[tommytwotone]

Apologies if anyone's covered this before - searching the forum for "7b" returns a predicably large amount of results!

So, after some continued success in ticking off a "top end" 7a pretty quickly, coupled with some naked grade-chasing in pursuit of my goal for this year, last year and the year before, I'm trying to sort out a project Font 7b in the Peak to get on.

Wanted to canvass opinion as to one that's:

a) In the accessible from Leeds in a day side of the Peak
b) Is on grit
c) Isn't reachy for someone who's 5 foot 7
d) Would be doable on one's own if necessary

So a trawl of the last PDB guide I think threw out the following as interesting contenders:

Zippy's Traverse, Stanage
Captain Hook, Stanage
Boyager, Burbage North
Electrical Storm, Burbage South
Desparete, Burbage South
Countdown, Burbage West
The Traverse, Burbage West
True Git, Burbage West
Piss, Higgar
Master Chef, Millstone
Green Death Superdirect, Millstone
Pets Win Prizes, Mother's Pet
Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt
Late Junction, Curbar
The Art Of White Hat Wearing, Curbar
For A Few Beagles More, Baslow
Flatworld LH, Baslow
Soft On The G, Gardom's
Sauvito, Gardom's

Any advice thoroughly welcome!

[Duma]

Well, throw out TAOWHW and flatworld LH to start with, both 7B+. Of the others on your list I've done, desperate is pretty high (crux is ok height though), electrical storm is pretty hard. Boyager is easy but you might not be happy on your own. SOTG is a good bet if you're good on that sort of knacky arete climbing. FAFBM felt spot on for the grade and has a nice friendly landing so could be good.

[dave]

Zippy's Traverse, Stanage - fine
Captain Hook, Stanage - fine
Boyager, Burbage North - potential death sans spotters
Electrical Storm, Burbage South - fine but you'll need more than one mat
Desparete, Burbage South - highball, sloppy landing
Countdown, Burbage West - shit
The Traverse, Burbage West - you're too tall
True Git, Burbage West - fine
Piss, Higgar - fine
Master Chef, Millstone - has a block right in the landing, otherwise fine
Green Death Superdirect, Millstone - perfect
Pets Win Prizes, Mother's Pet - is this the sidewall?
Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt -fine but maybe want a spot
Late Junction, Curbar - fine but needs a couple of mats
The Art Of White Hat Wearing, Curbar - couple of mats, spotter welcome
For A Few Beagles More, Baslow - which one is this?
Flatworld LH, Baslow - fine unless you drop the top
Soft On The G, Gardom's - fine
Sauvito, Gardom's - spot and pads wanted

I would recommend more but I forget what is graded 7b in the current book.

[shark]

I'm in the same boat re grit up problems (7A max) so keen to see what gets recommended.

Re Suavito from what I've heard you wouldn't get on this without a spotter and it's pretty scary even with one.

[nai]

Zippy's Traverse, Stanage - decent choice
Captain Hook, Stanage - ditto
Boyager, Burbage North - Bad Landing, need partner
Electrical Storm, Burbage South harder if you can't reach the crimp (I can't)
Desparete, Burbage South - think you'll need a spotter here
Countdown, Burbage West - this is ok except the first and last moves, unfortunately there's only three moves in all.
The Traverse, Burbage West - contender if not that great (have a video I've not posted if you'd like to see the beta)
True Git, Burbage West - possible but hard
Piss, Higgar - defo, get to it
Master Chef, Millstone - dunno
Green Death Superdirect, Millstone - dunno, quite specialist though I believe
Pets Win Prizes, Mother's Pet - only had a quick look, short, slopey and hard and a big block behind
Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt - dunno, would try it alone with two pads, cold day needed I think
Late Junction, Curbar - dunno
The Art Of White Hat Wearing, Curbar - high, multi pads and spotter preferable
For A Few Beagles More, Baslow - brilliant and ok on the right day
Flatworld LH, Baslow - hard
Soft On The G, Gardom's - yes
Sauvito, Gardom's - highish, not one to do alone

[Robl]

As a fellow short bloke,
I've done zippy's and in the cold it aint too bad. Its not reachy and not too, skin intensive.
I find captain hook a bit spanned for the last 2 moves.
Electrical storm - I find i hard to get to the crimp, need a spotter. but if u can reach the crimp without too much hassle its all over.
Soft on the G. Not bad with the right beta. not reachy.
If u wanna check out my logbook, If i can reach it - you can.

[Dolly]

How about tracking @ Curbar ?
Where's Countdown at Burbage West ?

[andy popp]

Soft on the G may fit the bill but I never thought it was very good, just didn't enjoy the climbing on it.

[nai]

Couple of others to consider:

MP3, Birchen - low, straightforward, bit of a reachy lunge.
David, Mudda Cap - quite tricksome but really good wall climb, two padder.
Mark's Roof, Gardoms - might not be your bag - long, roof into a slopey traverse  with a heartbreaking final mantle.

[tomtom]

How about tracking @ Curbar ?
Where's Countdown at Burbage West ?

Tracking is well reachy (well it was for me..) - and has now been bumped up to 7B+ - maybe I did it some lankmeisters way..

