Best of 2012

[205Chris]

The previous lists:
Best of 2006
Best of 2007
Best of 2008
Best of 2009
Best of 2010
Best of 2011

So given that it's raining and I'm not going to get any more climbing done this year might as well start the best of thread for another year.

What were the 2012 highlights for everyone then? Doesn't have to be the hardest, just the more memorable ticks.

The usual categories are below. 3 problems / routes in each category or N/A if it's not your thing.

Top three boulder probs, UK
Top three boulder probs, abroad
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Top three sport routes UK
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Top three new route/prob put up
Top Spanking's

[205Chris]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Probably my best year to date so narrowing this down to three is tricky:

Big Al Qaeda - A long time nemesis. Finally succumbed to some new beta and a scary top out with no spotters.
My Apple - This is brilliant. Everyone should do this. For a boulder problem it's got just about every type of climbing you want coupled with being high, but not too high.
Blind Fig - Ticked during the Christmas break between spells of bad weather. Couldn't even do the move off the sloper a few weeks ago. About a million times better than Blind Date.


Top three boulder probs, abroad
Went to Northumberland instead of abroad so I'll have to bend the rules slightly

Northern Soul - I'd heard stories of talented climbers being shut down on this and of spectacular lobs from the top. Unbelievably it went 2nd go. Fantastic problem.
Yorkshireman - Climbed on the same day as Northen Soul the experience was almost the polar opposite. A full on day long siege until it finally went down. A very memorable days bouldering.
Titanic Arete SS - Only a stones throw from Northern Soul, but another County classic.


Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Not much trad this year but:

Naked Edge - OK this could have gone it as a boulder problem but I wouldn't have wanted to fall off from the top. Went up to Simon's Seat to find dry rock but a shrouding of mist which just seemed to add to the atmosphere. A stunning line that doesn't disappoint.

Heaven Crack - How have I not climbed this before?! Ok, it's not hard but it is totally brilliant.

Supersonic -  I'll admit I didn't actually lead this but I did have a memorable evening seconding my mate at High Tor. After leading Flakey Wall he tossed a coin to decide whether to climb Supersonic or not (Heads - head on up the wall, Tails - go home). It came up tails. Ignoring the coin toss he cruised it and I had about 15 minutes of daylight left to second it.

Top three sport routes UK
Hardly a vintage year for sport climbing given the weather:

Night Glue - First sport climbing day of the season was over at Pen Trywn. After ticking a few classics on UPT this was a great way to round off the day.

Wild In Me - Not a great route but mainly memorable for the fact that a week ago I cracked my heel bone and messed my ankle up quite badly. I couldn't walk without a limp or risk jumping onto a pad but I could put weight through the toe. Not bad considering I thought I was looking at a long lay off from climbing.

Orange Sunshine - A Moffat route at Cheedale? Yes please. It starting raining before my redpoint go and I was worried the top would be wet if I got that far. Stuck the crux by the skin of my teeth then nearly dropped the top on damp holds. A bizarre day when it was warm enough for tops off but got rather damp threading the lower off.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
A trip to El Chorro in November but all the decent crags were seeping and my partner was ill for a third of the trip:

Alicia 7b+ - Short and sweet. Jug romping to a tricky more and all over after 20m. None of this 40m stamina nonsense.

Rock the Kasbah 7b - Couple of entertaining moves then some crap climbing to the top. They should have just put the lower off after the decent climbing.

Calvo potrun 7c - Not a great route but the hardest thing I did all week. Would probably get 7b at the Tor.


Top three new route/prob put up
Nothing really although I did climb the start of A Little Extra into the finish of The Ring of Fire in mistake for The Flushings thereby creating possibly the most pointless link up at Raven Tor (and there's a lot of competition!)

Top Spanking's

Mossatrocity - Must be my anti-style of climbing. The stand up is probably becoming my most climbed problem on grit.

[csl]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Not much bouldering. But…
Flying Arete font 6a Almscliff - nice high sandbag
Dolphin Belly Slap font 7a Almscliff - hardest of the year
Joe's Arete font 5+ Roaches - perfect problem, did about 10 laps it was so good.

Top three boulder probs, abroad

None!


Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Star Wars - awesome
The Axe - Absolute dream lifetime route
Big Greeny - Gritstone perfection.


