Page 29 - 2013 AMA Winter

lems of similar difficulty. The circuits are given alpine grades (Eg TD-) for a good reason; they were originally conceived and put up by Mountaineers training for the Alps. Some are up to six miles long and others cover loads of climbing without ever touching the ground! Lots of “hardcore trad climbers” think a big day of rock climbing is climbing a couple of hundred feet of multi pitch rock so far below the limit of their ability that they haven’t fallen off anything in years. If you complete a 40 problem circuit in font you will have probably climbed over 500ft of climbing at or near the limit of physi- cal ability...prepare to be tired!
4. Get stronger. You will discover muscles aching you didn’t know you had. Get ready for a savage workout.
5. Learn how to use your body. Much of the climbing in Font is about clinging to slopers or standing on a hold that simply isn’t there. This requires core strength, balance and an understanding of how to use your whole body. Sometimes placing your body two inches to the right or left whilst using the same holds can make all the difference.
6. French pastries and little bottles of beer. Enough said.
7. Amazing scenery. The forests are beautiful and varied . From the landlocked beach at Cul de Chien to the huge boulders at Dame Juanne to the Chateau de Fontainebleau to the WW2 bombed out church at Chappel le Reine Font is a beautiful place.
8. It’s only five hours away. If you live in the south there are parts of the UK that are further away than font and no-where near as good for climbing.
9. It’s cheap as chips. Buy a cheap ferry ticket and camp, or as it seems like every other Army Officer / Warrant Officer has a VW Camper, rope one of them in and Glamp it up!
10. Humility. Last but not least...nothing teaches humility better than an 85 year old man and his 8 year old great granddaughter breezing up the problem that you and your mates have been trying (unsuccessfully) to master for the past 2 hours!
ARMY MOUNTAINEER 27