[dave]

The first 3 problems, Man of Steel to Swing Time all have a sit start on the big polished foot holds.

do you mean "you can also do them from sitter" or "they all have mandatory sitters"? I thought when originally reported they just started from the jugs (which is a pretty logical start point).

[travs]

When you say jugs, do you mean, the big polished foot holds that you have to squat down to get to, which is what I mean, and this how I first did the problems. OK its probably a bit more of a squat than a true sitter. What I'm trying to say is that it's not a stand up, ie you have to make a couple of moves to get to the position from where you reach rightwards on Swing Time.

[dave]

yeah i think we're on about the sake hold - big positive holds at about waist height - i just did wonder since below these there are some worse pollished foothold which is what i thought you were on about.

[r-man]

Man of steel/swingtime/traversty start - Hmm, I thought that was obvious from the photo, but I've just looked again and it's not. I'll change to:

1. 7b - Man Of Steel. From the large ledge, climb up to the spikey jug, staying right of the crack.

Sound right?

Neil's Wall - I assume you used a high left foot smear to do the crux? This is how I did the problem also (the other foothold felt too low). I'm not convinced this is harder than 7c. Monkey Boy did it the same way, and took 7c for it as well. Great move, and 7c isn't a soft grade!

[travs]

All I know is that I went back after Ru told me about the new foothold and I found that I could lock the move statically and it felt about 7c. However, the reason I found the problem so hard originally is that I kept slipping off the high layaway, it was in the middle of the hottest summer on record, and with more people cleaning the hold I'm sure it has improved considerably so I can certainly understand it becoming easier. I also noted that this was the case on Man of steel etc. The hold you move out right from used to be diabolical and really hard to move from but is now pretty good! Someone has certainly done some pretty good cleaning on that one!

[r-man]

I'm sure all the holds have cleaned up loads. It's been a popular venue. Thanks for developing it!

[travs]

So I thought I'd pay Beginner's Wall a visit on Sunday and put your topo out of date Robin. I did 2 'new' things. The first is a true sit start to Man of Steel etc starting on the very polished foot holds below the normal starting holds. This adds a couple of really nice moves but doesn't really add to the grades. The second addition is a bit more significant. From a sit start directly below the finish of Man of Steel, with you're right hand in a small pocket climb directly up the wall without recourse to the large holds to the left. Finish as for Man of Steel. Named 'Advanced Training' graded 8a. Go on everyone, clean it, repeat it and down grade it. For someone of my height there is a ridiculously hard move on it, harder than Bigger Belly, Hoooligan etc but if you're a bit taller I suspect it may be OK.

[(woz)]

Nice one! Have you got any beta, or is it all self explanatory?

[travs]

Right hand pocket, left hand small edge at same height, feet on large foot holds. Pull on, left hand to good 2 finger vertical slot with thumb in slot fingers on edge just above. Outside of left foot on small edge about 8 inches heigher. Go again with left hand to holds that you move right from on Swing Time. Good luck if you're going to have a go.

[Jaspersharpe]

Good effort Neil.

[travs]

Cheers Jasper, it's taken me nearly 2 years to do this. I tried this start when I first did all the other problems and couldn't get anywhere near it. Then I kept trying it every now and again over the elapsed period until yesterday.

[(woz)]

Good luck if you're going to have a go.

Sounds like i'll need it! Unless you were right about being tall making a big difference...

[travs]

I think if your tall 6ft+, then you might be able to leave your feet on the low big holds for the go again move, infact with your feet on the big holds you may even be able to lock the left hand hold and come through with your right. In some ways I hope it's not possible this way as the go again move is one of the most improbable moves I've done, but hey ho lets see.

[fashionguru]

Hi all,

Made a couple of visits to both sean's and beginers area lately.

Somethings at sean's can be a little confusing to start but all in all the climbing is good.

This you can take either as a new problem or as a new method to FRA but satrting on the shelf (as for FRA), make one move left up the ramp, then head for the good flat hold (normally taken with your left) with your right hand. This then allows you to span to a flake/undercut with your left and then back right to the given finish. Dont ask about a grade as I have been injured since 2006 with a back problem and am only just getting going again after my op last october.

