Brooks Mountaineering

Gorges du Tarn

Luke — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:14:11 +0000

I’ve just returned from a trip to Gorges du Tarn in the south of France. We were a mixed team with Glyn and I looking for 7s and low 8s, and Kerry and David on 5s and 6s. The Tarn is great for maybe 6c and up so we checked out the nearby areas of Le Boffi and Gorge de la Jonte too.

We took the midnight ferry to Calais (screaming kids running wild is not conducive to getting any sleep) and drove down via Lyon. Here we sat in 3 hours of traffic and then picked up Glyn who’d been living in Chamonix for the summer. The drive from Lyon to the Tarn is amazing: scenic with really fun roads. And the last section through the gorges brought out many oohs and aahs from my rock-hungry passengers.

We pitched up at Camping Beldoire in Les Vignes, a friendly campsite by the river. By this time it was about half past seven in the evening and we’d begun our journey 26 hours before. But we were here! We had to climb! So after a quick swim in the river, which was surprisingly cold with a surprisingly strong current, we headed for the Sector Figues au Cul. Glyn and I led a couple of 6s on the right – which the other’s top-roped – and then we both on-sighted Les Couilles au Cul, a nice 7a (Glyn took a headtorch for his ascent). We were back at the campsite enjoying dinner by half past eleven.

Me taking a 'victory jump' (failing to bring enough draws to clip the chains!)

The next day it rained, but most of the crags are big and steep so we went up to Sector Tennessee and all did Choc Frontal 5+ and Souvenir de Bleau 6c. The latter was an apt name, with both routes having delicate, smeary moves throughout. Glyn then attempted Tennessee, not realising that the extension was 8b rather than 7a+! A lot of the routes are still closed due to re-bolting (see http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=509435), so we headed down to De Que fas Aqui? and did Feerie…, an awesome 7a+ corner. I didn’t take quite enough draws with me so had a fun jump from the chains! We also did Farniente, a good 7a and I had a play on Moules Frites, an 8a with a desperate crux section.

Day 3 we went to Le Boffi and visited sector Damned. A good range of 4s, 5s and 6s kept Kerry and David happy while Glyn Redpointed P1 of Sac a Glue 7b+. Great moves but a tad reachy for me. We also did Mac du Mal, a cool 7a+.

Glyn red-pointing Sac a Glue

A semi rest day was in order the following day due to my tattered finger tips. We swam in the pool, sun bathed, swam in the river, ate scrambled eggs, did a spot of easy climbing and then went out for pizza. All rest days should be like this!

The next day was the big day for me, Sector Tennessee. I had a big on-sight and a big flash in mind. We warmed up De Que fas Aqui on a cool un-named 6b+ and P1 of Self Control, a 7a with nice delicate face climbing but a steep crux low down. Up at Tennessee we smashed in the awesome big 7b crack-line of Une Colonne Derriere les Verrous and the pocket pulling dream Les Ailes du Desir 7b+. Both onsight for me and Glyn (you can’t see anything useful from the belay on either). We both had a look at the 8a extension but were pretty knackered and psyched out so left it after a couple of spacey falls. Kerry then had her first lead fall(s) on Orange Sanguine down by the road, not giving up ’til her arms wouldn’t pull any more – brave girl!

Kerry, moments before the lob!

Back to le Boffi the following day and Dave and I visited Sector Generation Mythe Errant and did the route of the same name, plus Dave led his first 6a after maybe 4 months of sport climbing. Impressive! He also seconded 6b+. We then headed back to Sector Damned and Glyn and I did one of the awesome 6cs there, followed by the crack pitch of French Kiss 7a+. I then scraped a guns blazing on-sight of Qui Pese ou Qui Pose 7b, and Glyn Cruised on the flash, wicked route.

