[Stabbsy]

Bit of a strange year from a climbing perspective - I've been motivated to climb/train for the first time in a few years, but largely just been ticking over outside while in the process of moving to Sheffield. Most days out were widely spread, so never really got any momentum going on routes. Managed to do a bit more bouldering as it fitted the shorter timeframe better.

Top three boulder problems, UK

Mark's Roof, Gardoms - first tried about 15 years ago and sporadically since, but never been able to do the top out. A short session between the showers on my own and finally did the top out after a couple of tries, followed by the full problem next go.
Right to Silence, Glen Nevis - best problem of a trip to Glencoe area in May/June. Also bouldered up in the Lost Valley and did some fantastic running around Glen Etive. When the weather's good, there's few places that beat Scotland.
Beretta, Anston - less about the actual problem and more about finding a reliable venue for those days when the grit edges are clagged in.

Top three boulder problems, abroad

Nothing.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Very little, finally got round to doing Left Unconquerable and had a good day doing E1/2s at Pic Tor - underrated venue, especially if you've done most things at High Tor.

Top three sport routes UK

Also very little, did some decent routes at Llandulas on the way back from a North Wales washout but that's about it.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Two good trips to Siurana/Margalef and Pyrenees, but not much that stands out.

Top three new routes/problems put up

Nowt.

Top races

Weets - best I've run at a champs race and didn't feel totally out of my depth like I normally do! Could have done better still if I hadn't been boxed in on the first lane.
Tigger Tor - such a great route with a bit of everything, fast descents, technical descents, some boggy bits, some good running and the odd tough climb. Plus, it's great when a bit of local knowledge pays off!
Long Mynd Valleys - who knew Shropshire was so picturesque? Didn't run especially well and suffered on the last couple of climbs, but more than made up for by running in such a great spot. Tempted to go back for other races or a longer break.

Top Spankings

No climbing ones this year - probably due to not trying especially hard! Briefly tried Musee Imaginaire at Curbar after doing Late Junction and think that could have shut me down, but I don't think 15 minutes of failure counts as a spanking.

Sheffield Half Marathon - missed my target by 90 seconds, started drifting off the pace running into the wind at Ringinglow and then couldn't peg it back on the descent. Back this year.

Tebay Fell Race - felt crap from the start, couldn't get my legs moving on a course that ought to suit me. Felt like I was running into a furnace on the descent before the final big climb, no wind and the sun beating down. Legs were like jelly for the last few miles.

[Monolith]

Only climbed twice this year - one session indoors, one session outdoors. Feels very weird to have lost such a high climbing drive the past two years but it's nice to know that muscle memory is a wonderful thing and is always there if the urge comes back. Larking about at Sheep Pen with a load of Scousers last weekend reminded me that it can be a far less solitary pursuit than running and I even felt a surge of psyche coming back. Perhaps that'll develop in 2018.

I finally got an MRI on my lower back this year and discovered that the chronic and at times crippling bouts of pain result from a stress fracture and spondylolisthesis. It's pushed me to my limits I can tell you. Despite that, I still managed some decent fell races early in the season and have only had to put them on hold the past few months after upping my training intensity and volume too quickly.


Main year highlights in summary:

Our trip to Japan (just go!)

The Inov-8 High Cup Nick race was superb and I'll definitely be back for that

Ras Yr Aran saw some of the most horrendous conditions imaginable but I still managed a respectable time (and survived moreover!)

Cycling from Liverpool to Sheffield and back for the work charity cause. Was tough after a few months of not cycling!

Briefly experiencing the feeling of progression in fell races

Joining the Liverpool Harriers and some good training sessions with them

Releasing a new whisky

Making headway on the republishing of Stud Marks on The Summits with all copy now transposed and proofed

Progression with music production/modular synthesis knowledge

Really looking forward to attacking 2018 and I think I'm finally accepting I'm not 18 any more and that supplementary conditioning is king in the world of sport!

[Will Hunt]

After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).

I think it's quite vindicating to see it mentioned no less than three times on this thread.


