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.

Kawasan Kebun

Two weekends of relative inactivity on the climbing front have resulted in slow progress in the valley. Sunday the 27th of July saw another attempt by Anja and myself to find a route up to the foot of the crags on Gn. Bongkok. On the two previous attempts we had gone unprepared and been shut down by the terrain, the midday heat and a bad choice of route. We had been using the topo from rockclimbing.com to do so (which comes complete with absolutely no mention of how to approach the crag). This time we were better prepared. Carrying ropes, the rack and enough supplies for a good day out, we set off this time from the path that leads down to the boulders.

Having scouted a possible route to the lower right hand side of the crag, we first followed a series of trails through the bamboo and then went up a dry river bed. At a certain point, the bamboo stops and so do the paths. Here, the jungle really seems to bite back and you're faced with a solid wall of greenery which Anja and I spent almost an hour clearing away in order to reach the lowest face. We finally managed to cut our way through, broke the Golok in doing so and, massively exhausted, found ourselves, at last, at the foot of the real climbing on the Gunung..

From where we were, lines of unbroken rock, rise up lightly-featured in places taking you up to the main face itself. It really is an inspiring place. We went for a look around and soon realised that this largely featureless rock, as we had guessed from bouldering, would be more of a sport climbing venue than trad. With this in mind, we set about looking for the line Iraqi Affairs but couldn't locate it. It had taken us two and a half hours to reach this point. It began to look as though our whole day might soon be spent making little progress in terms of useful developments in the area which over the last few weeks have been moving along nicely, we both decided that the best decision was to quit while we were ahead.

We decided to take another look at the two large boulders that we found on the first trip out. Anja was pretty dead from the trek up the hill and I was also wiped, both a little down about our necessary decision regarding Gn. Bongkok. While looking around at the rather high-ball problems, not only did I see a pretty gnarly line, I also found a cave the went underneath the larger rock and lead to a clearing - a sort of garden area with a bamboo shack in the middle. The garden has boulders all over, of all sizes and will be the next area to be explored properly. It seemed to pick us both up and re instill the feeling that the development of bouldering here at Lembah Parang is the best use our our time in Indonesia.