"One last try..." Le Barbier Barbare

Well, the Barbarian sure knocked me down yesterday, almost out...

la premiere un peu aleatoire, la deuxieme tres a doigts sur microreglettes et consecutives...So, a bit hit and miss on pitch one. And the second, a fingery micros that goes on and on... Think it's been a mix up cause the third is very...doigté 

A often used phrase in this branch. Reading the topo it says 7c with 6c+ obligatoire. So, ok, I could always do a French free and pull a QD?! Said and done...off the team goes. A perfect combination with a nice walk up the Varan so me and Vanja get the most out of it. Always think of your partner!

Une pause an route, regarde le vue

 

It might be a long approach but the views are stunning, and so was the heat. The sun is doing its best to slow down the force going uphill, but water taps here and there fills up a drying body.

A 1 1/2h later we checked in at the base of the rocher. And to my pleasure I could see that the first scrambling part was equipped with a rope. The loose grass scree didn't look to tempting at distance otherwise.

Fueling up for some more workout...

Finding the route on this one is easy work, even for me. And with a rope in place to show the door in, even easier.

le Route starts up right Going up the grass grove to the yellow rock

The first pitch, a 7a gives what I was hoping on, even though if I had a good warm up after the walk in, the first climbing meters gives nice solid rock on 6a/6b something. Before a short but hard crux. The hit and maybe miss section! That is the backside with those easy parts, suddenly the holds and steps are...gone! One what it feels like impossible friction traverse on crimps send me up...and off...

New try and this time the rubber holds me, can't blame anything else really. Sometimes it's just magic. Together with some ordinary cussin' of course. A thin layback and a very high foot placement in a bit of desperation, it's there.

Going rope solo, somewhat to prefer then just solo at this grade for me at least, makes some harder effort. Compared when climbing in team of two.

When the rope is out about halfway the weight pulling down is twice as much as climbing with a "real" partner. Because the rope hangs double. Which also makes it harder to pull up the rope when clipping in, so best thing is to clip the QD at the height of the waist. But that makes the fall longer, if you do...fall.

An other thing to take care of is the risk of falling upside down, because then the thing won't brake. So head up, feets down, simple as that.

the red soloist in use with a chest harness

 

A very airy pitch send me up one of the most stunning 6b pitches I've done lately. On its something 15m of climbing it offers layback, jamming and crimps on perfect yellow limestone.

Starting up the 3rd doesn't look to bad, and isn't until I have climbed myself into the thought that this is working out fine and a bit to high realize that...oops...where did the hold go? Well, I went back down in a hurry to find myself hanging a bit below the last bolt. Good bolts! I'm at least half way, but not close. New try but there is no way, after maybe six-seven times trying I step up in to a sling just to realize that Estrangin and Rivere must have been tall guys, no way I could just reach the next bolt. Which sits there up nosed like c'mon vise guy. So as so many times before, Just One More Try, cussin crimp! What goes around comes around and this time it works out fine, again. Time to breed and do a little dirt road dancing up this pice of rock. Le sommet! Again there is a great 6b that takes me up and over the edge, considering climbing with out a rope but hanging there on the two hand slab I'm quite glad didn't visualize that idea all the way. 

A bit more known mountain, le Mont Blanc, at distance

The return is a easy choice since its possible to walk down, instead of a somewhat rappel. I always get more out of the climb if it takes me up on something and it means walking down. Or even better; flying!

Biggest water bowl around

Quick down to my well expecting friend and of for some watering up, and a little shadow!

You need

If you climb up and walk down, One 40m rope If you rappel, two 40m ropes10 QD's

And good friction on your shoes

 

le Barbier Barbare à la Barbre Rousse, 7c

/

Bonne chance et A+