Partage, Buthiers

 Kook during an evening-play on Partage.

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Christmas-break

Today I'm leaving Font to go home and see family and friends over Christmas. I am really looking forward to the holidays and to getting back to Sweden for a while. At the moment I am feeling pretty trashed, both physically and mentally, so I think a little break will do me good.

Overall this autumn has been great for me. I feel like I have moved forward as a climber. I may not be much stronger physically than I have been before, perhaps I'm even weaker, but mentally I have gained allot of strenght and I think my technique has improved a bit too. This despite the fact that I have been forced to more restdays than I would have wished for due to bad weather. At this point however, unlike before, I have learnt to except that when being on a long climbing-trip you will be dealing with times when the rain just pours down to heavy for it to be possible to climb, no matter how psyched you are.

I don't know how much climbing I will be doing until the 7th of january, when I'm returning to the forrest. I probably won't be posting as much stuff here on the blog, not to start with at least. I have learn't that it's good to, once in a while, relax my self from climbing completely, to recover both muscles and mind. I am still very psyched and excited to come back here in the beginning of next year, but until then I am just going to enjoy lazy days and off course, some christmas food!


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Froggy dick 7B

Henrik almost reaching all the way to the top of Froggy dick in Franchard Isatis.

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Thriller 7C+

Thriller is an awesome, very tricky dyno located close to the start of the orange circuit in Rocher des Demoiselles. It was put up by Gérald Coste and Tony Fouchereau, and according to Bleau.info, it had not been climbed by anyone but them and Neil before I did it last weekend. The reason to that is probably that people don't know about it beeing there, but I hope the word about this cool problem will spread. Photos: Henrik Hult.

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Alternative beta

A french climber I don't know the name of reaching for an intermediate on Zarzamora...

...and Neil trying the same beta.

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Chasse en cours

I dont know any french, but based on experiences I'm guessing the sign says "Stay away or get shot".

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Video - Another week in Albarracin

During the first week of November I went back to Albarracin with Neil and his son Thomas. We got five days climbing in good conditions, before a nasty rainweather rolled in and made us head back to Font a couple of days earlier than planned.

We decided in the car on the way down that we would try to film eachother as much as possible, something Neil stuck to and I didn't. The outcome of it all was me having loads of awesome footage of me climbing to use for this edit. All thanks to Neil, who also did allot of climbing, but without getting as much caught on camera for his video (Once again, sorry mate!)...

Featured problems:

Avalancha 7B - Mezquita/Colmenas

Thieves 7B+ - Psicokiller

Los Titiriteros 7A - Arrastradero

ACA-B8-L4 7B - Acantilados

Zarzamora 7C+ - Parking/Aeroline

Climber in video:

Daniel Olausson

Edit:

Daniel Olausson

Camera:

Neil Hart

Daniel Olausson

Music:

Pretty lights - Hot like dimes

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Le Bivouac assis, Cuvier Est

These pictures shows the moves of Le Bivouac. When they where taken I was climbing the assis, which adds one big move from 
two crimps where the crux is to hold the swing. Photos: Henrik Hult.

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A sur-prising send

It had bin years since the last time I tried Sur-prises when we arrived in Isatis last week, and remebering it being very hard I couldn't ever 
imagine climbing it in the prevailing conditions. However, I have surprised my self a few times lately, and I did again climbing this classic 
in just a few goes (Btw. Neil's legs has grown out of proportions lately, which is why he can rest his elbow on top of the boulder). 
Photo: Henrik Hult.

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Home, Rocher des Demoiselles

Working out the moves on Home in Demoiselles in terrible conditions. At first I thought that maybe I 
would be able to link it in spite of the lack of good friction, but soon realized that it wasn't going to 
happen and left it for another day... Photo: Henrik Hult.

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Unknow Cuvier est-dyno

This could have been a good photo for a guessing-game. If only I knew the name of the problem 
which is located on the boulder next to La Digital in Cuvier est... Can anyone fill me in?

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De Vita Beata 8A

Me beeing exhausted after having tried the hard compression-moves on De Vita Beata 8A in Franchard Isatis. Photos: Henrik Hult.

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Atmosphère 7A

Henrik sending Atmosphère in Cuvier est.

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Monos 7C(Stand)/8A

Neil working the moves on Monos in Psicokiller/Acantilados.

