[Karl]

You wanna get down to her place for her Chocolate cake Fiend, it was clearly the fuel for this fine ascent!

[Fiend]

Hah, it's not going to happen is it. I'm still wondering whether I'm going to be able to do Sentinel Crack in this lifetime!!

I do think - from what the video and description shows - this heinosity deserves some acclaim.

[Tommy]

Pete Whittaker got the second ascent of All Elements on Friday this week. It was a flippingood effort and even better that it was a about m ::)inus 5 million degrees...! Especially psyched that he managed to do it as some good boulderers have got close/been trying and he's only a poor trad climber... 

I'll post up some video footage and pics if I can find them and do a bit of movie maker jiggery.

Here's the original footage (as youtube seems to have sensored the older copy)

<embed></object><p><a href="">All Elements Roof Crack</a>

[uptown]

Superb looking line that. I remember being impressed at the footage when you first did it Tommy, but that's just jogged my memory and inspired me to pay a visit if I'm ever down that way. Good luck on the link-up. Did you ever try Stu's Ache ball crack in the end btw?

[Tommy]

Yeah, I did go down to Devon to try Stu's crack thing in the cave. I was really, really impressed by the line - it's totally awesome. However, the conditions were absolutely miserable. It was like trying to climb the hardest limestone slippery horizontal crack you can imagine, whilst dripping wet! The beach level was really low as well, so needed a 6 step ladder just to pull on!!!

I'd definitely invest the effort if conditions could be more reliable. Pete and I managed to do nearly all the moves and get some links on some bits, but it would have needed considerably more work for a tick. The last move was a total puzzler as well.

Good find by Stu at any rate!

[jakes]

When visiting the folks over Christmas, I had a few days down at Hartland and the Ache Ball cave roof crack was 6-8ft off the ground. It was bone dry too. Although that was three weeks ago and beach height and moistness do seem to change quite quickly.

A good bit of info about conditions (wetness) in the cave: it seems to be driest when the tidal range is at a minimum i.e. neap tide- as during a neap tide the high doesn't get the cave wet and so doesn't have to dry out etc. So, although you get more time to climb during a spring tide, IMO the neap's are better. In fact I've climbed in the cave (occasionally) at high tide (very low neap) and although it's tricky to access it is do-able. I might not be the best to take tidal advice though as there are certain times when I have pushed it too far:



Anyway, I had a play around on it at the end of the day and it's an amazing line. Way too hard for me, I would be keen to get on it, but living 350miles away makes that difficult! It's a well known, long-standing 'project' (although I don't think anyone has put that much effort into trying it recently) and I'd be psyched for someone to do it. Apologies about the lack of light on the photos, but the sun had set by this point:





Dave Westlake took these photos. He's currently putting together a mini-guide for Hartland Quay which should be finished in the next few months. I've seen a sneaky peek of an early draft and it's looking good 

[Stu Littlefair]

Wow. I've never seen the beach that high. Wish I'd been there...

[Tommy]

Nice one Jakes - awesome to see some photos of it on the net. Hopefully someone will get inspired and get it done. I so wish I was closer, and it might be a reasonable proposition.

Cheers also for the conditions beta - that height of pebbles is way, way better. No longer a highball.... ! Man, you've got me psyched again. Damn it.

[SA Chris]

That looks awesome.

Welcome to the fickle nature of coastal bouldering.

I have a project locally that emerges from the water completely approximately once a month (and that is not always during daylight). Only 10 mins walk though.

[granticus]

Cheers also for the conditions beta - that height of pebbles is way, way better. No longer a highball.... ! Man, you've got me psyched again. Damn it.

The beach level in Acheball cave was super high over the christmas hols, too high to start Acheball properly but great for getting on the crack line.  Unfortunately last time I was there a couple of weeks ago all the pebbles had been pushed to the back of the cave making the crack a highball again.   

Agree with Jake about neaps generally being better for conditions in this cave and several others on the coast for that matter.  Also a period of dry weather is also useful because it seeps from the cliffs above as well.

It's gonna be potluck as to whether you get good conditions combined with a good beach level.  Such is the nature of bouldering on the coast.  Good to have an alternative plan, you could always pop over to try Carnage, Corridors of Power and Supercede if the cave is not the goer.  Incedentally, (our) Mike Adams sent the thin highball 'crack' line to the right of Supercede before Chrimbo, he reckons it's 7a  and we are still waiting for a repeat from someone.  All are superb problems!

[Fiend]

Amazing trad too. Surely there's something or other you and Pete could get on, Tommy

[Richie Crouch]

Has anyone repeated Captain Crush yet to the left of Red Quinnie at Northcott? I told Tom N the beast about it. Really nice climbing through that small roof. 

[granticus]

Has anyone repeated Captain Crush yet to the left of Red Quinnie at Northcott? I told Tom N the beast about it. Really nice climbing through that small roof. 

Oh! You mean 'short weak Tom'!  Good to have a name for it.  Understand it was (your) Mike Adams that did the deed.  It hasn't yet received a local repeat so, according to the North Devon Society For Sad Gits That Don't Acknowledge The Existence Of The Rest Of The World or NDSFSGTDATEOTROTW, it aint been dun yet baaeeeee.
What grade is been suggested for said horizontal japes?
Also understand (your) Mike sent Supercede in super quick time and then buggered off to Cornwall to add a sitter to Mr Carver's wonderful Groove (Captain Crush indeed )

[Richie Crouch]

7C+ as it was a fair bit harder than Red Quinnie (I thought harder than ache ball too) but it was our 3rd day on so hard to tell! Might be a gift  It involves a lovely move to that massive sloper with the right hand.

I recall Mike doing Supercede 2nd go after briefly working the top moves for about 2 minutes 

[Dave Westlake]

  Incedentally, (our) Mike Adams sent the thin highball 'crack' line to the right of Supercede before Chrimbo, he reckons it's 7a  and we are still waiting for a repeat from someone.  All are superb problems!

It isn't 7a.  Even Mike now agrees its much harder.

7C+ as it was a fair bit harder than Red Quinnie (I thought harder than ache ball too) but it was our 3rd day on so hard to tell! Might be a gift  It involves a lovely move to that massive sloper with the right hand.

Tom and I tried the line left of Red Q very briefly a while ago, before you guys came down and did it.  What struck me was that there are lots of holds under there, and maybe a number of different sequences (just like Red Q).  Not sure about a grade as we didn't spend much time on it.  Neither of us were very inspired by it to be honest, but since you guys though it was so good maybe we should have another look...