New Line on the Great Wall

I made a trip out to the Great Wall near Stone City last week with Eben Farnworth and Alex Honnold. We had great, cool weather but the adventure was cut short by shortened daylight – this is a better spring crag. Alex got on lead on a new line up a crack system that proved too chossy and loose. We bailed after placing only one additional bolt and headed over to the arete at the top of the approach pitch to the main ledge.

Eben got to lead the pitch up to the Heather Terrace and we agreed that it is probably the best line on the wall so far. Alex liked the face just to the east of the arete and he rigged a line and rapped down and tried to find moves on top rope. He marked the bolt placements and I cleaned and bolted the line afterward but we ran out of daylight and did not finish it. There is still some loose rock that needs to be taken care of, including a death block near the top, and the route needs the white lichen to be brushed off before I attempt to send it.

The route is a full 40 meters long and will end on the Terrace so we can use existing rap anchors to descend. Alex thinks the line will go at 12+. This will be the hardest FA I’ve attempted and it is at the top of my list once I fill in my next pyramid. Pulling this off would make an excellent Christmas present to myself.

Fall Tick List

After reading The Self-Coached Climber I constructed a pyramid and listed 50 routes I wanted to tick in Yangshuo this fall season on increasingly harder routes. My hardest grade climbed at that time was an 11c so my new pyramid had eight 11a’s at the bottom, then four 11b’s and two 11c’s before an 11d (7a). I started at the bottom and by the time I was attempting the c’s and d, I felt fit and ready. I got them all in 2 or 3 attempts. It is a great system to get me climbing closer to my potential while not spending too much time flailing on stuff that is just too hard for me right now.

Now I’ve constructed my next pyramid with a 12a at the top and I’m climbing more 11b’s, 11c’s and 11d’s to get ready for the top. I want to complete this one before I leave Yangshuo for the winter; this gives me another 3 weeks at most. Should not be a problem if my progress continues apace.

I did jump on the Todd Skinner 12b at Banyan tree on TR the day before yesterday and got a good taste of just what it means to be a fit 5.12 climber. I gave it three burns and was wiped out by the end of the day and still feeling sore the next. I did make it out to Wine Bottle late yesterday for some easy routes and one go on the 5.11c Great Wall route. After the 12b, it felt relatively simple and I’m confident I can send it first try, probably tomorrow morning. Then I’ll do the other 5.11c at the crag before going after five more 5.11b’s. Filling inn the bottom of the pyramid will get me prepared for two more 5.11d’s before I step into the realm of 5.12. Good stuff for an old guy!

Hard Routes

This is the only picture I have of Lei Pi Shan; that's Rocky on Singularity (5.12a/7a+). BD climbers were out this fall and said they thought this was the best piece of limestone in the area. The face shown here is overhanging for most of its 40+ meter height. I had been reluctant to climb there thinking the grades were too hard, but I surprised myself by getting up a few things and now understand why so many climbers love the place. I'll go back.

I’ve been back at climbing regularly for about 3 years now and I still can’t climb HARD routes, but I am getting stronger and getting up more stuff on lead. I’ve started to wonder why harder routes are such an attraction. Jeff Lowe said that the best climber is the one having the most fun. I’m usually having more fun when I’m pushing my limits.

Harder lines make me dig deeper, usually someone tells me that I’m way strong enough to get up a hard line, and that I’ve just got to figure out how to make the moves or keep my head in it when I feel like bailing. Being on the edge, stepping into the unknown, leaving the security of the last rest, that is where life happens. Kind of like that first kiss you’re not sure she will accept, but you feel compelled to put your heart out on the line. Remember how that felt? Harder lines are only as good as their ability to recreate that wonderful feeling of wanting something, but not knowing how it is going to turn out and going for it anyway.