May 21, 2012

Retour de Vuardes

...And this time we could laugh With Henri...

Approaching the wall, the walk up from Romme is not just long, gives great scenes as well
 

The 09h rendez vous time was passed since quite a time and with an evening rain forecasted, my ego was into getting going, soon!

One text message and 20 min later Roger arrives! Aller...

Since the day had already started bad (late) we could as well get us even worse conditions. So an espresso double at the Sur Cluse bar didn't just slow us down more, it gave us a really bad cup of C..f.e as well...

Next time I join Vanja and prefer staying in le voiture.

Finally, we had the time for starting walking and this time the route should be right, with route finder Rog logging along.The usual scramble down to the base goes better for every time, so keep it going. With last time totally wrong pick of route I took a bit more time reading the topo and compare it a bit more.

Roger,doing...it. On the approach
And, quite obvious this time, we had to walk a bit longer a the base of the wall. There it was, a Very obvious chimney, time to go ramoneuring...The first pitch dosnt just look steep and a bit awkward, it is...but 5mts very interesting stemming and jamming brings me up and around the corner and the rest of the 35mts is easy going.Now its just a matter of who will be fastes, we up the next 6 pitches up to the top OR the rainy clouds moving in from the south...Clipping myself in at the first belay, pull the rope in at the same time freeing myself from the sac a dos."hmmm, normaly it swing around easy when i have loosened up the waist belt, whats that blue thing rolling down the cliff?, ahh the chalk bag!"- no, no, no, the chalk bag. I unclipped the wrong band! Great work!A bit of cowboy cussing!No communication possible to alert Roger about the situation so bring him up.And then, well why not rappel down again to get the blue thing.Just cant leave it, cause i re done the bag so good! Zipper and everything.And, the pitch was nice so why not climb it again.

First chimney pitch, me and the Ramoneur
With the clouds moving in And wind picking up it just makes the chicken race a bit more interesting...
And just to make things even better i made the great choice of just bringing one 50m rope, so only up.
Back up, chalk bag and all...
At least it feels like things a getting better, on the right route, all in and just cruising up the hill.

A couple of pitches up, still a bit concerned about the dark clouds and just to keen to get on, no time to look at the topo. 50% of us thinks we should go right soon, the other 50 keep on uphill and slightly left.

Ok, now i felt it says Rog, not sure what it was but I guess it was something wet falling in from above. With out time to even answer i just grab as many quick draws as i can get and of to next pitch...I just dont want to be caught on the 6b in rain, were this 6b now might be.

Counting pitches on the next belay i get it to 4, start to pick the q-d from Rog's harness almost before he gets to the next belay, and off again.

Roger fighting gravity
Hmm, 2 lines of bolts. Downclimb, but ohyes. Its older bolts on the right. So stay leftish, right!?

Up again ,super happy that its still dry and clear. A friction move and a swing up a mini section of blanc wall.

Must have been the 6b...but wasnt the last that grade also...?

Suddenly the weather looks better as well, relaxing climbing. Just enjoying the last pitches and its pure climbing all the way to the very last move, a super great route.

I understand why Henri was laughing!

And so am I!

Henri tu vas rire, 6b, les Vuardes

And an other great day in life...

 

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