[abarro81]

- more big trad e6s (skinhead, dreams and screams, jub-jub, king wad, MSND, lots in pembroke, more in ireland etc)
- a big trad e7 onsight/flash
- get back to ireland
- get to scotland

A big fat fail, since I barely climbed any trad this year. I did get to Scotland but only because I had to for a summer placement, and then it rained lots so I only did a few days of trad. Given current plans that looks unlikely to change much in 2010, but maybe the year after that I'll get my balls back


- solo caveman then have the balls to jump off after the traverse pitch Never went down that way. A wimp and a slacker.
- onsight more 7c/7c+s and maybe flash 8a Crushed like a bitch. Lots of 7cs, a few 7c+s, 7c+/8a onsight and 8a flash. Chuffed. Quite a few should-of, could-of, would-ofs though - need to work on my killer instinct (and maybe not listen to Bob's wack faggoty foot beta too much).
- redpoint 8b Nope. Need to get some redpointing psyche.
- more euro sport love, and get some good dws done Decent bit of euro sun but no DWS at all:(

- 7C+ on lime (ben's roof or PUTP maybe) Ben's and tumbleweed
- 8A (and even more optimistically, careless torque GU) Not really, but since others seem to be taking 8A for tumbleweed I'll award myself the 'kind-of' tick.
- go back to font Nope, but going in Jan so that's ok

oh, and decide what I want to do with my life. Getting there... Year-of-power followed by PhD seems to be the order of the day.

Despite all the red there I'm still pleased with the year.

[SA Chris]

Not get injured -fail
Boulder more - fail
trad more - fail
Ski more - fail
have a good snowboard trip - tick
surf more (esp away from home) - tick on more, but not way from home
get to Hebrides - fail
MTB more - fail

Plus side was some great bolt clipping in the Alps that was unexpected and week of great weather in N Wales.

injury partly to blame, but other exciting events transpired that thwarted other plans!

[Richie Crouch]

1. Jerry's Roof (The pass) - Tick
2. Lou Ferrino (cave) - Tick
3. Trigger Cut (cave) - Tick
4. Jess's Roof (Almscliff) - Fell off at end, not sure I am that arsed doing it anymore as it hurts my skin... a lot!
5. Fallen Idol (roche) - Not been back on
6. Lizard King (The pass) - Tick
7. Brass Monkeys (Stanage) - Tick
8. Sparks (pantymwyn) - Tick
9. Vitruvian Man (Trowbarrow) - Tick
10. Pit of Hell (cave) - Dropped last move a ridiculous number of times, hopefully get it this year still! 

[andy_e]

Well that wasn't a very successful year for you was it!

[Iesu]

My aims for 2009 and beyond

non-climbing:
1. strike perfect balance between riding to work (>fatigue) and training (<psyche)
2. strike perfect balance between mates and the missus
3. strike perfect balance between incomings and outgoings (financial)
4. strike perfect work vs life balance
5. strike perfect relatives/old friend visiting balance
6. be a good earth citizen and decent better human being (7 lashes with the cat for a trip to CA)
7. swear less

climbing:
1. have fun and enjoy the journey, not just the destination
2. Pope's Prow, Green Wall, Fly Boy, Bard/Leary Arete LH, Saigon, Soulslinger (?), Jedi Mind Tricks (choked), Iron Man (weak) - Buttermilks
3. get highballing and learn how to top out again (the above list should help me with these)
4. Blockbuster, New Jerusalem, Secret Seventh, Crystal Meth, Ben's Groove (?) - Caley Roadside
5. Banana Split, Back Stabber SS, Pedestal Arete, Chicken Run, Creme Egg Eliminate - Caley Crag
6. Almscliffe (the whole crag)

what a depressing year it has been

epic FAIL

[BB]

My only aim for 2009 was to climb a 7a.

I did that 2 weeks ago, so I'm going to pretend it didnt happen and climb another one.

Well, I did climb 7a but didn't climb another one. I'm not sure where I stand!? 

[Andy F]

Conehead ticked 
Grooved Arete Made most excellent progress, will go down this year. No it didn't 
Overnite Sensation Been on, sacked off until a) it's colder and b) I'm stronger Not been back on it since.


Bouldering Made some progress, need to do lots more though. As before, but I've only been out bouldering twice since June, it's not unexpected. I do finally have some project's though.

All told it's been a good year. Apart from falling off the last move of GA repeatedly  Next year, next year...

[SA Chris]

Didn't you quit climbing completely at one point this year, definitely no doubt, stop completely?
Or was that last year already?

[Andy F]

Last year already. I'm in semi-retirement 

[Jaspersharpe]

It was the shortest retirement of all time! 

