[SA Chris]

Hope you got it it on video for that "soon to be released" DVD

[comPiler]

bigger belly
12 November 2010, 12:18 pm

A Bigger Belly is a tiny little squeezed in problem at Rubicon, revolving around 4 minging crozzly crimps. I had spent a bit of time trying it with Dan before he made the first ascent a couple of years ago – very impressive to watch. He “gave it” 8a+ at the time,  its generally considered to be pretty hard – not many people can even pull off the ground, let alone do the moves. This is exactly the style of climbing that I am bad at – snatching between tiny death-crimps, with a dynamic last move to a “jug”. For some reason I had to do it. Fortunately I have bendy legs so I was able to use a heel hook that Dan hadn’t – clearly cheating,this made the first few moves much easier for me but it made the last move a lot harder.

Still one hard move is better than 4. Last summer I had a couple of session falling off the final jump move, and I hadn’t gone back to finish it off since then (a combination of not wanting to go to Rubicon, and having ruined a pulley in my middle finger). Although this problem is one of the worst and most minging things I have ever climbed on I needed to finish it off.

In September had a session on it for the first time in a year and felt much stronger on the tiny holds. I also got a new bit of foot beta which made the last move ever so slightly easier. Still, I had another session falling off the last move! I had invested too much skin into this problem, I wasn’t going to leave it. After a couple of rest days I went back on a cold(ish) morning and finally held the swing! Pretty satisfying as it means I never have to try it again! Although it’s the longest I have ever spent on anything (6 or 7 sessions I think) its not the hardest as the climbing totally doesn’t suit me, and each session was always cut short by ruined skin, rather than tired fingers.

After this I went to font. I might get my arm twisted into writing about that, or you might be spared.

Ned



Source: beastmakerblog

[comPiler]

The Darkest Cloud
19 November 2010, 6:27 pm

Pic courtesy of Nick Brown

I managed to see off a mini project on tuesday with the help of Ben and Nick.  Its on the Arete on the back of the 5th cloud. Lovely moves straight up a blunt prow. SS from double undercuts and quest upwards to glory. This supercedes a random route called Ride the Lightning E2 6b which pulled on near the top of the arete off the hill behind. Its called The Darkest Cloud and creeps in at soft 8a at the mo i reckon.

Its north facing so is a good escape from sun and sweat when other problems are out of good nick. The landing is a bit technical with it being a grassy hill, decent sized tent pegs are recommended to prevent pad slippage and erosion.

There is a 7c+ to the left too ( which is worth doing, details on peakbouldering.info to follow.



Source: beastmakerblog

[comPiler]

more cloud formations
25 November 2010, 9:18 am



Another blue sky day warranted a roaches trip again yesterday. This time to Nth cloud and skyline. We warmed up at nth cloud and i had a couple of meek attempts at a project i'd tried last year. In fact upon returning to try again it last year i'd been sunned off it and that's when i stumbled upon the prow which is now The Darkest Cloud. Today was looking pretty similar, blue skies are lovely but bad news for small grips. And with Caff and Neil running out of eliminates to do on the 6a's we went and did art nouveau. It was baltic up there and after Neil'd seen off a swift onsight of Entropys jaw. The clouds had returned to save the nth cloud from the November sun. A big fat cumulo stratus infact, so the sun had no chance. After getting going again it was apparent that conditions were way better, So atleast i'm finally old enough for a tiny bit of wisdom to have crept in. Neil and Caff quickly got stuck into the LH project Which looks nice but climbs pretty thrutchily and with no distinct line compared to its looks. I'd come back for the RH line, whilst this is marred a tiny bit by the swivel finger arete visually it is a far better line climbing and hold quality wise. But then again these projects have been known about since atleast 2004 if not earlier, which speaks for itself, basically they're good but remote enough for no one else but a loony cumbrian to bother walking up there (marras were in the crag majority yesterday!).

The Rh Project has no footholds, just naughty smears. Which have a habit of ripping off and i think they are pretty boot dependent (i went for a good worn in pair of Sazi velcros) You basically pull on and undercut the only usable hold, which rags your pinky, Use a half pad mono to stretch upto the Gaston of fury, I'm so stretched when i get this that i can only creep 3 fingers on and my feet often blow. If they dont you snap some lock in your arm then fire through an amazing move to a lovely 3 finger slopey dish (top photo) then a large juggy LH crimp leads to a final lunge upwards for a good drag. From the last good edge it is possible to match and skulk left into the corner via a big but easy move, but this is not the line nor the problem.

