Last tuesday I went to check out this nice winter crag near Lecco named Masone!
Plan of the day was trying the moves of Adam Ondra's 2009 route Masoniamoci 8c+/9a(maybe 9a he says) and see if it could have become a possible project for the near future!...
On my first day on it I was able to do all the single moves of the starting boulder problem but couldn't even link two of the hardest togheter. And I barely did the crux move, a deadpoint move from two very bad undercuts to a very far slopey rail.
Masoniamoci is defenitely a very bouldery route consisting in a super hard bottom part followed by a short but resistent 8a route!
The first part is about 12 moves long with a kinda jump start to get a sidepull, two terrible shouldery moves on gastons, a very high foot step, a crazy small undercling to match and a final brutal deadpoint move to get a slopey rail... from here you have another 5 easier but still difficult moves to get a good hold! Adam says he felt this section as an 8b boulder and I do the same!
The second part of the route starts right after the good hold with another long move from one bad edge to get a better hold with a weird heel hook... after this last awkward move the difficulty drops significantly! Easier moves on better holds but still pumpy and of course you don't want to fuck up...
On my second day on it I started to link the hardest moves togheter and I had the top part perfectly dialed. After a few more tries I felt so good on the boulder and I fell(twice) at the deadpoint!... Getting close and ready for the send I thought but my skin was trashed and I had to wait for another day...
After one day of rest I got back on my project on saturday. I felt physically good and my skin was healed enough for a few good tries! Luckily I only needed one! On my first go of the day everything went perfectly and still in the morning I was done with my route... I had all the afternoon to chill in the sun and spend time with friends!! Great succesful day!...
In my opinion Masoniamoci is a great bouldery route... for sure one of the best in this style I have done! The rock is a perfect limestone and the route climbs on a great looking blank 40° overhanging wall!...
I feel this route could be comparable in style and difficulty with my own Elementi di Disturbo in Gressoney. The boulder problem on EdD is maybe a bit easier but the top is harder and more resistent... I think the slash grade is perfect for both these two routes I have climbed! 8C+/9A!
Here is a video of the actual ascent by Maurizio Mangione:
After China I needed a break... a mix of 30+ hours of travel and airports,jet lag and fatigue killed my body and my mind...
So I took one week of rest. After this stop I was starting to feel ok so I slowly began to climb again... First a couple of times in the gym doing easy stuffs then some fingerboard sessions at home and finally a couple of days on the rock again!
Now I feel I'm getting in good shape again and this weekend I spent my last day of the season in Trento(Bus de Vela). I had a little, but very long, project I couldn't do the last time I was here...
This route is the only link up route(but pretty logical) in the crag and it is very good and fun to climb!
This time despite the glacial temps I didn't punt at the last move and I was able to get the first to send on my first go of the day placing almost all the 15quickdraws on this 35meters route!
"Siamo squali nelle reti" is the name and the grade is around 8b+!!...
Hey everybody!
Here I am again after a couple of weeks since my last post...
During this time I've been far away from home... China exactly, Getu Valley to be more precise!
In this not so well know area was held the annual Petzl RocTrip!
Getu is a small rural village in perfect Chinese style... but for about a week it has been transformed in a real climbers base camp...
Petzl did a huge work to make this RocTrip possible and at the end I would say It was one of the best event I took part in my life! A huge community of climbers and friends lost in the heart of China... Every day was just waking up, noodle breakfast, climbing a muerte all day long on the beautiful crags, rice dinner and party every night with videos,slideshows and of course local beer and baijiu rice wine!!
Rock climbing in Getu is just amazing! The huge arch is defenitely one of the most impressive things I've seen. It's so massive you can't even imagine until you are there! Since I didn't have many days I climbed every day here... and I got very syked with a project!
The route is called Coup de Bambou! It's a direct start of an 8c/+ called Polvo Tecnico. Michael Fuselier bolted this direct version and started trying it with Enzo Oddo a couple of days before I got there!
Since I saw the route for the first time I've been inspired! Watching Mike and Enzo trying it, the route seemed to suit my style really well... at least the first part! The style and the features of the rock remind me a bit of my projects back in Trento!... Plus the desire to make a hard first ascent so far from home is big!
So I said to myself...why not?
photo Beau Kahler 5.10
First day I climb on easier stuffs and learn the style. I decide to attack on my second day!
Already on my first try I'm able to do all the moves... as I thought the bottom part suits well my climbing... about 30° steep wall, big but precise moves, pinches, edges and a few balls features! And of course very bouldery!
Second part is pretty hard for me, less steep,not so hard moves but alot of them and very pumpy with slopers,bad footholds and a few kneebars... basically all my weak points!!
After a couple of days of work with all the homies, Dave,Enzo,Mike,Jon,Gerome etc I have found all the sequences that work for me and I have the top part figured out pretty well! I start to feel ready for some serious links!
One day I fall at the last move of the first part and I know It could go in the next tries but I am running out days... Two more to be precise.
So I decide to rest one and go crush mode on the last one!
On my last day I wake up well rested and syked! At breakfast I meet Jon that looks as syked as me for his project and we get to the Arch pretty early! The Petzl RocTrip is over two days before so we are almost alone at the crag!
I decide to warm up straight on the project to practice the moves one more time! Jon does the same and on his second try he fall at the very last move on his project Polvo Tecnico!! I'm sure he will crush it easily before he leaves!
On my second go of the day I feel very good but I slip on the bottom crux... it's still morning and some holds are humid and greasy. I decide to wait a few hours and try it again with better afternoon conditions! The luck seems to be on my part in fact a nice wind started blowing after my attempt!
photo Beau Kahler 5.10
Some hours later I'm ready one more time at the start of the route... Jon at the grigri, Juju Nadiras behind the camera and a huge support crew of good friends: Dave,Joe,Mel,Petitou,Sean and many others!
First part goes well and I'm at the crux. I execute the crux perfectly and I'm at the weird last hard move of the first part where I fell two days before! This time I barely stuck the move and I move fast till the kneebar rest.
I probably rest five minutes and I think I have to give 100% if I want to send the project!
So from here I start to climb precisely and try to remember every hand and foot placements. Everything goes well and after another couple of shaking points I am at the last sequence, the redpoint crux. Here I try to be as focused as possible... I don't want to fuck up at the last few meters! Even if it's hard and technical and I start to feel really fatigued I don't want to fall!
I pass the hardest move and one more time I try to climb so precise. The last moves go perfectly and I am at the chain in a great state of euphoria!! Coup de Bambou is done and I am proud of this great first ascent!
About the grade as always is difficult to say but many world class climbers tried it in these days and the consensus seems to be 9a so the hardest route in China with Spicy Dumpling by Ethan Pringle in Yangshuo!!
Big thanks to Petzl for make this trip happen,Five Ten, team USA for make me feel part of the crew, team France, Jon for the early start, Dave for the kneepad, Mike for bolting this great route, Marcos for the multipitch warmup, Enzo,Mel,Princess Ricola,Mimin and Zorbey and all the climbers and new friends I met!
Here is a first video about the event! It was shooted on the first days before the RocTrip started so only the French Team and a few others were there but at least you can understand how great the place is!!...
