[Pantontino]

Nodder has been busy...

http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=476

This is a truly classic problem. Good work fella!

[BenF]

Good work all three of you.  It amazes me that more people don't boulder up at Crafnant; there are some great problems up there and in a beautiful spot to boot.

[Pantontino]

For anybody based on the Llanberis side it is quite epic to get to. Next time I'm going to try the walk over from Capel.

I first checked it out back in the 90s on a wet day, but after half an hour slipping around and nearly crippling myself I left. When the rock is dry it is much easier to move around the boulder field.

[nodder]

I first checked it out back in the 90s on a wet day, but after half an hour slipping around and nearly crippling myself I left. When the rock is dry it is much easier to move around the boulder field.       

Which is part of the reason it took me so long to get there.  I saw in the route guide book describing the massive boulder field and Si told me it was shit.  Then Katz went up with the Cattells and did Cruela and said there was nothing left.  The moral of the story never listen to anyone.

[BenF]

For anybody based on the Llanberis side it is quite epic to get to. Next time I'm going to try the walk over from Capel.

I first checked it out back in the 90s on a wet day, but after half an hour slipping around and nearly crippling myself I left. When the rock is dry it is much easier to move around the boulder field.

Fair points those.  For the same reasons it's a good choice for us that travel in from the east as it's not so far as going to the pass for example.  And yeah, moving about on that boulderfield is a right hassle.  At least it's always quiet there. 

The moral of the story - never listen to anyone.

F*cking wise words those.


On a totally different tack, the running around those valleys is also really good.

[Pantontino]

CJD told me a funny story of how he lost one of his trainers down a hole and had to walk all the way back to the car with his foot in a plastic bag.

The same thing nearly happened top me on wednesday. I'd just taken my trainer off and tossed it to the side of the pad where it tipped over and teetered, rocking back and forwards. As I moved to grab it I realised that under the trainer was a big deep hole dropping into the core of the boulder field. Just caught it before it dropped into the void.

So watch your trainers...and your car keys...and your tooth brushes...

[BenF]

 

Yeah I once arrived at Bus Stop Quarry to find two friends using a range of sticks, ropes and other stuff to retreive a trainer that had fallen down a gap between some boulders up by the rippled slab.  They did get the trainer back but it took them two hours to do so.

Similarly, I was in Magic Wood once (another deep hole black spot) and my friend Mick arrived at a boulder with me, put his unopened 2 litre bottle of Coke down and it promtly rolled way out of sight down some mossy pit.  Should've bought Pepsi.

[Doylo]

I was there with CJD when he lost his shoe, it fell down a chasm and we could hear it rattling for a few seconds down to the earths core.  Its a massive boulder field, its amazing there isn't more potential.  Grasswind is a classic and Cruella is very good too. Wonderwall is a good line but not very pleasant as has a couple of sharpies. Nice to see the place getting some attention

[nodder]

CJD was in there for the 2nd ascent yesterday as perfect conditions came.  Slightly diffrent sequence he confirmed the quality. 

[c.j.d.]

Yep - brilliant problem (best 'feel good' ascent this year).  Conditions at the minute sure are minty!

[Adam Lincoln]

Three of us repeated this yesterday and i have to say its brilliant. Jordan actually flashed it after getting some quality beta. 

Poor quality pic here.

[Doylo]

Three quick ascents including a flash. Is it 8a or are you guys just beasts?

[Adam Lincoln]

Three quick ascents including a flash. Is it 8a or are you guys just beasts?

How hard should a traverse 8a feel as opposed to a bloc 8a? Is it two grades?

[Doylo]

This is Wales not font.we dont do traverse grades! Looks well good.cant believe me and  the cattells all missed it.

[Duma]

So 7C then? 

[Adam Lincoln]

So 7C then? 

I can't grade shit! To me it felt about as hard as Jerrys Roof. Though i have trained a lot over this winter so don't know how i am climbing. Was pretty much my first session out on something that isn't grit.

