My biggest project in Font by Caroline Sinno
I've been trying this climb called la cicatrice de l'Ohm in Font since last August. I know it seems weird to be climbing in Font in August but we had some cool cond! I never even heard of this boulder until the first time I tried it. It is located in a very remote and unknown area- la mare aux Corneilles and I can tell you that almost no one climbs there (except me ha!). When I first saw it, imagine you are going down a little valley and then you see this majestic big boat-shaped bloc, I was so surprised by its beauty and its rock quality. It is a very pure line following the rock formation. I am still surprised it is unknown.
I knew this would be my climb since the first time I tried it. It's about tension in a roof for the first section, then some hard shoulder moves on crimps for the crux moves. And a heel "over the head" for the finish. It requires core, flexibility and holding tiny holds. My type!!
The process of figuring out the beta was fun. First move was the hardest one for me, I had to get used to it as it is very powerful. I rapidly had the climb in 3 parts but it was still 30°C outside so sending would have been impossible.. I had to be patient (which is quite hard for me) and wait until October to really start trying The link. So I became very excited and only thinking of trying this climb when I was going to Font. As this climb is not skin friendly I had max 3 tries per session and warming-up there was quite a nightmare because each move is super hard and at least worth 7A. I had to experiment a new oil (commercialized as Skin oil by Crimp oil) for regrowing skin very quickly. And I also decided to climb traverses afterward because I needed to climb..a lot. Only trying 1 project is not satisfying for me. I need my dose of moves. So I climbed this very nice new 7C trav called Les sables du temps at rocher de la Salamandre est and also worked the moves of Traffic, another 8B but trav grade this time. It was quite cool to do 2 sessions per day. I often felt so exhausted that I couldn't climb the next day..
Training-wise, I've been doing some core exercises and pull-ups at the gym. But I went 3 times in 3 months so it's not much. Also sports climbing and traverses seem to be helping for power endurance.
Now I am waiting for the good conditions to come back in Font. I think I have my chances and it's a question of tries.. Really excited but a lil scared though!! I would be my hardest climb so far.