I stupidly forgot that my biggest spanking of the year was giving up on my project at Earl Seat which I mentioned in the Yorkshire Open Projects thread. I was fairly gutted not to get this as I had one attempt when I was really, really, stupidly close to doing it. I had three fingers in the crucial slot - if I'd got my little finger in as well it would have gone. It would have been the hardest problem I'd ever climbed full stop - I think I would have given it 7C+ in hindsight, though it might have been subsequently downgraded.
I don't regret the decision to pack it in. It was a long walk in to do with 4 pads - an hour's steep uphill grind and heather bash. On one occasion I had only two goes on it before I ripped my tip on the two finger crimp (with a subsequent fortnight healing time where I couldn't really climb very well). It ruined at least two pairs of shoes by putting a huge hole in the rubber on the left toe. If I'd done it it would have been glorious, but by sinking so much time into it I was missing out on a lot of other climbing I could have been doing. It's all very well for Nalle to say that giving up is the only sort of failure, but he only said that once he had succeeded, and for a weekend warrior with limited opportunities to get out then I think a careful budgeting of what time you have to spend on rock is important.

I told myself I could always go back to it if I got psyched - regardless of whether it had been climbed by someone else in the interim. The wall got a relatively large amount of attention in the last year. I was disappointed to hear that an important pebble has been pulled off which might mean that it now doesn't go. I was slightly heartened (in a mean sort of a way) to see that the subsequent line that was created on the wall (The Chieftain) doesn't climb the line that I had been trying. It might be harder than what I was trying, but in my view it is inferior since the finish of it is escapable, eliminate and can be accessed direct via a much easier piece of climbing.

[Footwork]

After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).

I think it's quite vindicating to see it mentioned no less than three times on this thread.


I stupidly forgot that my biggest spanking of the year was giving up on my project at Earl Seat which I mentioned in the Yorkshire Open Projects thread. I was fairly gutted not to get this as I had one attempt when I was really, really, stupidly close to doing it. I had three fingers in the crucial slot - if I'd got my little finger in as well it would have gone. It would have been the hardest problem I'd ever climbed full stop - I think I would have given it 7C+ in hindsight, though it might have been subsequently downgraded.
I don't regret the decision to pack it in. It was a long walk in to do with 4 pads - an hour's steep uphill grind and heather bash. On one occasion I had only two goes on it before I ripped my tip on the two finger crimp (with a subsequent fortnight healing time where I couldn't really climb very well). It ruined at least two pairs of shoes by putting a huge hole in the rubber on the left toe. If I'd done it it would have been glorious, but by sinking so much time into it I was missing out on a lot of other climbing I could have been doing. It's all very well for Nalle to say that giving up is the only sort of failure, but he only said that once he had succeeded, and for a weekend warrior with limited opportunities to get out then I think a careful budgeting of what time you have to spend on rock is important.

I told myself I could always go back to it if I got psyched - regardless of whether it had been climbed by someone else in the interim. The wall got a relatively large amount of attention in the last year. I was disappointed to hear that an important pebble has been pulled off which might mean that it now doesn't go. I was slightly heartened (in a mean sort of a way) to see that the subsequent line that was created on the wall (The Chieftain) doesn't climb the line that I had been trying. It might be harder than what I was trying, but in my view it is inferior since the finish of it is escapable, eliminate and can be accessed direct via a much easier piece of climbing.

 

But is it harder than the geminid trail?

[teestub]

Anyone who can't recognise the pure class of Horror Arete is an idiot, like you say up there with the best on grit. Thankfully it's of a lot better quality than most of the grit at Bridestones, but still relatively fragile, so hopefully it will be treated kindly.

Slightly easier then Gemenid Trail but not much, I can only imagine that Will had taken an ethical stance and was trying to climb on the moss!

[36chambers]

After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).

For the record, this has nothing to do with me.

[JackAus]

76 days on rock. That sucked. Down from 110 in 2016.