Zippys and soft on the G are good shouts (both tried but never done). Captain Hook always feels really shit when I've tried it, but that might be an arms and legs everywhere thing

[Dolly]

Oh OK sorry TTT
Agree with mp3 and soft on the g as in you can work them lots without wasting time recovering or going too high and getting scared

[travs]

Zaff's roof secret garden - easy with a good sequence.

[lagerstarfish]

Mark's Roof, Gardoms - might not be your bag - long, roof into a slopey traverse  with a heartbreaking final mantle.

safe and you can work the crux easily from standing

[Bonjoy]

Zippy's Traverse, Stanage – Very popular as a first 7b, due to being 7a+.
Captain Hook, Stanage - Solid 7b
Boyager, Burbage North – Easy 7a+ IMO. Probably gets grade for the tricky landing
Electrical Storm, Burbage South – Great prob. Tricky 7b
Desparete, Burbage South – Steady 7b if you get the beta right. But the top bit is high and the landing slopes.
Countdown, Burbage West – Haven’t tried
The Traverse, Burbage West – Not great
True Git, Burbage West – Haven’t tried much but seems solid 7b
Piss, Higgar – A bit wrist hurty but not too hard for 7b
Master Chef, Millstone – Haven’t tried. Awkward landing
Green Death Superdirect, Millstone – Easy if it suits you, desperate if it doesn’t
Pets Win Prizes, Mother's Pet – Thought I gave this 7a+
Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt – Knacky, balancy technical palming. Not bad when figured
Late Junction, Curbar – Haven’t tried
The Art Of White Hat Wearing, Curbar – Great but prob not ideal if pushing grade and a bit reachy
For A Few Beagles More, Baslow – Tad reachy
Flatworld LH, Baslow – Top move needs a spot really. Not ideal first 7b stuff
Soft On The G, Gardom's – Middling 7b. Lowball with flat landing
Sauvito, Gardom's – More ballsy than hard. Prob not ideal first 7b



How about:

Marks Roof, Gardoms
Pogle’s Sitter, Gardoms
Zaff’s Prob, Secret Garden
Little Gem, Burb S
Case of Mistaken Identity, Stanage
Sparks, Rivelin

All ok for 7b (IMO) and not requiring multiple pads/spotter

If you willing to travel further there are some good options around the Cratcliffe massif

[nai]

Where's Countdown at Burbage West ?

Just above the stream below westworld but what dave said

[Dolly]

Ok ta


I thought COMI was nails

[Bonjoy]

Ok ta


I thought COMI was nails

Horses for course. It’s one of the tiny few peak 7bs I managed to flash.

[a dense loner]

U were probably on wrong problem Jon

[Duma]

Marks roof is a good shout. PW sit I agreed with the guide - not much change from 7B+.

[masonwoods101]

late junction, piss, soft on the g, marks roof and mp3 are all good bets. need a few pads for late junction though...

[Jim]

don't bother with captain hook - its shit

[r-man]

Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt – Knacky, balancy technical palming. Not bad when figured

Years since I did it, but I just remember a tricky move off a gaston and sloper to gain a slopey left hand, via a pebble intermediate, then a big rockover on the starting handhold. Where do you palm?

[T_B]

Zippy's Traverse, Stanage Classic and doesn't need a spotter, but a bit reachy
Captain Hook, Stanage Probably easier if you're short as it's bunched. I think it's hard
Boyager, Burbage North Defo not one to do on your own and 7a+ as Bonjoy says
Electrical Storm, Burbage South Fine
Desparete, Burbage South Want a spot and a few pads - most folk seem to not top out 
Piss, Higgar Classic and easier if you're short to get your hips and foot onto the lip
Master Chef, Millstone I don't find the landing an issue, and personally find this totally knacky and p*ss for 7b so probably reachy 
Green Death Superdirect, Millstone Impossible
Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt Classic. You don't need a spot really, but 2 pads is helpful
The Art Of White Hat Wearing, Curbar 7b+ really and needs 3 pads at least
For A Few Beagles More, Baslow Not as good as the other problems on the block
Flatworld LH, Baslow Hmm, not exactly a king line
Soft On The G, Gardom's Classic and short - perfect for a first 7b
Sauvito, Gardom's E5 without spotters!
Little Gem, Burbage South Hard

Sean's Arete at Curbar is classic for 7b and doesn't need a spot, but it's a big move.
The Rib at Burbage South is top end 7b but v good.

[Bonjoy]

Pig Heart Boy, Froggatt – Knacky, balancy technical palming. Not bad when figured

Years since I did it, but I just remember a tricky move off a gaston and sloper to gain a slopey left hand, via a pebble intermediate, then a big rockover on the starting handhold. Where do you palm?

All I can remember is locking out a palm down on the big slopey boss/start hold. Sounds like there's other ways to do it.

[andyd]

Suarvito has a big(ish) reach too. It might be a stopper move. I like soft on the G and captain hook, and I have unfinished business at both crags if you fancy sharing the drive down south some time soon.
Master Chef is straightforward. I reckon you'd do it fairly quickly. It's a long drive to visit a crag without much bouldering though. Prob tie it in with somewhere else.