Trav :- repeated Neils wall (i think the new way with a foot out far right on the big hold) great bit of climbing and good going if you climbed it by holding the top moves without this foothold. What ever  great problems will be back for the ss.

Cheers for now.

Tony Simpson

[r-man]

Nice one, Neil! That sounds dirty hard.

Tony, foothold out right? The crux for most is the first move, where there is a choice of either a lf high smear (Neil's way), or a good lower lf edge (new way).

[travs]

Thanks Robin. I'm also trying the wall just right, inbetween this and Neil's wall. Basically pull on with the shitiest crimps in the world and lurch for the big spike on Swing Time. Do you know of anybody else who might have tried this? I'm getting closer to this but I'm still a few months of being able to do it I think.

[fashionguru]

I thought the top match was the crux. Much harder for me than the bottom moves.

Any how great problems.

What do you make of the new of FRA ?

[account_inactive]

I thought the top match was the crux. Much harder for me than the bottom moves.

Agreed.  What is this big foothold out right.  Do you have to be a giant to use it?

[r-man]

Thanks Robin. I'm also trying the wall just right, inbetween this and Neil's wall. Basically pull on with the shitiest crimps in the world and lurch for the big spike on Swing Time. Do you know of anybody else who might have tried this? I'm getting closer to this but I'm still a few months of being able to do it I think.

Don't know anyone who has tried it.

I thought the top match was the crux. Much harder for me than the bottom moves.

Any how great problems.

What do you make of the new of FRA ?

Neil's Wall - I used big foothold out left for top match. Is that what you meant? Had funny triangular bit with left hand, left foot out left, locked off, matched top. Felt miles easier than bottom to me, but then I was using the high smear to do the bottom... 

FRA thing - Bit confused to be honest. You don't use any big flat holds for your left on FRA, unless there is one just left of where the lines join on the topo? FRA sequence is: dyno/dynamic heel move to good right hand crimp. Then left hand to nasty little sharp thing. Then right to poor crimp, then rockover to top...

[Andy B]

FRA thing - Bit confused to be honest. You don't use any big flat holds for your left on FRA, unless there is one just left of where the lines join on the topo? FRA sequence is: dyno/dynamic heel move to good right hand crimp. Then left hand to nasty little sharp thing. Then right to poor crimp, then rockover to top...

If I'm reading this right, then I think he reached left from the FRA/RoD starting sloper to a juggier ledge then up to the detached looking flat crimp, (that can be used as a left hand intermediate on FRA before reaching to the crozzley/ spikey left hand hold, but isn't really needed) as you say, to the left of where the lines join, then up with his left to the undercut/ sidepull on the 6b problem, then up to the break.

[fashionguru]

Hi,

Think Andy has hit the nail on the head.

Left hand up the break, heel hook start hold with right and catch the flat crimp (underneath sharp one) with right. Left to side pull flake and then top. Much easier sequence and still on same line(ish)



As for my posting re N'S Wall I meant left for big foot hold not right (damn my dyslexia).

Tony.

P.S. great problems well done to all and r-man keep them tops coming makes my own guide book easier to compile (cheers).

[dave]

word up muthas

was down at BW tonight - i notice on the topo theres a problem thus:

7b+ - Paul’s Problem. From the juggy ledge, move up
to poor holds, then one hard move to a slopey break.

Now on the bit of rock that this must be i can't find anything 7b+like - does anyone know what the numbers on this are, is it an eliminate or something? how does it relate to the kinda 6a-7a range warmup problems thereabouts? cheers.

[r-man]

Paul's exact words were : "it's a pathetic little one move thing.  just to right of love of money.  can't remember what holds it uses.  two poorish ones up to a sloping break thing?"

I don't know where that route is, so I just guessed it must go up from the juggy ledge somewhere. Andy B reckoned it did.

[dave]

ok must be some kinda eliminate then. we do one on the warmup citcuit that starts on the jug, moves up to a nice pinchy blocky uncercut about a foot above this, undercut to the 2 slopey holds, then bail right into the fossil wall jug to fininish, about 7a or+ and quite good. Sounds like this paul problem is an eliminate (or unlucky sequence) on the same line.

[travs]

Hey Dave, did you look at the new sitter I wrote up?