Zauberwald, Avers, CH

Half-term, what to do?
Anja is busy with the PHD; a bunch of Guys from Reading Climbing Centre went to font two weeks ago on a pre-arranged trip, during term-time; the peak looks soggy and warm.... The solution? Head over for a week-long half-term trip to the Swiss Alps, to Magicwood. Make that an early birthday present for the up coming big 3 0.

Fly to Milan Bergamo with Ryanair, bouldermat checked in as hold luggage. Train to Tirano and stay there the night before heading up the impressive UNESCO Welterbestrecke
Bernina Express. Awesome way to see the Alps in pure warmth and comfort. Arrive Thusis and two busses, via Andeer, to arrive in Magicwood. Next time I would probably fly to Zurich or Basel or even Geneva I think. 


Encouraging first day
Arrived Magicwood and caught up with a couple of German lads, Bjog and Farid, who were off to add a low start to a couple of problems that they had mistakenly started too high on during a previous trip. I asked if I could join and went along for the ride. Day 1 resulted in two font 7Bs, Schrotti and Hageltrauma, one of which a flash (although with a shared start so not a real flash). Not climbed V8 this year so good first day, and looking hopeful for climbing something harder for the first time!

As I had rushed to catch the bus transfers and trains the whole way, I'd managed to arrive in Magicwood with no food or gas for the stove. Bjog and Farid offered me a meal, which I accepted, before heading over to the fire pit to join the other campers. 

Soggy biscuits
After this encouraging first day, things turned soggy. People who'd been there for the weekend left, meaning the campsite became somewhat deserted. The cloud came down, the wind died down, leaving the forest very very soggy indeed. I climbed again with Bjog and Farid the following day, but after out speedy warm up on a couple of classic 6Bs, it began raining so we retreated to the Bruno boulder to try Supernova 7C, which remains dry in light rain, due to the overhanging rock. Good session but kept coming unstuck on a crux foot swap. No tick for any of the 3 of us.

The sogginess continues
The next few days stayed wet and for me turned into a mixture of: trying Supernova in the wet; going up to Edelweiss hostel to catch up with other climbers staying at the Gasthaus; going to bed around 8 or 9. In amongst this, I had an awesome, dry day climbing with Dorethea from Frankenjura and Thomasina from Canada along with her daughter Cedar. Really inspiring people, Thomasina and Cedar on an extended climbing trip, Dorethea down from Bayreuth; all climbing very strong indeed. Had a play on Kechenmonster a 7A that's going on 7B... Failed on the same move and moved on to give the girls the opportunity to go on with the day. Dorethea claimed to have been trying the problem for the last 7 years! After that, I joined them for a play in Foo Fighter and managed the first two of 3 crux moves. All good. Finally, I returned to Supernova, given the prima dry, cold conditions and managed to get all the moves. Still no tick however!

Soggy sog sog
The remainder of the trip taught me something. If it's dry and you're getting all the moves, man up and get on with the send. For the rest of the trip the cloud descended, and didn't leave. Apart from a quick pull on Foxy Lady (8A) which felt strangely do-able, nothing else occurred. No more ticks.


To Milano
So off to meet Anja (Anja's friend currently living in Milan) for a night on the tiles (quick wash in the train loo) before returning to the UK, to Reading with a lift from my Anja, who managed her first trip solo in the car, all the way round the M25 to Stansted!!!

Things to take away from the trip:

- the kindness of strangers is all good!
- if it's prima conditions, keep going, take a rest and go for the send!
- climbing hard is slowly becoming a reality

Round up of climbing in Thailand and Laos

After a year of climbing an average of once a month, Anja and I took the opportunity to spend December and Christmas exploring some of what Thailand and Laos have to offer in terms of sport climbing and bouldering. The plan was this:
1) Fly into Phuket and catch a boat to the island of Phi Phi for a gentle introduction back into climbing routes.
2) Go over to Tonsai form Phi Phi and get crushing around the Railay peninsular.
3) Head north to Vang Vieng, Laos stopping at the bouldering paradise of Koh Tao on the way.

Part 1: Phi Phi Island.

