Locked-In Madness

A big thank you goes out to everyone who supported the 'Locked-In Madness' sponsored climb on the 27th July 2014 at Ynys Lochtyn. There were 15 climbers on the island for the day, which must rank as the largest gathering of climbers (actually rock climbing and not just down the pub) in Mid Wales ever?

We raised over £500 for Climbers Against Cancer (CAC), and I hope we can make this an annual event.

Cheers,

Pete 

To Climb or Not to Climb? Bouldering in Bogota.

Recently came across some excellent looking boulders on Alto San Mateo, Bogota. Rushed to a shop to buy a brush to clean off some problems, and returned and completed a fun little circuit of basic problems in the V0-V2 range. Returning back to base that evening a search online didn't reveal any recorded climbing on the boulders, but did however turn up some interesting details of petroglyphs on some of the boulders and a problem with quarrying damaging the site. Later a chat with some locals revealed a disinterest in the site and a fear of even visiting it due to thieves and drug users frequenting there, plus quite a few wild dogs roaming around.

What a shame to leave a beautiful and interesting location to the destruction of graffiti, broken bottles, thieves and quarrying! A visit to the well know bouldering spot of Canoas just outside Bogota showed how bouldering and the preservation of the petroglyphs could co-exist. If more people were interested in the area it would be an asset for the local community choking in petrol fumes with no safe green space on their doorstep.

Should rock climbers have the responsibility to do something to help preserve rocks, even those we can't climb?

Rock Climbing in Bogota, Canoas & Suesca Colombia...La Escalada en Bogota, Canoas & Suesca

Indoor climbing in Bogota

Bogota has plenty to offer the globe trotting rock climber and boulderer, and even if you fail to venture out of the city limits there is a bouldering wall and climbing wall. We visited Gran Pared and found the climbers there very friendly and you're guarenteed a good pump on the seriously overhanging lead climbing wall.

 
Bouldering in Bogota

Just outside Soacha, Bogota is the excellent bouldering area of Canoas. We followed directions found on a Colombian climbing website monodedo and travelled there by bus with the subsequent 2km walk. So you know where to get off the bus here's a hint... get ready to jump off when the bus passes this sign post as the bridge is just past it.

You'll be able to see the boulders off to the right. Scramble down a slope beside the bridge and walk along the side of the road until you see a gravel road on the right which leads to the old bridge over the road and the boulders.

The main bouldering area is to the right after you cross the old bridge. As we did the trek with a baby we went to the first boulder we could see on the left after crossing the bridge and did a couple of new problems. The better problem 'Palomita' goes straight up the face of 'Baby Boulder'.

Sport climbing near Bogota

The 'sporting' sport climbing of Suesca is a long bus ride from Bogota. Take the Transmilenio to Portal del Norte then walk to the 2nd bridge by a petrol station (or get off at the next stop) and get a bus to Suesca. Suesca is a very small village so don't forget to get off the bus! When the bus leaves the main road you're getting close. Once there don't forget to stop off at Ma's for a superb menu del dia for about £5, washed down with a shandy of 'Colombiana' and 'Poker' lager.

The climbing is minutes from the village. A track takes you behind the village then follow the train tracks. More than enough climbing to be had for a holiday, but be prepared for the sporting run-out nature of the routes. I was advised to take along a rack of nuts and was glad for the advice as the gradings are tough. A couple of cams would also be useful, and there are trad routes if you are prepared to lug a whole rack with you.

Hopefully someone will find this info useful and for now El show debe seguir

Baby, Wife and Dave Make Three

Having a baby sure does slow you down! Luckily my beautiful new bride understands the addiction I have to rock and I've been able to get out and do a few new lines this year.

Monday was a very special day out with a great bloke Dave who is a wonderful and generous climbing partner. He'd been eyeing a line out of the depths of a sea cave for over a year, and when the conditions were perfect he decided to pass the lead to me.

Dave's route name was perfect: Concealed Attraction. 

How to climb 5.12

I've been pretty busy recently. Finished my last big trad project of the year, which I've called Palomita.

Palomita takes a line up the overhanging wall to the right of the corner

With the worsening weather, I've been heading back to North Wales and the quick drying slate to try and redpoint a route I got hooked on at the start of the year, namely Beltane f7b+ at Bus Stop Quarry. I'd previously worked out all the moves, and it seemed 'just' a case of getting the lead done. I've tried a couple of f7b+'s before, but hadn't yet redpointed a route as hard as this. I've read tons of training articles on climbing, and most of the good ones will repeat the same formula... so you don't need me to tell you. What very few of them point out is the difficulty you'll find clipping bolts at your absolute grade limit (or placing gear in trad). You may well find you can do all of the moves once you've put in sufficient time on the route, but when it comes to the lead you find that you can't let go to clip and you're gripped with fear! My theory is that a high proportion of these routes are put up by people who can actually climb harder than this, so letting go to clip for them is relatively easy. So how does this help you who are at your limit? I suspect most of your time spent chasing higher grades has been focussed on the actual climbing moves and strength/endurance/power training, and your tactics are lagging behind at your old grade plateau.

Me about to fall off at the last bolt of Beltane

Just thinking about the last bolt of Beltane makes my hands sweat. I know I can cleanly climb upto it, but the thought of clipping it is terrifying. The answer is in my tactics. If I try to clip too early I will over-reach and come off with rope in my hand. I have to climb up to and then one more move before clipping at a better position. It is the fear of the extra move which is the 'redpoint crux', even though that move is relatively 'easy'. If I don't execute the extra move properly because I'm gripped with fear I'll never make the clip. I know I've got to work on this, otherwise I'll start to lose focus further down the route and start falling off before I even get to that point. This is just a basic example of the tactics required to break into a new grade. Another tactic I could employ is to miss out the clip altogether, or for trad pre-place the gear for that route you really want to do! Get working on your tactics, and you'll climb harder than you've done before.  There's plenty of material out there to help you with this, good luck on your projects.

How Deep is Your Love?

How deep is your love for climbing a new route? Once you enter the rabbit hole it can be an odd path you are taken on...

Be wary lest the paranoia get hold as well. Your once sane climbing partners will swear you to secrecy then provide you with a new identity in the British Bryological Society and finally leave you marooned on an island to prove you are worthy. The only consolation of being marooned is in having your choice of desert island disc.

How Deep is Your Love, E1 5b

One Hundred Years of Solitude

I've named my new route in homage to the novel of the same name by the famous Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and for my own beautiful Colombian Anyela. Thanks go to Doug for pointing out the line to me, and apologies for not following his trend of naming new routes at Craig yr Eglwys (English translation: Church Rock) after game shows. Given the small climbing community in mid-Wales, the remote nature of the crag at the head of Hengwm (Old Valley) and the amusing bog-trot required... not so funny when your wellies sink without trace... it is unlikely to become a well frequented crag. The last remaining hill farmer in Hengwmannedd (Dwelling of the Old Valley) was swept away in the flood of Afon Hengwm (River of the Old Valley) decades ago. The route name alludes to the feelings one has when climbing here. Come feel them for yourselves.