Because I didn't really do anything of note this year and was injured quite a bit, mine will just be a summary of the most memorable lines that I did.
And spankings...

Arete Steady V3/4
Fishermans Bay, Port Stephens

Nothing like sketchy piano swapping fingers while laybacking over a ledge....




Copperhead V6/7
Venus Baths, Gramps

Nothing like falling off the last move (THE move) on your flash...... And then the next 20 times as well...




The Prow V5/6
Lakeside Boulder, Wanaka

The joy of sprained ankles... The joy of the location!




Whatever random DWS lines I did in Hawaii.
Interesting climbing on lava! Dynoing wasn't my best idea...






The Spankings.

If The Shoe Fits V8
The Frontline, Sydney

Same move. Same couple of degrees between me and doing it.
Grr.




Ain't No Easy Win V8
Jurassic Park, Sydney

All down to the one rollover move to a pinch. Landing isn't great and ate shit a few times...



Fingers crossed for a better this year.

[Fiend]

I forgot! I did one boulder problem in the UK:

Top three one boulder problem UK:
Some blunt arete at Helman Tor: it had small crystals for the hands and feet and was pretty nice

[T_B]

Better late than never...

UK
Backstreet Mime Artist. 6 sessions. Loved the process. Happy to complete it (my only 8a of the year).
Roof of a Baby Buddha. On the list for ages and fought up it by the skin of my teeth at the end of the day. Best day’s bouldering on paper, as did Wavelength and Corridors of Power earlier the same day.
Quarantine, Anston. One of those afternoons when conditions are perfect and you nail it first go (redpoint), having done precisely the correct sort of training (though for another PE problem).

Abroad
Pirouette Cacouette. Skin of teeth. Happy to climb a proper Font ‘King Line’ in August.
Pancras Assis. One of the forest’s quickest drying problems and proof that you can get Velcro conditions in August. It’s popular cos it’s kind of basic for Font, but that doesn’t stop it being a classic.
Bob’s your Uncle. Targasonne. Classic prow hugging and mantle top out.

Trad
Bludgeon, Shepherds. Got psyched for trad again after a weekend in April. Didn’t lead on to much!
Repeated Circe one evening. First E5 in a few years. But never did any more trad.

Sport
Didn’t do any this year.

Abroad
None.

New
Did a low start to a problem at Confluencia camp on Aconcagua, which I don’t think had been done previously. Didn’t boulder at Mulas as too busy sorting sh*t out.

Spankings
Where to start? The big one was Trou de culte assis (8A) in Targasonne. 4 sessions. It’s a classic core-intensive burly crack/gaston/pinch line. Had really good conditions on one of those sessions but made the mistake of thinking ‘I’ll get it next session’ and didn’t. Enjoyed the process, but it would have been really nice to do it ;-)
Aqua Planning in Font. Not very Font being a long roof climb. World’s hardest 7C. Slapped the crimp before the final campus move a dozen times but not enough beef.
Pump up the Powerband. Never really got going. Had done a load of training but the psyche just evaporated come late April, so only tried it a couple of times.
Kentmere in October with Dave and Cofe. Got shut down on virtually everything and felt like a broken, old man. Pretty much gave up bouldering for 3 months.

Fell races
The Great Lakes. 21Km/2000m. A fairly last minute opportunity presented itself. Amazing weather, amazing route. Small field meant making some decisions about route choice. Was keeping up with some pretty handy folk as far as Scafell, but inevitably lost a lot of time in the final stages as the engine ran out of steam.
Tideswell. A week after the GL and the opposite end of the spectrum, being short and fast. I think I’d built up enough endurance to run as hard as possible in the final Km without slowing down. Was a nice feeling to hold my position (albeit way down the field as per).
Warslow Beer Festival. The following week, I continued my short ‘peak’. A 10k race with 500m of climbing. Lots of steep ups and downs, so suited my walking and descending ability, as opposed to (lack of) flat speed. My best result and finished just a few minutes after a mate who is a much better runner than I am.

[abarro81]

Forgot to do this!

