UKC

Hi does anyone have a ticklist for font, i'll be there for a week and boulder up to v5. I had a look in the tick list section and it didn't have anything for font, but if you have your own, or any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear recommendations. What classics would you recommend? Or any problem, classic or not? And if anyone is out there and wants to meet up, give us a shout. Cheers

In reply to alexjz: duroxmanie at Cuvier(6c+), awesome problem

In reply to alexjz:

Duel dans la lune, 6C, 95.2
La Rhume Folle gauche, 6C, Bas Cuivier

Two of the finest V5s in the forest.

In reply to alexjz:
Part of the joy of Fontainebleau is not having a ticklist, and just climbing non-stop on amazing boulders all day long.

That said, there are some uber classics such as La Marie Rose and Le Statique which should be in your grade range.

If it's your first time in Font then prepared to be humbled, it requires a certain getting used to. I've bouldered up to 'Font' 6c+ (V6) in several other places, but never above Fb6a in Fontainebleau itself. How that works I have no idea.

There is a ukclimbing overview article here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1567

Re. guidebooks, this is my favourite:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=206

although the the Bleau Des Gres 6 might be good for you too:http://bleau.info/shop/degres6.html

In reply to alexjz:

My favorites:

Duroxmanie - Cuvier Est / Rempart (Nice overhanging wall, slightly highball, good landing)
Duel dans la Lune - 95.2 (Roof)
Composition de Forces Direct - Franchard Isatis (Undercuts / Small feet)
Little Karma - Franchard Isatis (Pretty nails tho)
La Voie Michaud - Elephant (1 dynamic move and polished feet)
Jo'Special - Franchard Cuisiniere (Arete and razor crimp)
Cortomaltese - Bas Cuvier (6c+, big move off slopers)

In reply to alexjz:

Sorry i've just recommended stuff at Font 6c, there are loads of good problems below this aswell and if your climbing max V5 and never been to the forest i wouldnt go out expecting to tick loads of V5s!

The stone country guide for £9.99 is pretty good for just classics over a range of grades.

In reply to alexjz:

I'd just recommend going to cool areas and climbing stuff you like the look of. There's so much of it, that's one of the joys of Font!

If you can, suss out which areas are good in which conditions so you don't waste time going to areas which aren't in nick.

In reply to alexjz:

+1 on what others have said, part of the joy is just going and trying stuff and yes be prepared to be climbing lower grade than here.

In reply to alexjz:

As others say, you can have a lot more fun climbing around, doing circuits, finding problems that suit you than trying to find specific/famous problems.

That said, Big Jim (6c, high wall on pockets) at Petit Bois is worth seeking out. I also like Surplomb de Marbre and the arete next to it at Buthiers (6a/b); Duroxmanie is really good too (as are thousands of other problems). I think Franchard Isitis is a must-go-to venue, and you'll quickly find the best problems for you, there are loads (Le Statique is the famous easier one, but it's not a nice problem IMO, just a cool looking feature).

My general advice is always to go somewhere a bit off the beaten track, and try climbing a slab. After a few days on the polished/poffed to smithereens stuff, you'll be amazed how much easier and fun it is when the rock isn't trashed. You don't have to fall off the same foothold 2000 times.

In reply to alexjz: thanks for the advice, I'll be heading to Bas Cuvier tomorrow I think, have a crack at La Marie Rose, I'll let you know how I get on.

In reply to alexjz: La Marie Rose as well as other problems of course. i'll get on a circuit and see how I fare, but yes, I'm expecting a drop in grade - adapting to font etc

If anyone is around font area, give me a shout if you want to meet up

In reply to alexjz:

Also try;

L'oblique at Roche aux sabots and,
Tentation at 95.2

Two v soft 7as. Duroxmanie is probably harder and better than either of them!

Duel dans la lune gets my vote and has had a fair few mentions. Contender for best v5 in the forest...

Also not as well known but surplomb des frelons at Roche aux sabots is brilliant (it's in 'essential font' book)

In reply to alexjz:

Bear in mind that the Bas Cuvier is the dirtiest and most polished place in the whole forest... It was where it all started and it's popularity has had this effect, plus a little help from the prostitutes and such like who frequent the lay-by. There are many famous climbs there but other areas are more pleasant.

I can't really suggest climbs at the level you are at but the Cuisinière at the Gorges de Franchard has a lot of well known climbs and is a little cleaner, as is the Isatis or the Rocher Canon, to mention a few other areas. Personally I always go for circuits rather than individual climbs, but very rarely above blue, which is my limit.

In reply to alexjz:

Any chance of a conditions report?

It's pretty difficult to read from Paris at the moment. Is the early morning mist getting enough breeze to try out by early afternoon?

Thanks.

In reply to fried: Hi I went there on Wednesday and today. Wednesday was cloudy and cold all day but stayed dry, I started at 11am and it was perfectly dry from then throughout. Today started out cloudy in the morning, I started climbing at 12ish and the rock was good to go, perfectly dry. The afternoon was ideal, sun came out and there was not a cloud. Both days had minimal breeze.

Hope this helps

In reply to alexjz:

Thanks a lot. I'll risk a trot out.

In reply to fried: cool, give us a shout if you head out monday, I'll be about