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Fredrik Schenholm - Äventyrsfotoboken‏

Min vän Fredrik Schenholm som sedan 2005 arbetat som professionell äventyrsfotograf och som vid flera tillfällen tagit bilder på mig, har precis släppt sin första bok - Äventyrsfotoboken‏. I den har jag den stora äran att synas på flera uppslag, något jag förstås är både stolt och glad över. Eftersom jag dessutom är väldigt intresserad av att fota, och ständigt försöker bättra på mina foto-skills, kan jag inte vänta på att få lägga vantarna på ett ex då jag är övertygad om att den kommer vara mycket läsvärd.

 

Fredrik om boken: Boken följer mitt arbetsflöde i nio steg (kapitel). Bokens mål är att minska läsarens/fotografens turfaktor och ersätta det med kunskap. Det ska inte behövas 100 bilder för att få till en bra bild. Boken visar hur det går till att ta en äventyrsbild. Från att hitta rätt och inspirerande miljö till kompositionsidéer. Den går igenom kamerautrustningen och dess inställningar, tips hur man får bilderna skarpa och exponeringsteknik. Även tankar kring fotoögonblicket, bildbehandlingen samt vad man ska och inte ska göra vid bildförsäljning. Jag vill att boken ska inspirera folk att ta med kameran ut på sina äventyr.

Fotomagasinet "Kamera&Bild" har skrivit ett reportage om boken vilket finns att läsa här: Äventyrsfotografen ger sina bästa tips.

Köpa boken kan man göra i alla välsorterade outdoorbutiker och bokhandlare, eller direkt från förlaget: Calazo.se


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L'Aérodynamite

Last week I managed to climb the Cuvier-classic, L'Aérodynamite. In the photo I am at the perhaps most crucial point of the climb, getting the 
toe in the pocket which is very difficult to see. Photo: Henrik Hult.

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Le Vin Rouge 7A+

My friend Henrik just left after visiting me for a week. Here he is firing Vin Rouge in 
Franchard Isatis.

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Tribune 7B

Neil on his way up Tribune in Gorges du Houx Petit Paradis.

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Campsite cooking

Photos: Thomas Hart.

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Zarzamora stand 7A

Neil doing the stand-up start to Zarzamora in Sector Parking, Albarracin.

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Video - Back in Bleau

This video shows some of the problems I've climbed and filmed since I arrived here in Font in the end of September (unfortunately I don't get everything filmed, especially when Neil isn't around). I feel that I have really taken a step up in my climbing lately, something which I am very happy for. Partly because it's lead to me being able to do these climbs, some of them quicker than I would ever have thought. It's also made me feel confident enough to start trying harder problems. Hopefully I can keep going without injuries or other setbacks, and maybe get one or two of these ticked off...

I have got plenty of more footage, both from Font and Albarracin, so stay tuned for more videos to come and in the meantime, enjoy this!

Featured problems:

La Coccinelle 7C -  Buthiers Tennis

Le Mur des Lamentations 7A - Apremont

Sans Dessous Dessous 7B+ - 95.2

Respire 7C+ - Cuvier Rempart

Shoot 7C+ - Apremont Bizons

Climber in video:

Daniel Olausson

Edit:

Daniel Olausson

Camera:

Daniel Olausson

Neil Hart

Music:

David Löhstana - Flairer la fesse

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El ermitaño 7A+

Neil hitting the last bad old before the jug on El ermitaño in Sector Parking, Albarracin.

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Partage 8A+

Simon Newstead working one of the most beautiful lines in the forrest. Just recently a
sittstart has bin added to it by Thomas Collignon.

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Le Trou du Simon 6A, Bas Cuvier

Nikolaj Wallgrenovic focused on grabbing the first sloper of Le Trou du Simon in a good spot.

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Monos 7C/8A, Albarracin

Don't think much needs to be said about this climb since it's kinda given away by the name...

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Aeroline 7B, Albarracin

 

It´s all about Neil at the moment. Here he is about to send Aeroline in sector 
Parking/Aeroline on our last day of a week long trip to Spain.

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Rammstein 7B

Neil sending a cool, crimpy lowball in Arrastradero, Albarracin.

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Zarzamora, Albarracin

Neil almost sticking the cruxmove of Zarzamora in Sector Parking/Aeroline, Albarracin.

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Recovery-drink

One thing I have learnt over the years with climbing is the importance of taking in 

carbs after training in order to help your body recover. The best way of doing 

so that I have stumbled upon so far, is Marcels, who after havning spent the day 

in Coquibus Roche qui Tourne went straight into Milly for a quick refill...

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Le Trou du Simon 6A

Marcel trying Le Trou du Simon 6A.

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Unknown problem, Buthiers

Marcel topping out a unknown wall-climb in Buhiers.

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La Letrina direct 6C

Helena about to send La Letrina direct in Sector Parking, Albarracin.

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