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Another Fontainebleau sHitlist (4.0)

30/10/2016

3 Comments

 
Sam Hunter climbing Alien (7c) at Rocher Cailleau, Forest of Fontainebleau
Amber Thornton on Cortomaltèse (6c+/6c) at Cuvier, Fontainebleau
In the spirit of appearing like we're doing something with this website, and out of habit, this post contains our sHitlist; a slightly smug run-down of the boulders we have climbed this trip. Having just spent the better part of three months on and off in the forest of Fontainebleau through the hot, cold, wet and dry we definitely had plenty of time to scramble atop a rock or two. Without too much beating around the boulder, we've also selected our top three climbs...
Amber moving through Clandestino gauche (7a) at Apremont Envers, Fontainebleau.

Sam


Welcome to Tijuana (7c), Apremont Envers

Originally, I got on this boulder late on a summer's morning only to find that (surprise, surprise...) friction was nowhere to be found over 30ºC. Spoiled attempts, thinning skin and lots of frustration led to abandonment until the furnaces of hell had subsided. A month and a half later I revisited it on a crisp September morning and oh my, oh my, it felt good. Every hold had some bite and with a few little tweaks at each section of the climb, I found a solid sequence that allowed me to cruise. After such defeat initially, being able to come back and crush made it all the more memorable. 
Sam climbing Welcome to Tijuana (7c) at Apremont Envers, Fontainebleau

Alien (7c), Rocher Cailleau
I was originally captivated by this rock after a visit in spring of this year. I had a play on all of the moves on one of our final days of that particular trip but felt pretty quickly that this was a tactical error. Tired and feeling like my 'go' had got up and gone, I didn't make very good progress.

Still though, after returning home following that stint, I was reworking the moves in my head and found myself quite inspired. It's approximately 12-15 moves on pretty reasonable holds considering the grade. The bulk of the difficulty comes from spanning between slopers, maintaining body tension and having enough beans to make the last few powerful moves, again through some pretty demanding sloper holds. The aesthetics of the line also played a part, it being a rising traverse that requires a strong down-climb sequence followed by an elegantly violent couple of moves to top out. All of this takes part on a boulder that resembles a flying saucer that has crashed into the hillside. Being back in summer required some pretty early starts to get the most of the cool conditions, in the end it went down second go of the third session. Loved every moment of it. 

Opium (8a), Recloses

My first true Fontainebleau 8a. With much shock I found myself topping out during the second session of trying it, after being resigned to it possibly taking many more hours of attempts. Yay! 
Sam on Opium (8a), at Recloses in Fontainebleau
Opium (8a), at Recloses. A gem of the Fontainebleau forest

Picture

Amber


Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe (7a+), Rocher Fin

​This striking protruding roof was a vague project of mine from a year ago, when I felt pretty close to climbing it but lacking in endurance. On trying it again at the beginning of October, I realised that not only was my endurance still possibly not up to it, but that the last few moves felt hard enough that I didn't actually know how to do them. I found the perfect sequence for the last moves, and then completely forgot it and had to find a new way, with a high right heel that allowed me to move my hands up the 'nose' of the boulder. Naturally, I was too tired to climb the route.

Two days later we returned to Rocher Fin and I worked the end a couple of times then, feeling fresh and strong, climbed the full route, my fourth 7a+.
Amber burling on Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe (7a+), Rocher Fin, Fontainebleau.

La Pierre et le Sabre / La Belle Arête (6c), Cuisinière

I was very excited to climb this route, mostly because it is an arete, which I suck at, and quite highball, which I also suck at. It is beautiful, as suggested in the name. The problem follows a crimpy rail into the arete, where you move round the feature and stand up to a slopey 'jug'. The top out is then, in theory, a relatively simple rock up.

It felt like the route lasted for an age, using a lovely heel hook to move out to the arete, then inching up with micro-movements, just tickling the bottom of the jug and having to trust the feet more, pushing up until I finally had the hold. The jug was less juggy than I had hoped for, and the top out took me more time, more creeping up with shaky disco legs. But I got it, topped myself out, and was just ridiculously excited to have climbed this lovely, tenuous line.

La Joker (7a), Cuvier

'Nuff said! La Joker is a super-classic, a 7a climbed before 7a existed, and a route I didn't think I could climb. We went to Bas Cuvier on our way to the ferry port, a last day burn on a busy, sunny October day. I tried the Joker a few times, moving into the characteristic side pull a few times and getting nowhere. I was ready to move on, but Sam and a few other people that were working the problem harrassed me into a couple of last tries. On the first, I started to push up on the high left foot, and the second I pushed up and then found a right toe. The next moves flowed easily, and left me at the top of the boulder, surprised. A bit of recombobulation later and I managed to haul my ass over the top. Who needs to climb La Marie Rose?! (Probably me)

The heady, sociable atmosphere at Cuvier that day was awesome fun, and just made us sad to leave, and hellish keen to go back.

Amber climbing the roof of Le Toit de l'Abri-Bivouac (7a/6c+) at Franchard Sablons Ouest, Fontainebleau.
Sam on Atmosphère assis (7b+), Cuvier Est, Fontainebleau.
Amber climbing the famous Éléphant in Fontainebleau forest.