Top three boulder problems, UK
Did a fair amount of UK bouldering this year, but mostly training-style link-ups  and grotty stuff in caves rather than high quality bangers. Anyway...
Louis Armstrong - Became a real mental struggle. Going from nearly doing it to failing to be able to do the moves after a week away with work in China broke me mentally. Was very glad to be done with it when it finally went.
Saucy Mutton - A triumph of alternative beta over strength. First I ruined Mutton Busting with a new sequence (I blame Ned for finding a new hold), and then I improved Mint Sauce with an awesome kneebar sequence. Best of a bunch of linky/travy stuff from an early Summer period of spending too much time at Griff's. Done on a pre-work 6.30 start as a bonus.
La Grande Fissure - A fun problem, but mostly indicative of a nice sunny day in Wales. Good for the soul.

Top threetwo sport routes UK
Not much UK Sport this year
Giant Haystacks - Normally I'm not very into short routes, but this was really good.
Belly's Gonna Get Ya - My dumb new addition to the tor. Still, good to hunt out hard things that I can climb locally that aren't very crimpy so that I can actually try them.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
La Banda, Rodellar - Everything I could want from a hard onsight/flash: great climbing on a great cliff getting unbelievably pumped. 2 bolts from the top and having reversed out of a tricky section it felt inconceivable that I could get to the top. So much fighting, so much pain, pins and needles and wanting to throw up afterwards... This is why I climb.
Ixeia, Rodellar - First 8b+ (or 8b/+) onsight. Nearly punted it low down when I struggled to  fit a kneebar in, then climbed really well on the upper half. Rad.
Batuka, Margalef - Rad pocketses


Top three new routes/problems put up
Belly's Gonna Get Ya
Contra Girl - The Misogynist's Link - the usual tor shuffly shuffle
Cave Converter Sit - dumb but fun with a full invert toe hook sequence

Top Spankings
La Bongada - Wanted to try this in Margalef at Christmas. Felt mutant on day 1, got a cold on day 2, hurt my finger on it on day 3. Decided to sack off trying hard stuff on holidays for a the next few years and stick to onsights/quick ticks
The Mentalist - Flashed through the hard stuff and punted the damp and dirty last move. Then couldn't do the hard bit anymore - cue about an hour of frustration and ranting before dragging my sorry ass up it.
My fingers - still stektchy and perma-injured

[hstmoore]

I thought I'd write something mostly because reflecting on the best of the previous year temporarily stops you thinking you're a shit climber.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

I've put this lot first as it's the focus of my climbing:

The Golden Mile, Chee Tor

This was a big one for me as it features possibly the hardest climbing I've done on a trad route. I tried it a couple of times in 2016 and fell off going to the mid-height thread. This presented a bit of a psychological barrier for me: up to the thread the gear is good and the thread itself is excellent*. However, I had heard that after that there is one more piece of gear: an upside down cam in a pocket and still more hard and insecure climbing. Not trusting cams at all on peak lime, this essentially meant that there was no more gear after the thread and it is a long way to the top. Even worse, I had heard that Peak hardman Dom Lee had fallen off the top section, ripped some gear and broken a rib or two. Shit.

*I take no responsibility for any deaths resulting from the failure of the thread.

Did I really want to go above that thread in to the danger zone? I had bought myself a totem cam especially to fit that pocket but from previous experience I still didn't trust cams on Peak lime. One evening I turned up for 'a look' with a new partner. I 'kindly' offered him the first bash as an onsight attempt. He didn't get too far which meant it was my go. Being an evening session the time pressure is always on and I don't want to fuck around too much and waste his time. Off I go and, on the lower section which I've done a few times before a hold breaks and I'm off. My gear rips but the piece below holds and just keeps me off the deck. I say "my" gear but it was actually James's; I inspected it as I climbed past and thought it was bomber. Climbing back up to the offending gear I put the same nuts back in and again they looked bomber. Fucking Peak lime. Fucking trad. When is bomber gear not bomber? When is gear bomber? Can't we just have some rules to play by!?

