[Houdini]

Finnish person falling from Big Lady Cliqueclaque

[Nigel]

Top three boulder probs, UK:   
Rockattrocity - oh how I doth slay the dragons.
Pump Up The Power - Very pleased with that because I can't crimp.
Blind Drunk - Also very pleased, because it improves my Remergence scoresheet somewhat, i.e. despite having lived in Sheffield for ages I still can't do Blind Date. Also because its the first hard problem I've done since smashing my finger to pieces a few months ago.

Top three boulder probs, abroad:  
French Tickler, Hueco - Just the best problem I've ever done.
Bleeding Brothers, Hueco - because I went to Hueco with the specific intention of doing a V12, and I did.
Il Partner, Cresciano - because it made me realise that Patta was actually quite good. Also a brilliant line.

Top three trad routes/solos UK, top three sport routes UK, top three routes abroad (any genre):
None. 

Top three new route/prob put up:  
Can only remember doing one which was very eliminate and probably not new. Direct through the roof to the end of Mark's Roof of Gardoms. Nonsense.

[dave]

I met an old friend of yours and Dave P's too: Andrew, a geo-physicist dude who worked in Cairo.  A nice fella with a taste for "character building" experiences - evident when he took a bunch of novices up a big multipitch on their first day, got stuck, and ended up getting having to retreat 3 hours after dark!

He eats pieces of shit like that for breakfast.

[dave]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Dawn Raider
(L1, R1) L3, R12, L14, R14
eatswood Reverse


Top three boulder probs, abroad

A Ciegas - Albarracin (brilliant prow thing, superb big moves)
Jabaloyas sitter - Albarracin (1st go :wink: fantastic ball-like boulder)
Wasame - Albarracin (I could have picked any one of the numerous excellent albarracin 7bs to chose from, all top-notch)


Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Soloed Brown's Eliminate which i'd lead years ago but never been back on.
Does Suavito count?


Top three sport routes UK
fuck all


Top three routes abroad (any genre)
jack shit


Top three new route/prob put up
I think i got the FA on something at the alport cave, unless scouse did it first.
May have also had the 2nd ascent of Red Or Dead at blackwell

[AndiT]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Leather Joy Boys (Newstones), it's like a full route packed into a bouder problem, really good. I think we used a full bottle of Deet that day, the dogs were going mad with the midges.

RamAir (Ramshaw), never gave it the attention it deserved before now. Turns out, it is a good problem.

Point Break (Wright's Rock). Hadn't tried it since it was a project when we used to try and dyno it, so it was satisfying to pull tghrough the lip and hold that swing.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Didn't get away, crap.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Positron - Well most of it (Grimer did the first pitch of Ordinary Route)! Totally stoked to have done 'the pitch' as I didn't think I would be that morning. Yeah, that was special, just feeling confident early in the season was quite shocking.

Montezuma's Revenge (Gib Torr) - this was terror bottled up and shaken vigorously. It makes the list for this fact alone.

Stall (Gib Torr) - sorry to have to do two routes next to each other, I have been other places, honest! But this was my first 6c flash on a trad route, which was special.

Top three sport routes UK
My only three: Kiss Me Hardy, Countdown and Daylight Robbery. I'll do more this year.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Not been away, crap.

Top three new route/prob put up

Thumbelina (Ina's) - well chuffed. A whole unclimbed chunk of rock, just perfect in every way.

The Warp (Wright's) - another gap filled, and wonderfully reachy!

Laguna Sunrise (Five Clouds) - only in by virtue of a side runner removal, so more an improved ascent than a new route, just needs an on-sight now....

Worst moments, none, apart from hearing about patios.

[Andy Harris]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Blind Fury- Burbage N
- probably the smallest hold I’ve ever pulled on.
Andy Brown’s wall- Earl
- what a great slap
Simple Simon- Churnet
- great

Top three boulder probs, abroad
La Boule- Cresciano
- a perfect line on perfect rock on one of the most magnificent boulders anywhere
French Tickler- Hueco
- Think it was a smidge better for Nige due to the outrageous slap he did to the top.
La Nave Va- Cresciano
- stunning problem that was both powerful & delicate and hard for  the short. After the Stonelove vid I thought I’d never do this.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
- you’re kidding aren’t you?

Top three sport routes UK
- dodgy knees and wet weather meant no new sports routes went down. V. disappointing.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
- probably the 1st year I’ve done no sports routes abroad.

Top three new route/prob put up
Blind Fury (7c+) – Burbage N
- great to put up a new line not only on v.small holds but on possibly the most popular piece of rock in the peak.
Joint Care (7a+) – Gardoms
- climbing round the upper most boulder at Gardom’s north on a  good heel hook & tinies

[Fiend]

Top three boulder probs, UK
High Speed Imp Act, Churnet - mega! easy but as great as it looks.
Satin, Stanage - done surprisingly easy after practising slabs. Now I understand The Numbers!
Life In A Radioactive Dustbin, Burbage North - something I never thought I'd even try, and then it just happened.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Something in Font.
Something else in Font.
Another thing in Font.

