UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => shootin' the shit => Topic started by: Will Hunt on December 28, 2017, 04:59:51 pm
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Wad or punter, vdiff or E9 it doesn't matter, just list your highlights in the usual categories or make up your own
Top three boulder problems, UK
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Top three sport routes UK
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Top three new routes/prolems put up
Top Spankings
The previous lists:
Best of 2006 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6675.0.html)
Best of 2007 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,8400)
Best of 2008 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10682)
Best of 2009 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,13196)
Best of 2010 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,16693)
Best of 2011 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,19254)
Best of 2012 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,21364)
Best of 2013 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23468.0)
Best of 2014 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,25227.0.html)
Best of 2015 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26618.0.html)
Best of 2016 (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,27717.0.html)
Best Boulder Problems (UK)
Reservation (7B); Anston Stones. Absolute non-line on filthy lime, but felt nice to do something that felt tricky.
Heaven In Your Hands (7B+/7C); Brandrith. Perfect climbing on a perfect line. No particularly hard moves but reasonably sustained.
Horror Arete (6C); Bridestones. Oh. My. God. Amazing. I had been to Widdop beforehand and done Fight on Black but this was definitely the highlight of the day in terms of quality.
Who Are We Without Moon (7A+) Baildon Bank. For those who like to spring, this is one of Yorkshire's finer pops.
http://vimeo.com/217322704
Grape Nut (7B); Earl Crag. The movement on this is so unique and beautiful. It feels like what I imagine a hard ballet move would feel like.
JuJu Club (7B); Caley. What a lovely climb. Not sure why I haven't looked at it before. Felt good to only just get it after I slapped some gunge on the top moves.
http://vimeo.com/239897843
Best Boulder Problems (Abroad)
Le Carre d' As (6C+); Cuvier. Boss line with a nice tenuous crux that feels high.
Le Carnage (7B+); Cuvier. Mega classique. Done on a quiet morning at a deserted crag.
Les Poids des Soupirs (7B); Petit Bois. Lovely big dyno.
http://vimeo.com/210255128
A Northern Soul (6C+); Hepburn. Fabulous climbing. Felt really nice to flash it.
Best Trad Routes/Solos
Flame Arete (E5); Hawkcliffe. Really enjoyed this. Took me a surprising number of goes to figure out the crux and then there's a couple of committing moves afterwards. Absolute must-do. Felt like 7A on a rope. Can that be right?!
The Sole (HVS); Crookrise. The stuff of classics.
Death Drop 2000 (E4/6C+); Caley. Felt quite spooky at the top. Would have been an absolute pant filler of a trad route.
Best Sport Routes
White Zone (7b); Troller's Gill.
Tufa King Hard (6c+); Chapel Head Scar.
Dromedario (6b; DWS); Ingrina. Absolutely epic. You get a decent way above the sea and then you just start firing out across this overhanging wall on titanic jugs. There's a tricky move near the top and then you do this cool rock over into an undercut on the top slab. Amazing.
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4598/38645723764_c7f18ba8bc_c.jpg)
Best New Problems
Power Royale (7A); Yeadon Crag. A strength sapping link up and, in my opinion, the line of the block. A genuinely decent problem.
Silk Road (7A); Yeadon Crag. Not strictly mine as Ben did it first, but another genuinely good new problem.
http://vimeo.com/204790180
Rocky Horror (6C+); Yeadon Crag. A tasty little mantel press.
Fat Sloper Action (6C/+); Ilkley Buckstones. Nice attractive piece of rock, if a bit on the lowball side.
Top Spankings
Gronff Left-Hand (E4); Chevin Buttress. Has anyone done this? How the hell is it done?
The Gemenid Trail (7B); Satellite Boulder. I've climbed to the top of this on a number of occasions and always seem to get spat off. I really want to do it as it's so good! Ridiculous.
Best New Human Created
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4685/39323663302_8bf04cc324_c.jpg)
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Top 4 boulder problems, UK
Sole Fusion 8A, Crookrise - A great highball line and moves. Surprised to do it in a session.
Requiem for a Dream 8A, Stoupe Brow - Another great line, after being rained off it the day before we committed to driving all the way back but it paid off with a double tick.
Cosmic Wheels 7c, Mallory Boulder - A very unexpected flash of a N Wales classic just before everything went a bit wrong for me.
Jason's Roof 7c+, Crookrise - My usual approach of not being able to do any of the moves, have a go from the start and just do it.
