Got a chance to work on a project area this last Friday and Saturday. Left Thursday night for some beer and a camp fire. Up before sunrise and hit the 20 minute approach. Showed Fred Vermote around the area a bit and gave Athena (my pooch) a well deserved water break with a large ziplock and my climbing helmet, since I forgot her bowl.
We got on a line I have been anxious to send. Started a direct route up an arete only to be shut down. Found a crack system to the right which got me up on the top of the arete via a traverse left, using a good nut placement, onto a meat grinder of chickenheads. Worked up to the top on easy climbing to top out. Fred followed to make our 1st FA of the day. All gear and a walk off. Cat's Traverse 5.7, 110'.
We then moved to the other side that looked kinda of like another arete but ended up being a crack leading to another meat grinder. Some of the biggest chickenheads I have ever seen. A few were the size of a car door! The crack was 5.9 to easier meat grinder climbing with a little bit of hail while it was still sunny. All Fun! Fred followed to top out our second FA on all gear, Hail Chickenhead 5.9, 130'.
After a break and some eats we haeded to another wall. Fred imediately saw a left slanting crack and wanted a go. He led up to a shelf for p1 and then up a short book and over/side stepped the roof/book to top put. I followed for our 3rd FA of the day. We scouted on top some cool formations and bouldering as a light sprinkle started and lighting was hitting in the area. I was counting the distance of strikes and could tell it was getting closer. The next hit was really close and Fred's hair started standing up. Time to rap! We got to the bottom as lighting was echoing through our chests.
Major down poor in seconds and we saw the water runnels turn into water falls. We ran for cover in the rocks and hung out until it became a drizzels and were starting to shiver. Fred, who is a Belgian and loves mayonaise (They eat French Fries with mayo in Belgium) named the FA Belgian Rain Dance with Mayo, 5.5 & 5.6. 150'. We were done for the day and hiked out wet. We left all our wet gear and ropes free hanging in a cave via cams since we were returning in the morning.
We got back to camp and a cold beer was too sweet with dry clothes. Fred was introduced to the Fritto Boat which goes great with beer when it's cold. Since he was still getting over jet lag he went to bed early. I slept in my chair under the clearing skies and stars.
I decided to take a differrent approach to see if it would be easier the next morning. It might have been had we not over shot the turn. Found some great new formations and finally got to our spot and beatuiful flowers.
We were both excited to get on lines we had seen the day before. I went first and headed up friction face that met a grove with some solution pockets. Placed one bolt to save a ground fall. Pockets were a little flaring but a purple BD worked. Up to chicken heads and ledge for p1. Decided to do the head wall behind it which was thin crimps to a roof and took 2x. Suprisingly it was a fun 5.8 move over the roof with a huge side pull on a runnel. Topped out and Fred followed for our first route of the day. The pitches can go in one. Ty it Together 5.8 150'.
Fred had an eye for black runnel that turned white on top. He headed up and found it was a lot of fristion and stemming with palms down. Fun climb which took 3x to the ledge. Stemming for Stella 5.7 150'.
It was my turn and I spotted a cool looking flake that looked easy with an interesting start and two head walls higher up. The opening moves were an off balance hug of a bulge on the flake. Easy up the flake ending in a couple face moves to the ledge. Mantles on chickeheads got me to 2nd ledge and then up over second head wall to another meat grinder to top out. Ran out of rope as I reached the top. Fred followed to finish our 6th climb, Hugging Zed 5.8, 180' all gear.
We enjoyed the sights on top and decided we had our fill, not to mention sore feet and blisters on couple of my toes. While scouting and scrambling on top one of my slings caught a chicken head and snapped my left front gear loop which I found has a stamped rating of 0 kn. I was just able to catch the gear before it trundled down.
The hike out we took a different route and found more amazing climbs for future visits. We over shot our return by just a bit and added some return steps. That beer never tasted so good.
Couldn't ask for a better couple of days in the hills.