Rock
Climbing
I've been climbing since my 20s. Currently, I tend to onsight everything on the 5.10 spectrum and some 5.11, if I'm lucky and particulary in shape. I despise gym climbing and competative sport climbing in general.Here are some climbs that I have established or helped to establish:
- Айляк в Пекин/ Chill out Beijing (5.9 trad)
Chill out Beijing is a fun and dicey climb for beginners. It is a slab characteristic for Beijing climbing sprinkled with a few cracks. The protection therefore is precise, as it is impossible to “sew” up the climb, something that a lot of beginner trad climbers tend to do when faced with a continuous crack. It finishes with a small boulder problem. It starts from a secure stance on a terrace to a bulge just high enough to be vexing, once you establish yourself on it, finishing to the bolts is a walk. On my second or third climb, I made a big whipper there and got all scratched up. A tiny foothold broke. Ever since the climb remains stable. - Crow Tower (5.10d trad)
Crow Tower is an extension of a previous climb that John Duran established. I first climbed it with him up to a tree in a chimney that leads to the base of a sharp formation resembling a tower. Me, John Duran and Punk extended the climb to the top of the tower with a few bolts. The completed project results in an interesting mix of trad and sport climbing. The first pitch to the base of the tower starts with a slightly overhanging crack that is not very suitable for jamming. This is followed by an easy 5.6 section with "whatever" protection that leads to the base of a crack and a chimney with a choke-stone and a tree. There is the second crux of the climb. I personally grade it around 5.10a or 10b. Second pitch is a short bolted sport climb with moves specific for John’s style of bouldery-sport climbing. - Сврака/Magpie (5.10b trad)
Magpie is another extension of the same start established previously by John Duran. After the slightly overhanging crack from Crow Tower one moves straight up. Me and XueMei placed two bolts to protect a blank section that leads to a crack which finishes at the bolts on the base of the second pitch of Crow Tower. The crux consists of a few interesting moves to establish yourself in the crack. After that it is a straightforward jamming to the top.
Some of my favorite climbs:
- John’s Crag (sport and trad climbing area with routes up to 5.12something)
This one is an entire area in Beijing. To even begin to describe the climbs there one has to enter into the psyche of John Duran. A native American, pioneer in bouldering and shortly sponsored by Black Diamond, castoff from the 70’s , developed most of the climbs in that area completely in secret from the rest of the Beijing community and climbed there solitarily for about five or so years. Shortly after he made the area public, I met him there blazing, chugging beers and blasting 5.12s and 5.11 trads well into his 50s. We struck a friendship and he became my guru by introducing me to the art of traditional climbing. All of John’s routes there are my personal classics, the powerful style with precise footwork on a red granite take you into a completely different dimension. I was lucky enough to develop a few climbs there with him, which I consider a high point in my climbing biography. - Crouching Ox (climbing area multi-pitch sport routes up to 5.11b)
This one is an entire area in Beijing. Having great multi-pitch climbs on solid granite starting from 6 to 8 pitches with varying styles from slab, face climbing, and a chimney, is something which not a lot of world capitals can boast with. It is hard to decide which one is my favorite, as usually one can do a variation of these climbs, since there is a big break point at the middle where one can walk around. All in all the area makes for a great day, when with a bit of luck catching a cab and not getting stuck in traffic one can enjoy both amazing longish multi-pitch climbing with beautiful views and a night of Michelin star restaurants and clubbing all in one day. All in all, I love Beijing for a reason ! - Gossip Climber/Perfect Feeling (5.11a sport multi-pitch)
This is a Beijing classic. 250 meters separated to nine pitches with amazing view of the meandering White River. I did my first ascent on that climb in winter (early March) with a British climber Marius. We started with the indention of doing Gossip. The first pitch was still covered with ice and snow, which made a 5.7 slab pitch feel like 5.11. As we ascended the sun came up and with it perfect friction! We didn’t know the exact details of the route so we made a mistake on the middle traverse pitch finishing it half way and ended up on the adjacent climb (Perfect Feeling) thus I did a 5.11a pitch with the mindset that I was doing a 5.10a one. The friction was amazing and I blasted upwards. After that pitch and the next which Marius lead, figured we’re on the wrong climb. We swing back to Gossip and finished the last 2 pitches of that climb. By far that was one of my favorite ascents. Both climbs are classic. On the same cliff is also Starry Starry Night a 200m climb separated to eight pitches, three of which 5.11 and one 5.12. - Звездният Сърфист/Star Surfer (6b sport)
Star Surfer as any classic in my hometown is really, really, really sandbagged. It starts on a slab with no holds and “biblical” feet (i.e. you have to use the power to believe for them to hold). Once you establish yourself on a small terrace, the crux of the climb begins. It is a precise move to the left where you have a yoga move as you need to place your feet where your fingertips are. Then, I do a short dyno to a good handhold after which it is a streigtforward face/slab climb to the top. When I was living in Plovdiv, I have dialed this climb, as to go and do the crux using a rope solo system with just knots. - В-то/The V (5c+ sport ) and Винкела/The edge (6b sport )
The V and The edge are other sandbags of the days of old. The crux of the V is to establish your hands above an edge that pushes you out of the cliff. Finishes with a split in the air. Beatiful warm-up for the other way more difficult climbs in that crack. The Edge is an overhanging crack with unpleasant start that finishes with a very acrobatic overhang on which I move almost horizontally in order to reach the top. - Сефтето/The first time (6c sport ) and Hhh (7a sport)
Essential climbs in a beautiful shady area a few kilometers outside of Plovdiv in the mountains. The first time and Hhh are both great limestone climbs with tricky feet and undecipherable holds. Flailing on them is a great fun !