Rain, Smog and Mist

Im not sure who reads this blog apart from some close friends etc, but for any climber that does have an occasional glance - DO NOT COME TO FONT IN NOVEMBER. If I help convey this message to a few uninformed guys or girls it will have been worth it. Seasoned campaigners in the forest, like Neil H, would have told me November is a dodgy month, but I didn't have that much choice to be honest with the US trip on ice, me not working right now and the Swiss granite also proving to be pretty damp/humid, here was the best bet as I didn't fancy going back to Albarracin.

We tend to look at Accuweather here to get a decent view on the forecast for the next few days, for over a week now Ive not seen a single sun symbol for any time of the day, not even a white cloud. Its been super wet, damp, with grey skies and a stillness that means morning and evening mist - a climbers worst nightmare basically and totally brutal to get much done at all.

Apart from many forced days off the rock (today is day two of another rest period as its lashing down currently), going to London for a job interview and watching X-Factor Ive tried to get out when I can. Since Symbiose on day 1 and the day out at Apremont ive managed to get away with climbing two very nice 7b+'s; Fluide Magnetique, the scary and rather classic blunt arete at Cuvier, and Le Cachou, a compression prow at Isatis. I also had a session on the stand start to the L'Insoutenable roof at Isatis, said to be one of Font's hardest mantels at 7c. Its not to be honest as I did the mantel itself pretty quick in the semi-wet but then worked out it actually starts from a jug under the roof. For me anyway this is the crux and I was planning on going back to get this done, but since that session it been soaking wet so Ive all but given up on this one for this trip.

So with two weeks remaining and the weather so bad, albeit it is meant to be better for a day or two from tomorrow, ive decided to focus a bit of effort on the remaining 3 problems that I have not done of the big four at Cuvier Rempart. These tend to dry quick, quicker than most rock in the forest and of course they are super classic must do's. I got up Tristesse in April so now Big Boss, Fourmis Rouge and Big Golden remain. All are high and scary but I had a go on Fourmis the other day and that seems close so ill see if I can get that and the Boss done. Not sure about Big Golden its a far bit more powerful than the others as you basically have to surmount a large bulge with poor hands but we'll see. At the end of the day weather conditions are such you cant really make any firm plans as it can all go wrong very quickly and you must adapt.