Top three sport routes UK

Comedy - First 7c, skipped a clip and smashed it.
Space Race - First big route on the left hand side of Malham.
Sticky Wicket - just nice to feel the difference from April-June


Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Gervasutti Pillar - epic!
All of Ceuse!
Children of the Moon Integrale - beautiful and long


Top three new route/prob put up

None!


Top Spanking's

New Dawn - So many sessions, could have done it if only i could get to the 2nd bolt.
Vagabond - So fucking close! But so far.
Pleasuredome - 10 meter whipper.

[kingholmesy]

My two favorite ticks of 2012 are:

The Axe - brilliant, sustained climbing in a stunning setting.  Climbed on my only trip to the Pass this year, which happily coincided with one of the few weekends of hot sunny weather.  This route should be on every trad climbers to do list.

The Knock - a scary solo, made more worrying by a wet top-out.  Watched by my pregnant wife while we were supposed to be out for a nice relaxing stroll.

[habrich]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Ha, I actually spent some time in the UK in 2012 but didn't climb much. Shark took me to the Tor where I redeemed a bad day of flailing on Sardine etc by ticking Saline Drip.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Very little bouldering at all this year. Coat and Tails at the Powerline boulders in Squamish was the only thing I worked on and sent. My first Squish V5, which was nice.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
None!

Top three sport routes UK
None!

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Repeating Neil Gresham's Generation-X at Gen's Cave, a DWS venue in Musandam (Oman) was the highlight of the year for me. Getting through the top crux (40' above the sea?) for the first time was a moment of such cosmic intensity I briefly considered quitting climbing ... felt like it couldn't get better. Was one of my "top spankings" in 2011!
I also had a great late summer season climbing in Squamish with many good ticks. Fleeing Heifer at Chek was the hardest. Blackwater at Pet Wall perhaps the most aesthetic.

Top three new route/prob put up
Slightly-controversially I "stole" someone else's sport project (that I thought they'd abandoned) in March, at the Blindspot in Musandam. Project name (not mine) was "Duct-tape and Jellyfish", I liked "The One-Eyed Man" but a cruel and heartless friend of mine has dubbed it "Ragequit" in honour of the major pissiness that resulted. Anyway an excellent route.
Otherwise my new routes were all DWS's, yet again in Musandam. Insouciance, a fun overhanging flake close to the water,  and the Billion Dollar Man, a tall, quite thin arete, were standouts.

Top spankings
Not too many real spankings apart from the aforementioned flailing at the Tor. On the last day of the Squamish season I tried the classic Burning down the Coach which should have been an OK onsight. Instead it turned into a horrible bolt-to-bolt fiasco with eventual outright giving up. 

[Gus]

As ever, love this thread! psyche squared!!!!

Top 3 UK Boulders
"His Eminence" 7a+/E4, bowden doors. Amazing how scary something can feel even above pads!

"West side Story" 7b+/c, Burbage. Well psyched with this one, always avoided it like the plague as seen to many wads struggle with it. Smashed it in after being up all weekend partying, turns out you can have your cake and eat it! None of this jumping of at the break rubbish either!

"The Minimum" 7a+, Lllanberis pass. Got the full tour from the local crew, and employed a double up of last go psyched AND vest psyche to smash it in!

Top 3 Boulders Abroad
"Le Danseur" 7b, font. Just brilliant balance/dyno scenes.

"Levitation" 7a+, font. Good team ascent, with gibb dismaying the euros by dynoing to a jam in the roof.

"De Fil en Aguile" 6c+?, font. Great, proud line, would probably get about 7b anywhere else. Super classic circuit problem!

Top 3 UK Trad
"Master of reality" E6/7 6c, Hen Cloud. So good, wanted to do this for years, nice to finally put the effort in and get it smashed on one of the best grit days this year!

"Bitterfingers" E4, Stoney. Well sketchy scenes when you've not done any trad  for ages, nearly dropped it on the top. As one guy watching commented "another defeat for gravity!", he wasn't wrong!

"The Sphinx" E5, Burbage. First grit scenes of the winter with westie and andy cave. All 3 of us papping ourselves on the top, felt plenty E5 to me even with a pad or two!

Top 3 Sport UK
"Boat People" 7c, The Diamond. Finally got a chance to have a do at this in OK conditions, it didn't stand a chance! So psyched for the diamond that I bought a boat to get there! bring on some more of that in 2013!!

