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Goodbye Resin, Hello Limestone (hopefully)
24 July 2012, 2:07 pm

I’ve been meaning to start a blog for a while now but with the lack of decent weather in the last month a lot of time has just been spent climbing indoors with little to report. Things are now looking up though and the crags are finally drying out!



Last week I was able to get a good session in on Staminaband, a font 8A (f8b+) traverse at Raven Tor. It’s been a project for a while now, not helped much by poor weather and being at university during term time. The last few sessions have been looking promising though with every attempt resulting in falling at the crux last move so hopefully it will go down soon!



In the last week i’ve also ticked some other problems at the tor when Staminaband was wet such as Saline Drip SS (7B), Kristian’s Problem (7B) and Rattle and Hump – Hard Way (7B) which can be seen below.



With my summer holiday not finishing till the end of September i’m hoping to get some decent problems done and maybe even get on a rope and try some peak sport climbing!



Source: George Carmichael

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Staminaband Success
8 August 2012, 8:19 pm

On Monday evening I finally finished off Staminaband 8A at Raven Tor. So psyched to have it out of the way now. Ended up becoming a long term project and fell off over 20 times at the end!

Plan now is to finish off a few things at the Tor such as Cave Problem SS (7C) and Staminahumps (7C+). Then hoping to get on a hardish sport route (maybe Mecca…) as well as heading over to Anston Stones (now I finally have a car) to try out some of the boulder problems there.

PSYCHED.



Source: George Carmichael

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August Update
26 August 2012, 6:01 pm

Just started getting into some sport climbing lately, did my second outdoor sport lead the other week, which was Rattle and Hump (f8a) at Raven Tor in a session. This got me pretty psyched for routes so now notching it up a level and trying Zeke the Freak (f8b) at Rubicon. Also been doing some easier boulder problems around as well as some filming with my brother which can be seen below.

 

Currently on family holiday in Cornwall so having a short break from climbing, planning on getting back on Zeke when i’m back  Got 4 weeks left in the peak till I start back at university where i’m planning on training properly indoors over the winter for the first time – PSYCHED



Source: George Carmichael

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Zeke the Freak
10 September 2012, 8:35 pm

Psyched to do my first f8b route today which was ‘Zeke the Freak’ at Rubicon.

Really enjoyed this route and highly recommend it! Feels great to have met my bouldering and sport targets for this Summer, will see what I can get done in the last 2 weeks before I go back to Uni now!

Peace (Y)



Source: George Carmichael

[Wood FT]

Effort George. You've done less than 10 sport routes I guess? from 7c to 8b.


kin 'ell. 

Is uni some sort of exile for you? keep climbing dufus! This is what is known in the business as a roll.

[gcarmichael]

Cheers Guy yeh Zeke was my 5th sport route but have been sticking to bouldery routes i'm hopeless on the pumpy stuff! Haha yeh got to make the most of the outdoor stuff before I go back to Uni, the clocks ticking!

[petejh]

Hey. Looks like you're climbing really well. I'm trying not to be not being a twat - honestly, but at the moment you're just listing what you climb - that's not really a blog, it's more of an online logbook. A good blog details other stuff like the process and emotions behind doing routes you really want to do and is somthing that's interesting to read, beyond beyond being a simple list of routes climbed. It could be about doing 7a+'s and still be interesting. The most interesting parts of the better blogs are often the in-between bits not neccassarily directly about routes and grades, but still linked.  If it's a sponsorship push you're making it's probably more efficient to send your cv directly to companies.

[gcarmichael]

Hi, yeh that's a very fair point. Always just write updates in a rush with little thought but yeh I agree that the blog should be more insightful than just a tick list (i admit to being way too grade orientated with my climbing). I'll try and make it a bit more interesting in the future, but yeh cheers for the feedback.

[Krank]

nothing wrong with chasing grades.

[petejh]

Nope, nowt wrong wit dat. I chase them a lot. Sometimes I even catch one.

Effort on doing 8b in quick time too.

[Doylo]

The world awaits your blog petejh, you know you want to... 

[petejh]

If blogs were emoticons mine might look something like:
 
 
 

 
 
 

or more likely just:
 

[Doylo]

www.rufflingfeathers.blogspot.com

[tomtom]

Nope, nowt wrong wit dat. I chase them a lot. Sometimes I even catch one.

Could you write your blog in Scouse please?

[petejh]

www.rufflingfeathers.blogspot.com

Exciting stuff ChrisDoyleClimbing, now I see where you get your writing style from 

'Henry likes to garden in the nude. Sometimes you will find him in his galoshes or undies'

...

'He found his first veggie, a squash. We watch it grow everyday (sic)'

 

Hope you're taking notes George - this blog's dynamite. 

