New boulders and new problems added

Finally, we managed to get back to the valley on Saturday accompanied by Anja's parents Gary and Siegrun. It's easy to forget just how incredible the setting is; whether it was having Siegrun along who hadn't visited before that made me look with fresh eyes or having not visited the place for a good month now. First of all, driving up the beat-up road from Plered over the hills which is in a constant state of repair. Going through the villages that become increasingly quaint (to my western eyes) the further along you get. Arriving in Cikandang and seeing the now familiar faces and hearing just how peaceful the place is, it all makes for good times away from the crowds of Java.

 Local Ibu-Ibu

This time, the peaks around us were enveloped in a thick mist. The sun was nowhere to be seen, the rock faces paling as they met the cloud and the air temperature was beautifully cool and pleasant. It had clearly been raining a lot and the ground was really soggy; it was a bad day to have chosen to wear flip flops. Balls. Walking down the track together towards the boulders the cloud seemed to thin slightly and it seemed the sun was going to break through. Accompanied by Gary and Siegrun for the first climb of the day on the Ombak Boulder, Anja made short work of the arete there (shame you just missed that guys) while I was shut down by the hanging prow's sit start (glad you missed that). The same thing happened on the White Boulder but real progress was made. The problem is superb and a mighty cross-though move is all that separates a project and a problem. Cheers for the encouragement Anja.

 Anja on Poopscoop

The sun had come out now and things were looking dryer, so we decided to take a look back up the hill at the high-ball bloc we had cleaned with the help of Bryan Tape on the previous visit and at another boulder accross the other side of the track. The two boulders sit right by the main path; the first is 8 metres high and has a brilliant-looking pair of aretes to the left of a soaring slab which will be the descent. The first problem to go is looking a solid but top notch face climb coming dynamically up off a left hand arete on crimps and pockets. The top looks well scary. Hours of fun.

and Crabbslabb

The second boulder now called the Banten Boulder due to its gross muddy and cow-patty landing, has some lovely easier problems up it. To finish the day off, Anja topped out two quality problems on the new Banten while her parents watched on, adding Crabbslabb (Font 4) and Poopscoop (Font 5A) to the growing circuit. She climbed Poopscoop in fine style after only a handful of attempts. Sweet. The problem tackles a scoop on small edges and pockets and a tough top out. The two add to the diversity of the ever growing bank of problems we now have firmly established in the Lembah Parang circuit.

West Java Climbing 30.05.2010

Checking over the Internet about climbing potential in and around Bandung this week revealed an article by a certain Reynold Sumayku, who had himself written a piece on climbing West Java. His article is not only headed by a photograph of some perfect rock in a perfect setting, it also mentions some places that I had previously not heard about. Further research revealed many of the places mentioned to be found around Plered, south of Purwakarta and therefore within easy reach of Bandung. This is the best thing to have happened, in terms of climbing since arriving in Indonesia for me and so in a state of excitement, a plan was formed and I took a look today.

View of East wall of Gn Parang

Unknown to the outside world, the village of Cikandang is hidden away in a valley dominated by two rock escarpments of formidable proportions which dominate the landscape all the way down to lake Waduk Jatiluhur glistening in the distance. Parang's rockface (above) rises from the valley floor right to the sumit, with unbroken lines of upto 250m and provides the main focus of the area. Opposite, Bongkok has rock starting higher up, measuring up to 150m in length. From both rock faces, as far as you can see, the valley is peppered with large boulders which lie amongst sawah and bamboo and make this an idillic setting. There is a peaceful feel to the place and it feels as if time has stopped or at least slowed to a trickle as you walk along the winding path which rolls gently downhill.

This seemingly idillic spot is really quiet in terms of traffic. The area curently has a few routes recorded on both Gn Bongkok and Gn Parang but as far as I can tell there has been recent development or activity. The Parang face is known as Tebing Parang. There are photos dotted around the internet for example here. Rockclimbing.com has seven routes listed on three sections - East, North and West Wall - but there is little or no route description for these. Some appear to have been bolted while others are left trad and there is also an aid route (Ural 28 A2) on the north wall.

Over on Gn Bongkok the face is smaller but no less impressive. Information about this wall is less forth-coming but again rockclimbing.com has six routes shown on a topo and three routes are described quite well. Two are single pitch and one is a two-pitch route. There is also a photo of a tasty-looking 7b project. Bongkok appears to be more accessable than Parang from the ground.

Gn Bokgkok's main wall

The next thing to note is the boulders on the valley floor. There are hundreds scattered about. Just walking down through the valley along the path I found a couple of projects. One looks like a dream. I had a pull on the holds and it felt very much like it will go. Looking around there are so many up in the bush, down in the sawah. People have listed a couple of boulders on rockclimbing.com but neglected to describe where they are or what the routes / problems are like but the potential for bouldering is perhaps what excites me most.

Unnamed project with Bongkok in the background

All in all, after a trip there to check it all out, I was left feeling very encouraged. I planned to go there, see what ther place had to offer and see if I coud find any good rock that might warrent a return trip. What I found was a valley with two spectacular rock faces, both of which lend themselves to multi-pitching and single-pitch routes. I've put a selection of photos on rockclimbing.com (my new best friend it would seem) to give more of an over view of the area. The next step will be having a climb which I'm looking forward to immensely. That's the plan for this Sunday; climb. I look forward to writing my next post!




Directions
From Jakarta / Bandung toll: exit toll at Padalarang. Turn right at the main city centre intersection, following signs to Purwakarta. Stay on the road for Purwakarta through Darangdan and after 37km turn right to Plered. Head through Pered on the main road for 12km - straight through a cross road signed Selo Agung at km10 - and turn right onto a small road heading for Cikandang (Just ask people around if unsure). Follow this road as it climbs through settlements for 25 minutes and turn left just after you enter the village, signalled by bamboo fence posts (see image)