Anyway, here I am eye-balling the thread having just climbed a tricky, slippy, traverse to get there. Thankfully I manage to get it clipped from below and find a good hold in the thread itself enabling me to mantel on to the 'ledge'. Shit, I'm on the ledge. What do I do? Do I want to go up there? No. Will I go up there? Well, it's that or jump off, and I've got so far. The ledge is in fact a fairly slopey affair and the handholds here aren't great so whilst you can get something back it's not exactly a rest.

I contemplated my fate and moved off left towards a series of holds that led up, back right a bit, and then up some more eventually reaching sanctuary below the big girdle break along the crag. Nervously I reached the undercut pocket and stuck my new cam in. I didn't (still don't) believe it would hold, but psychological pro is worth having. The thread would definitely save you but it'd be a big 'un and the cam popping out would perhaps flip you upside down (I have a penchant for this). Moving up above the undercut I reached one of those classic trad positions: you can't see an obvious way onwards, it's not easy to climb downwards, and you're pumping out but telling yourself it's OK, constantly shifting between rubbish holds. Eventually you always have to commit one way or another, and so I did, moving rightwards and trusting those awful, slopey, dust-covered footholds which are the special reserve of Chee Tor. Slipping, sliding right I somehow made a cross-through in to a positive pocket and yarded up to the sanctuary of good holds. I was pleased to have done the route, and perhaps more pleased not to have fallen off. Looking back on it, moving up from the pocket is all one of those wonderful 'out of body experiences' where you can't actually remember what you did but your body went on auto-pilot and did it for you. Regardless, I put myself through and got to the top. Ground-up as well, and definitely my hardest trad lead.

Golden Mile kind of sums up why I love trad climbing so much: it's fucking scary, and in some ways you don't want to do it, but in other ways you know it's the best thing ever and you can do it. When you do it, you put yourself in to a space that you don't find anywhere else.

On the topic of gear ripping, and other accidents, it's interesting how immediately after you can climb as if it hasn't happened but then it comes back to haunt you later on; this and other negative experiences affected the rest of my summer head-game. Any words of wisdom as to how to get over it and put your head in the right place?

Interspace, Paradise Wall, Carn Les Boel

This is perhaps the polar opposite of the Golden Mile experience.

My first trip to Cornwall was great, and this was by far the route of the trip. Beautiful sunshine, amazing place, thousands of new routes to go at right by the sea. What more could you want? Well, the Paradise Wall is what you flipping want my friend, because it's all of those things times 10.

Walking along the top of the cliffs with little idea of where we were going or what was beneath us, I dragged my girlfriend to the top of a cliff that looked good in the guidebook. That was handy, because leaning over the top you could see fuck all apart from a bird-covered pinnacle opposite and the frothing waves below. Assuring Roisin it would be fine, whilst not being so sure myself, I chucked the rope down and abseiled with trepidation in to the unknown. Immediately, things started looking up: pristine golden granite veined with fat breaks eager to receive my juicy cams. Aiming for the little belay ledge at the bottom things became even better: swimming a couple of metres away from me were two seals. The sea in Cornwall is that beautiful transparent turquoise and you could see the seals swimming in and out of the picturesque zawn in all their glory. A five star belay, which was fortunate for Roisin as I would spend the next god-knows-how-long jibbering my way up the route.

The Paradise Wall leans out at perhaps 20 degrees over the sea. Interspace blasts diagonally up and right through the centre of the wall making the most of the rock and the surroundings. The route itself is excellent: bridging up a corner plonks you one third of the way up the wall ready to blast off in to space along the deep breaks towards the top of the crag. There are no hard moves, but the pump is always present and it's one of those routes where you could never have enough gear and every time you place a precious cam you debate with yourself if you really need it and oh, wouldn't it fit better in that nice placement up there? Once sufficiently pumped the top of the crag looms over protected by a slightly wet crux. Wouldn't want to drop it now, but, having climbed unnecessarily slowly due to uncertainty the whole way, it's not a given. Pulling past a flakey peg and over the top to salvation the route is certainly 3 stars but it's the situation and atmosphere that make it a 5 star experience.