[Nibile]

I think that George's blog reflects his very young age, his psyche, and his talent. It's hard to get insight when you see a route, you like it, and then you crush it...
 
But I understand the points made here.

[SA Chris]

nothing wrong with chasing grades.

It's sport climbing after all, you aren't meant to climb them for fun.

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Uni Time
25 September 2012, 10:15 pm

Over the last two weeks i’ve been finishing a few problems off before I go back to Uni on the limestone such as ‘Lets’ Get Ready to Rumbleweed’ 8A which can be seen in the video below.

I also opened my account on Mecca to get a feel for it, did all the moves and made a few links – cool route  Looking forward to hopefully doing it next year! Was great to see the recent footage of Mina crushing it as well!

The other day Nathan and me decided to go to Anston Stones but we only made it half way! This short video explains why… 

Post

I am due to start back at Uni this Friday which seems to be good timing considering the weather! This will be the first time I have trained properly, so i’m going to start off steady and gradually build it up. Went to the Works yesterday and realised that although my finger strength is better on crimps and pockets, a lot has been lost power wise!



Well psyched to start training and working at the new Depot Climbing Centre in Nottingham, had a look around a few weeks ago and the place looks immense!



Hoping to see some good gains over the autumn/winter so I can step it up a level next year!

Peace (Y)



Source: George Carmichael

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Training at Depot and Some Comps
23 November 2012, 12:00 am

Been busy training lately at the Depot in Nottingham, it’s hard not to get addicted and climb everyday! Psyched to have started training on boards for the first time and a good scene of keen climbers is developing which is cool.



Also been doing some university comps which have been going reasonably well (apart from when slopers are involved… too much limestone over summer!). 3 weeks left of term then back home in the peak for 5 weeks so hoping to get out a bit more on the grit and flail on some slopers as well as revising for winter exams at uni :S Few more cool pics below of climbing in Depot all taken by Alex Messenger.







Source: George Carmichael

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Aims for 2013
2 January 2013, 12:36 am

Now we are into the new year, I like a lot of people have been thinking about what I would like to achieve over the next 12 months. 2012 was a good year for me and I saw improvements both in my bouldering and sport climbing but small strength gains in comparison. This year I would like to train hard so I can get stronger and accelerate my improvement.

Every year I seem to set myself ambitiously high targets and the same is true for 2013… I would like to improve by a grade in both bouldering and sport climbing. A V12 in the UK – Sean’s Roof, Pilgrim and Vanilla Sky are some of the ones I intend to try. And Mecca is the F8b+ I am aiming for and feels a bit more achievable than the bouldering target at the moment!

As well as these grade specific aims I hope to have a trip aboard, Magic Wood in the Autumn is the plan! Also need to put more effort into eating well and try and avoid injuries if possible. First I need to finish uni exams in the next few weeks then crack on with training!

Psyched for what’s to come and wish everyone a happy new year!





Source: George Carmichael

[Three Nine]

Are you going to do one route of each grade? I mean why bother doing more than one of each grade? 

[gcarmichael]

Haha yeah this isn't the best routes pyramid (column*) i've ever seen...

Screen Shot 2013-01-02 at 11.38.16 by gcarmichael, on Flickr

[Doylo]

See if you can keep it going up to 9a 

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Easter in Chironico 2013
8 April 2013, 3:36 pm

 Just got back from an easter trip to Chironico, Switzerland. Had a great time out there and was very impressed by the quality and amount of climbing there. Very psyched to keep going back there in the future!

I now have 7 weeks left of my second year at university, will be doing a lot of revision from home so hopefully should be able to get out in the peak a fair bit during revision breaks  



Source: George Carmichael

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Mecca – The Mid Study-Leave Crisis
10 May 2013, 3:37 pm

Since getting back from Switzerland, i’ve been climbing outside as much possible. In the first weeks I focused on bouldering and did a few things like The Press (7B+) and Ben’s Roof Extension (8A).

After this I turned my attention the the route Mecca-The Mid-Life Crisis, the classic f8b+ route at Raven Tor (of course!).



I had tried this 2 times at the end of last summer. Despite knowing the beta it still took me a bit of time to remember it all and start doing some links. I was due to go back to University two weeks ago but wasn’t keen as I hadn’t finished the route! I’ve been trying to focus on exams and have been limiting myself to two sessions a week but my work still suffered because I was too psyched to climb in the day! Last Saturday I went to try the route with Ted Kingsnorth and conditions were good and I felt well rested. On my first go I thought I had it but I managed to slip at the last possible moment with my hand in the flake you clip the chains off! This can be seen in the video below!