"Dominatrix" 7c, Kilnsey. One word: waddage!!

"Little Boots" 7c, Raven tor. Got to have a token tor route in here this year, dud to the shitty weather. Surprisingly good route with a  cunning sequence!!

Top 3 Routes Abroad
"Black Moon" 7c, Geyikbayiri, Turkey. Last day psyche. That's the last routes trip I'll go on without doing any training for it!

"Nirvana" 7c, Kalymnos. First day psyche! Quite bouldery by Kalymnos standards!

"Themelina" 7c, North Cape, Kalymnos. Only just better than the 6a+ to the right of it which nearly went on the list!!

Top Spankings
"The Waiting Game", 8a, The diamond. Big up to Chummer, I got well shut down on this, and it was good connies! Couldn't even do the last move, I blame fat fingers!!

Happy New year everyone, here's to a waddage 2013, get yer 2012 big ups on here!!
Peace
Gus

[Doylo]

"West side Story" 7b+/c, Burbage. Well psyched with this one, always avoided it like the plague as seen to many wads struggle with it. Smashed it in after being up all weekend partying, turns out you can have your cake and eat it! None of this jumping of at the break rubbish either!

Surely everyone tops out these days!


"Boat People" 7c, The Diamond. Finally got a chance to have a do at this in OK conditions, it didn't stand a chance! So psyched for the diamond that I bought a boat to get there! bring on some more of that in 2013!!

Boom 

[Eddies]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Help The Young (Flashed) Nice and technical
Ram Air (Second session) Font'esq classic
Power Humps the hard way (Second go on second session) Raven Tor classic

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
A Dream Of White Horses (An exhilarating last pitch that was streaming with water)
Devotee (4-Pitch Gogarth classic)
Don's Crack (Ramshaw jamming...ME...who'd have thunk it!!)
Main Wall solo at Bowden Doors was deffo my top solo, full on big wall psyke

Top Spanking's
The weather spanked the shit out of me this year 

[Bonjoy]

Cheers for adding the back catalogue links thesiger

[Fiend]

Ragequit is a great name.

[Fiend]

Fuck me these are always stupidly hard. Done from memory so fuck knows...

Top three boulder probs, UK Scotland
Pump Up The Jam, Skye
Haven, Reiff in the Woods
A Long Winning Streak, Inchbae

Top three boulder probs, abroad
N/A

Top three six trad routes/soloes UK Scotland
American Vampire, Neist
Mother's Pride, Elgol
Headlong, Reiff
Whispering Crack, Suidhe Biorach
Red Army Blues, Aberdeen
Something I forgot the name of, Gruinard Crag.

Top three sport routes UK
N/A

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Hello Picasso, Robin Hood Rocks, Morocco
Some 7a wall thing I forgot the name of, San Bartolo, Spain
Some 7a flake/wall thing I forgot the name of, Siurana, Spain

Top three new route/prob put up
Black Orc, Glen Nevis
Thousand Year Egg, Glen Nevis
Bear Trap, Glen Nevis

Top three spankings
Not getting to Lewis
Not getting to Pfalz
Having various tweaks still

[Will Hunt]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Dreamland, Almscliff (7a+). A nemesis dispatched.
Galaxy, Simon's Seat (7a). Hardest flash to date.
McNab, Lord's Seat (7b). Chuffed to do my first 7b somewhere special and none roadside.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
None

Top trad routes/soloes UK
Heart of Darkness (HVS), Mowing Word. Turning the corner and seeing the traverse and thinking shiiiiiiiiiiit!
Pluto (HVS), Raven Crag, Langdale. Led the first and last pitch. Shivering with cold (typical June weather), the top pitch is incredible and feels "out there".
The Waster/Gronff (E1/E2), Chevin Buttress. Both these routes are stunning.
Patellaectomy (E1+), Dinorwig. Been waiting yeeeears to do this!

Top three sport routes UK
None

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
North West Corner, Cima Casson di Formin (Dolomites). Pissed with rain and looked like a retreat job but eventually beat the storm to the top.
South Face of Mount Averau (Dolomites)
The two Falzarego Towers

Top three new route/prob put up
Firestarter, Adel Crag (6b)
Long Drop Arete, Low Eaves Delph (E1). Discovered the crag after work and got drawn into this compelling, dangerous solo.

