26 years older and wiser

26 years is a very long time.

That's how long it is since we last went to Chulilla, near Valencia in Spain. We drove up for a day from Calpe with Ralphy and Mavis. We weren't impressed. We did some scratty, hard little climbs opposite the main car park in the village. We went for a walk, had a look around the gorge and were amazed at the potential. However, we drove the 3 hours back to Calpe and promptly forgot about the place.

Needless to say, there has been a lot of development in the last few years. Steady Eddie, Rich Kirby and Steve Crowe have all raved about the place. So, we decided to go and check it out this Easter.

We had a great time. However, it wasn't great for Elaine's finger, as most of the climbing is on small edges (though we did find some excellent tufa routes to keep her happy). However, once I got more used to the style of climbing I was as happy as the proverbial pig in shit, after failing on three 7a+'s on the first day!! Luckily, the harder routes were "easier", though there seems to be a lot of sandbagging hype on UKC users logbooks. I have to say, I found the climbing hard; the fingery climbing, slippery rock and the long routes meant you had to really concentrate for ages on each ascent. The location is really beautiful and it is perfect in a camper van. It's such a shame that there is litter everywhere and there are so many dogs at the crag.

I was happy with my small tick list after 10 days of climbing (despite not doing much onsighting): Danos Colaterales (7b+ os), Nivelungalos (7c), Los Caminantes (7c os), El Diablo Viste de Prana (7c+), Moon Safari (7c+), El Bufa (8a) and Tequila Sunrise (8a).

Finally, it was great to bump into some old friends from Britain: ex pats Dave and Rhian Cross, Gareth Scott and Geoff Goddard and Ian Vickers and Gill Peet.

Looking towards El Balcon from El Balconcito

Pampas Finas, a great 40 metre 7a+ warm up at Chorreras

A young lad (Will Smith from Sheffield) making El Bufa (8a) look like a path onsight

Will higher on the fantastic El Bufa

The tricky start to Moon Safari, a mega classic 40 metre 7c+

Time to celebrate with a chocolate biscuit

A rare photo of Scamp looking at the camera

Thanks to the Full English and coffee and croissants!

I have to say that most of the time I find Riviera Radio very irritating. However, I do like listening to Rob Harrison on the "Full English Breakfast" broadcast between 7.00 and 8.00 in the morning. After that the music goes down hill and the condescending adverts switch me right off, so I listen to my phone or iPod in preference. However, this Monday I tuned in on my way to school and heard an advert for Air France who were promoting cheap flights to, wait for it, Shanghai.

Now, one of Elaine's brothers lives in Shanghai and we have been intending on going to see him and his beautiful wife, Jenny, at some time during our year off work. Thanks to Air France we have got a great deal. We go in November, tickets booked and paid for. And we're going to go climbing to Yangshou as well. How good is that? Better than superb, I reckon! So, I guess I should say "thank you" to Riviera Radio. I just wish they'd play less of that modern crap "music" and get rid of that annoying American who does the stupid quotes, like "Is that a banger in your pocket, or are you pleased to see me". FFS Also, they should seriously consider what effect the flexigarden.eu adverts have on normal, sensible people. Word up, please.

Changing the subject:

Le Club du Mardi (The Tuesday Club) continues climbing at the Gorges du Blavet. It's the best option down here still, because the limestone crags with tufas are still pretty wet. It means that some of the Nice climbers are getting stuff done outdoors instead of pulling on plastic, which is fine by me.

This club includes legend Axel Franco, mega new route equipper Olivier Germain, super strong Fabien Paupert, Fred "Champagne" Oddo, mega strong pop-star-look-alike Alex Meije and me (baldy old Mike). The crack is as good as it ever was on the catwalk at Malham but there are no wet holds to contend with.

We always stop at the cafe before climbing and I'm always amazed at what my mates eat and how much coffee they drink. Until yesterday, I haven't drunk coffee before climbing for decades as it always made me way too wobbly on the rock. There were no such problems yesterday after a "grande creme" and a "pain aux raisins". Oh dear, this could become a habit!