Top three six convenience trad UK
The Knock, Burbage South - a bit of a grit dream come true for me.
Shifter, Burnt Crag - beeeeef! proper climbing, proper holds, proper gear, proper burl.
Crooked Mile, Sharpnose - could be anything here but I thought the climbing above the break was exceptional.
Video Kills, Split Rock Quarry - pure climbing pleasure, as good as any juggy euro-wall climbing, with good trad gear.
The Ghost, Dalkey Quarry - pad pad pad RP pad pad pad. Superb!
Desolation Row, Great Zawn - an absolutely perfect route in every way.
(very hard to narrow it down to just six!!)

Top three adventure trad UK
Cannibal, Gogarth - only a little bit wobbly and superb climbing.
Hysterisis, Gogarth - mmmmmmm cheese....
Bitter Oasis, Goat Crag - okay a trade-route but relatively under-used. Very, very good.

Top three sport routes UK
Cairn, Harpur Hill - a lovely bit of rock and great climbing.
Enchanted Nightmare, Blue Lagoon Quarry - RIP Blue Lagoon. This was a super intense bit of vertical crimping.
Mayday, Torbryan Quarry - nice route at a funky crag.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Petit Tom, La Richiusa, Corsica - wild climbing up an exposed arete, a full-on experience.
? ? ? 7a, Los Encantadas, El Chorro - one of the best finishes of any route I've done.
? ? ? 6c, Desplomandia, El Chorro - classic over-chalked, over-polished, climbing-wall style jug-pulling. Fun!

Top three new route/prob put up
Stolen Dreams, Buchan West, Galloway - 12m of intense quality, better than any so-called route on grit etc
Fiend's Folly, Buchan West, Galloway - good line and good climb.
Solid Ground, Carn Gowla, Cornwall - easy pickings, an amenable adventure.

Worst
No motivation in good spring weather, then:
Injured during later good spring weather, then:
Healed up and psyched during awful summer monsoon.

But - it came good in the end, another awesome year climbing.

[andy_e]

Best problems:

Demon Wall Roof, What's this for...? (Both with and without the block), Stuff done in north wales (Edge Problem especially)

Best sport routes (only done one!) Puddlejumper 7a, Malham

still not climbed abroad

best moments of 2007

topping my first decent sport route, finally doing a font7a+, and the beautiful sunset which followed it, hanging out in wales, hanging out with fiend at Black Sun Empire in leeds, hanging out at malham all the time, boulderuk sessions with jay, baz and the hair, summer evenings at woodwell/trowbarrow. Bring on 2008!

[Rice Boy]

Top Three Boulder probs, UK
Photograph (GOO5E?) arete
Bin Laden's Cave
Brain Dead, alone and damp

+ Pinches at Ramshaw, always a pleasure.

Top Three Boulder probs, abroad
Ich habe nicht gefarhren. Achtung!

Top Three Trad
Consolidated my grade with;
Twisting Crack (high neb)
Heather Wall (froggatt)
Some more shisse at stanage

[mini]

Top 3 Boulder Problems UK;

West Side Story, Burbage West - been for too long coming!
Power Humps (the hard way), Raven Tor - token limestone tick!
Point Break, Churnet - ticked in quick and surprising styley, along with Andi T. And on a wet day, the joy of the Churnet!

Top 3 Sport Routes UK

Can only mention 2 as I snapped a tendon on what would have been a quick tick of Out Of My Tree;
Why Me 7c, Chee Dale - Flashed (well kinda, though did pull up the lower wall once about 4 years ago).
Orange Sunshine 7c+, Chee Dale - First redpoint and only fourth go up the route.

Abroad

Nill points.

New Problems

Muzzle 7b+, Baldstones - An eliminate, but still good. Low traverse then head up wall right of the dyno via hidden sharp crimp.

[dobbin]

Top three boulder probs, UK
The press sit starts (hooray, hooray, hooray!)
The powerband. Included solely because of my having spent a mere 15 years on it (damn, I am the greatest) when it really isn't that hard. It led to a protracted siege on the staminaband, resulting in getting to the end three times, but never actually doing the last move on the link. Very frustrating. 
Jerry's roof. A lovely problem. Its been a great year for me. I seem to have done much more than in previous years.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Had a terrible trip to der schweiz where I very nearly did something, and by rights should have done, but didnt. It will all be put right soon (hopefully), justice will be done.

Top three board probs
A great year in board terms. Got so I could lap some real favorite mega classics of which its hard to whittle down to three. Basic Ben, the hammer horror version of driller killer, two fluffy, and pork and beans. Actually, the last one is just horrible.

