Over at Buthiers, which is one of the more remote and less-traveled areas, are a few outstanding highballs, including the striking line of Lady Big Claques (7a+, v6). The word "claque" means slap, and this makes sense when you try to climb this tall prow, which has to be one of the Fontainebleau's finest v6s, so don't miss it. Alternately slapping the rock -- first with the left and then with the right hand -- allows progress on the overhanging start. The lady slapped Lisa down twice, so she had to go all out to fight her way to the top.

Sadly, on-and-off rain allowed only warm-ups to be accomplished at La Roche aux Sabots area and Trois Pignons areas, though these included the Toit du Cul de Chien (7a, v5/6), a famous steep and dynamic roof climb. But finally, a dry day arrived: perhaps a slim chance to try one of those spectacular lines we'd been gazing at. Megalithe proved the best candidate. Amazingly, a breeze picked up in the afternoon providing decent conditions for pulling on Megalithe's biting crimpers and glassy slopers. Truly a frightener, Megalithe can be a tease for those with all the strength but no nerve for the final moves. Lisa eventually found the best method, hugging wide slopers at the crux, and cruised the topout with a whoop of delight.

The end of March brought more rain, as Todd and John headed back to the US! What's up with that? During our last few days we scoped out some more of the relatively obscure, but nevertheless incredible lines that are buried deep in the forest, filing them in our memories for a future visit! Given the pervasive damp and the less-than-ideal weather forecast, it soon became clear that we needed to chose something that would dry really fast. Misericorde, a giant ship's prow of a boulder was top of the list, getting all the sun available, and any breeze that comes along. As is often the case, Lisa was forced to find a sequence that was possible for someone short. She did this, but only after considerable effort. This problem would require a combination of strength, body-tension, and the will to go for it high off the ground on the final moves. This is exactly the kind of climbing Lisa is most inspired by, but sadly, having lost a lot of skin from her fingertips, and with more rain arriving, Lisa was forced to leave this project for another trip. "Quel domage!" as they say. Fortunately, I managed it, and feel it is one of the best problems I've ever seen, or certainly ever done!

Good fortune was around the corner for Lisa though, as she found a perfect problem for her last day of climbing. A cooling breeze was blowing white clouds fast across the sky, as we arrived to find dry rock at the Gorge aux Chats. We weren't the only ones to find this superb location. We soon met up with such accomplished local climbers as Stephan Denys, Olivier Lebretton, Tierry Plaud, and even the legendary Jacky Godoffe, before setting about climbing yet another spectacular problem, "Rubis Sur L'Ongle."

The subtleties of bouldering were evident as Lisa tried the line: The key move required such an enormous stretch from a small slanting edge that we all wondered if it was going to be possible for her. Our local friends supplied a stream of information that was supposed to help, but in the end Lisa stepped out of the recommended sequence, moving her foot "out of place" by a mere three inches. Locals jaws dropped .... But this was all she needed to make the determined stab for the next tiny hold, to stick the crux, and quickly reel in yet another rare female ascent at this extraordinary bouldering playground that is Fontainebleau.

-- Wills Young