Fabien tucking into a croissant coated in cheese

Olivier, Alex, Fabien and Axel going for it! Will they manage to get off the ground?

Scamp asking for some coffee and a roll up!

Things went very well yesterday, we all did some great climbing. However, each one of us left (apart from Fred and Alex who were marked absent this week) with unfinished business. Hopefully to be finished some time soon. Maybe this weekend. If not, next Tuesday.

Yes, yes, yes!

Not long after moving down here, we bumped into Pete and Lynn Cumming. They had done the same as us. Originally from the Bristol area, they had moved to the Cote d'Azur several years before us and were enjoying the lifestyle, which included lots of sun, wine and of course great climbing.

I knew Pete, but only by name, because he had taken a very long groundfall whilst trying to make an on-sight ascent of a climb I was involved in putting up in Pembroke. He was also very well known for hard ascents at Malham and had put in a lot of effort trying to do Mark Leach's Cry Freedom. I think we actually first met each other at la Grotte du Peillon (Pete was climbing with Philippe Gatta). Then we bumped into each other at the Gorges du Blavet. 

I remember very clearly Pete telling me that he'd tried Poupoune, which is a frightening looking 7c+ at Blavet. He said it was really very hard for the grade and very run out. Understandably, I have avoided this climb for the fourteen years since that conversation took place and Pete and Lynn have long since moved back to Bristol! That is, until last week, when I saw an ace photo of Alex Zuttre's posted on Facebook, showing another expat Brit living down here called Felix Coxwell. When I saw that photo I just had to go and find out how scary that climb was. All of a sudden I wanted it badly! How strange is that?

The toil and trouble started (not very promisingly) when I went there with Axel, Olivier, Fred and Sophie last Tuesday. The moves were hard, reachy, technical, on small holds and, yes, very run out in places. It seemed really hard, especially near the top when you'd be really tired. I was falling off again on Saturday, when I went with Marie-Jo and Julien. I actually thought at that point that I couldn't do it, due to a lack of reach on the crux at the top, that is if I was even able to link it together all the way up to there. 

However, yesterday Fred Oddo and I both managed to link together all the tenuous moves to clip the chain on our second runs! Fred typically cruised it in fine French style, whereas I had to fight really hard in the bull dog spirit all the way (just ask Sheila Stark, she'll agree). Still, we were both very happy chappies leaving the crag, despite spending 3 days on a 7c+. To cap it all Liverpool beat Man U at Old Trafford finishing off a truly ace day.

What's next? There's a very nice looking 8a just to the left.....

However, it was quite a sad day, too. It was the first time I've gone out climbing without taking Scamp. She was absolutely knackered after Saturday and could hardly walk (she is now eleven and a half years old and she's slowing down). However, she's had two rest days and she's looking good for tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Sweety Pie, 6a+ warm up.

Setting the draws on Saturday on Poupoune

That great photo of Alex Zuttre's again, thanks mate!

Scamp watches whilst I struggle (thanks to Marie-Jo Centofanti / Voyages a la Verticale for the photos)

All good on the beautiful Cote d'Azur

Weather on the Cote d'Azur is back to normal, in other words dry, sunny and the colours and light are amazing right now. Consequently, the crags are drying out (slowly for the crags with tufas) and the cave dwellers from Art-Bloc and Val de Grimpe have been getting outdoors to play. Yippee, all is good fun and everybody is smiling!

Mesa Verde in the Gorges du Loup and the Gorges du Blavet crags are proving very popular, as they are very quick drying.

