A few days ago someone was angry at me for posting too much in a whatsapp chat and I’ve been feeling down because I felt bullied out of the group. I miss sharing project ideas but at the same time it is essential for me to remind myself that just because I am trolled in a whatsapp group does not mean that there are not dozens of other things to do.
Every year the Moléson tourism board and related teams provide people with the oppotunity to do the Face, and the Pillar by night. I have wanted to experience this multiple times in the past but because either of work, or weather, I had to cancel the plan to experience this.
The idea is simple. Sunset is at 20:25. People start climbing the VF from 1900 onwards with the option of doing the “easy” Pillar or the hard “Face”.
Normally I like to do things in the morning because I wake naturally between 0600-0800. Today was no exception. I could easily have got ready to do the hike, and then do the via ferrata but the thing that really blocked me is the one hour twenty drive from Le Pont to Moléson-Sur-Gruyère and the one hour drive home late at night. I could have been fine with doing both things but I want to be a hundred percent for this evening.
Two weeks ago I thought that I would have an issue with this weekend and I was right. I thought that I would want to do a hike with one group, and do a Via Ferrata with a second group. That situation is now a reality.
A Good Hiking Group and a Goal I want to Reach I have wanted to walk up to the Dent De Vaulion for a few weeks now, and on Saturday I have the opportunity to do this with a group, rather than alone.
There was a time when I would have gone to Charmey and climbed the Square Vide II route without hesitation. This is a K6 route that starts with an overhang, before continuing over several more overhangs. I tried the first part and decided not to continue. I climbed back down before getting over the overhang.
Years ago I would have done it because I went to climbing gyms every Thursday evening, and did via ferrata almost every weekend so I had a much stronger upper body.
More often than not I speak about the desire to do something, rather than the desire not to. Before showeing this morning I was looking at hiking ideas, to find some that would appeal to me and I did. Some friends/people I know want to do the Daubenhorn Via Ferrata on Saturday but I feel little to no desire to do it.
Three Experiences So Far I have done this Via Ferrata three or four times and almost every time I have said “never again”.
There is an old rule that I live by. If in doubt, abort. It’s related mainly to when I was diving but is linked to other forms of extreme sports. The logic is simple. If you’re going hiking, climbing, diving or some other dangerous sport and you have some doubt, for any reason, the rational thing to do is to abort.
Turning Around or Aborting The idea is that if you’re 200m from the summit of a hike and you get hit by a hail storm you turn around, despite being so close to the summit.
Two days ago I was agonising about whether to go for a via ferrata(VF) or a hike. Eventually I decided that I would go for the hike, because hiking was an 18 minute drive away. I went for a walk/run and then I found that I had a burning desire to do the via ferrata. I went down to the cave and rummaged through to find various bits and pieces. I found my Grigri, climbing rope, harnesses and more.
Tonight I rest
The Via Ferrata Season resumes on Monday with La Via Farinetta reopening. This news came via the Via Farinetta Saillon official page, as seen with the Facebook embed below.
Bonne nouvelle! La Via sera ouverte à partir ce lundi 11 mai ?? Néanmoins nous vous rendons attentifs sur les instructions des autorités. N’hésitez pas à nous partager vos photos. Prenez soin de vous!
Posted by Via Farinetta Saillon Officiel on Thursday, 7 May 2020