Quand on tue le cochon

The Piggy is definitely alive and kicking, full on route on Les Vuardes, une plus!

Le Ville Magnific, Romme sur Cluse

Well. It starts to look like the imagination is over and out, one more at the same place?! But I can confess that I had a match with "les diable" at la Villette. Probably one of the hardest 6c+ ever tried...But after third try I could finally complete the moves and climb it almost to the top...on the second last move which are about 5 bla bla bla the hold didn't hold any more and sent me airborn. Bonne chance plus!

But, with a bit of confides in the finger tips i felt it was time for a long harder route and why not at Vuardes?

I mean, I know the way!

As alpine starts are something of the best thing ever, leaving very early, still cold and even better if its a chance to use the very expensive headtorch, we decided to leave a bit later. Have some good coffee and let the day have an enjoyable start. That also means that its not necessary to stop at mon amis or any other questionable places for coffee an route.

Base of le Cochon

The walk up is still a walk up, so nothing to talk about except that it is a nice one...And with a good picture of the wall, finding the start IS easy. So a 2 á clock start we had some enjoyable climbing, even a bit of traversing and jamming! What a great route!!

The first pitch is one of the easier ones, supposed to at least. A 6b with steep climbing on some technical rock. Suddenly, the foot has lost its hold, and since I'm on some bad hand pinches so has I. The direction changes and I start to go down, very fast. Well, it wakes the whole team of 2 up:-)

And up we go. Off again and with a bit more focus. Next 6c pitch feels even easy...

 

Anna trying to get her feets right...

Some airy steeps brings us to a nice belay, one more ( the bolts are overall very nice placed with just some hurting sections if it involves a fall) Otherwise the route is so steep so it just send you hanging in the air!

The Topo Pitch, no.4, an other perfect 6c up compact yellow solid piece of rock. Just brilliant!

Well worth the whole walk and effort.

Pitch four,6c

 

Around 14:00 the sun goes around the wall and suddenly warm goes to cool. Perfect during hot summer days, can be "alpine" during off-season.

Power nap an route! When some one work, someone else can rest...no?

 

Well, there is something about a 7b, its always hard!

And this one is no exeption. Looking up from the belay it dosnt look to bad, a bit steepish but it seems to be holds. But, the bolts looks like a bit spread out, not bad but bad enough!?

After the first meters of easy moves there is a bulge, with a long stretch up to an ok hold, but the vertical factor gives the sac a dos a pulling out feeling, and with the last bolt a bit under I dont want to fall upside down. So I get down and hang it to the bolt. New try and this time it works. Off to next bolt. A pitch like this is like a long journey but with small stops at different destinations. The bag (body) is checked in to the final destination but the mind are allowed to stop at every harbour, to have a "look see". The bolts, are like Island of peace in an ocean of war. With subs cruising below, ready to missile at every wrong move.

The route description says its 6b maximum, If harder you can pull the slings, but then either my arms a to short or the the bolts are to high up... Anyway, there is just one solution, climb it.

 

At least its steep, Anna following on Quand on tue le Cochon

 

After the fourth bolt the foot slips and the strenght is out. I get an improvised rest in the bolt.

Try to figure out the next moves which comes with improvised reading of the rock.

Just under the next anchour, a perfect hand jam, but there is not enough strenght to chalk up propperly. A large bit of cussing and fighting, the hold is there. And so is the hanging belay!

Next is just a couple of 6a's, except for a short section harder stuff, and some loose rock high above the last bolt. And just to make it a little bit more, there's thunder in the air and a couple of BIG rain dropps, oopps.

Le 7b+, an plus

But nothing lasting, so we can finalé and top out still dry and shining. With forearms like a famous sailer and spenat in the chalkbag. Cause the cussing chalk was out loong time ago...

/

A bientôt dans Vuardes

You need:

Sure you make the route, 1x50m rope Not sure you make the route, 2x50m rope

12 QD

There is/was a "mutter" missing on the second last belay, so a 12mm would be good to bring