Top Spanking's

The Mincer (Roaches). Not, my, style.
Il Gobbo (Dolomites) - tried to beat the storm to the top and it broke directly overhead. Terrifying!

[peewee]

Top three boulder probs, UK Scotland
Tourniquet, Kentmere - Amazing line
Pit of Hell, Parisella's - First 8A
Lancaster Bomber, Lad Stones - amazing line , awsome location

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Souvenir, Chironico - cool little bloc, video made ppl think im tall.
Molunk, great quality problem on amazing rock
Noir Desir, cuvier rempart - unexpected tick


Top three spankings
Zoo York, Caley - Few session on it so far, will make it even sweeter when it goes.
Several finger injuries must get the fingers stronger.
Any of the moves along the arch in the cave.

[Jaspersharpe]

Fuck off 2012.

[nik at work]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Nothing of particular note comes to mind...

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Levitation (7A), Font was good fun.

Top three four trad routes/soloes UK
Hut Circle Mid Right (E6 6c), The Chasms Isle of Man. First non-grit E6 onsight.
Zeus (E2 5b), Gogarth. Finally climbed on Gogarth and it was ace.
Intrepid (E6 6a), Baildon. The start of (a somewhat short lived, thanks weather!) grit trad run.
Friends in High Places (E4 6a), Aldrick Isle of Man. Really jolly good.

Top three two sport routes UK
The Groove (7c+), Bradda Sport Isle of Man. A - MAY - ZING!
Scheherezade (7a+), Llanberis Slate. First time on slate, damp day but still brilliant.

Top three two routes abroad (any genre)
Rockadictos (6c), Pena Roja. Better than Lliberpool, heresy!!
La Bella (7b), Pena Roja. Splendid.

Top three new route/prob put up
Tenaya (E7 6c), The Chasms Isle of Man. Probably the best new route I've done on the Isle of Man.
Kay-Broghe (E6 6c), Aldrick Isle of Man. Nice bouldery little do-dah.
Local Interest Only (7A+), Mytholm Steep Quarry. Name says it all really...

Top Spanking's
The weather!

[Stabbsy]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Fiddlers Arete Sit (Font 6c), Goldsborough Carr - a new crag for me and one of the best easier problems of the year.
Ripple Effect/Green Nose (Font 7b), Brimham - Don't know and don't care if it's a new or old problem. It climbs really well and that's what matters.
Delta Force LH (Font 7a+), Longridge - I remember trying this when I was a local and being shut down repeatedly. Wind on a few years and somehow managed to get it first time from the new low start.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Nowt.

Top trad routes/soloes UK
Mostly fillers in or repeats, not much stands out.

Top three sport routes UK
Taking the Space (F7b), Malham - little new climbing, but a good excuse to climb on the best bit of the crag. Quite exciting on wet undercuts at the end of the Space Race traverse....
Mr Nice (F7c+), Kilnsey - did the RH finish years ago and finally got round to ticking LH and better finish.
Start to Top Break (F8a+), Longridge - OK, not a sport route, but also not a boulder problem. Originally did this about 8 years ago from the wrong start, so cleared up my slight indiscretion. Probably completed it nearly 20 times last year while failing to tick the full traverse.

Top three routes abroad - all Rodellar
Canita Brava (F7b/+) - amazing, best route on that bit of Ventenas.
Aquest any Si (F7b+) - fell off the crux a few times last year, came back to finish it off and well worth it.
Egocentrissimo (F7c) - drilled, stuck together, manufactured and yet still brilliant.

Top Spanking's
China Crisis, Kilnsey - OK, only one brief go on it this year, but still find this really tough.

[nai]

Top three boulder problems UK
Baslow back in January - a grand day out with Lagers. For a Few Beagles More had felt desperate on my previous try but felt ok today in the great nick.  We went down to Flatworld, I did Hurry on Sundown ( which I thought had been one of my first 7s but I'd used the chock and subsequently found out it was no-tick) while Lagers favoured the slab behind. Those went ok but attempts at Flatworld were getting nowhere and while we had huddled in duvets at the Eaglestone down here we were sheltered from the wind and could lounge around in tee-shirts between attempts. I realised I had started the day having climbed 97 grade 7 problems and now needed one more to bring up the 100. It was back to suffering for our art and another go at The Beagle Has Landed which I'd had a couple of tip-shredding sessions on - go after go too close to give up until the inevitable happened.  Today it went third or fourth attempt sparing my skin which meant I could try Where Beagles Dare before having to leave, my day was made when Lagers texted to say he'd done it. Best day out this year.
 