[Doylo]

It looks quite crimpy and you did flash wonderwall which must be at least 7b+. How hard did it feel compared to the other problems? Surely between the three of you you had an opinion.

[Adam Lincoln]

It looks quite crimpy and you did flash wonderwall which must be at least 7b+. How hard did it feel compared to the other problems? Surely between the three of you you had an opinion.

Like i said on fb, i thought wonderwall was 7a+/7b. Lets see what next person to do Special K thinks!

[Doylo]

Well Wonderwall is 7b+ (me and CJD thought 7c post break!) so it must be 8a after all

[Adam Lincoln]

Well Wonderwall is 7b+ (me and CJD thought 7c post break!) so it must be 8a after all

Well, Al Lee has some footage he will put up today. You know what i climb like, so judge for yourself.

[nodder]

Well if I hadnt of dabbed and been forced to go back i would have said 7c/+, but i did and did then it felt way harder on my next visit.  Probably not quite as hard as we thought ooops.  In fact it might not be as hard as phantom power which is 7b+.  Oh dear plus Dyer and Pete reckoned Junkyards of my life was 7b or 7b+, I gave it 7c CJD thought 7c+.  What does this all mean?  It means that you should never listen to me.  Good effort on visiting the area though that puts you one up on most people who live here.   

[Nike Air]

was phantom power the roof with the big move and the boulder beneath it that was just that little too high to stop the tiny foot drag?

[Doylo]

Lincoln said no one did phantom power and it was nails.grades!

[Nike Air]

Lincoln said no one did phantom power and it was nails.grades!

Cool, thats the name of the one we tried. No not nails. Just hard to decide how much you would allow yourself to touch the pad with your trailing foot as you(in may case I had  to double dyno out to the lip). At the time I was not sure. On watching Als footage and then Nodders when I got back, our feet touchdown to the same degree on one of my attempts........
Grades.......well is there owt harder than a vickers v8+????

[Paul B]

a Welford 7b+?

[Adam Lincoln]

well is there owt harder than a vickers v8+????

No. Except when he sets a V9. 
I think that is where i am going wrong nowadays. I base everything on a Vickers V8+.

[Probes]

V9?  what? it goes higher than V8+

[Adam Lincoln]

V9?  what? it goes higher than V8+

Check the yellow out at West View. Old  featured bouldering wall. Wouldn't be the first one either.

[nodder]

The video was taken a diffrent day to the ascent, on the original I made cjd sit there while I dabbed less and less till i didnt dab.  For the purpose of showing the new problems and warming up while waiting for chris to turn up one day it didnt seem worthwhile to do that again, especially as I wanted to save skin and energy to try other projects.  So there we go, but double dyno does sound quite tricky.  This all does kind of ruin it as a problem I admit, but I didnt dab, cos if you dab you dont get the tick, right?

[Probes]

V9?  what? it goes higher than V8+

Check the yellow out at West View. Old  featured bouldering wall. Wouldn't be the first one either.

Yer 4 sure. The rest of them on the old comp wall are really really really stiff as well. A bit perplexing. Must be all the scrumpy he drinks.

[Adam Lincoln]

Ok, had my grade meter re-aligned today in the South Lakes.

For me, these are what i shall be suggesting/taking for the Crafnant stuff.

Wonderwall - 7b hard)
Cruella - 7b (hard)
Grasswind - 7c (soft)
Special K - 7c (Soft)

[c.j.d.]

I'd agree with most there Senior Lincoln, although Special K should warrant 7c+.

As Nodder correctly points out, infuriating as they may well be - a dab is a dab (or as they are well known 'a Yorkshire Power Dab'). 

You don't touch nuffin in these parts young Master Air:). Very impressive flashing though, and the bouldering was pretty mint to. 

[monkey boy]

My tuppence on the numbers:

Special K 7c
Grasswind 7c
Phantom power 7b/+
Wonderwall 7b
Cruella 7b

Thought all were pretty standard for the grade and most high quality too! Special K is maybe higher end 7c I think but not quite a plus!