The Summer is basically over and I have so much things
to tell you.
It all began in
mid-July because I kept in touch with a friends of mine from Rome, Valerio,
that I met for the first time in Ceuse two years ago and he said to me that he
was in Biella for few days and then he would go to France for 10 days. I was so
looking forward to see him again after many years, so I planned with my brother
to reach Valerio and Francesco in Briancons.
Tuesday, July 16 we were ready to leave Italy and to
go climbing in France. We wake up early and around 9 o’clock we was at the
campsite of ‘Argentière where the guys were, we emptied the car and pitched the
tent so we were ready for some sport climbing in the Fournel valley, in a super
crag called Rocher des Brumes.
This one is an unbelievable spot, dipped in nature and
I don’t know why it is poorly attended while being incredible. A big part of
the crag is featured by these smooth overhangs, about 50 degrees, so the
climbing can only be strength and endurance. The others walls are more vertical
with small tufas, pockets and crimps but I decided to try and 8a on the super
overhang wall called Papapuk and I was able to send it on my second attempt.
Nothing better to start the trip!!
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| 7b+ in Roche des Brumes © Fra Longhini |
The second day we decided to check out again a new crag for me, Entraygues, known
from a great mass of climbers for the hard routes. When we arrived up there we
had some troubles how to reach the crag, because there was a river but not a
bridge anymore… My brother and Francesco crossed the cold and strong river
water in their underwear but was not so easy for me, I had the camera so I was
afraid to wet it.
I decided to find another way so I walked up near the
river in order to get a piece where the water was slower and I find it after a
long research and I could finally reach the crag! :)
After a quick warm up I got a couple of tries on Deltaplane man because
rumors said that this is a bouldery route, therefor my style. At the end of the
day I was able to configure out my beta and I did all single moves so I was
really sycked to come back soon.
My brother was soo close too and he proposed to me to
come back the day after to finish the project, I couldn’t be much happier!
The day after came really quickly and the weather was
not really good but we were too looking forward to not climb; the overhang wall
was basically sheltered from the rain so the climbing was possible and after a
difficult warm up, due to moisture, I did my first try of the day falling in
the middle of the boulder.
On the second attempt everything went very well and I
was able to climb it, I was really happy for this one and the day finished as
well for Andrea that he sent it too. ;)
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| Deltaplane Man 8b Entraygues © Fra Longhini |
The time here in Briancons was over so we left to
Ceuse for a couple of days and as every year I’m really sycked to touch again that amazing limestone.
I had a lot of projects in my mind but one in particular,
L’ami de tout le Monde 8b because the year past I was really closed to send it
and I would have liked to climb this majestic rig.
I did a couple of attempt to retry the 3 boulders
sequences and I felt it feasible, so I try to work it out from the start. The
first real try I fell at the second crux but then I was able to link the second
boulder with the third one and I was anyway really happy.
I work it for two others days but without got it, I
did the hard part of the route, or rather the
3 boulders but I fall for 4 times in a row at the very last move, to match the big
hole. My forearm were not so pumped just after the third crux but when I suddenly
took the jug my right hand wasn’t not able to stick the jug anymore so I fell
as fucker.
The line is still over there to be climbed and I can
define it as my nemesis so I had to postpone my next possible ascent to next
year. My “only” goals of the Ceuse trip were the flash of Blanches Fesses 7c in
Cascade sector and the onsight of L'errance d'une passion 7c in Berlin sector.
About one month later I were ready for another
adventure but during this month spent at home I trained hard and I spent my
free time to climb but to have fun with friends too.
One day I went in Val di Rhemes with my mum and I was
able to get an 8a+ called Gioiello nell’ Abisso, this one it’s a bit chipped
but it’s funny to climb with a good feet works.
I didn’t spend
much more time on the rock because I had to prepare the Italian Boulder Cup in
Gressoney, I was not really in shape for a plastic climbing because it’s
totally different from the outdoor climbing, more powerful with a climb more
violent.
I finished 9th
with 2 bonus holds.
This month has elapsed very quickly so Andrea and I
planned another trip to Briancons for 10 days, always to check new places to
climb in order to do something of new for us.
The first day we checked a sport climbing cliff in
Ailefroide valley called Face bouc that is one of the most impressive granite
overhang I’ve ever seen. I onsighted a 7a+ for warm up but then it was a day to
forget, it seemed as I had no desire to climb.
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| Cambon Beurre 7a+ Face bouc © Pierre Zanone |
The second day we went to Rue des masques and I
realized that I was in a bad shape because I felt all routes really difficult. I did a 7b onsight but when I reached the chain I was really tired, but surely
the condition couldn’t help us because it was very humid. I tried an 8a but
felt it very very far but i was sycked to climb again so I got an onsight attempt on a 7c+
and I fell very high when the wall became more vertical with slippery pockets
or crimps.
Two day was over and I got anything better that pumped
forearm!!!
We spent the two days after in an unbelievable cliff
called La Saume, but this was not my first time up there because I check it out
one year before with my brother and David Fault who took us to see it.
This crag is the best here in Briancons, the friction
for climbing are perfect but I love it more because the place is simply amazing.
There is a green grass such as that the elves, a brook runs through the valley
and all this is really special for me, it gives me happiness.
My goals here was:
-Gazpatcho 7a+ O.s.
- Mamelle trophy 7b+ flash
- God Michou 7b+ O.s.
- No named 8a+
that I had to spend 2 days of work to crushed it. This one consists in two
boulder problem into a short and intense route that my brother was able to
flash. Well done mann! :)
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| Good Michou 7b+ La Saume © Zanone Andrea |
About 30 minutes later the ascent I decided to reclimb
it for some photos so I saw around to find a good place to take it. In seeking
this place I sprained my ankle strongly as stupid and I realized that my trip
was basically over. :(
The day was still long because I was expecting “a long
journey back” to the car. The following days
my ankle became bigger so I had to rest for rock climbing for at least
one week and later I could again take the first steps on the rock.
13 days after the accident in La Saume I was able to
send a 7c called Casi Zolu on my second go in Barmasse crag, Valtournenche (AO)
and few days later I got my first sport climbing F.A. in Donnas, the routes was
called Ghiaccio from the bolter Ulde and I proposed a grade of 7c because it
consist in few hard moves on very sharp crimps.
In the meantime of these ascents I used this time away
from rock to train hard on moonboard, pan gullich and finger board in order to
be a bit in shape again.
My very lasts high points were in Valgrisenche one
week ago, where I was able to crushed on my second go Razor, a super crimpy
crack graded 8a and Input, 3 days ago, 7c+/8a in the lower Aosta valley. I’m
really happy about these ascents because I felt myself in fit again and ready for these 10 day trip
to Kalimnos from October the 1st
to October the 10th.
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| Casi Zolu 7c Barmasse © Fra Longhini |
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| Razor 8a Falesia dell'Obliquo © Fra Longhini |
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