La Reina de las Columnas

Sometimes photos can really inspire you. Such was the case when I saw the photo of Mariona Marti on La Reina de las Columnas (an 8a at Llaberia in Spain) in the 1st edition of Tarragona Climbs, nine years ago. I was captivated and had to try it. I did try it pretty soon afterwards. 

The photo of Mariona Marti that inspired me

Firstly, I failed miserably on a 7c+ called Los Gabachos and then did exactly the same on La Reina de las Columnas. Unfortunately, it was a damp and misty day, and I wasn't fit enough for either at the time. The years have passed (far too quickly) and I've not had the chance for a rematch. Until recently.

Elaine and I set off with a plan for a short 12 days in the Cali. We managed to avoid getting lost on the approach to the crag this time, despite it being misty again. Unfortunately, the black tufas at the start of La Reina were very wet so I needed to try something else.

I decided to try Los Gabachos again. As I sat on the rope, dogging the moves, I remembered that it was hard and the tufas were slopey and wondered to myself what was I thinking; what was I doing, why was I trying again? It seemed totally desperate, so there were no expectations as I set off on my next attempt (I've always called this 2nd go or 1st redpoint). I arrived at the crux section and rested at the kneebar, feeling relaxed and under no pressure, expecting to fall off pretty soon to be honest. However, I just climbed and, move after move, everything just went smoothly (although I was puffing away like an old steam train). Eventually, after lots of rounded tufas,  plenty of kneebars and a total body pump, I was clipping the belay. Flipping heck, that was totally unexpected and a big surprise. The buzz you get from climbing like that is amazing and so addictive, it usually lasts for several days.

Our trip continued with me climbing outdoors for 2 days, whilst Elaine climbed indoors (at Monobloc in Reus) on my rest days. 

Elaine looking strong at Monobloc

Next day, I managed El Conchito (7c/+) 2nd go before having a play on King of Bongo (8a), which I was able to do after my next rest day. A couple of really good 7cs were next in the bag, 3eme Millénaire and Combustion Spontanée.

Combustion Spontanée (7c), Eddie belaying

Eventually, La Reina de las Columnas dried out and I decided to take a look. It took a long time to work out the beta, which needed lots of fine tuning during 3 days of effort, patiently belayed by Elaine, Eddie and Ewan, much appreciated and big thanks guys.

So, the last day of our trip arrived, we had to go home the next day, no chance of staying any longer. Patience is very important in climbing, and it's good to keep your mind clear, stay calm and avoid putting yourself under any pressure. After all, it's only climbing, it's not that serious. Or is it? If it wasn't going to work out that day, there'd always be another time. It ended up being another of those zen moments when everything went perfectly (again there was lots of puffing like an old steam train). Amazingly I had realised my dream and it felt so good. I'm still enjoying that high, 3 days later. 

The start is hard

Long reach to gain the thin tufa

Trying really hard

Almost there

At the kneebar above the crux

I'm 65 years young and still climbing 8a. How the flipping heck is that possible? I don't know how, but I do know that I'm still hopelessly addicted to this crazy fun waste of time pursuit climbing up rocks. And long may it continue.

Ewan climbing Rififi au Tour de France (7b)

Ewan and Woody chillin

Great to catch up with Dave and Rhian Cross, Eddie Martinez and Ewan McCallum during our time in Spain. All outdoor climbing photos taken by Elaine Owen (big thanks kiddo).

Also: please be aware that the climbing at Llaberia is restricted from 10 January until 31 July. This is to encourage the expansion in the population of the rare Bonelli's Eagle. 

Perfect Verdon souvenir

40 years ago today, Elaine and I arrived at the Gorges du Verdon for the very first time. It was our first ever climbing trip abroad and we'd made the long drive from Merseyside with Al and Alison Simpson, via a stop off at Fontainbleau to do some bouldering. 

We quickly set up camp at the Camping Municipal and set off for a drive along La Route des Cretes to go and check out the cliffs. We stopped at all the belvederes to take in the impressive views. Not surprisingly, we were awe-inspired as we watched the climbers making their ways up the various routes on La Falaise de l'Escales, the biggest and most popular cliff in the gorge at that time.

Next day, after an early start, Elaine and I set off from Couloir Sampson along the Sentier Martel, heading for the classic multipitch Voie de la Demande. I'd recently broken into the E6 grade back in North Wales, so I assumed that La Demande would be straight forward, as it was theoretically much easier. However, it turned into a baptism by fire and we took all day! A combination of tricky route finding, climbing with trainers and water bottles attached to our harnesses, along with climbing in the intense afternoon sun meant that we were very slow. We had a total epic, especially in the chimneys at the top which were very strenuous and utterly terrifying. Furthermore, there was nobody around to hitch a lift back to the campsite, so we had to walk all the way back and arrived totally exhausted, well after most people had gone to bed! Neither of us slept well that night, we were far too worried about our car sitting in the car park at Couloir Sampson. Rick Newcombe gave me a lift to go and get it early the next morning; it was a great relief to find it still there, undamaged with all the windows intact.

After our epic on La Demande, Elaine and I decided that we'd had enough of climbing long routes, starting at the base and climbing all the way to the top of L'Escales. At the top of the cliff there were lots of one and two pitch routes, accessible by abseil, that kept us happy for a few days (eg Necronomicron and Ctulah), always after a leisurely breakfast (thanks to Rupert Hewson for collecting fresh baguettes and croissants every morning). 