Below are the lists of our more noteworthy ascents including the climbs mentioned above, along with possibly one or two others... 
Sam

8-6 Bavaria flash (7a+), Apremont Butte aux Dames​
Clandestino (gauche) (7a), Apremont Envers
Clandestino (7b), Apremont Envers

Welcome to Tijuana (7c), Apremont Envers​
Blind Spot (7a), Boissy aux Cailles
​Narine (droite) (7a), Canche aux Merciers
La Réta Franklin (7a), Cuisinière
Le Mouton à 5 Pattes (7a), Cuisinière
Syphilisse (7a/7a+), Cuisinière
Blocage Mental assis (7a+), Cuisinière
Pensées Cachées (7b/7a+), Cuisinière
​
La Daubé flash (7a), Cuvier
La Joker (7a), Cuvier
Atmosphère (7a), Cuvier Est
Atmosphère assis (7b+), Cuvier Est
Absurdomanie flash (7a), Éléphant
Le Surplomb de la Coquille assis (7a+), F. Hautes Plaines
Beurre Marga (6b+/6b), Franchard Isatis
Le Surplomb Feuilleté gauche (bas) (7a), Franchard Isatis
Le Surplomb Feuilleté droite (bas) (7a+), Franchard Isatis
Iceberg raccourci (7a+), Franchard Isatis
La Memel (7a+/7b), Franchard Isatis
Délire de Formes (7a), Franchard Raymond
​Opium (8a), Recloses
La Boule d'Épaule (7a), Restant du Long Rocher
U751 (7b), Restant du Long Rocher
Satan m'Habite raccourci (7a), Roche aux Oiseaux
Satan m'Habite (7b+), Roche aux Oiseaux
C'est à Sept B (7a+/7a), Rocher Cailleau
Vandale (7c), Rocher Cailleau
Alien (7c), Rocher Cailleau
Shamballa (7c), Rocher Cailleau
Jour de Pluie raccourci flash (7a), Rocher Canon
Lévitation raccourci flash (7a), Rocher Canon
Chasseur de Prises (7a), Rocher Canon
Babaobab (7b), Rocher Canon
La Mare (droite) assis (7b+), Rocher Canon
Morituri te Salutant (7b+), Rocher Canon
Napoléon assis (7a), Rocher de la Reine
Samarkand (7a+/7a), Rocher du Potala
Samarkand rallongé (7b+), Rocher du Potala
Jour de Rêve (7a), Rocher Guichot
Abyss flash (7a), Vallée Chaude 
La Traversée d'Abyss flash (7a+), Vallée Chaude
Amber

Bavaria (gauche)​ (6b), Apremont Butte aux Dames
8-6 Bavaria flash (7a+), Apremont Butte aux Dames​
Fax Man / Le Toit des Martiens (6a), Apremont Envers
El Paso Droite (sortie à droite) (6b), Apremont Envers
Jeu Sans Frontières flash (6b), Apremont Envers
Clandestino (gauche) (7a), Apremont Envers
Le Beau Final (6a), Canche aux Merciers
Narine (droite) (7a), Canche aux Merciers 
La Pierre et le Sabre / La Belle Arête (6c), Cuisinière
La Daubé (7a), Cuvier
La Joker (7a), Cuvier
La Moreau (6a), Éléphant
La Charleuse (6a), Éléphant 
Absurdomanie raccourci (6a), Éléphant
Beta Hunter (6a+/6b), Éléphant
Pulpfriction (gauche) (7a/6c+), F. Hautes Plaines
La Zip Zut (direct) (6b), Franchard Isatis
Les Yeux Verts (6b), Franchard Raymond
Le Toit de l'Abri-Bivouac (7a/6c+), Franchard Sablons Ouest
Gigi (6b), Gorge aux Châts
SOS Baquet (6a), La Ségognole 
La Forcenée (6a), La Ségognole
Pilule Amère flash (6a), La Ségognole
Babylone (6a), La Ségognole
Imprudence (6b), La Ségognole
74% de Cacao flash (6c+/7a), Les Béorlots
La Boule d'Épaule (7a), Restant du Long Rocher
Le Petit Toit (6a/6b), Roche aux Oiseaux
Le Pélican (6b), Roche aux Oiseaux 
Le Rouge-Gorge (assis gauche) (6b+) Roche aux Oiseaux
The Mantelist (6b), Rocher Cailleau
Rei (6b+), Rocher Cailleau
Caprice (6a), Rocher Canon
Sixième Piste (6b+), Rocher Canon
Napoléon (6a+), Rocher de la Reine
Le Vol du Bourdon flash (6a+), Rocher de la Reine
Baby Boum (6c/6b+), Rocher de la Reine
Proue Puérile (6a+), Rocher des Demoiselles
Ventre et Vague (6b+), Rocher des Demoiselles
Acid (6a), Rocher du Potala 
Mémoire d'Outre-Tombe (7a+), Rocher Fin
La Rombière (6a), Rocher Guichot
La Rombière assis (6c+), Rocher Guichot
Jour de Rêve (7a), Rocher Guichot
Amber Thornton bouldering in Fontainebleau
Sam Hunter bouldering in Fontainebleau
3 Comments
Helen Kester
3/11/2016 06:34:24 pm

Rock on dudes!!

Reply
Ian H
4/11/2016 08:41:01 am

Very nice!

Reply
Strongman
7/11/2016 08:27:52 pm

Amazing Sam, he has finally got an 8, thought to begin with it was going to be another post about Sam cruising 7's, but he has gone and done one and a classic!
8 in the forest, big day in anyone's book amazing :) Now go and do some more!!

Reply



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