The Wall of Prey, Fairhead

There are certainly a few contenders for this spot - Survival of the Fastest at Craig Arthur, the big 3 E4s at Hen Cloud - but I'll give it to Fairhead for the context.

Think the weather is shit in England? Get yourself to Ireland, it's fucking dire. Mid August and it rained most of the day, every day, for a week. Fortunately we were on a family trip so it wasn't a climbing trip lost. That said, it did sometimes stay dry until midday so we managed to squeeze in some of the single pitch routes at the side of the crag which would, to be fair, be 3 stars anywhere. However, climbing single pitch routes at Fairhead is like going to an ice cream shop and ordering a plain cone. Fairhead is by far the most impressive cliff I have ever seen: one hundred metres tall and miles in length, a stark, foreboding cliff rising proudly above the sea where legends of daring-do are played out by hard men and women from across the Irish Sea. Below, the tumble of giant boulders looks like the playground of dinosaurs. It really is something else - if you haven't been there, go (but check the forecast first).

Hopefully this sets the stage for how eager I was to fight my way up the length of this amazing and seemingly unobtainable playground. The route I'd chosen which fit 'my grade', style and our team's ability was Wall of Prey. I think this is the first time I'd wanted to climb a route not for itself but because I wanted to ascend a piece of rock. (When I say "our team's ability" what I really mean is 'which route can I drag my poor girlfriend up, do that annoying trad-hanging-belay-changeover-thing as fast as possible, and get to the top before she gets justifiably pissed off'). Fortunately half way through the trip a day arrived when, after the morning's rain, the sky was blue the rock was drying and it was on.

Psyched to finally be able to approach the main wall I started up the Wall of Prey. Glancing behind me I could see the usual rain clouds flittering on the horizon, no way of telling which way they were going or when they would visit you. The climbing lulls you in, easy at first and gradually increasing in difficulty. A swift move out of the initial corner and on to the arete proper lands you in an airy position. A few more balancey and slightly nervy moves quickly bring you to the upper section of the arete and below the crucial roof and a peg. I clipped the peg and then heard my name float up from below. I turned round to see that a massive storm cloud had engulfed the sky and was almost within reach. Shit. I lowered off, leaving a couple of pieces and retrieving the rest before making a hasty retreat and, obviously, getting absolutely soaked.

A couple of days later the opportunity again presented itself to retrieve my gear and ambitions. I raced back up to the peg, had a quick glance behind me to check for sneaky storms, and then did battle with the crux. A bit of up-and-downing and a stiff pull saw me through, in to a balancey corner and eventually on to the belay. The crux was fairly reachy, so Roisin had a hard time seconding and by the time I had brought her up to the stance we had an hour or so of light left. Climbing is often just a game and you can have a go and if you don't succeed it doesn't matter. This was one of those situations where you think 'shit, I have actually got us in to a sticky situation, attached above a deathly fall by only a couple of pieces of metal, and now I need to get us out of it'. Fortunately Roisin was more positive and once I had finished dangerously flailing around with the rope work (don't climb with me, I'm shit at stuff like this) I could set off. This pitch was certainly graded as easier, perhaps 5c or so, but I had it in my head that I had to get us out before dark, and quick. The middle of the Fairhead face is not a place to be stranded in the dark, with only Shaun the friendly farmer within a couple of miles. I was full of adrenaline and I climbed quickly, pulling through cruxes and past rests with determination in a sort of 'survival mode' (this is what it must be like to be Bear Grylls). Nearing the top of the pitch I realised that I had done it, and before it was dark. I was elated with relief and also to have climbed to the top of the Fairhead beast. Flipping good day that, never got scared for a moment, easy-peasy....

That state of speed and determination would be a good way to climb on every route!

Top Three sport routes UK

Looking back on the selection of mostly shite Peak lime sport routes I climbed this year I'm struggling to remember any stand-outs. It just doesn't stick with you like trad, does it?

