One year passed by since our last psicobloc attack (click) so there was time to do it again :) Since I am writing this article pretty late, it will be more crag oriented rather then time oriented. Also will be filled with lots of images and short video as well.
Starting with our team consisting of four *** we were supposed to visit some other friends that were already there dealing with the usual terrible weather (30° with no clouds) ;) So after unforgettable party till sunrise it was time to attack the rocks above water with the usual first day hangover. Anyway we were supposed to go to area called Cala Barquez, which we missed on our first trip although I don't feel that sorry since the quality of climbing is worse than the other areas, parking sux, walking is a lot, it's full with lamers and most important - the rocks are at most 10m high, which makes no fun of Psicobloc! (excluding the hard sector with couple of 8b routes that are ballz high). Anyway there are some pretty pictures from that area, which we made during several days, as well as a lot of tries in some small projects in 8th range :)
Great 8a in Cala Barquez, which means "I'll be back!"
Another notable thing in Cala Barquez is the chilled lifestyle on the small beach :)
On our second day we were about to visit the other area we missed in our first trip called Cova del Diablo, which was a way better crag, despite being commercial as well. I was able to pull Afroman after falling several times at different moves. Later in our trip I also tried Loskot's testpiece, but failed of course to do it, so I have to wait until next year. Our buddy Philip almost nailed it, doing the dyno, but failed at the last moves, that are also not quite easy and pretty precise as well.
Traversing to the Afroman's starting point and then short GoPro check and ready to go!
Best solution for this part of Afroman :)
Couple of tries here on the emblematic testpiece, with me failing badly and Philip almost nailing it
Lars being unlucky with the waves on his last days in Mallorca. Couldn't pull the trigger on the projects, but still enjoying some easier routes!
In Porto Colom, we had a great times, and so I can call it my favorite area for Psicobloc, having routes mostly ranging from 6c to 7b. You can have fun there with climbing tricky roofs or enjoying really high ballz feeling! I had already old foe called Future Barny, a route that had to be 7a according to topo, but had no chalk traces or recorded repeaters online. When we came for first time to Porto Colom I knew I have to attack this route and try as much as possible till I do it somehow. I attacked over and over like I said with minimal break time just to switch the shoes and on one of my tries I came close to the top grabbed razor crimp and then my feet slipped. I got very badly cut on my fingers and small wounds near my elbow (scars are still there). I was badly frustrated, since the cut was a real huge gash. Somehow I gathered myself, taped like monster and attacked to climb the route finding all good holds and then jumped of in a huge relief! The only bad thing is that I had to climb the rest 12 days with huge tape on my middle finger and the wounds on my elbow couldn't heal until I got home because of the salty water.
Bad Beat after one of the tries on Future Barny
To the right of Future Barny, there is a route called Wenga Xavi, which I had eye on it since the last year, but was pretty unclear how the line goes since there was chalk only till the first couple of pockets so I never checked more. This year I was supposed to fall in the water anyway in order to cross to the other side, so I attacked Wenga Xavi without any hesitation. After meeting the two pockets I found myself in very tight situation, where I saw no chance, holds or whatsoever and started preparing a nice fall since I was about 10 meters high. While preparing my right hand grabbed unconsciously some crimp and the falling plan was immediately replaced by A Muerte plan. I pulled the crimp like berserk, grabbed some shitty hold with my left and after couple of still bad moves I grabbed the first fat hold and screamed of joy. Screaming was a bit early since I was pumped as hell and getting out was not trivial at all, but I managed it as well and screamed again in order to confirm the joy :) hehe! This was my first 7b onsight, and I think the grade is according, since I climbed very well and pushed my normal technical limits a lot, also ascending fast, which Maxim noted later on. Btw, I graded Future Barny as 7b as well since even knowing the holds later on it didn't felt anywhere near 7a.
Big win over Porto Colom for me was climbing couple of routes that exit over the top, which was 20 meters above the water and I can assure you that it's surprisingly scary to climb pumped as hell anywhere above 15 meters. The first one was showed me by some locat matador (local matador), who was trying it so we teamed up and failed couple of times, but couple of days later I was able ascend it somehow. In the description of the second high ball shit was written that a hero medal awaits anyone trying this route, so I wanted my hero medal. After failing couple of times on the lower parts between 12 and 16 meters I finally understood what was meant with hero medal. The crux was between 16 and 18 meters high and I was terribly pumped and although the last thing I've wanted was to put a hook 18 meters high, I did it! Very scary! I wanted to overpower that part, but I was so pumped that I had to put the hook and fire into unknown hold hoping that it was good. Well it wasn't very good, but thrust me - I pulled like hell with my really last efforts and I was suddenly on the easy jug and jumped fast to the top! Crazy!
Me looking the local matador and then trying myself :)
A fun last day climb on Porto Colom was some 7a wall, which I attacked and onsighted till almost end, thinking that was the jump part and jumped to damage again my rib, which was previously injured during MMA training. But it was funny battle again to climb with my last existing forces in A Muerte freestyle :)
Watching Mario with best solution is funny as well. The fun ends when a hold breaks and one need to step off the ledge while falling in order to avoid crashing (did it three times all successful!)
Overall there were pretty much waves going on so I climbed mostly alone, but on couple of times Maxim and Fredy climbed the roofs as well. I also climbed most of the roofs, and was pleased by the nice moves and great holds, although very slippery and wet most of the times.
This is the image, which I printed on 200 x 50 cm poster for my room! Great one! If you wanna better quality, let me know!
In Cala Sa Nau we had great time, any of us doing different business - Maxim and Fredy not hesitating to do the Attack of the Killer Spindly Fish, while Mario failed it, despite doing harder route on the high sector. Perhaps the happiest man out there was me, paying old dues with Vadage 7c! After failing last year on the second part I tried the moves above, which were pretty reachy and not really my style, but having respectable height of having last hard pull at about 16 meters above the sea level :P I tried to look at the moves of the harder 8a+ by Sharma on the left of Vadage, but it was definitely a tough cake and I have no idea how to do it even in the coming years, but will attack it for sure. Anyway, another very important ascent for me was the pure ascent of some non described line to the right of Scalfament 2. I saw it as a climbable line, while climbing Scalfament 1 and downclimbing Scalfament 2 being still happy of the Vadage ascent. Having even a bolt at the beginning backed up my suspections. So although I had no chalk and being little bit worn out I started climbing the line, which had no chalk signs at all. It was very interesting process, since every move turned out to be harder than the previous and I had to really stick on my feet, while climbing, which is really unusual for me. I was expecting to slip off the rock at anytime. My hands were sweating a bit as well, which increased the uncomfortable feeling too. I can't really describe all the reflections that this pure vertical blank line left in me, but I was happy to catch the first really big hold (sharp as knife too), about 15 meters high. A great moment. Dunno about the grade but 7a might be appropriate. So the day ended with convincing Mario the climb a tough 6c+ right to the Vadage line, and he did it :)
Mario trying to pull on the route, but maybe the meatballs from yesterday were too heavy ;-)
We traveled shortly to Cala Llombards, which was pretty ungrateful to us despite the perfect conditions, meaning lack of essential power :)
The last area we payed short visit was Cala Serena, which is a cool place to be, but the waves were huge, so me and Mario climbed one route for the check-in and we went away.
Here is the video intending to capture the spirit of our time there. For more interesting info about the video please visit the vimeo link (click):
And all images together in a gallery:
{gallery}climbing/mallorca/2012{/gallery}
Under the line I wanna thank to everyone being there, and to all those for the positive feedback.
Special thanks to Philip for taking us to his finca! (despite we booked a hotel too :D)
