Climbing at the Peace Cave

As yet another snowstorm churns its way up the east coast of the US I once again find myself watching it from a distance, this time from the warm, tropical confines of Malaysia.  The last time this happened was during the "Snowmeggedon" storm back in 2010.  I love the snow and I love to ski.  But I'm not there so I have to make the best of where I am.  Hopefully, those of you that are "enduring" that storm can find some fun things to do in the white fluffy stuff.

Turning to my time here…I'm here for work.  So that really means that by the time we get back each evening I'm usually pretty beat.  But from the beginning of this trip I was bugging my boss here and there about a day off so I could go climbing.  I'd found a local guide service and read up on the cliffs at Batu Caves.  Finally I got my wish and was able to arrange things for this past Wednesday. Since we have to stick to a "two-deep" rule, my friend Jeremy from our group agreed to come along.  He said he'd climbed a good bit about 5 years back or so.  I honestly didn't care.  I thought that as long as he knew how to belay and climb a bit we'd have a great time.

At 0800 at our hotel we met up with one of our drivers and headed out to northern Kuala Lumpur (KL).  Traffic in this city is just insane.  There are motorbikes and scooters everywhere.  They weave in and out of traffic, seemingly obeying their own set of rules.  On the way out of town I marveled at the fact that there weren't zillions of accidents.

After some searching around for the address, we met up with Haziq at Verticale.  He has a shop upstairs in a commercial building that doesn't look like much from the outside but inside it's a surprisingly nice place.  Jeremy and I filled out some forms, paid some money (I think it was 150 RHM each…a little over $45) and helped Haziq with gear (I had actually brought my own harness, shoes and chalkbag but Jeremy needed stuff).  We spoke briefly about our skills and how we were going to set things up.  To my incredible surprise, Haziq had arranged to have another of his guides out there with us so that both of us could lead climb.  At this point, I was incredibly stoked.

We hopped in the cars and followed Haziq over to the Gua Damai Wall at Batu Caves.  Gua Damai translates to "Peace Cave".  We met up with Faiz and talked routes while gearing up.  The vast majority of climbs there are bolted sport routes though there are a few trad lines.  I really didn't care.  I just wanted to climb something, anything.  Haziq pointed us to two lines fairly close to each other that he thought would be good for us to warm up on.  I started up Redemption Song.

Gua Damai Wall at Batu Caves

My first moves off the ground were tentative.  My brain could see exactly where to go, but my body was taking its time catching up.  Ten feet or so up I clipped the first bolt.  The familiar feelings and movements came easily after that and I sauntered up the line to just below an overhang.  From a nice stance I was able to work out the moves and then launch into it, fully committed and cruising.

As I lowered off I looked over the rock again.  The limestone there is mostly sharp and abrasive; more so than anywhere else I've ever climbed.  But…at a certain height it changes dramatically and becomes a smooth worn layer of much denser limestone.  A bit higher above that it changes back to the sharp stuff.  But in the "smooth layer" you're no longer using crimps and pinches, but grabbing at small blocks, slapping on slopers or just finding as much purchase as you can for your fingers.  The contrast was obvious and very interesting.  As the climbing got harder through the day, my focus and concentration on finding the holds and reading the moves became increasingly important.

After lowering, we switched routes and I just remember having a good, fun time on Good Onion.  I cleaned the draws this time and quickly lowered, ready for the next challenge.  Haziq figured as much and sent me up Lightning Grip.  This was where I really first encountered the interesting difficulties of the change in the rock type I mentioned.  At about 1/2 height I reached an area of smooth limestone.  Haziq shouted to me that I needed to pull out left around a corner and out onto the face.  But the polished limestone was complicating matters.  As I committed to the moves out left I knew I needed to get my feet higher.  I tried to move but I was tentative with my footwork.  I cursed myself at my carelessness with my feet but I knew it wasn't happening and off I went on short ride.  With that knowledge in mind on my second attempt, I did much better with my footwork and cranked through the moves to a good stance before pulling my way up to the anchors on some nice two and three-finger pockets and slots.

Feeling in the groove, I jumped on the route that had shut Jeremy down…Monsoon.  And for someone who hasn't climbed in 5 years or so, he hung the draws a good long way up!  I could hear him below me as I climbed, "just wait till you hit the crux man!"  I finally reached it.  And surprisingly, I looked at it and knew exactly what to do.  It was an odd feeling…like I'd almost seen this sequence before somewhere else.  That feeling of being on autopilot through a sequence just took over...

