Probable the best crag in the World - Ceuse by Gary Philips
 


A typical tour of the crag might go like this.
The Cascades.-The morning will start with a 5Omin walk to the shaded overhanging roofs of the cascade. As it faces west, you will find most climbers will be here until mid day. After warming up good routes to try are Medicine Douce 6c+ and Ananda 7a, which are both classics of their grade. Moving down the crag, the climbs become progressively harder, Super Mickey at 7b is a 30-meter route, which pulls on some of the biggest pockets imaginable (Beware of the sting in the tail). Just to the left is the impressive Privilege du serpent 7c+. Others to try include Rosanna 8a, Mirage 7c+ and Vagabond 7c.

Click here to view larger imageClick here to view larger image

After midday the sun comes around so its time to move on.
-From the cascade sector head up hill to sector Thorgal, here you will find Rumble Gish 6b, Pony Boy 6c and Colombine Panachee 6b+. Colombine Panachee has a tricky start followed by technical slab and face climbing which snakes it way up the most impressive piece of the wall, at the last bolt you have to make a technical rock over move in order to get the jug and clip the chains. Other good routes to the right are L'epee soleil 6a and Pulp friction 6b.

Gary on Face de Rat

Following the track that traverses the foot of the crag, you pass the incredibly steep and impressive Race de Rat sector. There are only a few lines on this sector the easiest being Face de Rat 8a+. This 35meter route takes an impressive blue streak up the right hand side of the wall.

Click here to view larger imageAround the corner from here is the Berlin sector and in my opinion, the best sector at Ceuse! Hardly anywhere else in the world will you find such sustained routes at grades from 6b to 8b.
Good routes to do.
Well basically every route on the whole sector, however if you want the best of the best then here they are. Zagreb 6c, which starts out thin and technical on the lower section, followed by the famous flake move (undercut left hand crossing over to a right hand undercut). From here get your breath back and then make long pulls from big pocket to big pocket up a slightly overhanging wall. About 15m to the left is Petit illusion 7a+, the route starts out by climbing a tufa and then blasts straight up a heavily pocketed face via two finger pockets and crimps, make sure you get the sequence right at the top!

Previous pageNext page