Climbing the Promised Land !
"Terre Promise" is the French name for “Promised Land” and this is a new 160 meters multi-pitches route, that has just been opened in the magnificent gorges of Ardeche, and more precisely on the Eastern shoulder of Autridge.
One of the openers tell us the story of this beautiful multi-pitch route :
The route climbs three ledges with hanging gardens. The first already proposed a 6c pitch since few years and at the top, the last wall housed a beautiful 7c. Between these two pitches, a large pillar spilling three lengths with a smooth rock was making dream David, Guilhem and Pierrot ...
It took several long days opening from the bottom and a number of memorable flights. After several doubt times, hope came back and the route is now fully bolted, ready for free climbing. The hardest length, called the "Great Roof ardéchois” (Great Roof of Ardèche) saw its grade established around 8b, and recent attempts confirmed it.
A great route for a variety of styles was born with Verdon like slabs, steep walls with ribs, pockets walls and a “Yosemite like” roof ! The key length is still waiting for the first ascent, just go !
Terre Promise is an elitist 8b max route (7c required) but according to one of the openers: "It really worth it to go for a ride!" ... if you can climb that hard of course :)
More information (in french) on this blog :
http://nulla-dies-sine-linea.over-blog.com/article-promesse-tenue-117610432.html
