The North Face

May 22 | Big Walls of Morocco :: Dispatch 2

By The North Face

Hazel Findlay and Emily Harrington are tackling big walls this month in Morocco. These two ladies are planning on taking on a 3,000 foot route in the Atlas Mountains from the ground up, a month in Morocco would test anyone - doing it on a vertical plain offers a unique perspective.  Follow their exploits and updates through the end of June here at www.neverstopexploring.com/blog/morocco

It's Hazel and I'm going to write you a little blog about the last few days :-)   

We started off the trip on the wrong foot with a bout of sickness. A few days in, and we were feeling a bit down with no good routes under our belt, a bit of rain and dodgy stomachs. 

The next day we decided to ignore our toilet troubles, pack our bags and try an 18 pitch 5.13 up Tagoujimt and Tsouiannt, which is the same wall that our main objective Babel is on. The route is called Fantasia and it is fantastic. Beautiful orange rock followed by a three-hour descent, watching the sun set over the most spectacular scenery. 

It was a long day and we were tired but our spirits were high. We had a rest day  and then did another route called Shucran up Oujdad. With these two routes done we have a lot more confidence for climbing Babel. 

Although we understand that we may fail to send, at least we know that we can give it a really good try and whatever happens it will be a long day of really good climbing and that's what we like! 

 

Wish us luck! 

Hazel 

 

Aug 28 | Hazel Findley :: My Day on The Doors 8b 5.13d Trad

By The North Face

Since seeing a picture of 'The Doors', it's always been on my mind as a route I wanted to do. For a short time it felt like the world didn't want me to try it, with my friend's car breaking down before leaving for Cadarese and my own car burning out on the way to Cadarese. Eventually I got there and the hot humid conditions were worrying, but thankfully the line did not disappoint. It is a beautiful route with especially interesting moves for a crack climb. To think that this route used to be bolted is a sad thought; if there was ever a natural trad line, it would look a lot like The Doors and I'm thankful to Matteo Della Bordella for taking the bolts out and making it even more of a pleasure to climb.

For more information on The Doors and some more pictures take a look here:  http://hazelfindlay.wordpress.com/

Aug 01 | Hazel Findlay Puts up a New Route near Chamonix

By The North Face

Last week Hazel Findlay put up a new mixed route in the Mont Blanc Massif above Chamonix.  Here are her thoughts on it:

At first I thought that routes had been established on all the rock features of the Mont Blanc Massif range, so I was surprised to hear that no routes went up the main face of the beautiful Aguil du Saussure. After a day of traversing steep and exposed neve across the Mont Blanc du Tacul, descending 250m ice gulley, climbing bold and often loose rock, sleeping in the snow, then 250m of mixed climbing to get back on a very tired day 3, I realized why no one had done it before! This being said it was a real adventure and a pleasure to put up a new line on such an extensively climbed area. 

 

Hazel spoke to Epic TV in Chamoinx

Hazel Findlay Boosts New Route in Chamonix from EpicTVAdventure on Vimeo.