Yesterday i had the rarest of bouldering moments. A perfect go. I'd had several shit attempts at getting the initial gaston and foot poppage was bugging me. I decided to just pull really F-ing hard and see what happened, luckily everyhting clicked, i really yarded down on the mono and undercling and finally got the gaston nicely with 3 fingers, a full on emergency crimp and gutteral growl got me through to the dish and still on i lunged for the top move, which is still droppable but a bit easier, i caught it in a good drag and kept over gripping to get the top. Brilliant. I could barely repeat the crux for video which adds a dilemma to the grade. As it felt fine when it went but hard. Then it just felt sharp and hard after. But then doing something this fast means it cant be too hard. For me i think its 8a+ but i can see taller people getting the gaston with 4 fingers and being much better set up (my 6'2" reach was pretty maxed out), so maybe 8a/+ is more accurate. I couldn't be on much better form board wise and this project is pretty basic, which also adds complexity. Thats more than enough space for grade talk anyway.

I decided the Nth Power would be a nice name for obvious pun reasons. And i am fully made up at flooking such a nice project. There are 4 more projects on my little whiteboard list that i'd like to get done before the new guide comes out, it's a nice incentive anyway to make more work for Cofe and Ru.

Source: beastmakerblog

[Falling Down]

 

[Johnny Brown]

Effort Dan - tried all of these years back but too hard for me!

[willackers]

Looks brilliant! Nice one!

Probably only 7c+ for someone lanky though 

[andy popp]

Yep, great to see these going after all these years.

[Johnny Brown]

Probably only 7c+ for someone lanky though 

Yeah, when I said 'hard' I meant more 'reachy' really.  People just weren't as tall back in the day...

[Ru]

Awesome. I tried this about 5 years ago during the time of writing the first bouldering guide - can't really remember making much headway but I thought it would go for someone my height.

[comPiler]

a bigger arch
28 November 2010, 12:41 pm

This rather nice wall in london is getting bigger by a considerable margin, if you are a londonite and aren't running away in search of rocks that weekend this could be a decent way to spend a saturday.

Source: beastmakerblog

[Fiend]

Gah, given your current project-hoovering form, I thought the Slipstones arch might have gone down from that title

[comPiler]

Gremlins
15 December 2010, 11:16 am

Our Machine has been down the past 5 days (and it was kicking up a fuss prior to this, hence a new spindle was ordered) due to both our spindle and servo packing in simultaneously, unfortunately this has eaten through our stockpile and we have bottomed out since monday. since then there has been a christmas rush for 1000series boards. We will update again as soon as we are up and running, until then here is a vid of some nice st bees problems that were previously undocumented.

to watch it bigger or in full screen click on the link through to vimeo.

from beastmaker.co.uk on Vimeo.

they may have been done before. With floating points being the only known exception as this was a known project and it turned out to be much more amenable than i thought, as well as being a superb move. Swept away is a problem which i technically didn't do 2 years ago as a wave came in whilst i was on the top section and we (me Dave and Paige) had to jump on/grab pads and bags to stop them getting swept out to sea, the 7c grade went in the new guide to give people an indication that it can be climbed at that grade. Anyway i reclimbed it yesterday for the sake of completion and felt it warranted a name, in the absence of one, as it is a great boulder problem, as with most things at st bees. Katy managed a tired ascent of the classic arete too which was dispatched with some cool technique.



Source: beastmakerblog

[comPiler]

back in business
16 December 2010, 10:52 pm

Dave and Elsie have pulled off a phenomenal bit of engineering today and we have a working machine again! it's catch up time

Source: beastmakerblog

[comPiler]