Top three boulder problems, Abroad - 1 from each of the places I've been this year.
Misericorde 7c+, Font - One of the best in the forest, ticked on a last ditch effort a few hours before leaving for the ferry after being spanked at the start of the week.
El Varano 7c, Albarracin - How I managed to mantle the top I don't know.
Fortune Favours the Brave 7b+, Penitas (Fuerteventura) - Stumbled across a great looking highball scoop while exploring a new area, later found out it was the 2nd ascent, so they let me name it.
Top 4 trad routes/soloes UK
Beau Geste E7, Froggatt - A true peak classic, saved doing the pebble move for the lead as for fear of splitting trying to work it.
Nah'han E8, Gardoms - Compressing a prow above a massive fall. Brilliant.
Shock Horror E6, Ilkley - Not strictly 2017 but still in the past year. Dropped the last move on the flash taking a huge fall, fired off second go.
Tender Homecoming E8 (Highball 7b+/c), Brimham - Not really a route but still wouldn't have fancied a fall from the top.. What a line.
Top 2 sport routes (UK) - You mean Kilnsey
Epic Adventures 8b+/c, Kilnsey - Lots of moves and not much rest, good for being weak after a trip. Just managed to sneak it before the seepage started to set in for the year.
Bullet 8a+, Kilnsey - Nice to get a quick tick in between projects, had a close call at the top when finding it wasn't staying dry in the rain.
Top routes abroad. A 3 month Euro trip means lots of ticks and makes it even harder to pick just 3.
Radote Joli Pépère 8b, Ceuse - A hard won battle against the upper crux that almost made me give up and just tick some routes to finish the trip. A really fight on the top headwall nearly falling after the hard climbing 40m up. Made even more special topping out the crag in the evening sun and dropping the rope.
Ramadan 8b, Siurana - First hard route of the trip, nice to get a quick tick.
Pepito 8a+, Abella de la Conca - What a feature and there's a tufa right up the middle. A good 2nd go fight.
Game Over 8a+, Orpierre - After being shut down in 2016 it was nice to go back and finish it off.
Mal de Amores 8a+, Rodellar - A classic Rodellar tufa endurance pitch and a good education in the use of knees.
Memorias de una Sepia 8a, Siurana - Another route to start the trip off well, first 8 flash.
El Delfin 7c+, Rodellar - The iconic Rodellar route, got really annoyed about not flashing it.
Terene 7c+, Ceuse - Having always been appalling at onsighting it was nice to get up something remotely hard at an amazing crag.
Top three new routes
The Prize 7b+, Brimham - What a line just sat out the back of the main areas.
Boaty McBoatface 7b+, Eavestone - Another highball arete sat in plain sight.
Rocky Horror Sit Start 7c, Yeadon - Hard, basic, a co-ordination 1-2 slap to the lip and a mantle. The full package.
Top Spankings
Unjustified, Malham - A fight with conditions and wetness before sacking it off to go bouldering
Indian Summer, Kilnsey - Hard, Low percentage, Shut down by seepage.
Hell's Boss, Cow Close - 7a+ Mantle, Pah. Can't touch it.
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It's been a big year:
Best Boulder Problems UK
Queen Kong Sit (8A/+); Queens Crag. Did the 7 hour round trip three weekends in a row with a friend. Came close first session but on the second arrived to sideways rain and ended up bailing to Eden Rock. My first of the grade and probably best day out climbing doing the stand quickly on the day and then rattling up the sit half a dozen goes later, made even better by burning off the big team of very strong climbers trying it with me :lol: only downside was my mate getting close but no cigar. One of the best problems in the UK.
Tourniquet (8A); Kentmere. A bit of a siege and a real mental battle, something I now realise I hadn't experienced to this extent before. See top spankings.
Sideliner (8A); Crookrise. Came out of nowhere in my second session. Went up with no expectations but once I knew it could be on that day I was pleased with how I managed to keep it together mentally. Great vibes and perfect conditions probably helped a great deal.
Jason's Roof (8A); Crookrise. Supposed to be the big tick of the season. Trained specifically for it and it ended up going quickly on my first session in good conditions. Definitely 8A for me, miles harder than 7C+s I've done in similar style.
Sky Diamond (7C+); Eavestone. Not the best line but great movement and it was a wonderful feeling going from unable to do several moves first session to getting the tick in my fourth. Taught me some valuable lessons about projecting which helped later in the year.
