Back from China, Yangshuo.

10-01-2012 arrival at Yangshuo. The first days we stayed at Abond’s place, a climber’s hotel near the center of Yangshuo. We met him in Siurana, Spain, earlier on the trip.

Duo to the absence of other climbers in and near the hotel, no foreigner climbers and for the locals it was still too cold, our stay changed for a hotel next to Moon Hill. After barging one night stay diminished from 300RMB to 65RMB. The bicycle and hotel kitchen use was free. From then on rock climbing was by foot or bicycle, great!

The weather at the time was around 10°C and always cloudy, no sunshine. The climbs are mostly far reaches, from big pocket to big pocket or tufa pinch to tufa pinch. You need much explosive power and endurance. The footholds are generally slippery, but still acceptable.

One crag named “Lei Pi Shan” has more technical, crimpy, slight overhanging up to 40m climbing. It became our favorite hangout, especially Derzou’s one. From the start I didn’t trust the feet enough to be comfortable in the climbing. Unfortunately I started climbing well toward the end of our stay, so I came a little late to finish my project One Love a 15m, boulder moves, 7C+ at Lei Pi Shan.

The route “Lightning” at Lei Pi Shan is the first 8b+ in Yangshuo, climbed by many famous such as Lisa Rands. Later the route is downgraded to 8b. On the 17th of April Derzou climbed this route, after approximately 20 tries.

From March the weather became more humid and the temperature raised and like magic the first sunrays appeared, after 2 months of one big foggy sky! In March it also rained a lot but at Lei Pi Shan there are always some dry routes to climb.

Beside good fun and good training rocks, living between the farmers near Yangshuo and the small entrepreneurs mainly in the touristic sector was a very nice experience. The people tend to be less chocked by materialism and mass production, a bit similar to the area of Siurana in Spain. The biggest percentage of the people lives close to nature.

Less fun is for example not being able to update our blog in China.

Ps: see the slide show for more, just click on one of the images

Routes we have climbed in Yangshuo during our stay:

Routes tried but not completed:

Note: coming days preparations for Magic Wood, Switzerland.