I had another go yesterday but was a bit doubtful when I saw the heavy rain and wind when I woke up. I tried to revise till 5 then headed to the Tor to meet Adam Hodgson and Ted. Despite the grim weather when we arrived Adam was psyched and managed to crush his 8a project which got me really motivated to try hard on Mecca. Luckily everything went right and I was clipping the chains after an intense 2 minutes. Turned out I had split a tip on that go so I was super lucky! Psyched



The plan now is to try and cram for the exams over the next two weeks then get on some new things from June to September. Psyched for some boulders and more power endurance routes!



Source: George Carmichael

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Short Mecca Film from Patrick Taylor
10 June 2013, 11:42 am

 A video short of me climbing the Raven Tor classic ‘Mecca’ filmed and edited by Patrick Taylor.



Source: George Carmichael

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Hot Hot Hot!
16 July 2013, 11:48 am

Since finishing my second year of Uni I’ve been getting out quite a lot. I started off by trying Evolution f8c+ at Raven Tor, progress was quicker than expected at first. I managed to do all the moves and then started to try making some links on it. This didn’t go too well as it’s the sharpest climb I’ve ever tried and I quickly split a tip on the crux move. This then took close to two weeks to heal and by then the hot weather had arrived!



For me the route boils down to two really hard moves and the other moves are fine in comparison. When it cools down I aim to try Devolution first which does the crux move to the break then goes right up an easier finish at 8b+ which seems more manageable in the near future as I find the second crux move too hard at the moment to think about sticking it from the ground.

Now my split tip has healed I’ve been able to get back on routes with smaller holds. Last week I did an amazing f8a+ route called ‘Agent Provocateur’ at Crunch Buttress in Water-Cum Jolly dale. A technical start leads into a more powerful finishing sequence with a heart breaker last move. A really good route that’s definitely worth checking out! Video of it below.



At the end of this week I’m going on a family holiday so will be having a week off climbing. When I get back I’m looking forward to doing some bouldering again with my sights set on Seans’ Roof and Mutton Busting, two font 8A+’s at Blackwell Dale which look really good. Hoping I might be able to get some form back by then and for the temps to drop a bit!



Source: George Carmichael

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Time Off
18 October 2013, 5:55 pm

It’s been a long time since my last blog post due firstly to a lack of psyche over the summer which is rare for me and then a finger injury which has been taking a while to heal. It was stupidly caused by warming up on the easier moves of Keen Roof. Although not tendon related and just inflammation of soft tissue it has taken a while for me to get back to the point where I feel I can push myself again.



I am now back at University in my final year and am mainly focussing on training now as I have a few unfinished projects to do which I want to be a little stronger for. I also plan to have a gap year visiting Switzerland and America when I finish my degree so want to be as strong as I can for that.



This week I have been training on the boards at the Depot Nottingham and was happy to find I felt stronger than I have done on them before. Now I am going to train hard with Evolution (8c+) and Keen Roof (V13) in mind, as I have done all the moves and made decent links. Just need the hard moves to feel a little easier!



Source: George Carmichael

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Coming Back from a Year of Injury
9 November 2014, 4:00 pm

I have not posted on this blog for over a year, the reason why? Injury. Again…

Last Autumn I was the strongest I had ever been. I trained 4 times a week and all I focussed on was training and getting stronger. I watched my diet, rested well and did very intense short sessions on the board followed by campussing steep boulder problems on good holds. By the end of November I was warming up on climbs that just a month a go had been long term projects.

Then in December I tore my A2 pulley by warming up on a crimpy 7B after a week off (idiot!) and since then it has been a real struggle to get back to being able to crimp at all without pain.

Finger Rehab This Summer I had planned a trip with my friend Chris Clarke to Magic Wood but my finger was still injured. In the end we decided to go for it anyway. At the start font 7A with crimps felt hard and I began to question whether a month long bouldering trip was a good idea. Luckily Magic Wood turned out to be one of the best places to recover from an injury. With an ice cold river running alongside the boulders there was always an opportunity to easily ice my fingers after a climb and this really helped.

Last Day in Magic Wood After a couple of weeks I had improved and had done a good amount of climbs up to font 7C all of which were amazing boulders which I was happy with.

Intermezzo 7C I then had a look at ‘Foxy Lady’ a shouldery, short font 8A on crimps. Surprisingly this felt ok and wasn’t too tweaky, after a few sessions I managed to get it done and this was my first 8A in over a year!

Since returning home in September I have started a part time job at the Climbing Works which I am enjoying and next year I plan to do a masters at Manchester University. Although I had managed to climb much better in Switzerland than I had expected I still felt like my finger wasn’t fixed and I had no power at all.

In the last few weeks I have finally found my strength returning and feel I can finally start to look at climbs I want to do again. Recent days at Raven Tor and on the board have been really good and although i’m probably at 80% strength it feels great to finally be able to try hard again!

I now hope to train well over the Autumn/Winter as well as getting out on the limestone while it is still dry and most of all avoid injury at all cost!



Source: George Carmichael