Resonate (7C); Anston Stones. I really do love Anston. It's just a lovely peaceful place to get spanked, and this is easily the best problem I've done there. Again, taught me several useful lessons, particularly how to break things down into their constituent parts to make them less intimidating.
Best Problems Abroad
2.4 Pascals Sit (7B); Glendalough, Ireland. Only one three day trip abroad this year. Mid-summer is not the best time of year for the granite there but this was a quality problem accomplished on a perfect evening.
Best New Problem
Outbreak (7B+/C); Anston Stones. My first ever first ascent. In my opinion a very good problem as well. Tough to grade as it genuinely gets easier the taller you are.
Top Spankings
Tourniquet (8A); Kentmere. I knew I could do it from my second session. It occupied my thoughts almost constantly from then on, I've never been so obsessed or consumed by anything like this. I got very close in my fifth session and then barely made a dent in my sixth, such that I questioned what I was doing driving all that way and investing all the time and emotional energy. Small fry I know compared with others but it's all personal after all.
Lager, Lager, Lager (7C) & The Flakes (7B); Earl Crag. It's genuinely one of my favourite crags, but why is everything at Earl so flipping hard?! Even worse, they all seem to feel so close yet so far away. I had loads of sessions on L3 towards the start of the year and even started trying The Flakes for an 'easier' tick and still failed!! One day they'll both go and feel easy, and then I'll have to do the same thing on Underworld :???:
Deliverance (7B+); Stanage. Only one session this year but it was my fourth overall and I couldn't bring myself to get back on it again. I really do suck at dynos.
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Didn't realise what I achieved this year, but actually it's been quite good! First 7A+, first 7B and 7c second go. Can't complain!
Top three boulder problems, UK
The Prow (7B); Sand Point. Graded 7C on UKC but definitely not. Awesome problem and entirely my style. Great to do. First 7B!
https://youtu.be/H_U3PXdfWmo
Diazepam (7A+); The Meds Cave, Cheddar. One of Marks infamous new problems. Might be closer to 7B. Particularly good because I injured my finger on this at the start of the year and managed to rehab it and train at the same time, and still come back and get it done (actually before if had fully recovered...). My first 7A+!
King of Drunks (7A); Llanberis Pass. Just an awesome problem, fantastic moves, and felt super strong on it.
https://youtu.be/jcUJm2lUKzA
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Rainy trip to font. Didn't get on planned stuff however:
Mystique (7A); Apremont desert. Almost certainly would never have tried this if dry trip. Low ball and uninspiring to look at. Haven't done anything like it though, campus start to a classic font top out. Was actually really good! Never judge a book by its cover....
https://youtu.be/CZ56xjuegIs
Lapin ou Canard (7A); Franchard Hautes Plaines. A good problem but a bit too easy at the grade to be truly satisfying.
Reglement Interieur (7A); Roche aux Oiseaux. The best of the rest. A fairly uninspiring bunch. This problem was frustrating due to the horrendous conditions; a proper fight. But I imagine would have been really nice on a good day.
Top three sport routes UK
Empire of the Sun (7b); Ansteys Cove. Long term goal, brilliant route.
Want Out (7b); The Cuttings, Portland. Absolutely excellent. Found sequence that made crux easy, still brilliant, bizarre climbing.
Nightmare Sceneario (7c); The Cuttings. 7c second go, a PB for me. Still hardest grade to date, suggests should be on harder things.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Hermanas (7b); Mula, Ferrari. The start of the year. Unforgettable because of how hard I found a relatively easy route after a few months of bad habits. Was good to see this turned around later in the year.
Some nice 7a flashes that were great fun as well as this.
Top three new routes/prolems put up
None this year but gonna mention Pickled Winky, 7A, from 2016 as it is yet to see a repeat...
https://youtu.be/PgacwWbfh6M
Top Spankings
Liquid Sunshine (7B+), The Cuttings boulderfield, Portland. Had a fantastic session where I was sure I would do it. Sacked due to finger niggle. Two sessions further in which I got completely shut down and it felt like a different problem. I will do this problem in early 2018.
https://youtu.be/L2dUJgxtnTQ
Lloricas S.A. (7c); Mula, Perea. Came so close to this after two weeks in Spain and it was such a good route. Would have been a dream. Was at such a low for this trip that I just know I could have done it if in shape. Provided motivation for getting back in to form and doing 7c second go later in year!
No new humans, but got engaged so suppose there is always some potential for that!
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Top 3 trad routes
El Draco, E5, Bolt Tail
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=358318
South Devon escoterica at its best. A great adventure and probably the first repeat of what deserves to become a Littlejohn classic.