I've had longer off this year by being injured. 

[uptown]

what do you want to achieve in 2009?

climbing or non climbing.

climbing - continuing to find new grit pearls where everyone least expects them.
non climbing - a home and a little lodger.

Climbing goal ticked plus some limestone pearls too, takes me back to my youth.
Non-climbing - the second part hindered the first but he's worth every effort.
I shall set more specifically for next year.

[Falling Down]

Onsight some E5's in the mountains or seacliffs Not yet, but this will happen.. maybe Peak Lime and Grit though. Nope..
Boulder Font 7b - Done several 7a+'s so feel confident I'll do this by year end.. Thanks to the Beastmaker boys and oodles of psyche. Nope Tennis Elbow and then illness intervened although the year is not yet out and Boba Fett is waiting.
Lead a 7c Got injured when I was a redpoint away from doing Lightweight.
Edale Skyline and a couple of the classic Lakes races - No - Got too psyched for climbing.
Get back to playing the guitar with more regularity - Not really.
Get weight below 12 stone - Yes!. Dropped 3/4 stone since Chrimbo and now just hovering around 12 Now 11 3/4 - Tick
Drink less - Yes!. Dramatically cut down from nearly every night to barely a drop in the week

In spite of picking up Tennis Elbow in August and not climbing since then I had a great year overall.  Really pushed my sport climbing redpointing several 7b's and flashing a 7a+; did some great trad routes and bouldering.  Didn't travel anywhere which was a mistake - must get out on the road more next year.

[rginns]

ok here's a brief overview of 2009, got some stuff done that I really wanted to do, which is good although clearly could have got more done... weather, opportunity,excuses etc...

The arete (Denham splash area) yes
The arete (Denham Mohammed area) yes
pickpocket direct (Denham) yes
Low break traverse (Brownstones) yes
Satisfying sloper problem (Brownstones) tried it quite a bit, but failed
Hacker start (Wilton 1) cos it's close and looks good - NOT TRIED
Verdinand (Brownstones)NOT TRIED
Burnt Heather (Thorn) slapped the sloper, no further but not really tried very hard
Catfoot (Round Barn) awesome, although feels really high. need to get back on this NOT TRIED
Staffs Flyer (Roaches)something I've wanted to do for a while and never got round to NOT TRIED, rained off 3 sessions in 2009, lost the urge....
Nexus dyno (Brownstones) erm, tried about 28 times, always a come off - need to sort out timings / MTFU
Boopers (Brownstones) yes!! big tick this, for me...
Pond Traverse (Brownstones) done all of it in sections, now need the stamina...
Lancashire PotHot (Brownstones) can't get off the floor
Elemental (Thorn) find this fine until the rockover... excuses...
Brian Jacques (Cadshaw) a bridge too far.
Groundhog standing start (Brownstones) ha ha yeah right

[Johnny Brown]

1. Get to the Bugaboos, or similar amazing alpine rock venue where topping out means topping fucking out. Went on the Grand Capucin, but didn't top out.
2. Do some surfing, learn to turn Did some surfing, not much turning.
3. Take at least one photo that earns me five stars in Lightroom. Epic fail. Bagged a cover though, maybe I'm too harsh.

[cofe]

1. Get to the Bugaboos, or similar amazing alpine rock venue where topping out means topping fucking out. Went on the Grand Capucin, but didn't top out.
2. Do some surfing, learn to turn Did some surfing, not much turning.
3. Take at least one photo that earns me five stars in Lightroom. Epic fail. Bagged a cover though, maybe I'm too harsh.

you did better than me in lightroom word I reckon. I managed 1 or 2 stars at best. Next year I'm aiming to take a climbing pic that's not shit.

[Stu Littlefair]

I have only one aim for 2009: DON'T GET INJURED.

Big tick. Not entirely niggle free, but my first year without serious injury for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it's not a coincidence, but...

...I want to tick

1) The Groove, Malham. - tick
2) Mecca Extension - tick
3) Unjustified - tick

tock.

[duncan]

I have only one aim for 2009: DON'T GET INJURED.

Big tick. Not entirely niggle free, but my first year without serious injury for as long as I can remember.

Have you done anything differently this year, for the benefit of those who were less successful?

