken a fall on her traverse on the second pitch of the route. I was happy that they now had some multipitch experience and learned a few tricks about moving while off the ground. That night Adrian drove into town to get Audrey. I left him for some down time in the car alone as I'm sure having us all around him for the past three days had been draining.
My birthday was a slow start. Since I hadn't been able to take the girls to the spa the day earlier I decided I was going to go on my birthday. Audrey and Adrian wanted to climb so we dropped them off at Baume Rousse and took the car to Montbrun-Les-Bains where the spa ValVital is located.
The lounging in the minerals pools, the sauna, hot tub and then down in the Hammam (steam room) was a welcome break from the climbing. The Hammam was particularly interesting, the design had a parabolic column in the middle surrounded by a pool of cool water for splacing on the face. The room was dark except for some LEDs lights that would glow in several patters from the pool in the centre. The column made a parabolic shape that started at the outer walls then drawing more and more steeply till it sank into the cool pool in the centre. This allowed all the condensation from the roof to be guided down into the pool instead of dripping on people heads. The room was very peaceful and everyone whispers which adds to the relaxing atmosphere.
We drove back to Baume Rousse at around 5 after soaking for quite some time in the mineral baths. We picked up food at the local grocery store for the dinner that night which we were to share with Christian and Gabriel upstairs. They had prepared "racklette" which is boiled potatoes skinned then covered in melted cheese slices that you melt in a fondu like heater at the centre of the table. You then cover the cheese and potatoes with slices of meat. I'm sure if we weren't climbing every day we certainly would have had heart attacks.
The conversation was fun and interesting as it was all in French because Christian is French and doesn't speak much english though he understands it quite well. The night went late but as we started rather late in the evening. When the clocked roller around to 12:30 we thanks our gracious hosts and departed for some much needed rest. For those back home you will get a chance to meet Christian and Gabriel because they are moving to Vancouver the same week I'm coming home.
For the girls last day we made our way to a hard location: St Leger. I figured this is the up and coming place and is easily as big and as important as Buoux as far as cliffs go. Its the climbing location of the future for the South of France as there is still load of development to be done here and no shortage of 13 and 14s to be set.
We started the day by hiking in to South Face where there was a 6a+ called "A deux pas d'ici" which I had climbed on previous trip to St Leger. As a warm up it wasn't the idea as it start off a bit bouldery then gets easier as you move to the top. The climb is however, the easiest at St Leger in terms of over all grade (excluding the North Face which is cold and wet at this time of year). I hiked up and put the draws in for the girls. Since the start is rather hard I left the first bolt clipped so they could lead the climb. Carrie made a good run of the climb but as expected found the start challenging.
Erin had a bit of trouble with the start and psyched herself out of the climb. Rather than banging our heads against the wall she came down and we took a walk. This is no less than what I had to do on my first day at Baume Rousse when I got shut down by "Ecolo Net".
Before we left on our walk I lent a couple quick draws to a french couple who were climbing a 6c next to us. They seem competent enough of climbers and it was only a couple draws. The guy had reach the crux of his climb and was getting shut down as well so he lowered off. The couple wanted to climb our climb so we pulled the rope to let them climb through on my draws. When we returned from the walk the guy had made it to a tricky slab above the crux. He was having trouble progressing so I suggested the easier slave section on the left which doesn't take much power but you need to be good on slab and make sure you clip the second draw before traversing back right onto the main section of the route.
Unfortunately, the guy didn't have the head I though he did and instead climbed passed the second draw without clipping and continue up and left onto lichen where he slipped and slid down the slab. His partner couldn't do anything as he had failed to protect himself by clipping the second draw and scrapped up his leg and arm and banged his leg on a tree stump off the ledge where the slab starts. He lowered off and cleaned his scraps and nursed his wounded pride. The bad thing was he was unable to climb after with what I suspect was a charlie horse from the tree stump. The fall pretty much seal the deal with Erin, she wasn't up for getting on this route no that it had spit her off the bottom and had scrapped up a climber.
So up I went a second time on a retrieval mission to get back my quick draws and set up a top rope for the woman in the couple. No sooner than i got down I realized I was going to have to finish and clean the 6c (5.11b) that they had been climbing previously. The route was called "La Violence Eternelle" and was definitely not the best route at St Leger. The first half moves through some poor quality rock and climbs less than vertical to a head wall that kicks back. This is the point where the French guy had lower off. The climbing really starts here as below this it probably grades only about 5+. I quickly found out that the climb was manufactured as the sequence is unnatural for the rock you are climbing and the cemented in holds become you route finding marker.
Needless to see, I couldn't read the route and sat on the rope in the middle of the crux while I tried to work out the sequence. Once I figured out the sequence is to follow the cemented holds I move pass it to the upper section which moves on a vertical wall with crimps and high steps to the top. On the second to last move my foot blew off and I took a fall which the hold I had in my left hand being a bit sharp left me with a flapper (flap of skin that is still attached but cut deep). I pulled back on and cleaned the route leaving a top rope in place for Carrie and Erin to play on the route. Carrie did well to dog her way up through the crux and finish the climb while Erin moved cleanly through the bottom section to enjoy the moment.
I got on a 6b+ called "Melancolique et Desabuse" which I was hoping to red point. I climbed well through the bottom sections but found I had forgotten where the hand holds were for the top crux right before the chain. I left a top rope in place for Erin and Carrie to play on. The bottom gave both of them a run for their money as the move requires some sure feet with no hands. It really isn't an easy move and the the climb gets overhanging and pumpy. I would actually thing the climb is sand bagged and is probably a 6c but its St Leger and sandbagging is the norm here. I made one last attempt for the red point as the sun was setting but rushed to the upper crux but this time missed a key hand hold which you can skip if you have hung at the crux hence why I didn't find it the second go. I cleaned the route off and packed up so we could go as we had to get home to pack and drive the 2.5 hours down the Montpellier so the girls could get there flight in the morning.
The drive proved to be more of an adventure that we first intended. The car I realized as we left Pierrelongue was showing an empty tank and it was Sunday night in rural Southern France. This translates to no open gas stations and the beauty of being North American is that gas stations here don't accept your credit cards. We made our way to Vaison-Les-Romaines where we were unable to get a gas stations that was open or find someone who would buy us gas. Giving up and seeing that the gage was more full than I first suspected I decided to press on listening to the GPS navigation system call out the turns I should take.
After about 30 minutes but what seemed like hours we crawled into Orange at 10:30 PM running on fumes. I figured we didn't have much time to wonder around looking for a gas station so I stopped and asked the first french guy I could find. He was a friendly and asked if our credit cards were functional in the gas station here. I told him no and he offered to lead us to the gas station and pay on his credit card if we were to give him cash.
We jumped back in our cars and began following him. He found a gas station quickly but it was closed. He turned around and went back the way we came and exited the center of town in different direction. All the while in the back of my mind I'm wondering if we are going to take a turn down a dark alley to be blocked off but I didn't sense any deception from the man and he had a good natural smile. We drove another 5 minutes and reach a gas station that was open. He happily provided us with the need fuel and the offered to help us get to the Autoroute (toll highway) when I mentioned our destination was Montpellier. Since we had the GPS navigation already calling out the direction I thanked him. Carrie and I tried to slip him a tip but no sooner that he found out he was knocking at the passenger window thrusting the 5 euro we had included in saying we should keep it. If you ever read this Jerome, thank you.
We set out at 11:00 PM to Montpellier. By the time we arrived at the hotel it was nearly 1 AM and once we settled into our room and set alarms the time had struck 1:30 AM. Exhaust we all passed out almost as soon as our heads hit the pillows.
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