There are also lots of climbs that start from the various tree covered terraces part way up the cliff. However, the multiple abseils needed to get down are almost as famous (and harrowing) as the climbs! So, Al and I were very happy to complete the abseils down to the bottom of Jean-Claude Droyer's classis masterpiece Triomphe d'Eros without incident. (Sadly, the climb is defaced with red and white GR markings, presumably somebody egotistically implying that it's a path.) Everything went smoothly until the belay next to the famous graffiti "La concierges est dans la fissure, sonnez la", which was when a massive storm started. Luckily the timing was perfect for a change, we were completely sheltered and stayed dry. However, the next pitch was a long traverse right that led to a belay below the crux pitch, both were completely soaked and unclimbable. Neither of us wanted to abseil all the way down, and staying put was not a good idea as it was getting late by then. Al spotted a line of pegs and bolts that went up the dry overhanging wall leftwards above our belay, so he manfully set off (despite having no idea what grade it was) using a mixture of free and aid climbing, and got to the top without much fuss. It was a phenomenal lead in my opinion. Next day, we abbed back to the belay besides the doorbell and finished the route. Brilliant!

Joe Picalli inspired Elaine and I to go and climb the uber classic Dingomaniaque, which we both enjoyed without having an epic. Joe and I finally teamed up and had so much fun together on Toujours plus près. 

Our visit coincided with the appearance of the book Opera Vertical (featuring Patrick Edlinger) in the shop in La Palud. It provided the perfect souvenir for our trip and would provide the inspiration for a return the following year to climb Surveiller et Punir. Joe, Elaine and I climbed a number of the routes on the roadside crag of Miroir du Fou and managed to succeed on Overcool Babados and Missing before it was time to start the long journey north.

Where Al and I waited for the storm to pass whilst on Triomphe d'Eros

The crux pitch of Triomphe d'Eros

I remember Ctulah was pretty tough

The awesome crux pitch of Dingomaniaque

Overcool Babados

The 3rd (crux) pitch of Surveiller et Punir, inspiration for the following year

The 4th (and last) pitch of Surveiller et Punir, more inspiration for the following year

TNT, a climb I did the following year with Simon King

Malaxe

St Léger is definitely one of the best places to climb in the south of France and it's just over a three hour drive away for us. We have been climbing there, off and on, for over 20 years. It's located in a beautiful part of Provence, just to the north of the imposing Mont Ventoux, and is surrounded by rustic villages, vineyards and lavender fields.

La Baleine is the stand out sector for me. It has climbing from 6a to 8c, from vertical to crazily steep and has plenty of shade. Grades are generally stiff and you have to pull hard; there are lots of tufas and therefore lots of knee bars, but there are also lots of slopers too, so the climbing is always very pumpy. I've been captivated by the place since the early days of equipping back in 2009, despite my ego getting a severe kicking on more than one occasion, I have more unfinished projects there than anywhere else! Occasionally I do manage to complete something though.

Early in September 2021, I was inspired to try a very steep 8a/+ called Malaxe, after watching  a German climber, called Maria, who looked very strong and solid on the moves. I went up twice that day, but didn't really find the methods for the hardest sections. It rained heavily overnight, the route got wet and it was easy to use that as an excuse to walk away and forget about it. 

Climbing is sometimes like that, you have to be really motivated to put in a lot of effort when you're trying something close to your limit. There are days when things seem too much like hard work, but there are also those magical days when the planets align, gravity is low, and everything seems effortless.

Fast forward 18 months and we were back at St Léger. After the dry, mild winter Malaxe was totally dry, which is very rare for that time of year. Time to man up and get stuck in properly. As it turned out, there were 2 other climbers trying the route around the same time. Sharing beta with Mick and Alma was great fun and inevitably saved time, there was a really relaxed vibe at the crag as each of us got steadily closer and closer to sending. In the end I found Mick's beta most useful: a cunning left heel/toe and right hand sloper, on the first crux, and a left middle finger mono undercut (easier to take with fat fingers than the normal undercut) at the start of the second crux near the top. It took me a long time to get the first crux dialled but, fortunately, the first time I got through it I managed to link all the way to the top. 

Succeeding on Malaxe felt like a high point and brought me intense feelings of joy and pleasure that lasted several days. However, it wouldn't have been possible without the encouragement of Elaine, patiently holding the other end of the rope. So a massive "thank you" to her. Thanks also to Blaise for his vision and equipping the route.

After Malaxe, we spent a lot more time at La Baleine. There were some more successes and, of course, some frustrating failures. That's climbing: there are good days and bad days, there are ups and downs; a bit like life in general. 

Wonderful to spend time at the crag with Michaela and Roman (Czech/Bonnieux), Cathy and Seb (every crag in France, Spain, Italy....!), Mick (France), Alma (Mexico), Filipe (Portugal), Vilja (Finland), Gaetan (Bretagne) and Aurel and Malin (France/Germany/Australia). Good to see Tansy and Keefe and Kev and Becca too.

All uncredited photos by Elaine.

1st look at Malaxe in 2021 (photo by Maria)

Elaine divvying out the wine (photo by Mike)

Aurel, Malin and their two lovely daughters

Keefe n Ruff

Tansy n Keefe

A tight fit (photo by Kev)

Filipe

Gaetan

Vilja

Kev

Alma

Michaela on Ma loi (same start as Malaxe) 

Michaela high on Ma Loi

Aurel attempting to onsight Malaxe

Mick redpointing L'Hyponténuse, which crosses Malaxe