Trust - I'd gone for a look at Tetris but on the day couldn't even do Hard Arete. Some guys arrived just I was making the tenuous move onto the slab, one of them looked familiar and being decked out head to toe in moon gear I suspected was sponsored. He did Tetris as a warmup but was struggling on Trust. I told him what I'd done with my feet but he dismissed it as not sounding right.  His mate did it my way and after a few more failed attempts so did he saying "it's weird beta but it works". Later found out it was Mike Adams, very petty but made my day.

Famous Grouse
Three sessions in February were yielding a sequence but that progress was halted by a rise in temperature through Spring.  However I've done my hardest problems in early May last two of three years so I kept the faith in the regularity of the British Weather, bided my time and kept training.  Late April yielded an Easterly bringing cold air, bang on time:

23 Apr     16 May     Again, a cool period usually, however the Atlantic starts to quieten down and winds from the North or East are very common whilst Westerlies are rare.     67%

First session back I stuck the move for the second LH sloper for the first time, it was three frustrating days til I could get back and I didn't have a clue what I'd do next but it all came together just in time, just a few days later the weather changed and warmed up for good.

Top four boulder problem abroad
Les Calins des Kim - last year I'd walked away from this on the last day and realised about an hour later what I was doing wrong. I'm on it first day this year but I'm having to work it out all over again. A group of French lads come for a look but they're not local and don't have the beta. Or English.  No bother though, my sequence and French holds up and their pads are very welcome. We're all getting the top but the mantel they favour is absolutely grim on this warm day, I'm about to give up when I spot a possible alternative going slightly left and rocking onto the slab. I nail it first try and scoot off wishing them "Bon Chance et un bonne journee", the holiday is off to a great start.

Les Chassures des Prises
It's been hot, on day 3 I wake about 7am and decide to go out for fresh pastries for the family. Amazing, it's 2c and I need to scrape the windscreen. Pastries are acquired and consumed and by 9 I'm heading out alone for a quicky but its 16c already. The problem is full in the sun and although the crimpy start is ok the slopers aren't working, I leave at 11 and the car reads 22c, looks like an early start the next day. A day with the family ends up at Decathlon and as we leave it's noticeably cooler and windy. "Are these conditions any good?" my wife asks and an hour later I'm back at Canon. It's quite muggy in the trees but shaded, a warm up then third go I get it all right. Bingo, a lie-in....

Mardi Gras
Day 4 is a planned active rest day for me so we head to Canche for easy, low ciruits for the kids and girls. Wandering around I spot this interesting problem and tweet home for a name and grade. When the response is 7a it's too good to resist and it goes down fairly quickly if messily.

Sketching in font on Vimeo

Zen
Wanted to do this since seeing the picture in the off-piste guide, my mate seeing the same pic and telling me I'd never do it might have inspired me too.  Last day, mad crowds but really friendly.  After my child-herding stint I head off to find complete solitude just 100yds away. Seems I may have started a move in but it felt the grade and was every bit as good as it looked.

Top three UK Trad routes
Wall Of Horrors
Remember reading Paul Williams' account of this in an old OTE which scared and inspired me in equal measure. Took along time to go do it but so worth the wait.  I'm sure I would have failed on it when I was younger, too little gear, too pumpy and the cruxes too hard. Timing is everything...

Autumn Wall
Had never even heard of this til I arranged to tag along with Grubes at Wharncliffe but it's utterly brilliant and a must-do peak E4 surely. My first at the grade.

Easy Action
Went to Stoney quite a bit this year, got on this as a warm up but it turned out to be slightly loose, slightly dirty, slightly pumpy and more than slightly undergraded, surely a solid E2 and a big pitch at 30m, quite an adventure too if you don't read the descent details and spend an hour teetering about on top looking for the ab.   

Top Two not-totally-shit Uk Sport Routes
Only actual clipped five chains this year, very poor.

The Ring of Fire
Not a bad route but not a great one, it was all about making the grade and moving on, doesn't really warrant being on this list but with nothing else to go worthy it makes it by default.  The plan was to knock it off quickly before moving on to Call of Nature but thanks to the weather it took six visits over three months, I even managed to fall clipping the chain at one point, the scream on the successful go was pure frustration.

