In my latest months I spend my Climbing time in Gressoney Valley, in a cliff called La Benedizione that is In my opinion the best crag in Aosta Valley. All the routes are completely natural, crazy rock and it is situated in a special place, near a big waterfall and mountain meadows
My project this year was Devils and Dust 8a+ that as the most lines here is downgraded so I spend 4 days of hard work to get the chain. The First day I tried the whole line to figure out the right beta but I felt the two cruxes really hard and I seemed to have no chance. The route was such impressive so I was looking forward to try it again.
The days after I managed to link the two cruxes and to have good attempts and one time I fall at the very last hard move reaching the jug. I was really disappointed and sad but I was hopeful for the next session. I was not too tired so I decided to try the last 7b+, called Run Out Climbing School, that left me.
I basically onsighted it but it has the first part in common with a 7c that I did the year before, but I was really happy anymore because its a stunning line, not so easy to onsight.
July the Eleventh I came back to Gressoney to crush my project, I put the quickdraws on the route to complete the warm up and to remember the right sequence of the moves. After a good rest I start to crush the route, in fact This day was the right day and with big smile that covered my face I came back to home.
Five days later I planned with my brother and two friends to spent 8 days France, exactly 4 days in Briançon and four days in Ceuse
The first day we decided to visit a new crag called Roche des Brumes, I was pretty tired because I had already driven for 4 hours but the motivation was high I climbed a 6b,a 7a and a 7b to warm up on a very beautiful lime stone and after a tried Papapuka 8a in a very steep wall, composed of powerfull and dynamics moves on quite good pinches, pockets and jugs. In my Flash attempt I fall at the last jug of the last quickdraw like a real stupid L but in the second go, I climbed all the route easily. I was happy for this ascent and the trip was started in the right way.
The second day we changed crag and we moved to Entraygues, situated in the Ailefroide Valley, I had a route in my mind Deltaplan Man 8b a funny physical overhang, quite short but great to climb on. In the first two goes I didnt understand how to solved the first hard move at the second quickdraw, instead the remaining part of the line I was able to get it really quickly, but the conditions of the weather didnt help us and I couldnt climb my third go of the day.
The day after the forecast was not still good but this was my last possibilities to crush the route. So we went up there the same but there was strange conditions because it was so humid but at least it was quite cold. The warm up was the same of the day before and my brother start for the first try configuring out a new beta. My time came and I tried the new method and I felt it much easier in fact the next attempt I send all the moves sticking the final jug, the game was made :D YESSAAA!.
The rest day we change completely style of climbing from Entrayguess gneiss to Ceuses lime stone
The first day in Ceuse is always magic and special for me, I love see again the fantastic landscapes and the beautiful features of the rock, all these things make me happy and free from the bad thoughts
I wanted to retry an old my proj of the last year called Slow Food 8bsituated in a big overhang just after the famous Demi Lune sector. In my first go, I understood that I had increased my power and endurance from the past year because I reclimbed all the moves very quickly. The day after the conditions was really good, not too warm and quite windy and I was psyched to try again my proj, after a fast warm up in Demi Lune sector I prepared my body and my mind for the first attempt but I failed it at the same move as in the past tries.I was beginning to be quite frustrated, I fell every time at the last hard move, I decided to do the last try of the day.I was quite nervous but determinated, I climbed the first boulder really fast and I arrived In the crux for me, finally my arms were ok, my mind was focused on climbing and I was ready to crushed the second boulder, after some screams and the support of my friends I was able to locked that fucking undercling with the left hand and the small crimp with the right hand, WOW! :D MY BLACK BEAST OF CEUSE WAS FINALLY COMPLETE.
In the following days, I was so unlucky because the weather didnt help me in fact I have no completed other routes that I had in mind, I climbed O.S. on more easy route in Demi Lune sector
The last day I tried Rat man 8a+ in Berlin sector, I did a very good O.S. attempt falling to two quickdraws from the chain, I have not completed the route because there are still two hard moves to reach the anchor but I was happy for my great performance!
I came back for sure in Ceuse and in Briançon in August to spent great times like this past with my friends, to climb new routes and to see new cliffs!
Enjoy your time!