Diving and partying. . . oh yes, almost forgot climbing. As you sail around the coast of Phi Phi island into Tonsai town you are reminded of the volume of climbing potential here in Thailand. On this island alone is just wall after wall of fantastically formed limestone. Most of it remains difficult to access and hence undeveloped and the most popular wall here is Tonsai Tower which is at the end of the south beach. This is the wall where we spent out 3 days as we got out head back on it and our fitness level up some, sampling the delights of the wall's starred routes.

Part 2: Railay Peninsular

 

DWS AROUND TONSAI

Coming to Tonsai from Phi Phi just made the place seem even more special. We were impressed with Phi Phi to be honest but the climbing on Railay is just so incredible and extensive it throws you; where do you begin? Well we went from Tonsai Beach where we were staying and walked across to Mui Thai wall, Railay East. A 6 a.m. Indonesian style approach meant we missed the crowds but also meant we were too early for breakfast. Plenty of good climbing though. The rest of the holiday continued in that vein and we met a good bunch of people to climb with and even had a DWS trip out. Now the only problem is I can't wait to get back there and sample some more. We had a week there when most people you chat to are staying for at least a month. 

Kawasan Kebun has its first boulder

The most recent to Parang Valley was a short day out last Sunday because of a huge storm arrived in the early afternoon that chased us away from the area. While it perhaps left us with less time on the rocks, what we did manage to do was pure quality.

Finally back at the area we visited on our very first time at the area, below the main face of Bongkok, we had been to this place a couple of times and begun clearing the rock and area around (post: Bouldering in Indonesia 22/06/10). The rock there is pretty clean but is in the trees; in the shade but pretty humid. There are two large rocks there, both highball. While the larger one would need bolts to make it a realistic climb, the smaller one has at least two fantastic lines up it, one a central line which is pretty high, the other just skirts up the side and is quite low.

After a small amount of brushing and a few attempts, the first climb at the Kawasan Kebun went without too much trouble. Techinical face moves on a slight overhang and a powerful lock-off to a small hold just over the lip and then a better one high and left makes for an easy top out. The problem is on the left-hand side and is pretty low, Groovy is the first problem in the area. The sit start is 6C and the standing start 6B. On the front face of the same boulder, is a fantastic looking problem that I spent a good amount of time on but didn't really get too far on (there are so many projects now).

Behind the larger rock, through some (blank) caves are more boulders in another overgrown area. The whole place is worth a look and has potential but I'm just stoked to have two more quality problems added to the Lembah Parang circuit.

We heard the thunder for about an hour before we decided it was probably a good idea to head back and shortly after we got in the car, the rain came and so did the thunder and lightning; at the same time. It made an exciting end to one day and the start of another. An upside, apart from the spectacle, was that the roads were completely empty! No bikes, no lorries, cars. Plain sailing all the way home. Genius. It also gave us an early finish and an evening back in Bandung for once.

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.

Bouldering in Indonesia

The weekend of the 10th and with Aunt Judy, Cousin Em in tow, we set off for Parang valley for a different sort of day out. Our first visitors gave Anja and I a break from the routine. Sharing this incredible area with others was something quite special. They have both climbed but neither have tried bouldering; the prospect of bouldering for the first time ever in swealtering heat and without rock boots somehow wasn't that enticing. Anja and I managed to have a bit of a go and one problem was sent: the hanging prow that eluded me on the last trip. Bear Pooh is hard 6C+ perhaps 7A I think and a really nice line.

Bear Pooh

The following weekend saw a successful completion of two projects. We were lucky with cool temperatures throughout the day and rolling motivation. Beginning with the White Boulder, a new problem has been added at 7A+. After four sessions, this problem takes a right-hand start to Simple Pleasures; sharp holds, small foot holds and big moves. Considering I'd ear-marked it for completion before the year was out, I'm pretty stoked. Just the direct start to go now and the right-hand side of the White Boulder is complete.

