Since my trip to Spain I've been taking it easy. It's not been easy though, the weather has been unbelievably good and there are some incredible projects in Ötztal to be climbed. I have been trying a project of Hansjörg's with Lukas. I have not committed myself to trying a route of this difficulty since I climbed Mordor 2 years ago. It is almost as though I have been intimidated by the commitment involved. It feels really good to have this focus again and I am looking forward to the journey.
I have just spent a fantastic week with my Dad in Terradets. Paret de les Bruixes is one of the best climbing sectors I have been to. An awe-inspiring wave of perfect limestone covered with tufas provides a playground for climbers. The weather was perfect and we climbed, climbed and climbed a little more until it went dark. I have posted a few photographs from the area and LLeida below.
On Wednesday I made the 2nd ascent of Hansjorg Auer's route 'Passport to Honesty' in Oetztal. The route is outstanding. The initial slab sets you up for an all-out dyno from two small crimps to a huge jug around the lip of a small roof. After this you can recover and re-focus for the scary upper prow. The route feels a little more committing than just a normal sport route, it kind of has Hansjorg written all over it. The last clip is impossible to clip so you end up climbing a good few meters above your last bolt with massive fall potential if you fall from the last slopey section. The redpoint went really well and it was a little unexpected.
When Heiko mentioned that a trip to the Dolomites would be cool, I didn't really think much about it and just went with the flow. A few days before our departure Heiko sent me a link with the route info and at that moment I realised what I'd got myself into. I don't really have much alpine climbing experience, I have always tried to stay clear of it for some unknown reason. I analysed the route map and decided it was way too much considering my little experience. Heiko encouraged me that it would be fine so I went to the local crag and practised my rope work a little and decided to go for it. The night before I didn't sleep too well, strange thoughts were whizzing through my head and I felt unsettled. We awoke early and drove down to the Dolomites and my concerns disappeared as soon as I saw the mountains jutting though the early morning mist. The first couple of pitches went well and I slowly got into the style of the climbing. We started flowing up the wall and the pitches started to feel shorter as we ascended. It was a mega feeling pulling over the last roof with nothing between my boots and the ground 300m below. After a scary abseil, a few beers and a good pizza I was lying in my sleeping bag dreaming of the route.
The world's capital of climbing, Arco, held the 2011 World Climbing Championships. The event was not just a climbing competition, it was a celebration of the sport.