Frankenstein
The only sport route I really enjoyed this year, should have flashed it but stuffed up the final move.

Spankings
Didn't think I had anything to go in here until i read thesiger's entry and remembered the limestone bouldering. Basher's Problem & Boots Boys Start should both be well within my ability but just cannot do either
And of course The Press! The Fucking Press, so frustratingly random, one day after a bad cold, feeling crap yet I felt so strong on it for a few goes; other days I rock up feeling strong yet can't get off the floor.

[T_B]

Despite v little climbing, I had an incredibly productive year . Trained when it rained, as well as cramming most of my best climbing into a few weeks. And had 2 good trips away (Font and the Picos de Europa).

Top three boulder probs, UK

Les Grands Doigts, Froggatt (this is one of the best 7cs on peak grit I think)
THEM, Yarncliffe (same morning as above)
Art of White hat wearing

Top three boulder probs, abroad

Easter trip to Font…

Quetzal, Puiselet le Paradis (great line in a hidden 'corral' up a thin flake, with a deadpoint into a slot and a spicy top out.)
Tarpe Diem, Apremont
Echine, Cuisiniere (Another hidden gem.)

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Had an amazing week and a half purple patch on the grit in early May, highlights of which were...

Art Nouveau
Power of the dark side (A gem - easy, but don't fall off!)
Velvet Silence / Jumping on a Beetle (also curving arete the same evening, mint conditions, no-one else at the crag)


Top three sport routes UK

Raindogs
Herbie
The Toilet

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Piensa en Verde – Cuevas (first '8a' flash)
Soy un hombre Nuevo – Naranjo de Bulnes
Nani – Taverga

Top three new route/prob put up

Mr Potato Head, Sirevag, Norway (managed to combine a work trip with some amazing bouldering)

Top Spanking's

Caviar. Grrr... was actually not far off doing it in late September but it was too hot/sunny and that was my final opportunity. Just 3 sessions in 2012 and probably had the right combo of finger strength and 10-move PE in October, but bought a house that required major work.

[Richie Crouch]

Top three boulder probs, UK

1. XXXX - Had got close last year. Felt amazing to link the few burly moves and top it out whilst Laura made a crowd of tourists halt in their tracks as they were about to walk underneath!
2. A Northern Soul - as good as all of the hype! Felt like I had wandered across a majestic line in Cuvier Rempart
3. Bellpig/Pit Traverse - can't decide between these two as I had always got spanked on both in the past but took them both down in a few attempts this year. I'd probably give Pit traverse the edge as it has a nice view upon topping out and Laura motivated me into doing it aft she flashed the drop down crux move I cold never do beforehand!

Top three boulder probs, abroad

1. Left hand of Darkness - a line of crimps in a dark cave may not be the obvious choice having done some amazing lines in font but it was an ascent well earned after dropping the go again off the heel toe around 25 times in 5 sessions. Just before my 9th redpoint of the 5th session, I had an epiphany with the left foot toescum and sure enough it worked!

2. Voigas - Brilliant and unlikely gymnastic moves and nice to do something that isn't a test of power endurance to prove to myself that I'm not completely piss weak!

3. Piranja - The siege has ended! Frat tried this back in August 2007. Failed miserably on it twice that year, for 2 sessions in 2009, another 2 sessions in 2011 and finally smashed its face in this year in a couple of tries!

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Did a few micro routes at Hutton Roof on a scorching hot day, the most memorable bit was eating ice cream afterwards in Woodwell village!

Top three sport routes UK
N/a

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Did 2 in a day both O/S at a crag in Australia whilst visiting Holger. I was pumped up to my eyeballs in lactic acid... they were grade 21 and 23 which I think is a fair bit below font 8s?

Top three new route/prob put up
N/a

Top Spanking's

1. A warm and humid day at Shipley Glen after doing shit at the depot comp the previous day and being out on the booze. I couldn't climb the 6c aręte of Red Baron!