A Whiter Shade of Shale, E5, Butter Hole
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=448126
Went to the crag with the intention of climbing an existing XS, but spotted a really obvious unclimbed line so jumped on it onsight. Scary but brilliant.
Toltec Twostep, E6, Houndtor
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=58096
Have wanted to do this since moving to Devon, but couldn’t manage the crux in the past. Skipped a kids birthday party to snatch a couple of hours up on the moor on my own and surprised myself by doing the crux, so much so that I had to down climb and jump off before psyching up to go for it next go. Was buzzing for days after latching the slap for the finishing jug.
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Oh talking of houndtor, I forgot I did Limbo Dancer! That really was a highlight, wanted to do that for about 8 years. Did as boulder with pads on the rock.
Toltec looks amazing, would love to try that one day.
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Top three boulder problems,
UK Local
1. The Impaler - v11
2. No Pressure - v11
3. Emotionless - v10 got snaked on the FA, but followed up with a send next go.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
1. The Practitioner v11 - Leavenworth
2. White Lines v8 - Absolutely amazing line in Tahoe/Donner Summit
3. Full House v10 - Leavenworth
Top three trad routes/soloes UK - None
Top three sport routes UK - None
Top three routes abroad (any genre) - None
Top three new routes/problems put up
1. Vladys Knight and the Crimps v8/9
2. No Pressure (above)
3. Calamity Low - v9/10ish
Top Spankings
No major spankings this year, but also didn't push for new limits.
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Top five boulder problems, UK
Fertile Delta 7A+ Craig y Longridge
Looking back, this was so so good. Really nice movements. First problem in the video below:
https://vimeo.com/230060616
Weedkiller Traverse 7A+ Raven Tor
Nice to finally put this to bed after so many attempts over the years. Went easily in the end and shortly after I ticked most of the similarly graded link-ups!
Power Allowance 7B Tom's Roof
This problem is amazing, felt so good to tick it when a mate unlocked the beta. I love Tom's Roof :wub:
Crusis 7B Cliff
Another problem that went ok with good connies and beta. Nice to get this ticked off, first one in this vid:
https://vimeo.com/242638664
Ju Ju Club 7B+ Caley
Really good problem. Taking it from a crouch as I'm not sure how I could ever reach those undercuts from a sit unless Will leant me some lank... Second one here:
https://vimeo.com/246857567
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Doctor Med Dent 7B/+ Chironico
Amazing line with every kind of movement including crimps, slopers, undercuts, toe hooks, heel hooks, drop-knees.... First one in the video below:
https://vimeo.com/213521132
Blindfisch 7B Magic Wood
Tried this on a previous trip, psyched when it went down
Morgenlatte 7B Magic Wood
Low-ball prow which gave me three stiches in the back of my head:
Minki 7B Rocklands
Another amazing problem with some funky moves involving kneebars, heels and toes through a crazy roof. Also is in the video below at 02:28
The Rhino 7B+ Rocklands
Probably the best problem I have ever done. Second session, just as the sun was rising. Mega. From 05:20 in the vid below:
https://vimeo.com/223984058
Top Spankings
Bullet 7C Anston Stones
Three sessions falling on the same move...
Battle of the Skink 7C Rocklands
Traverse into a 7B dyno I did 3rd go. Pinged off hard multiple times, gave me several holes in my fingers
Ben's Groove 7B Caley
Fell off the V2 move at the top three times...
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Top three boulderproblems, FR.
NA
Top three boulderproblems, abroad.
I went bouldering one day in Sweden. It was hot and muggy. The area had been abandoned for years. I might have done three problems.
Top three routes, FR.
- Surface 7b+, Gorges du Verdon. Fairly new route following a clear line on an impressive feature on mostly immaculate grey rock. Lots of good pitches. The two hardest pitches are very generously bolted and graded.
- Le plaisir qui demonte, 8a+ Gorges du Tarn. Tried it the year before and got horribly spanked. Went down fairly quickly this year, which always feels good. The best route on the best sector in Tarn (including routes like Nouvelles plantation du Christ and Les ailes du désir). Quite possible the best single pitch sport route I've done.
- Femme blanche, 8a+, Céüse. Well known classic, for a reason. I had a hard time with the vertical crux halfway up the head wall, and I am one of the few idiots who fell on the slab crux above that. Had only checked out the runout to the anchor once (for obvious reasons) so arriving there pumped out of my mind and having forgotten the sequences made for a memorable experience.