Elaine and Scamp at Mesa Verde

Hardin and Kirsty getting ready to warm up in the sun at Mesa Verde

Manu about to warm up on Pas de Bras, Pas de Chocolat belayed by Diane

Axel warms up in trainers! (photo by Elaine)

Marie-Jo wearing great colours on her 7b+ project (photo by Elaine)

Julien wears normal blokes colours on the same 7b+ (photo by Elaine)

Baldy on Projet PHP, 7b+ at Mesa Verde (photo by Hardin Pardede)

A day at Blavet with friends:

Olivier Germain warming up on La Coupe est Pleine, 6b+ (so hard to get good photos at Blavet)

Fred Oddo warming up on a classic 6c

Olivier belaying Fred

Fred starting up Poupoune, 7c+

Sophie sending her first 7a, Los Olvidados, bravo et chapeau!

Fred higher on Poupoune

Local legend Axel Franco sending an 8b, bravo gar!

A much better shot of Felix Coxwell on Poupoune, taken by Alex Zuttre

Finally, I was well chuffed to do Gaia (2nd go) at Montgrony, when we had a quick 4 day visit there during the February holiday. I'd always wanted to do this classic 7c+ after seeing an ace photo in Roc n Wall from 1998. Anant amb croses (7c) was also great fun, though I had to red point it as I blew the on-sight. However, Calabruix (8a/8a+) was too hard and needs another visit, probably during our year out.

The photo from Roc n Wall showing Laurent Triay climbing Gaia at Montgrony

Wild West Tour 1993, Part 4

There was me moaning about the weather again. Erm, it's not been as bad as what my friends back in Britain have been putting up with, so I promise never to mention the weather down here ever again. Honest!

Still not mustered the enthusiasm for venturing outside, as most crags are still very wet. Been trying hard indoors though. Half term is fast approaching, so we'll make it outside during the next week for sure.

Hauling my ass up a tough red problem at Val de Grimpe (photo by Elaine Owen)

Back to our first US trip. Now, where were we?

After climbing at Smith, AF and Cave Rock we were pretty fit and really chomping at the bit. We were ready for plenty of upside down action at Tom Herbert's very own crag, Jailhouse Rock (he'd equipped many of the routes and lived very close by in Sonora). Jibe had already told us it was a mega crag. At first sight, it doesn't look much cop. But once you leave the ground the climbing is fantastic and really funky. The rock is basalt and very steep (after the initial vertical columns at the start of each route). It really helps if you can knee bar, if not the routes are much harder.

It was the perfect crag for me and I got most of the routes on-sight or first red point. Most memorable were: Cell Block (7c+), Soap on a Rope (7c), Alcatraz (8a), Hall of Justice (8a), Fugitive (7c+), Birdman (8a+) and Jailbait (8a+). Elaine didn't take to the style of climbing very well, as she wasn't used to using trickery with her knees.

Soap on a Rope (7c) at Jaihouse Rock

The Fugitive (7c+) at Jailhouse Rock

Whilst staying at Tom and Sondra's they convinced us to return to Yosemite for a few days. We ticked some of the 70's classics on the Cookie Cliff, such as Wheat Thin and Butterballs in the November sun. At Camp Four, there were quite a few Brits either there to boulder or to try a big wall. Despite not having any trad gear and no big wall stuff at all, I began seriously thinking about doing The Nose on El Cap. It would be too much to put Elaine through, so I asked what people were planning. It seemed that Sean Myles and I were going to go for a one day ascent. However, I backed out preferring a more leisurely multiday ascent. Dave Hassall was also looking for somebody to team up with for the same kind of deal. We'd never met each other before and had no idea whether we could depend on each other to get out of a bad situation. Still we were game on but the weather forecast was promising snow in just four days! We'd really have to get shifting....

That day I scrounged loads of nuts and cams and even swapped my sleeping bag for TM's light weight one. Dave and I decided to really cut down on weight to hopefully get us to the top before the storm arrived. We packed only 8 plastic bottles of water, lots of dried fruit, biscuits and chocolate, no water proofs or duvets. The only thing I could provide was a 70m rope from DMM, which would allow us to link 2 pitches together and move more quickly.

