[Dave Flanagan]

Not the grade of the hardest problem you can do but the grade of the easiest problem you can't do?
I think this could give a better insight to ability.
I would like to think I would be able to do 95% of font 5s. Ties into the idea of working one weakness as well. For comparisons sake I maybe have done a soft Font 7a. This solves the problem of  some people make the mistake of thinking that when they can do one 7a say, that they are a 7a climber, therefore everything that they fail on is 7a or harder. They are basing a grade on a comparision between success and failure.

So whats your max min grade?

Is there anypoint being able to do v15 (say) if you can't flash v4?

[Bubba]

I remember a V3 at Caley last year that gave me hell. Sort of thing I'd normally walk up but just kept slipping off and in the end bagged it off as a bad day!

I think I could put up with not flashing V4 if I could climb V15 !

[dave]

Dunno, but i only ever did crescent arete (B3) once and have failed on it since, but i've avoided it like the plague since so may not be a reflection of current skills.

On a similar theme, as few years ago i fell off Roof Route at burbage south (VS) and a month later did the Knock as first E5. Just goes to show you can do harder stuff without being a competent VS climber.

Recently did The File (albeit difficulty) so I now consider myself solid at this grade.

[Jim]

Took me bloody ages to do hart's arete which is supposed to be V2 and i still find it hard now.

[dobbin]

Strawberries on the trackside boulder at Curbar is V3, an excellent problem and catches me out almost every time. Theres a real trick to it that I can never remember until I've had about 8 goes.

I don't think that the easiest graded problem you cannot do is an accurate reflection of ability, some things suit some people better than others, you may love jamming cracks and laybacks whilst I love crimps and gastons.

Famously Johnny Foreigner has visited our fine country, flashed all the slimestone 8a's in bare feet and a tutu and failed on a grit VS. Its not as simple as 'well, I've done 6 8a's, I'll be able to onsight every 7b+ and do 8a on my third go', climbing is too random to make such assertions.

[dave]

Took me bloody ages to do hart's arete which is supposed to be V2 and i still find it hard now.

i found the trick to this is the right foot heel hook which makes it a 1 move wonder, and a bit of reach helps!

[Bubba]

If we're talking Heart Arete at Eagle Tor then yeah, plonk your right heel into the low pocket and slap up. If you're not a tall freak there's another move to do for the top, but it's still the way to go. Great problem.

[Scouse D]

Or do you mean Hart's Arete at Pex which is definately the hardest V2 on the planet. It is actually really hard.

[Bubba]

So is Pex actually any good and worth travelling for? It's always venomously defended by it's local crew, but then so is Bell Hagg  :wink:

[dave]

you crazy pex guys, what with your rouge appostrophes and similar named problem.

I'm gonna put up a problem called "Brad Peat" so i get undeserved kudos.

[Scouse D]

i fully rate pex as I used to live about 4 miles away. The climbing there is superbly technical and fingery(for that, read frustrating). The bouldering is scattered around the quarry. There is a slightly overhanging wall for eliminates(much better climbing than stoney!); many slab/wall probs(non-eliminates) up to V10, and a plethora of superb highballs/solos.There are also many soft touch dynos there, which are the only undergraded problems in the place(get to it Dave!!)
It is DEFINATELY worth the trip!

[dave]

Dynos! why didn't you say!



How many car stereos/wraps does it cost to park there?

[Scouse D]

Price of parking is 4 hub caps and a bit of keying, but it's all worth it! There are photos of "main" Pex dyno on Cockfax. This is graded V9 and is no harder than V6. I've also done a big Jug to Jug dyno (breaks dyno) which is harder but still probably only V8 or 7.

[dave]

Price of parking is 4 hub caps and a bit of keying, but it's all worth it!

Lets take yours then, mines still a hubcap lite (thieving arsebandits...)

are these dynos a bit slabby then?

if you wanna see a class esoteric dyno check dis, english 5c!

[Bubba]

If I get the new motor I'll be sticking only to places where I can see it from the bouldering. Hmmmm.....looks like a lot of my time is going to be spent at Hamper's Hang then.

[Scouse D]

They ain't slabby dynos. The main few are a few degrees overhanging, the hard bit on most of them is aiming correctly for the slot
This is a pick of the "V9"
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=3224

[dave]

you can see why it looks slabby in that photo

looks a bit like this but harder.

[Scouse D]

Tha Shiznit is probably harder. For the pex dyno you've got a plethora of large footholds to choose from- it really aint tricky.
The Breaks dyno goes from the low break ~3ft right of the V9 up to the top break. That is one large jump.

[dave]

thats a good six foot of anyones money.

i hope the landings are a touch better than the shiznit!

[james]

Sometimes you just dont connect with the rock.  I have been known to drag myself up a few english 7a's but last week you would have seen me fail to get past the first move of a 3a chimney on the ss.  I tried it many times and I could not beleive that any human could climb it.  Needless to say, I didnt try the harder one just to the left, that one went at a mindblowingly unfeasable 3b :shock:  :eek3: .
Cheers

James

[Bubba]

I remember having a bit of an epic on the first two (VS) pitches of Coronation Street in Cheddar when I was quite happily climbing about E4/5 at the time. It was all weird off-widths and and crap like that and just seemed impossible!

[dobbin]

Quickly harking back to the Pex debate - go, its well worth a visit. Re that Dyno in the picture, I think I did it statically years ago...  :wink:

I love Pexhill. It is  a fantastic place. Be warned young punks, that 60 year old man in saggy ron hills may not be able to do front levers like you but he can crimp on an atom whilst smearing on nothing.

[mark]

L'Angle Jean-Luc at Roche Aux Sabots. All that stands between me and completion of the red circuit there. Font 6b+ apparently but I've been slapped down so many times that I've lost count. I've tried it with a variety of climbers including a couple who have climbed French 8c but I've never seen anyone do it without a lot of attempts and usually getting out "the serious boots".

[dave]

which one is that then?

[mark]

Blunt arete left of A l'Impossible.... Oppsite Jet Set.