Dave: "I'm done in, let me down!" Me: "Go on, pull a bit harder" Dave: "Um, OK" (Throws in a drop knee and cruises to the top)

On the Saturday we went to check out Gorge de la Jonte. Very cool place, loads of rock. We did a few routes at Les Patates and then headed over to Le Reverend where Glyn was psyched for El Monstro Del Muesli! He on-sighted the 7b to the first lower off, then went bolt-to-bolt to work the top section. I then flashed the 7b and dogged the top too. Glyn set off for a quick redpoint, not expecting to do it, and absolutely cruised it! Very impressive stuff. I gave it an attempt that evening and two more the next day before we left for home, but kept falling off the crux. Not enough muesli.

Me Attempting El Monstro Del Muesli!

And then home! We dropped Glyn off in Lyon and drove through the night for the 6am ferry, with more over-tired kids. That evening I thoroughly enjoyed falling asleep to 2 films in a row.

Spring Rock

Luke — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:40:29 +0000

Psyche is always high at this time of year. The winter has been long and cold and my hands are permanently in the shape of ice tool handles. There is a need to go rock climbing, and spring-time in North Wales usually delivers the weather for it.

Me getting an early season mega-pump on Run Fast, Run Free (E5) at Gogarth. Photo: Dan Bradley

Twid and Louise Turner on Warpath at a very hot and sweaty Rhoscolyn

Me seconding the 'Positron' pitch on Ordinary Route (E5) at Gogarth.

First comfortable belay for 6 hours! One pitch from the top on Ordinary Route (E5), Gogarth.

Konrad bridging up the crux of The Groove (E1) at Llech Ddu. The Great Arete waits above!

Now we just need the snow to melt so we can resume sunny rock climbing!

Neanderthal

Luke — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:16:24 +0000

Neanderthal was one of those routes I really wanted to do, a classic, an adventure. Several cars were parked for SCNL but none for Lost Valley, perfect, it was a beautiful day and we’d have the Coire to ourselves.

The first, easy pitch with the big corner of Neanderthal (VII 7) looming above.

I led the easy first pitch into the cave and got settled in below a sofa sized block that looked ready to part company with the cliff while Francis led the delicate and bold pitch above. Seconding this I felt cold and intimidated at what was to come.

Francis on P2 of Neanderthal (VII 7)

The classic shot, dachsteins and everything!

I psyched myself up for the lead and as I set off Francis offered some encouraging words – “I think the belay’s good but it’s all relying on this insitu hex I can’t really see”. Ok, I thought, I just won’t fall off!

It took a third of the pitch to calm my nerves and I became really psyched, the climbing was awesome. The gear was a bit fiddly in places and not terribly inspiring, but I felt safe-ish. I reached the overlap near the top of the pitch, clipped an insitu cam and spent a while trying to back it up, to no avail. Tentatively pulling over the roof I found bomber sticks in some ice and made some strenuous moves to the top. What a pitch.

Starting the crux pitch of Neanderthal (VII 7)

One easy pitch and we were on top, having just missed the sunset, a great route in the bag.

Sioux Wall

Luke — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:05:36 +0000

The big one! Francis had been keen for this as a season warm up(!) but I was fairly intimidated by it. This was because some friends of mine had had a pretty scary time on it in very icy conditions a couple of years ago, and they were good. But Francis convinced me, and the reality is its well protected with good hooks.

We got to the bottom and it looked good and white, so we ditched sacks and Francis led the intro pitch. I got to the belay a geared up, the first hard pitch above. I traversed out left to gain the main crack system but it was barred by sloping ramps, I found an ok hook high with my left and planted my right pick into some turf on a chest height sloping ledge, then slowly and on the edge of balance rocked over. Gear at last, good gear too, and nice positive hooks up a steep wall past a couple of thin sections to a resting point 3 meters below the belay. This looked hard, I got a good hook out right, feet high on edges then made a loooong reach back left to a torque in a crack. No more footholds, so I got up into a wide bridge, leaning back off the torque, then both feet out left to fully lay back and, wumph, bomber turf above, phew.