This is the sea, Cornice, 7c+

Excellent bouldery sequence with a great deadpoint in to a gaston - isn't that the best kind of move??

Excalibur, Moat Buttress, 7b+

The Moat Buttress revival last year was great, with plenty of 'quality' routes going up which all seem to be 7b+!? Excalibur was a really tough cookie for me, having quite a powerful move at the end of the hard climbing. Took me a while but was really satisfying. I seemed to be getting in to 7b+ quite well this season, often doing them in an evening, so it was good to get put in my place again.

The Day of the Long Knives, Rhubarb Buttress, 7b+

Great route slapping between little side-pulls. Good effort to Mark for cleaning it up. The day after I was at the Cornice telling someone how good it was who then turned out to be Keith Sharples, the first ascensionist. Good story behind the route name.

Top sport abroad

Les Rivieres Poupres aka Poo Poo River 7b+, Taghia, Morocco

A 14 pitch 7b+ with 8 pitches of 7a+ or harder. Flashing one 7a+ is a good day for me, let alone 7b and 7b+. At the start of the trip the route was always there in the background but I thought there was no way we could do it within the limits of a single day. James was more confident and by the end of the trip we were becoming much more efficient with the ropes etc. I still didn't think we could do it, but we could always call it and ab back down if we had to. Anyway, after setting off in the dark we made good time on the lower half and then knew we were in with a chance. I think James got 2 7b pitches and I ended up with the 7b+ at pitch 10  After a quick bit of French free we were at the end of the hard climbing with only 4 disgusting low grade pitches and a sketchy descent in the dark between us and home. A 15 and a half hour day that I thought we had no chance of doing - thanks for pushing us on James!

Lester Pearson, 7c, Finale, Italy

The start of the route climbing year and an excellent 7c. Amazing burly moves through an overhang and then on to a techy slab featuring the mother lob. Skipping a quickdraw was necessary and the lob was glorious. On my first descent redpoint I tried to clip and took the lob anyway - twat. Next time round I didn't place the quickdraw and so had to press on - definitely worth leaving the quickdraw out if you know you're going to skip it anyway, avoids any temptation!

Top Spankings

Tales of Yankee Power, High Tor

I thought this would be alright but I was wrong. After traversing out on the the face the lack of hand holds and footholds in an appropriate combination became apparent. I slapped up some sidepulls and, knowing that I was a long way from my number 1 nut in the bottom of a flake, slapped for my dear life higher and higher. It was one of those glorious moves when you think you won't make it but you do. Then, I still wasn't at the sodding thread and I was spat off, taking a massive lob during which I had time to be conscious and let out a little scream. Fucker. Haven't been back but will do this year. I blame Duncan really - he made it look easy with his tiny fingers

Some 6a, Upper Pen Trwyn

This one was a bastard, and right at the end of the route season. I was warming up on a 6a sport route at, at the top holding on to a jug about to clip the chain with the rope behind my leg, my whole hand hold exploded and I fell the full length of the route, stopping with my head inches above the ground. This understandably shook me up, and I shouldn't have had the rope behind my leg, but it was a fucker. This, plus the gear ripping mentioned in my Golden Mile write up, plus belaying a mate who decked due to a peg ripping, plus the big Tales fall, put me about a bit. Any advice?

I'll leave it here for now as that is already far too much for anyone to actually read. Now I'm psyched for trad again!

[Wil]

The Golden Mile, Chee Tor

This was a big one for me as it features possibly the hardest climbing I've done on a trad route. I tried it a couple of times in 2016 and fell off going to the mid-height thread.

Nice write up. I fell off this a few years back. I don't remember the upper wall being that scary, but I must have been going well as I got past the thread before I came off, although selecive memory always plays a part  . I never got back on it though, it seemed like I could forever peel off if I did it ground up.

Top sport abroad

Les Rivieres Poupres aka Poo Poo River 7b+, Taghia, Morocco

A 14 pitch 7b+ with 8 pitches of 7a+ or harder. Flashing one 7a+ is a good day for me, let alone 7b and 7b+.

