Simul-climbing

Two weeks ago, after finishing Egyptian, we had difficulty deciding what to do on Sunday, and I had threwn in the air a thought “how bout we do the 9-pitch multipitch twice, either Wangmeixinqing or Waigualiezao?” after Torsten talked about simul climbing on Saturday evening. Well, on Sunday morning I was telling the places where I could go, but didn’t have a strong urge to do anything in particular. So Torsten said “how bout we do the 9-pitcher Waigualiezao simul-climbing?”. I say “ok, why not!”.  He had done it this summer already simul-climbing.

(You can also read this story in Finnish here with some pictures).

The grade of the route was 5.10c (6a+), so nothing too hard. Plus, I had also climbed the route before already – or half of it. That time me and Fabian somehow managed to mix the two routes and ended up climbing 11 pitches, doing a variation of the two. It wasn’t anything hard so I figured simul-climbing would be fine. Only two pitches were 5.10c, one 5.10b, one 5.10a and the rest was about 5.9’s. 

Waigualiezao is the one in blue.

When Torsten climbed the route before with Xiaohe, they did it “true simul-climbing” style; without a belay-device in between. This time, we didn’t do it the “true” way; we did tie 8-knots, but also a grigri to our harnesses. This way, if the other person was going too fast or slow, we could adjust the amount of slack in between in our ca. 15m rope. It also allowed us to belay the other person safely through difficult sections – we did it three times during the route. As it wasn’t a long ago, Torsten remembered the harder sections well. Torsten led the first three or four pitches, I led the next three or four (didn’t really pay attention as we just climbed as long as we didn’t have any draws left or had just a few and stopped at an anchor) and Torsten led the last bit. So we did 2 changes of the leader during the route; last time, Torsten and Xiaohe needed to stop only once as they had about 10 more quickdraws to use.  

The piece of rope we used.

I forgot to check from my Suunto t6d if the topo was correct about the route being 245 meters long – I remembered it when we descended to the road, where it showed 222 meters, so I think the topo was quite exact. It took us a minute or two over 2 hours to finish the route.

For me, simul-climbing was an awesome experience. I could feel my heart beating while climbing, focusing on where I put my feet, just enjoying climbing without the feeling of pressure of achieving something. I really, really enjoyed it until I broke off a handhold while leading, and fell (because I was clutching to it with my both hands). Until then, I wasn’t scared at all because the route was easy – after that, I became a bit paranoid. As at the point where I fell I was going first, it was ok. Had the second person fallen at an inconvenient place, the leader might have been hurt even quite badly (well, this is what made me paranoid after that as when I was going first right then it made me think about what “could” happen if the leader well just then when I was meters above the last clip and just clipping the next one – until then, I didn’t really think about it). But, as said, we had already belayed the other person through the more difficult sections just to be safe this wouldn’t happen. But now I started checking almost every hold I was touching and that is not a fun thing I enjoy doing while climbing...

Anyway, I would definitely do it again; but still with the safety of a grigri just to be sure.  

Egyptian Living on the Edge

Psyched to go to Baihe again to finish my latest project I’ve been writing about, I finished it on the second go on Saturday. (and now I first time lead the 5.8 slab leading to the route – yes, it is much nicer without a backpack and didn’t feel hard at all this time).

I felt super strong on the first go, putting up the draws, and I even passed the first crux then. Then, on the second go I finished it – nearly passing the second crux but still, passing it. I even climbed it a third time on top-rope, just for training’s sake, and to my surprise I did it clean. Though I didn’t clip out any draws then (I used the other end as I figured that I’ll just be lowered down if I fall). Torsten, the other bolter of the route finished it after me and then we started speculating about the grade. Ola, who FAed it two weeks ago thought it was a hard 7c+, but as we kind of found at least one more rest than she did we thought that 7c (though in my opinion, HARD one) could be a more suitable grade for it. As grades are very subjective… This wasn’t my style and although I did spend 4 days on it, maybe 7c is a better grade for it. Then again, Torsten’s routes are often really sandbags… Anyway, feel free to give it a go and judge yourself. I hate speculating about the grades anyway; more often they take the away the joy of finishing a route instead of making you feel good.

After finishing the route and Torsten still resting before his third go, he urged me to try a 5.11c around the corner he opened last year, called “Living on the Edge”. He told me “It is quite hard… will be a good onsight if you do it”. (Btw, did I already say that his routes are often really sandbags?)

