[wintermute]

went to portland for the first time this weekend and i've got a few questions if there's any locals on here......

played on neil armstrong and it seemed like it was either ridiculously soft or a really daft eliminate. where exactly does it go and is the top of the boulder out after you've swung out left to the sidepull? tried it a few different ways taking holds out and not using the top untill i'd got round the arete but just couldnt make it feel like it warranted v6..

also, on petty thief/split lip, the guide says go straight to the jugs from the start undercling and pinch. does that mean the pocket just before the lip is out, or do most people just find it easier to ignore it?

bit confused about these two!
cheers

[Dr T]

played on neil armstrong and it seemed like it was either ridiculously soft or a really daft eliminate. where exactly does it go and is the top of the boulder out after you've swung out left to the sidepull? tried it a few different ways taking holds out and not using the top untill i'd got round the arete but just couldnt make it feel like it warranted v6..

is soft.... one of the few soft touches down there but always gets pointed out...
the line goes from the jug out to the side pull for the left had right hand up the arete then top - foot block is out...
there's a vid of it on my website - it's the first one on the 3 from portland video www.climbing-cats.co.uk if that helps.

also, on petty thief/split lip, the guide says go straight to the jugs from the start undercling and pinch. does that mean the pocket just before the lip is out, or do most people just find it easier to ignore it?

odd one this very hard for the grade or very easy depending on which exact holds you start with - the pocket is in and I've always started from it and the undercut assuming that it was the pocket pinch in question which makes the problems about a grade light starting from the undercut and the thumb in a mono/pinch next to the undercut is brutal especially at the grade give when compared to other problems such as hot ride, acid house, pinky power etc on the field which all seem about right for the grade - personally I've given up on trying to do these from the thumb in a mono/pinch start - be interested in how you did it if you did...

there are much better problems down there - the three I named - V7, V6 and V6 plus lightning strike V7 (which I've never quite finished) toll booth arete (V7 - very hard 'til you get it then it feels easy) and a host of very good 4's some of which i.e africa are not in the main guide

if you're looking for harder stuff the new cuttings provides a higher concentration of admittedly high ball stuff but mostly it gets easier the higher you are so it's fine to down climb 2/3's of the problem then jump off....

hope this helps....

[wintermute]

thanks for replying. thats the way i did neil armstrong initially, i assumed the foot block was obviously out. nice problem but more like v4 than v6

for split lip i had the undercut and the two finger/thumb pinch to the left (looking to the back of the roof) and a heel on the ledge just to the right, then slapped left hand into the 3 finger pocket just before the lip and then right hand over the lip to the jugs etc. theres so many holds under there i wasn't sure i was doing it right, but i think you've put my mind at ease...cheers!

definitely worth another visit or two, have to check out the other ones you suggested when i make it down there again