Top three routes abroad
Troncomovil, 8a, Cicera, Spain. Did a very cursory hd-session checking out the moves. After spending almost forever to get to the lip, just a meter below the anchor I realised that I was too weak for my intended sequence. 25 min of up and down climbing to a marginal rest at the bolt below commenced until I could gather enough courage to change to a more risky slap move. Memorable.
La vieja escuela, 7a+, Péchon. Three stars and lots of exclamation marks in my notes. Don't remember much though... goes to show that climbing should always be a struggle to have any point.
El Camino del Rey, 7b+, Raco de Missa. Just got up after 8 days being sick in Cornudella. Much harder than I imagined it would be. A struggle from the first move to, well at least to the intermediate anchor about 40m up. Long.
Top three solos, or trad.
I'm not allowed to solo, and I haven't even looked at the rack this year.
Top spanking
Tennessee, 8b, Gorges du Tarn. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn't expect the big dynamic slap high up on the route to be that hard. Oh well, I never got through the first crux anyway.
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Top three boulder problems, UK
A handful of fairly uneventful visits to Bowles / Harrisons. At least I have some things on the list for 2018...
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Cimaganda was the best boulder location I visited this year. Beautiful alpine meadow location. Did lots of quality unnamed 6s. Will be back.
Various things in Bagni di Misino around the La Psichiatra boulder including the highball 5 Fessura del Ketty. Tried some 7s on the Lady Red boulder but I was too weak. Very pretty.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Top three sport routes UK
None
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Tunnel Diagonale
Mixomiceto
- Both in Val Di Mello. Hadn’t been on any trad for years and, though these were not the things we were aiming for (which we would’ve struggled on anyway) they were jolly good fun. Tunnel Diagonale was, in the words of Alan Partridge, lovely stuff.
Via Felici - Spazzcaldera
- This should’ve been my favourite route of the trip, and the climbing and positions were amazing, but after completing the route we struggled with routefinding to the summit of the Spazz and the decent wasn’t much fun. And then we missed the last cable car down so it turned into a bit of a pain in the arse.
Top three new routes/problems put up
None
Top Spankings
- I was spanked by alpine rock in general - in retrospect, hoping to suddenly transform into a speedy / efficient mountain route climber after a prolonged layoff and in not great physical shape was somewhat optimistic. Our planned ascents of Torre Innominata and the Ago Di Sciora at the end of the trip might’ve mproved our score, but were not to be because of the Cengalo rockfall and our subsequent helicopter adventures.
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Top three boulders UK
Made a little video of My 2017, check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3vckk8ZXkE
Voyager Sit: Massive battle over a few years. 20 sessions of effort, all worth.... I think.
Spindle: Think this is my favourite, everything I wanted from a boulder, big link in a remote location. Fairhead is legit.
Star Slinger: I personally think its a contender for the best boulder in England.
Top three boulders Abroad
Kings of convenience My Rockalnds trip was a bit mixed, went out try one boulder, failed, felt like shite for a few months. This was good, big move for a little man.
The Art Porject Really good, cool that the FA was done by a female.
The office SDS Short trip to Vastervik, Sweden. Sweden is so good, cant wait to go back.
Top Three Routes
Wow, I am shite at route climbing
Frankie goes to Kilnsey: because I found it so scary ha.
La False connection: really cool climbing
Quick Fixe : wanted to do Dalliance, failed miserably.
Top three trad/solos
Went to try Nowt but a Fleein thing, well good, keen to finish that off next season.
Top three Spanking
Monkey Wedding Got super close, was gutted not to do it.
Little Women I find this NAILS
Hourglass made hard by Jon breaking the crimp.
Top 3 FA
I really want to focus on developing more in 2k18
Star Slinger SDS by default, but I will take it. INCREDIBLE.
The National Mistake Link up at Whitehouse, the name is the best bit.
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Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Them, E3 6a, Avon Gorge.
Recently moved further south and have been making forays intot the gorge and really enjoying it. This was the autumn highlight, a great line which felt like it would spit me off if I lost concentration.
Flaky Wall, E4 6a, High Tor
Seconded this years ago and had been meaning to get on it for a while. It was the first hard trad route of the year for me and a fight, but a clean one.
From a Distance, E7 6b, Stennis Ford
One that had been on my radar since I started climbing and didn't disappoint. A couple of sessions on a rope and 2 failed attempts on lead before managing it. I've never been good at the kind of fitness required for routes like this, with powerful sections but reasonable rests, but while it was quite hard physically, it was more about being relaxed. Point Blank this year? :-\
Top three sport routes UK
I was fairly reserved with my sport aspirations this year.