Very early on Sunday 7th November, Elaine dropped us off and we struggled up to the base of El Cap with all the gear. Dave set off up the first pitch. It seemed surreal to be starting a big wall after all those years of reading about the history of Yosemite. I think we were both as anxious as each other but neither of us wanted to show it. While I jugged up the rope, Dave pulled the sacks up using a pulley. We swapped leads and I set of up the second pitch. Soon enough we were sat on Sickle Ledge after dispensing with the first tricky bit. Amazingly, the pine trees looked very small from there but the top looked just as far as before.

It was my task to get established in the Stoveleg Cracks. This involved climbing about 10 metres above Dave and then descending a few metres from a bolt. Then I had to start running backwards and forwards across the rock face to try and reach the start of the crack. It provided us with loads of entertainment as the pendulums got bigger and bigger and also involved hurdling a corner too! Eventually, knackered and pretty gripped I got to the crack, stuffed a Friend in and clipped the haul rope in to avoid rope drag and then climbed on-wards and upwards, passing the occasional jammed in big cam. That pitch was so spooky and run out and I was glad to get to the safety of the next belay. The Stovelegs went on and on, Dave and I were both fading as we got to Dolt Tower and the sun was beginning to disappear, but we decided to press on to the luxurious El Cap Tower for our first bivi. It was an amazing sight to see all the lights in the Valley so far below, whilst we smoked some excellent grass that Dave had taken along specially for the occasion. We also noticed lights from a team on Salathe Wall and another on Zodiac. It was incredible to think that there were only three teams on El Cap at that time. We were amazed at our luck. The route was free and there was nobody else to slow us down; we'd climbed a long way that day and the weather was perfect, warm enough to climb in a vest during the day and ok with a sweat shirt and fleece at the bivi.

Bivi at El Cap Tower and about to set off the morning after

We were up early next morning keen to carry on with the show. I ran Texas Flake and Boot Flake out in one pitch, just getting to the belay on the rope stretch. Dave passed The King Swing over to me (perhaps because of my successful pendulum the day before). This involved being lowered from the belay down the left side of the huge Boot Flake and running backwards and forwards to eventually reach a peg. The rope was clipped in and then Dave lowered me some more and then I started running back and forth again (with the peg as the new pendulum point) until it was possible to reach a crack way left, then up to a belay. Dave had a less strenuous diagonal abseil down to my belay. After the King Swing we were totally committed, but we were happy and really focused on the climbing.

Dave got the most famous and photogenic pitch on the route: The Great Roof. He made it look so easy, he did a fantastic job without any fuss. I was surprised how dodgy the in-situ gear whilst going across to his super exposed belay on the lip of the roof. I led through up The Pancake Flake, which provided a really nice way to calm the nerves back down, whilst Dave could soak up the horrendous exposure for a while longer. We spent that night at Camp Five, which was pretty uncomfortable and there were loads of centipedes crawling everywhere.

Dave leading the Great Roof pitch

Next morning we were both stiff and tired. We were also near the end of our food and water, which meant we had to top out that day or our fun would turn into an epic! The trees looked like match sticks but the top still looked a very, very long way above us still. We were also concerned about the storm, which would arrive the next day. We really had to finish that day, as we probably wouldn't have survived a forced bivi without warm clothing or waterproofs, let alone without any food or water.

We set off, almost oblivious to the fantastic climbing, however the exposure was always there to remind us to keep concentrating. Lots of people had lost their lives on those final pitches over the years, we didn't want to join the long list of fatalities. We continued alternating leads and soaking up the exposure, encouraging each other on-wards and upwards. We made good time and the pitches passed by without incident. All too soon, Dave led the last pitch over the final overhang and I jugged up the rope (hoping it wasn't rubbing and getting frayed on the lip) to find him belayed to a pine tree at the top of an easy slab. We'd made it, at last there was no more rock above us and we could relax for a short while. The time was around 2pm.

