Leaving the rocks wetter than you found them...

My two days climbing in Yangshuo were sweet. I will definitely be back... however, I would suggest not coming in July or August... maybe november! I was drenched in sweat before I hit the rock. The worst was my opening lead on day two where at the crux I had to swing out from inside a crack and up over an overhang. The clipping position for the bolt just at the top of the overhang was a huge sloper. The problem was that the only clip below was just above a ledge and the fall would have been bad. Having been off climbing for a few weeks, I was tentative and in the first two attempts to clip before going up and over the overhang I had completely covered the sloper in a mix of sweat and chalk that left it like grease. Yuck. Luckily it tried quickly in the sun, but it meant that you had to do things in one move or you might have to wait... at least if your not asian. Compared to the german and other american I was climbing with, they didn't seem to be nearly as bothered by the humidity.

Oh, and the location is spectacular—if suffering from the fate of most chinese tourist destination... :-( I'll post pictures soon. Day 1: Baby Frog (morning): Frogmarch, 5.8/4+ (top-rope, then lead) Liar, 5.9/5+ (lead) Frog's Traverse, 5.10c/6a+ (top-rope) Wine Bottle (afternoon): The Miracle of Lankou, 5.9/5 (top-rope, 26m) Summit No. 1, 5.9/5 (top-rope) Shu Ba Jie, 5.10a/5+ (top-rope) Day 2: Swiss cheese morning): Spam the Chinese Ham, 5.8/4+ (lead) Captain Kirk Eats Bruchetta, 5.10b/6a (top-rope) Da Xue Pao, 5.11d!/7a! (top-rope, failed between 1/2 and 2/3 up the climb)

This last climb I made some nice moves probably in the 11a section in the first third that had me feeling ok, given my lack of climbing and gym practice. I failed at the beginning of the crux, a bump to a small right-hand crimp while balanced on the right toe with a big move out to a nice pocket for the left hand. However, on top-rope there was a bit of a swing when I failed and after a couple of goes I gave up. After that move it was balance-y and required good footwork but I probably could have made it (according to the guy who opened it) if I wasn't pumped and three-weeks out of climbing.

Thanks Ashui, Seth, Soizic and Clemens for a great couple of days climbing... Get a sense for the climbing at: http://www.climber.me/2009/02/09/beginners-guide-to-rock-climbing-in-yangshuo-china-2/ http://www.yangers.com/Yangshuo_Rock_Climbing.php#goto3 http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/Asia/China/China_Proper__South_/Yangshuo/