A small ramp with a crack along the back edge slants up and away left from me.  Fingers in the polished crack, feet smearing on the face outside.  Make a few hard moves up, hand over hand.  Swing the right foot up, then push down with the left hand, crank with the right foot and reach high for a two-finger pocket with the right hand… sheer bliss.

Just below the crux on Monsoon

I lowered off feeling grateful for the experience and thrilled with the day so far.  I took a break and Jeremy told me that he was done but I could climb whatever I wanted.  We looked over a particular route that had been drawing my attention earlier.  The start was obviously a committing boulder problem over top of a deep ditch with a very bad landing.  I munched on an apple and put down copious amounts of water as I talked with Haziq about routes.  He mentioned he could set me on some more difficult routes but I kinda had my mind set on doing something multi-pitch.  I wanted to get up high on this place.  Haziq and I had talked earlier about some of the climbs going up 2 or 3 pitches so I asked him if it was possible for me to do this thing with the tough start and then link it to something else for a 2nd and 3rd pitch.  Sure thing.  But instead of Haziq coming with me, he asked Faiz to go.

The lower sequence came together just as I suspected.  The start was committing, but I quickly got my left hand into a nice, deep 3-finger pocket.  Above that was a small pocket for the right hand but it was more than enough to allow me to rock up my left hand and crossover the right hand to a jug.  A few more moves and I was cruising up the line and just enjoying each new challenge.  The top of the first pitch had an interesting exit through some overhanging rock but it wasn't as difficult as I initially expected.

High on the first pitch of TJ

After Faiz came up we had to negotiate an interesting traverse into a small cave in order to link up with Redemption Song and the start of its 2nd pitch.  Faiz found a sweet belay seat for the 2nd pitch and I started up into the smooth limestone.  I figured my way up on some slopers and a pinch on a block before finally getting a nice stance and a look at the rest of the pitch…I had yet to clip a bolt so I was looking around for that as well.  Once I found the line, it was a sustained sequence of moves on small pockets and crimps to a nice rest.  I let out a loud shout after pulling through to the rest.  Here I thought I was done with the difficulties…nope…no such luck.  I looked up and right.  The wall remained steep and committing.  Once more into the breach, I stabbed my right foot into a nice stemming position.  From here I was able to read the moves and make my way up to a stance of sorts at the end of the pitch.  The anchor was at a logical horizontal break but I was going to be in a true hanging belay for awhile.

Stemming it out on pitch 2 of Redemption Song

Prior to starting the route I had told Faiz that I wanted to lead pitch 1 and pitch 2.  I just didn't know if I was really up for a third and harder pitch at the end of it all.  But as I belayed Faiz up to the 2nd pitch anchor, I studied the holds above starting into the 3rd pitch.  The line called to me like a Siren's Song and by the time Faiz got there my mind was set...I knew I was climbing again.

Belaying Faiz up pitch 2 of Redemption Song

Starting the 3rd pitch was tough if for no other reason than I had to climb over Faiz on my left in order to actually start climbing the route.  Fortunately he was able to clip the lead rope into a threaded sling out further left.  A difficult sequence of crimps/pinches and small pockets led to a stance with a thin, right leaning crack.  I clipped the bolt but I could feel my strength waning fast.  I tried to adjust my hand in a slot but as I pulled up slack with my left hand to clip the rope I grabbed the dogbone of the quickdraw with my right hand without even really thinking about it.  I got the rope clipped in the quickdraw but I knew I was about to fall.  I really didn't want to repeat the tough sequence so I shouted, "take!"  Faiz thought I might've been done, but there was no way I wasn't finishing the pitch.  And then one of the most unique things I've ever had happen while climbing occurred.  As I stepped back onto the rock, the afternoon Call to Prayers starting ringing out from the nearby mosque.  It was incredibly surreal.  The sounds echoed off the cliff walls as I climbed and the reverberating sound mixed with the next wave.  The climbing was still difficult and sustained for another 30 feet or so but then finally backed off and I clambered up to an anchor.  I took my time and looked around up there as the call from the mosque wound down.  I thought about how lucky I was to be there and thanked God for the experience…for everything to have just come together nicely for me to be there in that moment.

Finishing up pitch 3 of Redemption Song

I finally lowered off and cleaned the route.  Faiz and I made two rappels to the ground and I had an ear-to-ear grin on my face.  Another great day climbing in a fantastic location with some great people…what could be better than that?

Me with Faiz after a great day on the rock in Malaysia