Off there next month. This is on the list, but have the same reservations (and you're no doubt a lot fitter than me!)

...I fell the full length of the route, stopping with my head inches above the ground. This understandably shook me up, and I shouldn't have had the rope behind my leg, but it was a fucker. This, plus the gear ripping mentioned in my Golden Mile write up, plus belaying a mate who decked due to a peg ripping, plus the big Tales fall, put me about a bit. Any advice?

In general I'm pretty bad for head games. Despite climbing for 20 years I still have to remind myself not to shout take! On trad one thing which helps me is to make sure I double check things before I set off (so I don't wonder if I'm tied in halfway throught the crux) and to score my gear out of 5 as I go. I'm more likely to remember a specific "that was a 4" than a vague "it was good". Cheque's tactic of working everything on lead last year seemed to be a good idea too. In general if I'm feeling good on sport my trad head follows.

[SA Chris]

I used to do the 5 thing too. Always had in my head "never have less than a total of "5" worth of gear stopping you take a fall you don;t want to take"

[JohnM]

Performance wise 2017 was one of my worst years for a long time. Bad shoulders and a weird finger injury prevented any hard climbing in the first part of the year and also due to not being settled anywhere due to setting up a new business, trying to work remotely from Germany but travelling back to the UK all the time. Having said that it was a good year for variety and climbing at new venues, exploring Switzerland and the Alsace.

Top three boulder problems, UK

Heaven in your hands (7C) - Brandrith
Inaudible Vaudeville (7B+) - Bowderstone *Here because it seems to be the only other one I recorded in the UK
Lambrini Girl (7B+) - Sour Milk Boulders



Top three boulder problems, abroad

High Plains Drifter (7A+) - Buttermilks
Happy Colours (7C) - Kesslerloch (CH)



Dornröschen traverse (7C) - Oberried (Black Forest)



Top three trad routes/soloes UK

It seems I didn't do any trad routes in the UK this year. I had a session on Burnt at the Stake at Reescastle which was awesome but didn't get a chance to lead it.

Top three sport routes UK

These are probably because I only did 3 or 4 sport routes in the UK this year as opposed to their outstanding quality!

I ain't no sponsored jelly bean (8a+) - Kilnsey
Action man (8a) - Kilnsey
Le Lapin (8a) - Kilnsey

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Ramadan (8a+) - Siurana
Gravitationalist (7c+) - Lungern (CH)
Namaste (5.12a) - Kolob Canyon (Utah)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159714037710500&set=t.889805499&type=3&theater

Top three new routes/problems put up

N/A

Top Spankings

Hang the Boss (V4)  - Crookstones. I first tried this in the year 2000. At the time I had just bought my first bouldering pad and had just started to drive. After seeing an article featuring Crookstones in On the Edge I headed out for my first outdoor bouldering experience. I couldn't get near it then. Unfamiliar with grit and slopers I couldn't "Hang the Boss". Fast forward 18 years and 6-7 V-grades later, I still couldn't get near this problem. The sloper seemed even worse and more scrittley. I tried every method crimping on everything, lost all my skin and went home defeated.

Dirty Boulevard (7c) - Balmchopf (CH). The neighbouring classic 7c (Ringe de Kraft) took me 3 sessions. It features a desperate crux with an extended move of a shallow mono and crap feet. Moving onto Dirty Boulevard I couldn't do all of the moves. After swearing to never try again and trying again two more times I still couldn't do all the moves. Basler Jura is hard!

[haydn jones]

3, (full) Sympathy in Choice, 8A, Raven Tor - can't for the life of me work out a way to get into the stand start position.

Have you tried Polish Dave's beta in this video?

[url]vimeo.com/92890389[url]

I have a video of me doing it on my hard drive. Will upload it for you to see if I use any usfull beta

finally uploaded it.

[Ally Smith]

Cheers beast - looks like i just need to get stronger fingers!