Pleasurecore

Feeling good but slightly drained, I needed a rest and Anja was feeling encouraged and wanted to climb. I guess this sort of thing is contagious. We set off up to the Ombak with lights hearts. Since we first found the block, the left arete has looked to be the most desirable line there.  After a bit of work, Anja topped out the Ombak Arete problem. At 6A this is her finest achievements and took only a couple of goes on the day before swift dispatch. She was at full stretch on this one and had thought it impossible. Really pleased for you.

Ombak Arete

On the sister block of the Ombak block, I tried to piece together another problem but was firmly beaten into submission by it. It should keep me occupied for the time being. We'll see how it goes. Finally, a stop off at the garden area and cleaning the smaller of the two massive blocks there concluded the day and set up our next visit nicely. Looking forward to getting on to the two problems we found there. All in all a good day which felt like progress had been made. We now have six topped problems and as many projects to be completed. A few more cool days and we'll be sweet.

Boulder cicuit established

Sunday saw a number of problems sent, some more projects put up and an area of good quality bouldering finally established. Following four weeks of trips to the area, there are now 4 boulders with around 15 problems developed not all of which have yet been successfully topped out.

The first send of the day was Anja Crabb's Pleashure Cat which takes the line furthest right on the White Boulder. This follows a groove up and left onto the high slab to the top of the boulder.  She puts this as one of the best problems she's done and gives it a grade of Font 5B.

Anja on Pleashure Cat

The move of the ground involves a high step, then through delicate technical climbing left and a high reach and step up, a stable position is established on the high slab. From there, it's a quick trot up the slab to the top of the boulder. On the first ascent, the down-climb hadn't been finished and Anja had to wait for me to clear the path so she could come down.

 Padding up the high slab

The right-hand sitter to Simple Pleasures didn't yield despite a continuous assault, the sun moved and we lost our precious shade, so Anja and I decided to check out the pair of high ball boulders up the hill again. 50m up the hill from the White Boulder, we found another area with three boulders, both with shaded areas that provided our afternoon entertainment. An enourmous boulder has split at some point in the past to leave these two curiously formed pieces of rock; one takes the form of a tidal wave, leaving the other as a steep, blank slab. 

On the Ombak Boulder there are two problems. On the left-hand side of the block is a very clean 6A arete problem. It really is an impressive line. Here, Anja is on the arete problem. This tackles the arete from a standing start and follows it up to a clean top-out.  

Anja on Ombak Arete

On the right end of the block is an equally impressive but more challenging line. This problem  starts low down underneath the overhanging prow and from a sit start, climbs up the double-arete and onto the face of the wave itself. The problem slaps up both aretes until a good pocket on the right hand edge. From here, you rock onto the top of the block, round the back. I think, just to be in keeping with the way things have been going of late, the problem resisted, leaving me yet another problem for yet another day.

Underneath the prow

Moving up

Last Sunday we were back in the Lembah Parang, this time cleaning holds, cutting back jungle and sending, well sadly just the one problem, but sending problems.

The rock is andosite, which is igneous rock and sits right in the middle of the igneous spectrum. It feels like a fine-grained granite. In places it is almost pure white, in others it is a darker grey. It tends to be finely featured, lending itself to bouldering and perhaps sport climbing and the boulders themselves are on the large side all of which should make for some quality [as yet, unclimbed] boulder problems.

The whole area is heavily vegetated and so far, we have concerned ourselves with the baldest looking boulders that are within easy(ish) reach of the path. Development on three such boulders has begun; two very large ones and a third which is a short way down the hill and the first to have been dispatched. The White Boulder, has some very good lines up it, both hard and easy and even has a newly forged down-climb. The first problem is on the right hand side of the boulder. Simple Pleasures goes at Font 6C. There is a direct SS to be added to this, coming straight up off two fine undercuts that looks to be about 7B and another in from the right that continues up and left from where Simple Pleasures tops out, which should be about 7A+. Further right is Anja's first problem, as yet unnamed and ungraded which tackles a short groove via some sharp holds and a rock-over.

Progress is slow at the moment as we find our feet, clear bush and so on. Hopefully we can arrive before the full impact of Siang next weekend and have a decent couple of sessions before the rain comes. Photos to follow.