Things i've learnt this year
20 December 2010, 4:57 pm



One thing was for sure in my mind coming into this year, which is that i didn't want a repeat of last years bi polar year of injuries and sporadic ascents. Consistency was something i wanted from this year, it's no use getting stronger from hours of droll hangtime and not using it outdoors. This year has succeeded by being very different to last year, after a brief but effective (for my fingers atleast) training spell at the start of the year which ended with a shoulder niggle i chilled out, cashed my training cheques in the problem bank and sought about spending them in good fashion on nice lines. On the whole i've had the funnest and most consistent years climbing of my life. However i caught a glimpse off what success would feel like on a few harder projects this year whilst whistling through the days. Things which, had i gotten more deeply involved in them, would have drastically changed the way my year panned out. Instead i just bobbed along going for quick ticks, avoiding delving into the depths of top end problems and the potential injuries which come with it. This was a much needed change from last year and as a result i'm now content that the knawing rat of success is fat enough to tackle some meatier game. In terms of training the weak scraggly bits in my body which have failed me, and the harder lines which exposed them.

So basically i've learnt that every socko problem is fun when pursued with the premise of it in mind, but change is key (especially after a year), wow thats a new epiphany to the world.

Pic courtesy of the mighty SavageI know i had the most fun on Ivan Dobsky, It climbs like a dream and out of the 30ish 8's from the UK this year it stands out as a cherished favourite.

What else...

The county remains one of my favourite places to climb in the world, but this is only after spending years getting to know it. Like the fact that, regardless of the time of year, if i leave any crag just before sunset i will spend part of my journey home along the military road chasing my favourite view in glorious technicolour

I also learnt that my average time for doing 8's dropped dramatically as soon as i got off the ferry and it went from zero in cornwall despite good conditions and attempts on projects to 1-5trys in brittany to 20mins in font, then upto nearly 1 session in germany, then back to 1 session if very lucky (or if they're not 8n) in the UK but usually 2(as it should be without being handed all the beta on a plate). I also believe that we have had the best weather out of most of europe in the UK this year. This doesn't necessarily say anything of course but it should say something. I think it's partly due to the massive variation in styles of uk hard problems, so you can't just cruise a bunch of things which suit you, you have to change tack and even strengths forced by different rock types in low quantities.

Some UK venues are definitely reaching the end of their potential in the high 7s-mid 8s, even st bees (the predominent lakesbloc news fodder of the year) is beginning to loose the secrecy of its deepest nooks and crannies. Whilst whole crags remain relatively undeveloped in other parts of the country

Peak Grit problems definitely get shitter in overall quality above 8a except for the odd exception.Peak limestone problems get infinitely better 7c and above, except for bigger belly, which is shit (but even this has more character than work hard).

Fiveten Anasazi velcros can literally climb anything, especially on grit, the rubber on top of teams is wank for toehooking, baggy mocassyms are worlds better. But teams are great for footlocks, heeltoes and crawing (the art of scumming your feet round aretes). jet 7's got made completely redundant by teams IMO.

Dry bags by far make the best bouldering chalkbags (i knew this last year too but my drybag is now so manky it wont get confused with others if there is a buying flurry after i write this)



Source: beastmakerblog

[cofe]

Went for a walk in the rain and found Superbrook this morning. Really good looking line, and still pretty clean. Most of the arete was actually dry, but the top was soaked. I'm pretty keen to get back when dry. A good find.

[comPiler]

bring out your dead...hangs
1 February 2011, 2:24 pm



me doing a reasonably ok 1 armer on the 35s (no thumb, no nestle)

from beastmaker.co.uk on Vimeo.

meanwhile on the other side of the planet...Sam Edwards larking about on a beastmaker during his first session!

This concept has been in the pipeline for a while and with some renewed psyche brought about through the making of a new website, which'll be much more training/user friendly we'd like beastmaker users to upload (or email me) videos of easy-hard feats of strength on the beastmaker (please tag the videos with BEASTMAKER and DEADHANGS), they don't have to be desperate, anything off the old records page'll do. we'll then incorporate all the vids onto the new training section of our site, if feats are impressive enough we might even dole out some prize money!

The idea is to gradually build up a library of beastmaker waddage, which anyone can watch to get psyched for doing a bit of fingerboarding, and as a result get some stronger digits (provided you don't get injured) we'll tier the vids in stages of advancement so please even if you think what you're doing isn't cutting edge it could still be useful so get it uploaded. Even full sets of reps or timed hangs'd be nice.

In other news Ned won the BBCs again to become a triple champ and reclaim the title from the crimping Irish. He let himself go a bit after the comp mind when one too many belgium waffles got the better of him. Still there's nothing tastier than a natural weight belt.pic, ben morton.