2. Massive attack - managed to do the first move this year! Just a few more years needed to do the 2nd move now.

[iwasmexican]

Top five (since i did no sport or trad) boulder probs, UK

• yorkshireman, 7B+, kyloe in the woods: so cool to get this done after not even being able to pull on it little over a year before
• fruits de mer, 7A+, st bees: after struggling on it for ages, going off and having lunch and then coming back, trying really really hard and doing it first go was awesome
• ringpiece. 7B, ilkley: flashing it was like, to paraphrase dave graham, its cool to see something for ages thats pretty hard, and then to  cruise across it is really kinda nice
• vitruvian man, 7C, trowbarrow: such a great problem and such a struggle with it
• body rocker, 7A+, ilkley rocky valley: esoteric gem, fantastic afternoon struggling all around the valley with three pads looking for boulders, although not the proudest or coolest lines around, definitely one of the nicest

Top five boulder probs, abroad

• supernova, 7C, magic wood: having seen and heard about this for the longest time it was cool to finally get on, but after falling off going to match the last hold (far too many times) and shouting a lot (apologies too that were there) i never had such an epic on a problem before. doing it early on the last morning on my own before we packed up was amazing, best way to end the trip
• l'arrete du domino, 7A+, puiselet le paradis (font): probably the best boulder i ve ever done, not just for the fact that its such a proud line with such amazing moves, but wandering around the woods on our first day in font and totally unexpectedly finding it, wondering what it was and then a few hours later topping it out was one of my best climbing experiences ever. although there isnt much else at puiselet, cant recommend going there enough, its such a lovely spot
• le toit de cul du chien, 7A, cul du chien (font): one of the first problems i ever looked at and thought wow, i want to do that some day
• bleau's art, 7B, cuvier?, (font): a weird culmination of the week in font, flashing it was the hardest thing i did (somehow) and totally unexpected
• dizdira de romerias, 7C, albarracin: hate to advocate traverse, but the moves and holds on it are just so nice, pictures dont do it justice

Top three new route/prob put up
didnt really put anything up apart from doing the sit start to afraid of the wave at glen lednock, after figuring out the beta i was just pipped to the first ascent by chris, was happy enough doing it next go after: great problem and the moves ended up being really cool.

Top Spanking's

• jasons roof, 8A, crookrise: felt like it could have gone in a few sessions, but to do it on a flying trip i need to get so much stronger
• precious, 7C/+, glen croe: same as above, must get stronger
• awooga, 7C, simonside: would be good to get back to with primo conditions
• tristesse, 7C, cuvier rempart (font): such a great problem, bumbling on the first move got me psyched to come back for it
• in bloom, 7C+, dumbarton: that first move has awoken a great psyche to train, gonna set a move just like it on the board and come back to cruise it, fact.

[Grubes]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Holmeward Bound 6C, Holmfirth
Not the prettiest problem but nice pulling hard on small sharp crimps. Powerful and delicate.
Upside down aręte 6B+, Holmfirth
Finally after 18months to 2 years of trying. Steep aręte on smears
Banana Finger 6A, Burbage
Again finally after lots of trying finally done.
Top two boulder probs, abroad
Problem 24 5+ Buthier Tennis
My first ever problem in font big jugs nice moves great climbing
Le Trou du Trio 5, L'Elephant
Nice slab climbing
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Seams The Same E1 5b, Serengeti
great slab climbing following a proud crack
The Fang HVS 5a, Tremadog
Lead both pitches great moves
Demon Wall HVS 5a, Almscliff
Great moves, Nice climbing, good work out
Top three sport routes UK
Consenting adults 7a, Malham
second 7a and first one climbed in a day
The Quarry Woman 6b+, Penmaen Head
Got very high on the onsight and took a nice big fall. Got it second go. Nice big moves.
Route 3 6c, Castle Inn quarry
first 6c onsight. nice slab moves (seems a theme is appearing here)
Top routes abroad (any genre)
I did not top out my favourite routes this year mainly due to weather issues I did enjoy this though:
Son Goku 7a, Forada
Not really a great route but some nice moves and my first 7a
Top three new route/prob put up
Only put up a link up this year nothing worth mentioning
Top Spanking's
The Jim Grin 7a, Trollers Gill
many trips falling off on lead repeatedly at the same move. One for next year
The Weather
Most of the year has been a wash out and even worse my trip to el chorro was almost a complete wash out

[Doylo]

More seiging than volume for me last year.
Top three boulder probs, UK
Paul O Grady, Ogwen. Best 7b in Wales, amazing rock, holds, moves and line.
Pilgrim, Parisellas. Didn't really get stuck into the Cave for a few years so was nice to get back in there. I've wanted to do this for years and always regarded it as one of the best links.  25 moves of pure power endurance, no stopping and a step up in difficulty for me in there.
Special K, Craftnant. Can't believe we didn't do this years ago - no vision! A traverse but a bloody good one!