An awesome photo of  Craig Entwistle on a recent ascent of The Nose. Lots of exposure from the Changing Corners pitch high up the climb.

We were two different blokes to the ones who set off a couple of days earlier, but we were both really very happy too. We had had a fantastic time climbing together. During the climb, we both felt confident in each other and we made a great team, determined to see the job done but also keen to have as much fun along the way as well. We finished our last bits of food and water and set off down the East Ledges descent. Tom had briefed me about an in-situ rope down the final 200 metre wall. At the end of a very spooky abseil down the stretchy rope, there was one last surprise. As I got towards the end of the rope, I could see it was too short. In fact it looked to be about five metres too short! And the landing was nasty. I thought to myself "How ironic to come to grief here, after all we've been through".  However, there was just enough stretch to get to a tiny ledge and then let the rope shoot up through the descendeur and dangle well out of reach. Dave had to do the same and then we scrambled precariously down from the ledge and then stumbled down through the forest to the road in the dark. We could barely stand up, we were so tired and we had to keep stopping for rests.

Amazingly, virtually as soon as we found the road, Elaine arrived in the car to take us back to Camp Four. She'd had a fun time watching our progress and hanging out with Sean, Ben Moon, Gary Ryan and others bouldering. But, she'd had to cope with much colder temps at night in the valley than us and was keen to get back to Tom and Sondra's in Sonora. Dave was mad for a celebratory beer but I had to leave him to go with the boss. I was sad to leave my new friend behind. Unfortunately, our paths haven't crossed since. But, we keep in touch, thanks to Facebook!

It did snow the next day in Yosemite. We spent some more days clipping bolts at Jailhouse. Then, we returned to the Valley one more time. Elaine had missed out on the big wall experience, so we did the East Buttress (an easier and shorter route on El Cap) on a very crisp day with snow on the ground and the waterfalls all frozen up. We had a fantastic day leading alternately. Again, we had to descend via the East Ledges abseil, which gave Elaine a good indication of the serious side of climbing on El Cap. It put a big smile on her face.

The happy couple after doing the East Buttress

"It's raining again!"

January this year turned out to be a first, a first since moving here in 1999. This was the first year that we didn't climb outside in January. Not once. What's happening? I am sick of this flippin' rain. Enough is enough.

The winters used to be fantastic down here. The sky was always so much clearer than in summer and the weather would be very settled, after a period of heavy rain around the end of October. Usually, there wasn't any rain then until around the end of March.

All the local climbers down here would be out each weekend working and sending projects at Peillon Grotte and Castillon. Also, it was possible to climb at Deverse and even at Jurassic Park and Cayenne (which used to stay dry in winter) if you didn't mind the cold. Now, each year seems to be wetter than the previous one and the only sensible option seems to be climbing indoors. The good news is that we'll be in Liverpool for a session at The Climbing Hangar at the end of Feb! Something to look forward to...

Shame Elaine has aggravated her finger. She had been making great progress and getting steadily stronger down the wall. She has had a 2 week layoff and will try it out again tomorrow. Hope all goes well.

Meanwhile, we're still making plans for our year out. But, I'm not in the mood for writing anymore about our Wild West Tour at the moment. 

It is always great to hear from old friends. Andy Pollitt got in touch and we've been trading tales since the last time we were together a long, long time ago! I'm doing my best to get him to put on a pair of rock shoes again. Watch this space.

Trying hard downstairs in the cave last Sunday!

Wild West Tour 1993, Part 3

Plans are going well regarding our coming year travelling sans travail. We're close to booking our tickets for China in October and we're also going to visit Misja Pec (Slovenia) and the Amalfi coast (south of Naples, Italy). We're psyched. But, we can't be bothered to go climbing outdoors here! The weather is beautiful this weekend, but anything on tufas is very wet after the recent monsoon. Still, it's good to go bouldering indoors.

OK, so back to 1993 and TM Herbert.....

