Trip Preparation

Still in Shanghai but ready to travel to Yangshuo for an extended fall trip starting next week. I've been in touch with climbers and there is nothing new to report on the access front other than to confirm that most of the hangers have been removed from the bottom of all White Mountain routes. Probably best to show up at the crag ready to stick-clip the higher bolts just to be safe. I'll go to the hardware store this morning to pick up some small hand clamps and maybe even a telescoping metal stick if I can find one.

I've arranged to meet with at least one village head to discuss continued access to White Mt. but I understand that we will have to meet with a second village to get them on board as well. This is important in preparation of the upcoming climbing festival mid-November. We want to avoid any hassles between locals and climbers during the festival as word will get out about how 'friendly' the area is and this might influence other climbers' decisions about coming here. I'm still not sure why Rock 'n' Ice published the Sharma article which dealt more with the body climbers found in in Odin's Den and less with the actual climbing or what it was like to hand out in the laid-back ambiance that is Yangshuo.

As for me, I think I am about as prepared as I can be for the fall climbing window. I'm fit, except for a bit of elbow tendonitis that I always seem to aggravate with too much gym climbing, and I have a long list of climbs I want to get on to build my pyramid geared toward sending some 7's this season. I've actually started focusing on my sport grade numbers and working routes so we'll see if this pays off in performance. I'm still most psyched about hopping on a few new crack lines on Birdman; I'll try to get the first ascent on trad gear. I feel the anxiety along with the excitement just thinking about it.

Alpine Climbing in Sichuan

Early Sept was still a bit hot in Yangshuo so after a meeting with Ryan and the Yangshuo Climbing Festival Planning Committee - to give it a special name - I headed off to Sichuan to meet Brian, a fellow YS climber, for some alpine climbing. Due to time constraints, made worse by road repairs into the Siguniang region, we decided to pass on Rilong and Changping Valley where we had initially planned to climb DaoGou Peak, and instead went in through Bipeng Valley looking for a suitable objective.

On the first day we carried our climbing kit high into the valley and got a brief glimpse of the Dragon"s Tooth (approx. 5250m); it was the second most prominent peak in the valley after the huge Yangmantai north west face. We walked back to the hut that afternoon and decided our attempt would be on the Dragon's Tooth.

Over the next two days we ferried all our kit up to the base of the wall and prepared to spend two days figuring out the line before we had to walk out. Alas, it was not to be. On the third evening it began to rain heavily with a lightening storm that would not let us sleep; even though we had made a sheltered place in a cave under a house-sized boulder,with each flash of lightening a searing white light with a deep red center penetrated the eyelids. This was followed by a deafening crack of thunder that echoed across the high peaks - one, two, three, four .. boom. Holy s#*t! I'm glad we weren't bivied on the ridge. In the morning the wall and the high glaciers were dusted with a light coat of new snow. The wall is north facing and would take at least a full day to dry. Our hopes were shattered. We walked out the next day promising to come back soon and to allow enough time to wait out the weather. Our only climbing turned out to be in two of Chengdu's climbing gyms.

The wall itself is between 300-400 meters tall, although we did not get accurate altitude readings at the base and are relying on Chinese topos for our estimates. Far as I know, only one Chinese climber has attempted this wall before; we met with him in Chengdu and he is as excited as we are to return and claim the first ascent. If we can leave some fixed anchors in place, due to its relatively easy accessibility, Dragon's Tooth could become a classic! Gets an alpinist's heart beating.

Traditional Climbing

My first rock climb after a 20 year hiatus was 5 years ago in Yangshuo; Tommy Ouyang put me on the Miracle at Wine Bottle and I struggled up on top-rope. Shaking from fatigue I was re-hooked when I got back down. I discovered ‘sport’ climbing: it was safer, physically more challenging, and much more social. Not the rugged mountain climbing I’d grown up with but I could get on climbs I would not have looked at before. The psychological aspects of sport climbing are not as gripping, the cost of failing usually not as severe. Everyone is stronger and climbs are more difficult. Good formula!

Once I started bolting new routes three years ago, climbing returned to its roots for me. I’ve even stopped dropping important stuff like drill bits and hammers! This fall I lead a new line on the Camel’s Neck, ‘Bedouins’ on trad gear that followed an obvious crack system and went at 5.10b – right at my limit. Exploiting a crag’s weaknesses is become a familiar game again and climbing on trad gear here makes everything more serious, everything turns fluid and uncertain. I stay focused longer, know my strength and equipment better, and I realize my mistakes can have dire consequences. My relationships to my partners deepen, interdependence becomes absolute, trust develops.

Traditionally protected routes in Yangshuo do not see a lot of ascents in a year: the Middle Finger is almost never climbed although it is an obvious and readily accessible crag. After climbing in the US last summer in areas that have only traditionally protected routes I realize the game is still alive and well in other places; sport climbing hasn’t completely taken over and Yangshuo would benefit greatly from a bigger group of trad climbers putting up new lines, even if they are subsequently bolted for sport climbs. With all the possibilities for new lines on untapped crags within 10 minutes of town we’ll never run out of projects.

First Trad Lead

I'd put up quite a few new lines with Paul and in late 2007 I finally got on the sharp end. I on-sighted a trad FA lead (see photo) on the extension to Wonderful World at the Egg. It was bad enough having to step up above my last piece, but the slick Yangshuo limestone made it even scarier! Still, I couldn’t keep letting Paul have all the fun!

We climbed up ShaBi Abi and traversed on gear to the left and set a belay anchor at the top of our intended new line. I came across, got the kit and stepped up onto a line that followed the obvious crack system up for the second pitch. Doesn't get any easier really, but I was still struggling inside to keep my head about me.

I had pretty much stopped trad leading just about the time cams (Friends) came out - late 70s CE. I’d put together a rack with 2 sets of cams at its core because I’d heard that’s what everyone climbs on today. Paul took one look and asked, ‘Where are the rest of your wires?’ That is what it really comes down to in YS – wires (US – nuts and stoppers), and whenever possible a nice, big hex! Cams too, but only when a solid crack cries out for one, and that isn’t often enough.

On this climb there were two bulges, both well protected, the second one with a solid yellow Camalot and a thread. I don’t remember how long it took, but I do remember realizing that cams just don’t fit the inconsistent features as well as wires. Thus began my apprenticeship in ‘fiddling wires’. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still much rather fire in a perfect cam instead of searching around for some small constriction that might take a Rock 1 or DB stopper.

Now, whenever I set off on a trad lead, which is usually an on-sight on a new line, I anticipate going slowly, looking for small constrictions and fiddling wires in before stepping up. This results in much shorter leads because I’m always running out of gear; 20 pieces in 20 meters no longer sounds like too many placements to me, two or three placements right next to each other is fine if that is what I need to convince myself to keep stepping up. And if gear doesn’t do it for me, up comes the drill!