Top three sport routes UK
I think I only did one sport route, and that was Pump up the power. had a look at Rooster booster with foley, but it was about a million degrees and my hands didnt fit in the crack. Foley was the reason theres not more in here. He wouldnt do routes all summer. Perhaps it will be different this year with his newfound caution...

[Greg C]

I'm not decisive enough so I'm going with a top 5...

Top 5 UK
Anesthesia - Woodwell
No Mercy - Earl Crag
Harvey Oswald - Milestone Buttress Boulders
Vitruvian Man - Trowbarrow
Gaskins Prow - Carrock Fell

Top 5 Abroad
Best of the West - Hueco (Mainly because I had a fucked knee and still managed to walk up there and climb it - check me out!)
Fl´echage Blanc Arete (204) - Targasonne
Space Cowboy - Magic Wood (Proper start)
Nosferatu - Val Masino
Stained Glass - Buttermilks, Bishop

Top 5 First Ascents
Feel the Burn - Earl Crag
Once Upon a Time in the West - Seathwaite Circuit
Brane World - Shuck's Lair, Fairy Steps
The Cappel - Shuck's Lair, Fairy Steps
MACHO Man - Sampson's Stones

[Nigel]

I'm not decisive enough so I'm going with a top 5...

Top 5 UK
Anesthesia - Woodwell
No Mercy - Earl Crag
Harvey Oswald - Milestone Buttress Boulders
Vitruvian Man - Trowbarrow
Gaskins Prow - Carrock Fell

Oh yeah, cheers Greg! Now I remember...

Top 3 First Ascents
Texas Hold 'Em - The mighty Trowbarrow boulder.
Vitruvian Man - O marvellous and omnipotent Trowbarrow boulder.
? - Nonce sense at Gardoms.

[c.j.d.]

 Sounds like we've all had a good year then!  I always tell myself 'Come on CJ, this is the year', well, it nearly was, but not bad innings.  Okay then, first up, UK.

UK Top Three
New Noise,Tan Y Grisiau - winner.
This Parade, Gallt Y Ogof
Compact Culture, Sheep Pen

Abroad
Cosmos, Albarracin
Le Prou, Cresciano
Schule des Lebens, Chironico

Best Achievment - flashing Deliverance, Chironico, 8a+ - not bad for an old git. 

Happy New new year - bring it on!

[saltbeef]

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Had a fucking ace trip to der schweiz where I watched loads of the simpsons and drank my bodyweight in coffee and beer, and ate the swiss out of nutbrott. and i got to hang out with this really cool guy.

Top three sport routes UK
Foley was the reason theres not more in here. He wouldnt do routes all summer. Perhaps it will be different this year with his newfound caution...

sorry. yeah we need to tick the catwalk/tor. at least to 8a(+)

[Houdini]

Best Achievment - flashing Deliverance, Chironico, 8a+ - not bad for an old git. 

So,

 *licks pencil* Swiss 8A+ = bottom end EX = B1+1/2 = Hard V9 = 7C = Hard V8+ = not even H8+



Easy when you know how . . . 

[Houdini]

 Hard V9

But of course (slapping forehead smiley) that should read easy V9

[c.j.d.]

Sorry, that should have been B9 - come on, get it right!

[Houdini]

I have, no-one ever took B-grades seriously, I'm right aren't I?





. . .they barely rustle the shawl of old mother grade-witch as she strolls down Dead Grading System Boulevard . . .

[cowboyhat]

What?

[BenF]

Video Kills, Split Rock Quarry - pure climbing pleasure, as good as any juggy euro-wall climbing, with good trad gear.

Wow, someone else has done this.  I did this years ago, early on in my climbing career and just loved it, (particularly that final wall).  A surprisingly good litle quarry.  Did you do Tricky Dicky or any of the other quality lines there?

[SA Chris]

Is that the one near M5, sort of Bitton way? Went and had a nosey once, looked good. OK boulder traverse at bottom as well, I seem to recall.

[BenF]

No, I think you mean North Quarry (just off the M5 near Brean) with its small selection of dodgy bolts and slabs if I remember rightly.

Split Rock is literally a carved out slot from a hill with two rocky sides, just outside Wells at the other end of the Mendips.  Got about a dozen trad, sport and bit of both routes.  Some rather good and none really poor.  Worth a visit if you're down that way and climb E2-E6.

[Paz]

Wow, someone else has done this. 

I've done it, but only done Certain Surprise there as well.  Not many ever seem to want to go there (apart from for a grudge match with an E5) as they don't warm up on E2/ old E4 or are convinced it's (the sport's) all nightmare around vertical gnarly edge cranking. 

[andyheb]

my top three problems completed last year in the uk have to be:

7  ball - burbage south 6c
gorilla warfare - curbar 7a
What's this for?- woodwell 7a

didn't do much of routing except have a wet sports climbing trip to mallorca in easter and spent the summer complaining about not being able to hit any routing form due to the weather.