We met Tom and Sondra Herbert at Malham in early 1993. They stayed with us a while in sunny St Helens. Tom told us lots of tales about his legendary father and the climbing at Cave Rock and Yosemite. He said we'd have to go stay with his dad. So, that's exactly what we did after leaving SLC.

TM was one of the early pioneers of big wall climbing in Yosemite and made the first ascent of  Muir Wall with Yvon Chouinard in 1965. It was the first time a new route on El Cap was climbed by a team of two in a single push, i.e. without using siege techniques, fixing ropes and descending to the Valley for a rest. Needless to say, we were in awe of meeting such a legend.

TM Herbert during the 1st ascent of Salathe Wall on El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, 1962 (photo from Galen Rowell's "Vertical World of Yosemite")

TM proved to be an amazingly funny and entertaining host, completely obsessed with The Beatles, partial to a beer (he'd announce the time as "beer thirty" which was fine by me) and still mad keen on climbing. When we woke up on the first day, he announced that we were going to go to the pie shop. We naturally assumed he was talking about going to eat some pies. So, patiently (because we were keen to get out climbing) we went along with his idea. Imagine our surprise, to find the The Pie Shop was actually a cliff and we didn't have to eat any pies after all! TM took us up Crepe's Corner (a 5.7) and then True Grip (a tricky 5.10b). It was fantastic to see how well he climbed and to listen to his constant banter at the same time. Later on he suspected we were up for harder stuff and took us to Cave Rock.

Elaine and TM at "The Pie Shop"!

TM leading True Grip

Anybody who has watched "Masters of Stone" will have seen Dan Osman on and off "Slayer" (8b+). He takes some amazing whippers for the camera. To be honest, we were a bit disappointed how small the crag really was. It is high enough but not very wide, so there aren't loads of routes there. Plus, it's right above the road and the road goes through a massive tunnel in the cliff. Still, there was enough to keep us occupied for a couple of weeks. I even bought my first pair of knee pads (as recommended by Tom for the essential knee bars). We ticked some ace routes: Asylum (7a+), Port of Entry (7a+), Fire in the Hole/Caveman (7b), Bat out of Hell (7b+), Concave (7c), Pumping Andesite (7c+), Shut up and Climb, Geek (7c+), Caveman Direct (7c+), Psycho Monkey (8a), Psycho Lord (8a) and Phantom Lord (8a+).

Dan Osman on Slayer on the cover of Masters of Stone

During our time there, we had the cliff completely to ourselves. We soon found out why. Apparently, Cave Rock is sacred to the local indigenous Indians. They were in the process of getting climbing officially banned. We were photographed and interviewed by a reporter from the Tahoe Daily Tribune and made it onto the front and back pages! Bizarrely the Washoe Tribe didn't seem to have a problem with the road and tunnel going through their monument! Just goes to show that blaming climbers is always the easy option. Sadly, you can't go climbing there anymore.

Climbers getting a bad press in the Tahoe Daily Tribune

Before we left, TM took us for our first trip to Yosemite. He led us up the classics Moby Dick (5.9) and Sacherer Cracker (5.10a) at the base of El Cap. We were gob-smacked! TM was awesome when it came to thrutching up off-widths, whereas we got hideously pumped! Still, it is important to work on your weak points! Elaine published an excellent profile of TM in High (No. 151 in June 1995).

TM leading Moby Dick

TM leading Sacherer Cracker

During a rest day skiing at nearby "Heavenly", we were intercepted by a piste patroller who told us to slow down as we were going to fast! He threatened to take our passes if he stopped us again. What a farce, we were just cruising at a leisurely normal speed by Euro standards. We also got a day in at Big Chief to do the 13a featured in Masters of Stone called All Guns Blazing. Then we headed to Donner Summit to do another 13a featured in the video called Warp Factor. We were headed for Sonora, to stay with Tom and Sondra and sample the mega steep Jailhouse Rock and just maybe, just maybe, do a big wall at Yosemite.........