Saturday 13 May 2017

Magical Verdon


Excited!!! Just arrived, back for a few weeks, a couple of partners lined up, fingers crossed for good weather. Pic from autumn visit last year


Great to share magical places like Verdon with friends visiting for their first time. Julian peering over the rim to reccy one of our planned routes. Fresh snow on the hills this morning a little unexpected!!



Fun day climbing the mythique classic La Demande which follows cracks and chimneys for 320m the full height of the gorge. Nice change from the face climbing so far. This is Julian following on one of the upper Chimneys, using some thrutching technique! We had all to ourselves, probably due to the freezing start after heavy rain last night! and the rumbling thunderstorms we heard from two thirds way up,..that fortuitously rolled on by. Looking forward to some warmer dryer weather to finish the week



Beautiful spot with the captivating griffon vultures continously flying and circling just below this pitch. Julian making his way up through some pocketed face climbing high above the gorge



Absorbing climbing moving up the grey pocketed pillar on A Tout Coeur above the Jardins des écureuils. Sunny days are back!



Saying goodbye to friends in La Palud Sur Verdon after their first visit, been great to hang and climb with you Julian & Pilar, hope you caught the Verdon bug and we see you here again!!



Goodnight Verdon. Another brilliant day climbing, with a new partner, sadly she got some news this eve which means she has to leave, so looking for a new partner...anyone?...



Off for a walk and got to see the Alps stretched across the horizon, beckoning,...gives us a sense of Verdon being pretty close to the bigger mountains, probably explains the weather we've been climbing in this spring so far!!


Strong. Psyched. Travelling to pursue a passion. And here...in motion, cruising on her first visit to Verdon. Meeting new climbing partners on the road, learning from them, and hearing their story


Taking a moment to soak up the atmosphere and gaze at daily life in the gorge,...getting off the ground on Une Histoire Sans Fin



Atmospheric morning looking into the gorge toward couloir sampson. Met a local from Toulon whose friend opened a new 400m route here last year called Bambino Bambino he wants to try


Seems like we've become addicted to traversing in verdon this year! Richard following the 6c traverse on the 400m 15 pitch 7a Bambino Bambino. All to ourselves in a stunning setting, on what must be the most equipped route in Verdon hence me being able to do it at the grade!



Getting going in the chilly mistral wind, on the 15 pitch 400m Bambino Bambino in sector Grand Eycharme, Verdon. A fun modern route. Merci Robert Milesi et Jean Pierre Hermitte pour une jolie Grand Voie et Richard pour l'idée.