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)

Work Now, Climb later

Climbing has taken a back seat since arriving in Bandung. The first indication of this came perhaps just before Christmas, in the Harau Valley, in West Sumatra. My interest in the Harau Valley was first sparked by the casual mention of a group of self-sufficient climbers in the Lonely Planet and the subsequent Internet searches that gave a hazy view of definite climbing possibilities. The Valley is a stop-off on the backpacker trail, with the waterfalls of Lemba Harau incorporated into tours to the area around Bukkitinggi. It consists of a single road around which there are villages in a rural setting which back onto distant rocky outcrops. As you continue up the valley, the rock gets closer, the dwellings get fewer and sweeping 100 metre expanses of yellow orange and blue rock rising from emerald green rice fields continue kilometre after kilometre and lead finally to the village of Harau itself. We stayed at the Echo Homestay, a place very close to nature providing an ideal location from which to set out on day trips into the valley itself.

The Eiger Wall

While we managed to fit a visit to the place into a one week trip as well as cart a rope, shoes and harnesses along on the trip, we didn’t get any actual climbing in; in the three days we spent there we only took a look at the rock and the astounding scenery around from ground level. In retrospect it seems like a genuine missed opportunity, and in writing this I realize just how upset I am, while at the time it felt like we tried, although perhaps not with a full effort, to get onto the rock and get some climbing done. By the time we had psyched up to give it a go on the afternoon of the second day, the rain began and didn’t let up before we left to Danau Maninjau on the morning of the third.
While the circumstances and the rain were perhaps partly to blame I can’t help thinking that a fear of the prospect of having to down climb, of the bolts (which were for the most part in good condition), and of my unfamiliarity with the conglomerate rock all went together in creating a certain reluctance to climb and prolonged the climbing until it was, by accident, too late to do so. The trip to Maninjau made up for the lack of climbing for the most part.

In Bandung, we found a local climbing wall within the first week through a friend of Anja’s and went down a couple of times initially and then, when I started work I managed to get it together enough to trek down twice a week at 9 a.m. to have a rewarding pre-work climb. The wall is at a local outdoors shop Eiger on Jl. Cihampelas and by Indonesian standards is pretty good. It is a fully free standing 25 metre overhung, bendcrete-esque artificial wall with holds, bolts enough to get you to the top at about French 7a climbing. Inside, the shop has large glass windows looking into a small bouldering wall made of similar paneled climbing wall with a flat section, a stepped roof, overhung by about two metres and another by around one.

Coming from the UK and having worked at both The Edge in Sheffield and the Manchester Climbing Centre sets my expectations of how a climbing wall should be far too high. Having just one lead wall and small bouldering area at the Eiger Climbing Centre, both with questionable safety issues puts a slight damper on the whole experience. Still, the walls present enough of a challenge to keep me occupied. Throughout the month of March though, I haven’t been down. I put this down to the fact that I haven’t been out on rock since arriving in Indonesia. It really does kill the motivation. Let’s face it, indoor climbing just isn’t the same.

All in all, now that the dry season seems to be making a, appearance, I hope to be able to post some information about climbing around Bandung in the coming weeks and to be able to get motivation back up to the level it was prior to leaving the UK. Bandung has much in its favour in terms of climbing: the local competition climbers who, while perhaps being unable to go outdoors as much as one might hope, are always ready and willing to share a session. So Citata becomes less of a dream and more of a reality.

Climb now, work later

Having set with the ball rolling with respect to working and doing research into possible teaching institutions and teaching possibilities, it could be time to begin exploring the climbing potential that Indonesia offers. Despite nearby Thailand and Malasia being well know for their aundance of developped areas, Indonesia appears at first glance to have received relatively little attention, as far as the climbing world is concerned. There are no topos published, as far as I can tell, but with a quick glance on rockclimbing.com  and a trawl through their pages on Indo it's easy to find rudimentary information on the sort of places where climbing has been developped. The picture above is from the site and appeared with a caption explaining that the topo was created in "1988 when the French came" and is described as "where it all began regarding rock climbing in Indonesia". Good stuff. Citah 125 is located at an hour's drive from Bandung which sounds promising, with trad and heaps of sport said to be on offer.