: First pitch of Sioux Wall VIII 8

Francis then dispatched his pitch in style, only slowing for the crux. Seconding, it felt awkward getting the torques to work on the crux and I popped out of one, stopping with a jolt on the lanyard of my other axe, balls! I hate seconding hard mixed! Back on I was a bit more careful and joined Francis at the top of the route. Sweet line and great to do something I was pretty intimidated by.

: Francis on the 3rd pitch of Sioux Wall VIII 8

Un-expected Success

Luke — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 09:02:36 +0000

Yesterday I did I’ve Been a Bad Bad Boy at LPT in North Wales. It was my my first f7c (although most people think f7c+) and the first route I’ve worked on for longer than a day. I got on it twice back in April to work out the moves and then went back after my return from Fair Head in June and felt a lot stronger on it. So after two sessions working the moves again I decided I’d just start trying it, thinking that the process of getting pumped and falling off at various points would build up the necessary fitness to eventually do it – I wasn’t expecting a quick tick!

After an attempt on Friday, falling on the dynamic move into the groove about 2/3 of the way up, I went down yesterday feeling very weary (my 4th consecutive day sport climbing at the Orme) and probably prone to injury. I warmed up and then put the clips in and felt ok so I thought I’d give it a burn. Success felt a way away, but I thought it’d be good training to get pumped and fall off. Before I knew it I was above my high point, then in the rubbish rest at the undercuts thinking ‘I don’t feel too bad’, then looking at the finishing hold, one powerful lunge away, thinking ‘don’t blow it’, then clipping the lower-offs thinking ‘did that really just happen?’

Back on the ground Glyn confirmed that it had and we shared a victory half sandwich (I’d forgotten my lunch).

Red pointing is a funny thing, you have to know when to stop working things out and getting the moves, the rests, the clips and your fitness perfect and start trying it. Getting the timing wrong could mean the whole thing taking a lot longer. It’s a whole new aspect of climbing for me and I guess it takes practise, luckily this experience was a very positive one and after giving my body a bit of a rest I’ll be lining up the next project!

The Headgame

Luke — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:02:43 +0000

Form is a funny thing. There are so many factors that go in to whether or not you are ‘on form’, and for me I’d say about 80% of that is in the head. It’s comparatively easy to be on form physically, as long as you keep yourself generally fit and have a good base level of strength you can get back to full pulling power within a few weeks. But it doesn’t take much to trip you up when it comes to your head.

Even when you’re climbing well and you’ve got a few good ticks under you belt in recent weeks, you can suddenly find yourself getting nervous above good gear, or even a bolt. I’ve found this has happened to me for the last couple of years during Spring: I progress back to my personal best quite quickly, but then all of a sudden my confidence is gone, for no apparent reason.

The really important thing here is to recognize whether or not you actually need to do something about it. If you’ve just had a bad day or two, it’s easy to convince yourself that you have a problem when you don’t. If you think you have a confidence problem then you will inevitably develop one.

But if there is a persistent hole in your confidence then you need to figure out what triggers that feeling, and target it. Remember that you’re targeting your specific insecurities, so try and work out if you’re nervous when climbing trad, or overhangs, or sea cliffs etc and work on these weaknesses by getting the mileage in. If it’s irrational fear then teach your brain that it’s irrational by experiencing the consequences and realizing that it’s ok.

A common one is being scared above gear, even good gear. It’s nothing irrational, you don’t actually think that the bolt will break or the bomber nut will rip, it’s just an uncomfortable apprehension, even fear, of being ‘off’. Which basically comes down to not being accustomed to falling, to being in the air waiting for the rope to come tight. There really is only one way to remedy this – you know what’s coming – get some air miles!

All any of us really want is for climbing to be fun, to have that flowing feeling on the lead, to feel like you’re kicking ass! But we also need to accept that we can’t be on form all the time, and enjoy it while it lasts.

Working the Weaknesses

Luke — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:49:34 +0000

Glyn after the roof on Mangoletsi E3 6a.