[moose]

Climbing:

Bouldering
Put away a few of my long term projects.  Any from:
- Earl: Sloping Beauty... None, Earl continues to utterly spank me.
- Almscliff: Underhand (surely it can't hold out for a third year)... Underhand and its extension went, as did The Keel and Fieldside (and Top Cat as a bonus).  Pistol Whip awaits a meeting in the presence of people willing to spot me.  The rest are rollovers
- Brimham: Titfield Thunderbolt, The Long Haul, Crimpy Roof.  Yup to all (with Pinky Trav and Ian's Trav into the bargain).
- Ilkley: Ringpiece, First Arete (even though it's pretty horrible).  Failures all around
- Caley: Ben's Groove (spotters / lack of self-preservation required). Still awaiting spottage
- Slipstones: Layby Arete Annoying failure, and I've been soooo close
Also, get to the Peak more and mop up a few of the classics, return to the County and/or Wales. I was too lazy before I got a job... now I'm just too tired for anything but convenience crags

Roped shizzle
- Consolidate E2 trad...Yep... led a fair few E2
- Make inroads into E3, especially the limestone classics...Nope... don't think I even tried a single E3.  A weak excuse I know, but everywhere I tradded, the E3s seemed to be really bold, rather than just harder than the E2s
- Do more sport routes and get some proper climbing fitness....  I'm currently limited by my inability to climb anything that doesn't comprise crimpy cruxes interspersed by good rests! Nope... did bugger-all UK sport and my El Chorro holiday showed that I'm still best at routes that can be done in an almighty hurry before I pump out!

Non-Climbing

- Get a job... preferably one that doesn't make me hate myself ... Now gainfully employed - in the satch!
- Move out of my parent's house... Not yet, waiting until I pass my probation period and know whether I'll be relocated
- Stop eating so much cake... Nope.... cakes are psychic self-defence against the horrors of modern life... and working in a town with a Betty's has made it if anything worse....mmmm.. Fat Rascals...
- Start playing the guitar again. Nope.... another one that'll have to await getting my own gaff

[benj_d]

Bouldering wise, i'm not that ambitious...

Climb a few more 7a's and hopefully another 7a+...

i.e Hitchhikers from the block.

Then while in the peak this coming winter, do stuff I wasn't strong/good enough for last year like trackside and the green traverse, which will both probably feel very very easy.

Also would like to do some more trad routes with my fellow experienced twice my age partner while in the lakes soon. But I am a bit of a wimp and cant get the hang of setting up a belay after leading something, idiot.. 

Forgot I even put this here.. however it was only half a year ago, so how have I done?

climbed more 7a's- Yep
climbed one other 7a+- Yep, but still havent done hitchhikers off the block, plus i've climbed one 7b+, joy

Peak wise- well the weather was rubbish, did get trackside though.

Lakes trad- this is probably my favourite.. did MGC at shepherds onsight and my partner lived after he seconded me. Really special to me since I had only lead a VD and a S before looking at this E2 and thinking it looks brill and I know I can do it.

[Nibile]

as far as real aims go, i have too much to write them down here!!!
in general:
- continue training and improving ----- TICK
- climb better ----- HAEM...
- travel a bit more to swizzy ----- WELL, TWO TIMES IS MORE THAN ONE
- get back to font ----- BIG BIG FAIL BUT I'VE WATCHED KEITH'S FILM
- get back to uk for longer (again)!!!! ----- ENORMOUS FAIL
- gain half a grade at least on one problem!!! ----- HUGELY TICKED

 

[GCW]

1.  Buckstone Dyno   Nope
2.  Fight on Black (Widdop)   Yep
3.  Picnic Sarcastic   Nope
4.  West Side Story    Didn't try it at all
5.  Jerry's Arete (Bridestones)     Made some progress
6.  Sloping Beauty (Earl)    Got the first move done
7.  Underhand (Almscliff)   Nope, finger doesn't like it
8.  Beachball (Secret Garden)     Yeeeeeeeees
9.  Clash of the Titans (St Bees)    Nope
10.  Big Marine (Craig Y Longridge)     Spanked me again

[lagerstarfish]

I don't remember posting any aims, but I have achieved a few things that I am well pleased with.
Managed a whole year without finger injury.
Kept off the stone I lost and thereby avoided obesity.
Went a whole year without any medication more serious than ibuprofen and only 7 days off work due to sickness; which led to...
Finally managed to get life insurance - which I had previously been unable to obtain from anywhere due to my history of very poor health and unacceptable risk taking.
Caught more wild brown trout on dry fly than any working man deserves in one season.
Scored a baby that sleeps (I am embarrassed how easy she is to look after  )

[Stu Littlefair]

I have only one aim for 2009: DON'T GET INJURED.

Big tick. Not entirely niggle free, but my first year without serious injury for as long as I can remember.

Have you done anything differently this year, for the benefit of those who were less successful?

I've done everything differently this year to be honest. Completely changed my approach to training and got a lot more easy mileage in to boot. Too many changes to go into in depth but a lot of it is probably luck...