Well... after the first clip, sweating, I am trying to find a way to move to the edge, as the beginning of the route goes near the edge. I see a tiny crimp “hmm, looks a bit loose maybe” but I have to do something, and I launch. And yes, it was loose; so I fall. I continue… just to realize that the foothold I had previously used (and not a tiny one, maybe the size of a glass) falls down – and I fall as well. Getting a bit annoyed, I say “this route apparently doesn’t want me to climb it”. As my onsight is already ruined, Torsten keeps saying to me “go closer to the edge” as I continue climbing. “The route’s name is Living on the Edge”. I say “great, you should’ve told me that earlier” as I sweat up there. “Don’t worry, Fabian was also really scared climbing near the edge”. I mumble something that I don’t like this at all; and just then, a rock size of a cat’s body I’m holding breaks apart. Luckily it didn’t fall from too high up as I was kind of almost on the level of hugging it, and just bruises my thigh. So after that, I am super scared to climb to the anchor as I was suspicious that everything I touch will just fall apart…. 

What I learned from this experience was that I really don’t like Living on the Edge. And no, I will not go back to finish the route, either.

Only in China…

Only in China… You get invited to a climbing competition, all expenses paid. And when you arrive to the airport… There are people waiting for you with a sign “World cup climbing”.

 

And no, it was not a world cup. Though there were quite a few climbers who also attended the World cup, I think all of these on the list, most of the Malaysian team, Shalagin-siblings and then a few expat climbers living in China such as myself; most of us climbing 5.13s. And also, some strong climbers from Europe such as Silviu Corciovei (Romania).

We were escorted to the village by the police...

...given flowers in the opening ceremony...

There were thousands of people watching us... Note the fake waterfalls behind them!!!

 

If I had to choose one word to describe the competition, that would be “ridiculous”. It was not really anything any climber there appreciated – except the prize money. The “competition” has been arranged already twice before, on natural rock, top-rope, speed; but the length of the routes were 65m and 75m… With a 12-minute time limit. 

Above of all, last years there were chipped holds (now I’m not sure), you could pull from slings etc… The difficulty was supposedly 5.12c for men and 5.11d/12a for women, but surely with the slings it wasn’t that hard. The rock was super dirty and slippery, and I wasn’t the only one who pulled down a rock while climbing. If that happened and you fell – well, that was it from your part. Mostly, it was a competition arranged for the people in the town; they had built a stage where the routes started (see picture on the right), and you can’t even climb there otherwise as there is a river below (and you can’t put up any more routes, either – not that the quality of the rock were the kind that you would even want to, everything came crumbling down…)

Mykhailov Shalagin took the first prize in men...

The first prize was massive 30 000 rmb (ca. 3400 e). Best 8 in both men and women got a money prize… Unfortunately I wasn’t one of them. Speed nor endurance are not my strongest points…

... and his sister, Olga Shalagina in women.

Anyway, it was a very interesting experience, one of those you can only experience here in China...!

On Sunday we enjoyed the local canyons in form of a guided tour - the spot was full of these nice signs like this...

It is not fall yet...

Hard training took it’s toll, and for a couple of days I was lying on my sofa and trying to get rid off a nasty cold with a countless number of cups of hot water with ginger and garlic. And I thought it’s not flu season yet…!

However, before that I had a really nice weekend up in Baihe again – I headed up to the newly opened route with Ola, who managed to FA it last Sunday.

This is what I saw on the way to the long distance bus stop. Lice on duty...

I gave the route three goes on Saturday, and on Sunday, against my previous thoughts I thought what the heck, I might as well lead it. The falls are not too bad as it is overhanging, but a bit scary as there are blocks that come out of the wall and you might hit them if you’re unlucky. I gave it a go, however. First try… Not too bad, but a still bit insecure – and the clip sequence I had thought would work didn’t really work on lead right before the crux, so my clipping position was super hard and there went my energy for the first crux. Second go, quite good, but fell at the first crux. Low point from below the crux to the anchor though. Ola had already sent the route and climbed it once for trainings sake on top-rope, trying to rest as little as possible.

Third go… Should I do it? As it is very strenuous route, I didn’t think I’d have enough power to try it… but you can’t win unless you play, right?! So I gave it a go anyway, thinking that it is good for training if nothing else… To my surprise, it was my best try and even with a shorter rest than between the first and the second go. I managed to get through the first crux move, but it is not easy after that either – quite a few pumpy moves until you get to a good hold, and that’s were my power endurance gave in. Dammit! I was still quite glad as last weekend I thought it would take even a longer time until I can think of finishing the route. It is around 5.13a (7c+), and reminds me of another 7c+ route in Baihe I still haven’t finished – power endurance and not really my style. But soon, I hope…!!! Hopefully I can find someone to go there with me when I go to Baihe. Tomorrow I will head to Changzhi to an interesting competition… more about that later! (and no, this one is not the World Cup).

Trying some moves again after the first lead try... (Actually, this was more like posing for the picture and looking like I climb - there was actually no place for rest here). And it doesn’t really look overhanging from below…

But from another possible belay point where you can better dodge the falling stones… a little bit more.

But now, time for a new adventure to Changzhi. I've still got like 5 hours before I need to wake up to catch my flight, sponsored by CMA...