Sometimes it’s hard to do what’s best for your climbing development when all you want to do is go climbing and have fun. I always play to my strengths and pick routes I’m likely to succeed on, a quick glance at the E4-E6s that I’ve done will reveal that they’re mostly slabs or vertical wall climbs.

Me, complete with paparazzi on the jamming test-piece of Neb Direct E4 6a.

I can climb steep rock, but steep things intimidate me, maybe it’s because I know I’m on the egg timer to pumping out, or maybe they just really are intimidating!

This spring I’ve been trying to work this weakness. I’ve been climbing roofs, jamming cracks, steep and intimidating routes, and a few bits and pieces I’ve been putting off for a while as I want the on-sight.

It’s hard to know which part of your climbing is letting you down. Maybe you sub-consciously avoid a certain style of route or a certain rock type – try making an effort to get on these and learn to like them. Ask your climbing buddies where they think your weaknesses lie. If you broaden your climbing skills and iron out these weaknesses then your climbing as a whole will benefit.

Glyn monkeying up King Kong E2 5c.

Ventricle

Luke — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 21:59:07 +0000

The day after my Cairngorm mission I was in need of a break from it all. So when I had a message on my phone from Francis asking if I wanted to go climbing I jumped at the chance. I had been very restrained all winter and just gone walking to make sure I was prepped for the WML assessment, so I was pretty psyched.

We walked in to Coire an Lochan, discussing what to do. It seemed that Francis was going rather well and, not wanting to hold him back, I agreed to having a go at ‘Ventricle’ which, at VII 8, would be my hardest winter route.

Francis starting our second pitch.

I led the first pitch which was well protected and desperately technical. Francis then led a long, sustained pitch up a corner and I had the ‘easy’ (still VI 7) finish up an off-width crack.

Second pitch.

It was a great route and just good fun to climb. Although it left me hungry for more, my assessment was coming up so it was back to walking for me. I’ve found the only way I can really get ready for these assessments is to get focussed and have no distractions.

Cairngorms Mission

Luke — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:53:26 +0000

While Konrad was on his WML training in February I wanted to do a 3 day bothying trip to find some solitude in the mountains.

I set out from the ski centre road towards Braeriach hoping that the clouds would soon lift. They didn’t and I spent the day in a windy white-out, pacing on a bearing. I went over the summit and skirted around Angel’s Peak and Carn Toul to drop down to Corrour Bothy.

I was surprised to find the bothy inhabited by three guys who, luckily for me, had brought coal for the fire and offered me wine, chocolate and cake all evening. Winner!

The next day I walked over Derry Cairngorm and dropped down to the Hutchison Memorial hut. Here I found the solitude I was seeking, the bothy is very high and remote and I found it deserted.

The final day dawned perfectly clear and still. It was an amazing experience to wake up surrounded by snowy peaks framed by and crystal clear blue skies. It trekked over Ben Mheadhoin and down to Loch Avon, then over Bynack More and back to the ski car park.

Over the 3 days I walked about 50 km with quite a lot of height gain. Did I deserve a rest? No, I deserved to go climbing…

Sun Rock at Tremadog

Luke — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:29:19 +0000

Today we headed to Tremadog and were climbing in t-shirts all day, summer is here!.. well, almost.

Glyn and I had planned to get on The Croaker but with a team on Cream we decided to steer clear, so we took a rare opportunity of a deserted Shadrach buttress to do the right to left girdle. ‘Some Times’ E3 6a turned out to be surprisingly good, with some thin and then wild climbing along the overlap, and stretching all the way from the Brothers to Grim Wall.

Glyn on the crux of Some Times.

Then we teamed up with Barni and Ewan and abbed in to the top pitch (the meat!) of Neb Direct, an steep jamming test piece at E4 6a. Plenty of flight time was racked up between us, and lots of skin left in the crack, but success was finally had.

Pulling onto the headwall of Neb Direct.

Nearing the top of the crack on Neb Direct.