Working the lower crux of Batacazo
For me redpointing is a whole new game, outside I’ve always tended to go for the onsight, and when that failed get it second go. Now I’m trying to climb routes I could never onsight and having to be very methodical in my climbing. Bolt to bolting the route, working the moves, getting the foot holds perfect the clipping positions right then going for the link. My main objective was an awesome 7c at Los Pinos called Batacazo, it was the line of the crag, a series of perfect pockets leading up the overhang for 18m. I could do the moves, but on the first redpoint cold fingers stopped me dead, I couldn’t feel the hold or clip the bolts and had to take the fall, unpumped and frustrated.
Me on Tai Chi at Olta
It took over a week before I could get a lift up there, so the pressure was on, not knowing when I could get back on it I had to do it that day. I warmed up bolt to bolt on the route, tearing a chunk out of a finger and making another finger go numb in the process. More worryingly I was shattered at the top, out of breath and knackered, it didn’t bode well for the redpoint attempt. But on the redpoint it could not have gone better, each moved flowed into the next, every foot went exactly where I wanted it, I reached the brief rest post cruxes relaxed and with a mild pump in my forearms, I locked off the under-cling and clipped the chain and had the route in the bag. I even managed to jump on the 7c+ next to it and link it together in two halfs and fell off the last move trying to onsight the 7b next to them all. So if I ever get back to the crag they will have to be finished as well.