Source: beastmakerblog

[comPiler]

Stanton Delivers
9 February 2011, 11:41 am



Two years ago when i was just beginning to feel out the more esoteric peak venues, i came across Spare Rib and its accompanying boulder, and whilst this is undoubtedly one of the best problems in the UK it had no other straight up problems on it at the time, the other arete on the opposite side of the block was a prime example of a sitting duck project and on a return visit i mopped it up at 7b+, I then turned my attention to the arete to the Right of Jon in the above pic, i battled up the lower section and found that it leads you into the groove. with the top section of the arete being nigh on impossible and the groove being a stunning feature (albeit visually near spare rib.) I set about this. A session later i was tickling the hanging crack and i thought it wouldn't be to bad. So i left it for 2 years, which seem to have flown by. And after mopping up several other personal projects in the peak this season this rose back up the list. Heading back with Ryan the other day i managed to stick the crack but fully stretched and with no idea where to go, next session i abbed the top moves and sussed out the sequence. Which looks like a wholly undramatic affair when observed but from within a gossamer tension can be felt which is about as comforting as running across a newly frozen lake. the last foot of height takes alot of reeling in and my mind and body repeatedly crumbled on the foot moves. My mind wasn't crumbling from fear, just demand overload, too many minute movements were needing to be monitored at once. Bit by bit i pigheadedly pushed my kinasthetic dullardness up the problem learning more and more micro beta, which other people just do naturally or won't need. And after a little break a brew and a flapjack i jerkily overpowered my way to the top, 3rd session this year.

Stanton Deliver 8A+?It gets hard from here... (pics are stills from a film shot by Nick Brown)

The problem starts from standing at the foot of the arete with LH on fairly obvious slopey crimp and RH on a pinch on the arete.

click here for a bigger res pic.

Between this, Pink Lady-  Dave Mason's new 7c+ stand/ 8a sit. Golden egg- Jon Boys new 7c+ (and Ned's 7c+ variation - Furry Egg)There are alot of good things going up in this area and i bet it's not long until an 8b is sniffed out.

To Celebrate i whipped over to cratcliffe and RHS with Nick and did Musclin' man (bransbys way) and my prune (stunning) My prune was a bit interesting as it was getting dark and i was getting tired and the last bit heading leftwards strayed a little too close to the bone.



Source: beastmakerblog

[cofe]

Effort Dan!

[Bonjoy]

Effort beast! Lovely feature. I'll keep my eye out for an 8b line!

[shark]

Top name 

[T_B]

Yeah, great name.

Got me psyched to go back for Spare Rib (long enough now that I've totally forgotten the sequence....)

[Johnny Brown]

Nice one Dan! Can't believe Stanton Warriors passed me by too, looks a great companion to Spare Rib. Will be back soon.

[Doylo]

Good vision, anything on that face must be mint!

[comPiler]

sporadically slippystones
18 February 2011, 11:14 am

Pic courtesy of Mark savage

I Managed to get back to slipstones the other day after heading up the previous week to try cypher with Ryan. I first tried this in 2005 with steve (dunning) and Kev (Avery) from memory, i got upto the jump that session but didn't hold it partly through punting and partly through intimidation of the line. I went back not too long after and split a tip warming up! so didn't get anywhere. 6 years later and 1 aborted freezing session in the interim i got round to trying it again. I called in on my way home to carlisle and quickly stuck the jump off a stepladder. I then headed back last week with Ryan and we were both giving it a good wallop. Ryan crushed it in an amazing display of multi talented finger strength, boning the initial pocket to kingdom come and fully booting round to snag the hold as a mono! I had just done the groove at stanton that week, so my cries of lack of skin could barely be heard above the flapping of my billowing skirt on the moors. Next session and with a good team i got it 4th try, almost first try of the day.  Difficulty wise It's not too bad really just pernickety and abrasive. Quality wise it is world class and there isn't much better than feeling strong on the pinch and the undercling as you arc your leg back getting ready to "boot it" (marra joke), then the catch takes a moment to sink in as you swirl about a bit arguing with gravity.

Its funny how things work out sometimes.

Mark Savage came out and scarred his shutters with our ugly mugs. He's put some lovely pics up from the day here



Source: beastmakerblog