[Nibile]

the version on the vid (left hand on high vertical hold, then dyno right to the arete) is 8a+. ours is 8a (dyno to the arete from where left hand is on lst pic). and no, despite dong all the moves many times i couldn't link it. it's long and sustained... but some (most) excellent beta and great holds. wait for the next ice age and then we'll go and do it. blimey, that place is damp.

[Nibile]

from the coldest and stickiest day of the winter.
slide, 7b+.

[r-man]

New limestone venue near Buxton

Sorry, not Buxton. Tonkawa Falls.
Not if You're Pregnant 7a+

[Doylo]

Did they latch it?

Keiths obviously ticked font now......

[r-man]

Very nice.



Claire Youdale bouldering Arran

[neil h]

a bit of Dune action

[cowboyhat]

Was the mullet the tipping point or did the abs manage to keep everything in check?

[Jaspersharpe]

Some more pics of The Island here and some quality ramblings about the first ascent from DG.

http://www.momentumvm.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=43

Nice.

[Duma]

"One would have to be pulled off or rained on to lose the send here, and you snatch it up and stand up top, and cry, as it’s all you had, and no you have nothing. NOTHING."

Awesome.

[Fiend]

Some more pics of The Island here and some quality ramblings about the first ascent from DG.

http://www.momentumvm.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=43

Nice.

Those are some very fine ramblings. Does he have Houdini as a ghost-writer?

[butters]

"FWAP!!  You extend, move your body in a strange dolphin-like-hump-thing to get real tight with the wall, dislocat both should joints, and go again further to a secret, hidden, special little spot.

Once you actually get the spot, which is like miles away, you must do the crux, a simple thing it seems, but there is no space, no chance to move, no room to breathe, but you invent this precious "space" move your feet to the white rail, and toe hook."

That is some seriously bonkers writing - I think that it's fair to say he is as mad as Johnny Dawes...

bluebrad

[Houdini]

Is such a thing possible?

[Adam Lincoln]

Myself climbing Phoenix in Castle Hill

[Carnage]

Theres a few quality photos on 8a at the mo:

[Houdini]

Now that's what a quality limestone boulder problem looks like.  If only Britain had lime this good...

Do you have any more shots of this problem (or similar), Adam?

[BenF]

Do you have any more shots of this problem (or similar), Adam?

There are shots of Phoenix and many other utterly classic problems in the gallery at http://www.tota.co.nz/castlehill/index.html.  Phoenix is at Quantum Field if it's photos of that you're after.  Certainly Limestone unlike any we've got in this country.  Completely brilliant climbing and a wonderful environment.

I'd post some of the excellent photos from the site, but I'm at work and can't see most of the photos thanks to our anally retentive internet security.

[SA Chris]

Castle Hill really is the shit.  You could wander around the place for a week just marvelling at the shapes.

[andy_e]

What're you looking at?

[BenF]

Castle Hill really is the shit.  You could wander around the place for a week just marvelling at the shapes.

If it's your first visit, you could wander round there for a week just trying to work out where the problems are...  I was nearly in tears after an hour on my first afternoon.  A few months later I was showing the Chch regulars around and being mistaken for Ben Moon (long story but it wasn't because I was climbing V13 that's for sure).

[SA Chris]

I actually got on OK with the wierd satellite photo thingy and pictures in the new Rock Deluxe Guide. Used the big open area in the middle as a reference point, and worked outwards. Also didn't hesitate to collar anyone who sounded vaguely local and ask for help.

The 3 (rain curtailed) days we had wasn't nearly enough.

[BenF]

The 3 (rain curtailed) days we had wasn't nearly enough.

You poor bugger.  I lost through rain just two days at the Hill in over a year of climbing there.  I think I managed over a hundred days there in total, with just those two visits spoiled by rain plus one where two foot of snow meant that I could only really get on a handful of things.  It is the most marvellously well placed bouldering location, in a rain shadow on all sides and frequently dry when it is raining just a mile away on all sides.  I'm not making you feel any better though am I? 

[Scouse D]

A few months later I was showing the Chch regulars around and being mistaken for Ben Moon (long story but it wasn't because I was climbing V13 that's for sure).

is the gist of the story that you 1)are called Ben and 2) are English?

[BenF]

is the gist of the story that you 1)are called Ben and 2) are English?

More or less.  It was actually visiting Brits who used fantastic logic to deduce that I must have been Ben Moon since I was a dark haired climber with a stupid accent that was better than they were.

[Adam Lincoln]

Now that's what a quality limestone boulder problem looks like.  If only Britain had lime this good...

Do you have any more shots of this problem (or similar), Adam?

If you look on my flickr page on my sig, lots on there. And if you go to one of my contacts, Vin Deluca, loads on there too....

[Adam Lincoln]

A couple from today.

Me doing The Press.


Jordan doing Tsunami.