Madagascar Part 4 | chossclimbers.com

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Go back to Part 3.

Pectorine.

The following day we headed for the Lemur Wall which we had seen from Alien two days prior. The route, Pectorine, looked steep and blank from the approach hike. It’s not until you’re standing at the base that you start to see some features in the black granite above. Shirley took the first pitch and we were both reminded of one of the high quality, varnished sandstone faces from Red Rocks (one of the Sour Mashpitches say)…except it was granite. Things were hot, holds were small, rounded and greasy and we were both starting to complain about our finger tips being mangled by the very sharp granite. Pitch two started up the main wall via four A0 moves to bypass a blank lower section. Above, the remaining six pitches were all quite similar: vertical wall with mostly good holds (sharp ones above pitch 1) peppered throughout. The bolting is intelligent (in retrospect) if a bit spicy in places. Possibility of a 30 footer seemed routine. Pitch 5 featured a cool rightward traverse on some very dark granite. We topped out and (unaware of the walk off option) rapped down once again in stressful, high-wind conditions. On the hike down to camp, we almost did not notice a family (gang?) of lemurs sitting quietly in a tree above the trail. It was only when we stopped and took out the camera that the commotion started. Our first sighting and we were both awestruck! I guess it hit us for the first time where we’ve been climbing!

Photos

Lemur Wall in the dawn light (Sept. 2011).

Hiking up to the base of the Lemur Wall (Sept. 2011).

Approaching Pectorine route on the Lemur Wall, a great 7-pitch long 6b. The route follows the face just right of the obvious dihedral (& center of photo; Sept. 2011).

Interesting flora found around the Tsaranoro Massif area (Sept. 2011).

Shirley starting up Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Shirley leading pitch 1 of Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Shirley following pitch 2 of Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Starting up pitch 3 of Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Higher on pitch 3 (Sept. 2011).

Shirley enjoying the fun climbing on pitch 3 (Sept. 2011).

More pitch 3 fun (Sept. 2011).

Views of Karambony Pillar from somewhere on Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Arriving at the third belay (Sept. 2011).

Pitch 4 with a lonesome tuft of grass growing out of the granite (Sept. 2011).

Shirley starting up pitch 4 (Sept. 2011).

Views from pitch 4 (Sept. 2011).

Pitch 4 (Sept. 2011).

Nearing the fourth belay (Sept. 2011).

Starting the spectacular traverse on pitch 5 of Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Looking back at Shirley from the pitch 5 traverse. Karambony Pillar is in the background (Sept. 2011).

More of the pitch 5 traverse (Sept. 2011).

Pitch 5 above the traverse (Sept. 2011).

Wonderful climbing on pitch 5 (Sept. 2011).

Shirley topping out on pitch 5. I think this was the crux pitch at 6b (Sept. 2011).

Starting up pitch 6 (Sept. 2011).

Higher on pitch 6 (Sept. 2011).

Making progress on pitch 6 (Sept. 2011).

Shirley on pitch 6 (Sept. 2011).

Nearing the sixth belay (Sept. 2011).

Views from high on Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Pitch 6 (Sept. 2011).

Starting up pitch 7 (Sept. 2011).

More of the seventh pitch (Sept. 2011).

Views from the top of Pectorine (Sept. 2011).

Karambony Pillar from the top of Pectorine on Lemur Wall. Tough Enough is around the corner; the route Rain Boto follows the arete in the photo while Always The Sun climbs the middle of Karambony’s face in the photo. All quite or very hard (Sept. 2011).