Verdon - Climbing doesn't get much better than this!
Summer 2019
It's summer and hot. I'm in the final process of writing my master's thesis and haven't been climbing outdoors in the last month or so. Things have just been too busy. I'm very relieved when, finally, everything is submitted. Yay, I'm done with my studies and a physicist now. A great feeling!
My telephone rings: "Hey Ole, can you help me pulling some trees out of the forest?", asks my dad. "The bark-beetle has done big damage here." And so, Adam, Finn and I spend the first day of my holidays in the woods, chopping up trees with chainsaws and axes. I enjoy the physical work after the exhausting days in the office (although the "Sternwarte" has got a pool, which is not too bad...). It's always nice to do something with the own hands, I think.
Finally, Adam and I drive down to the Gorges du Verdon. This is the destination for the summer trip of the Felskader Baden-Württemberg which I'm the trainer of. The plan was to meet the other guys and girls down there (good plan :-) ) I've never been in the Gorges du Verdon but my dad told me about this place since I was a kid and I always wanted to visit it. We sleep one night near Geneva, arrive in the evening and hop straight onto the first climb. Wow, this is stunning! The valley is gorgeous. Deep down, 400m below us, flows the Verdon river. Huge birds whiz through the air and sound like flapping parachutes if they come close enough. One instantly feels the exposure when looking over the edge into the void. Normally, multipitches are accessed from the bottom, climbed to the top and one hikes back down. Here it's contrary. One rappels into the wall and climbs back up. And if you don't make it back up? Well, you got a problem then! Or, how the guide book puts it cheekily: "Consider base jumping as serious exit option" (actually we did see base jumpers on our last day. Incredible!).
The first route which really struck me was "Au-Déla du Délire" (7a). A six pitch climb which starts in the middle of the wall. The rock quality is insanely good. At some parts the rock forms long tufas winding down like huge snakes, other parts look like they were bombarded and feature holes from water droplets or long water grooves. It's almost too much fun and Adam and I are whooping and cheering by the end. I lead the last overhanging pitch, a 6a+. 300m of air are below me now, the wind is pulling on my shirt and it feels incredibly exposed. But the climbing is easy and the water grooves form perfect pinches. They lead me further up until I pull myself over the edge. Yesssss, this is what I came for!
We quickly discover that the routes here are no gimmes. Slab climbing on tiny footholds and even tinier handholds dominate. The bolt distances are... okay, I'd say. As always, the year of the first ascent is a good indicator for the "Am I going to die in this route"-question.
After a couple days David and I decide that it's time for some more adventure. La Demande (6a) was the first routes which lead through the gigantic main wall - from the very bottom to the very top. Climbed in 1968 it follows a prominent crack system. 330m and 13 pitches take a bit of time but we can't start until the cliff is in the shade, which is the case at around 3 o'clock. Go, go, go. We quickly flow through the first couple of pitches. It's David's very first time to place gear and by no means one can say that there are many bolts here. Only on dodgy looking pitons, cams, and one bolt he manages to suffer through a ~6b offwidth as he got lost on the route. Good job, buddy! I know exactly the feeling of being cramped insight such wide cracks, not really able to move back and forth. I'm glad I practiced a bit in Yosemite. Especially since the last four pitches feature straight-on chimney climbing. The back to one wall and feet to the other one must walk up like on a door frame.
right: A superb belay about 200m above the valley floor. It would be a brutal hanging belay if there wasn't this ridiculous tree.
On one of the last days Adam and I get up at 5AM to climb "Alix, Punk de Vergons" (7b+). It goes straight through the massive west wall of the Paroi du Duc and is almost constantly overhanging and difficult throughout. About three pitches below the top Adam and I feel already pretty baked. It's my turn to lead one of the crux pitches. HEY, what's that? There is a tree winding itself horizontally out of the wall. Haha, despite my fatigue I have to laugh and do a fake double dyno, hug the trunk and mantle on top. This is also the belay. The next pitches are substantially easier and I can fully enjoy the way to the top.