Top two boulder probs, abroad
N/A
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
N/A
Top three sport routes UK
The Walking Mussel, LPT. Finally got to the next grade after 8 years stuck on 8b.  Spent ages dropping the middle moves (need to be more clinical), battled with seepage and was pushed to the brink mentally.  So nice to come through the other side after completely losing the plot on it.  And i didn't drop the top crack  .
Over The Moon, LPT. Nice to do finish the 8a's on the crag and was a nice experience as i wasn't very fit and just despatched it.  Want to be able to do all 8as like this.  Was a massive confidence builder for WM doing the crack when boxed.
Libertango, LPT. Have neglected the vertical central section of the crag for a while but the routes are immaculate (if a little sharp).  This was a follow the dots flash but felt good nontheless. Keen for Cafe Libre!
Top routes abroad (any genre)
N/A
Top three new route/prob put up
Nanabozho, Llanddulas. Was made up with the sequence/holds on this, felt quite hard and good to have an 8a route at the Dulas.
Tramps Tea Party, Orme. Wanted to do this all year but took ages to work out. Enjoyed the relative stress free process of just going up there and trying to suss it.  Made to look dismayingly easy by Pete and Jordan who thought 7c+.
Last Drink, Pill Box. Not a major new line but a new sustained improvement on my original traverse. Was amazing to be able to consistently do something that was once sooo hard for me.
Top Spanking's
Went to the Bowderstone and didn't manage anything new. Pissed Black Crow at Anston in 2 but never manged the crux from the start. At least i didn't get spanked in Wales, that's all that matters . Was so close on a project then the fuckin weather ended it for me 

[dk]

Top 3 boulder problems UK
Ben's Roof
The Terrace - only took 2 years ...
Zaff's Problem at Burbage N - Yet done in 2 sessions

Top 3 routes UK
Call of Nature - first british 8a whoop whoop!
Bad Bad Boys


Top 3 routes abroad AKA - Ceuse
Changement de Look
Bourinator
Makach Walou
And every thing else I tried/did!

Top Spankings
Petit Tom
The 'mighty' Rattle and Hump - the easy way....
Anything over v6 at the Climbing Station - Loughborough

[dave]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Brad Pit
Spring Voyage
Blind Ali's Date (Blind Ali finishing up Blind Date)


Top three boulder probs, abroad
None.


Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Cneifion Arete, Idwal.
Kirkus Corner, Popular End.
The short side of a wet In Pinn, in big boots.

Top three sport routes UK
None.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
None.


Top three new route/prob put up
Clouded Judgement, Curbar.

Top Spanking's
Probably Ben's wall, a-fucking-gain.
Grand doigts - pulled on and somehow managed to slash fingertip open second go, on a hold that's not even sharp.

[Yoof]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Jerry's Traverse at Cratcliffe- One of those problems you just don't think you'll ever be able to do. And I did it 
Captain Hook
Weedkiller Traverse

Top three boulder probs, abroad
N/A

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
The Sentinel. Hung around for ages trying in vein to place a shoddy hex, manned up and did it.
Surform. Forgot to take a rack and had one thrown up to me. Learnt the art of shaking out on a jug on this route.
Golden Days.

Top three sport routes UK
Rubicon. Had tried before and got spanked. Cruised it this time.
Arch Rival
Hair of the Dog
(My 7c+ project indoors)

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Chasseur de frime- A French/Swiss bloke complimented me on my jamming skillz 

Top three new route/prob put up
Spinal Fjord- Committing and great
Combined tactics- Thin as a thin thing, again, committing. Cleaning it was interesting.
Shakespeare's Theatre- My first non-eliminate, and obvious!

Top Spanking's
Room with a view- Dynoed the first move, got to the third quickdraw (out of 5). Much toproping later, the best beta involved standing on my hand and doing the most camp dyno pirouette ever witnessed.

Streets Ahead. Rocked up confidently, placed a cam blindly in a crucial hand hold and then flopped off without knowing if the cam would hold. Then tried to toprope it and failed repeatedly. A proper schooling.

L'arete des comiques- Spent two sessions working this. Went for it as a last go of the holiday attempt and tore my fingertip off.