Bitchin Rocks n Waves: The Arapiles

What can I say? Bombproof featured orange stone, endless, unique, well-protected gear climbs all a stones throw from a cheap/free campground. Does it get better?

Suffice it to say I've been having a blast here at the Arapiles. I just two weeks ago but it feels like I live here. I love my campsite. I love going climbing whenever I feel like it. Cooking, slacklining n plain chilling the rest of the time.

When I first arrived Sofie and I cruised up the classic grade 12/5.6 4-pitch route called The Bard. Great belay ledges, steep exciting climbing on big bomber features. I soaked up the exposure and enjoyed the views. We were without a nut tool (lost a week or two earlier) so we got a nut stuck. I wandered around camp and asked a friendly climber if I could borrow one. The sunset was beautiful and the time felt right for my first free solo. I did my best to remain calm as I cruised up the first pitch to retrieve the stuck nut. I took deep breaths and kept my feet solid on the wandery and polished slab. I sighed with releif when I reached the ledge and started to work on the nut. The relief was short lived as the nut was pretty stuck and that pretty sunset was getting dimmer. A long 5 minutes later the nut popped free and I stuck it onto the sling I carried over my shoulder. Running low on daylight I down-climbed the pitch which was exciting but I felt really solid.

I remembered an Alex Honnold interview where talked about how when he's soloing he shifts his focus from fear/ego to just climbing really perfectly. Not just well enough not to fall, but as perfectly as he can. I found that when I did this, not only did it calm me down but I felt safer. The next evening I walked back over to the base of The Bard with a mat, stretched out, ate an orange and climbed 300 feet to the top of the Bluffs (one of the tallest formations @ the mount) and enjoyed a beautiful sunset when I reached the top. I descended the semi via ferrata Ali's Decent and arrived back at my mat about 45 minutes from when I started. This was one of the coolest experiences of my life and something totally new to me. The headspace I achieved on this solo has helped me to really feel solid on the rock while leading on gear since then.

After a couple days cruising moderates with Sofie, I was ready to start ramping it up and pushing the grade just a little bit. I set my sights on the exciting but well-protected Tannin (19/5.10a). My goal was to keep it mellow while learning to place small gear on face climbs. I failed... I was a little too psyched and just missed my line. Instead, I found myself on the thin and frightening line to the right called The Wraith (21/5.10d). By the time I had realized what had happened I was through the crux and run-out over small gear. It was getting dark and Sofie was getting nervous. 'Chains... get me to the chains up top was my thought'. I was pumped, but I turned off the fear and just kept climbing, finally I found some good gear and pulled through to the top.

I was sweaty and shaken when I reached the ground. On one hand I was proud of myself for the onsite (which was near my limit), pushing through the fear and for just not falling. On the other I was disappointed... How could I miss my line? It's so obvious, how could I sandbag myself so badly? I took a day off to kinda think reflect on my mistake. Fortunately there are plenty of sweet boulders around camp to stay busy. I returned calmer and more focused the following day and cruised my intended route Tannin.

Since that misstep on The Wraith, I've been as solid as ever. I've onsighted nearly every 21 and under that I've tried. I came really close to an onsite of the sustained and slippery Squeakeasy (22/5.11b in the photos below). After the crux a short runout I was desperately pumped; I sunk in a bomber nut, climbed a bit farther and relaxed on a knee scum. Unfortunately I relaxed a bit too much and the kneebar slipped and I took a long but safe winger. I was gutted to learn that there was a jug just one move farther; I just needed to keep fighting!

The other day a crew of us made the obligatory trip up to Kachoong (21/10d). This is the most photographed route in all of Oz, for good reason. I got caught up taking photos and it was a bit late by the time I hopped on. I was super excited and nervous as I pulled on. Not scared, just nervous. This was 'the route' I came for, I didn't want to blow it. As stepped out onto the exposed wall below the roof I struggled to keep my heart rate down. When I reached the roof, my mind went empty and I got into the zone. I leaned out and stuck a bomber cam into the flake in the roof, then swung out onto the jugs and stuck in another smaller cam farther out the roof. I felt really solid climbing the roof on huge holds with good feet. I reached the lip and cut my feet loose and swung up a heel. I relaxed, chalked up and then finished turning the roof. I was really psyched! The exposure and the climbing really hit the adrenal gland.

Immediately my mind turned to Taste of Honey (22/11b) which is the stout megaclassic in the same area. My strong French buddy Vlad had just given it a go and come close but hung at the crux. I really wanted to fire the thing but the crew was ready to wrap up the day. Sofie was cold and I couldn't find an alternate belayer :(. Fortunately I think I just might get another shot ;). Til then, stay psyched homies!