Stone the Loach, 7c, Embankment
Yes it's Embankment, but this is a pretty good route and was very satisfying. I went from struggling to do the moves in May to it feeling like a path in June.
I don't think I have another contender. I ticked off quite a few in the "good but not great" category that had been lingering for a while. Had a great day at Two Tier doing all the 7as.
Top Spankings
Still haven't done Body Machine, despite getting really close.
Right Eliminate - Felt like I was going to kick my cam out and got spooked.
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Pumped-Up Plastic People 7C Ash Head
Just one of many brilliant problems I did there over two visits, encouraged by Dave Sutcliffe's video and the great Unknown Stones topo. A long walk-in but well worth the effort.
Small but Wild 7A+ Derwent Edges
So it's a scrittle fest. And an eliminate. And a long way from the road. But it's still one of the best moves I've done all year.
Pet Cemetery 7A+ Mother's Pet Rock
It's not that big, so why is it so scary? Yesterday's last-minute addition to the list.
Top three boulder problems, abroad not on grit
Tarantula 7C Nuda's Tartan
So it's an eliminate. And no-one seems to know what the correct line is (I joined the Meltdown at the big pocket). But it felt like the hardest boulder problem I've ever done.
The Main Event 7B Benllech, Anglesey
Apparently it's Anglesey's answer to Jerry's Roof. Whatever it is, it's good.
The Excoriator 6B? Peninnis Head, Scilly
An old-school HVS 5c courtesy of HoseyB. A crux harder than 5c leading into a scrittley, sea broccoli-filled flake chimney. Have I sold it to you?
Top three four trad routes/soloes UK
The Horn HVS 5a Ash Head
Unusual lasso protection if you use a rope or a scary solo above the shooting hut if you don't. I was on my own so I had to pick option two.
King's Return E2 5b Burbage North
So it's an eliminate. And it gets no stars. But the moves are good and I almost filled my pants on the solo. Both of these things made it memorable.
Fern Hill E2 5b/c Cratcliffe
Saved it for the solo. I am Jerry Moffatt! Although it may not count as I wore a helmet, a vest and non-Lycra trousers.
Original Route E2 5c/6a Baldstones
Solo. Took a few ups and downs to crack the crux. During which time it started raining. Then I cracked it. Luckily it had stopped and the rest wasn't wet but was very green. I thought it was over before finding the descent was icy. It was nearly the lamest benightment ever.
Top three two sport other routes UK
Diagonal Gully II Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh, Skye
During a very mixed winter, Dad and I managed a few good days on Skye including this brilliant long route. The easiest way off in the conditions was back down the way we came.
Electric Blue E4 5c/F6c DWS Rhoscolyn, Anglesey
I've wanted to do this for so long. It didn't disappoint. Thanks to 205chris and Katie for the photos. I'm not sure how quickly they would have got to me if I'd fallen and hurt myself though!
Top three routes abroad (Scotland and Wales count as abroad don't they?!)
Yellow Edge E1 5b? Cima Piccola, Dolomites
A worthy consolation prize after bad weather ruined our plan to climb the Cassin on the Piz Badile. 14 pitches including an amazing 40m two-pitch crux up a groove. I strung the two together as I though I had enough gear. A few metres up the second pitch, I realised I didn't.
A'Chir Diff Arran
Done as part of the round of Glen Rosa. Classic scrambling.
Final Solution E3 5c Holyhead Mountain, Anglesey
A nice reminder that I can place gear and do have something resembling route fitness.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Alphabet Aerobics 6C+ Ash Head
Leg presses with nothing much for the hands aren't my thing so it may be easier but it is good.
Turtleheadache 7B Coire nan Ceum, Arran
Miles from the road at a beautiful venue. A disproportionately hard first move and a deceptively hard mantel finish. The location may have boosted my opinion of the quality of the problem!
Shovell 6B Peninnis Head, Scilly
Scrittley but good moves in a lovely setting. Quite high and a bit scary with only the one small pad I could take on the Twin Otter aeroplane!
Top Spankings
The Art of White Hat Wearing 7B Froggatt
Stupid sharp finger-wrecking crimp. One of those problems that will remain crap until I do it, then it'll be the best problem I've ever done.
Tarantula 7C Nuda's Tartan
I kept getting shut down. I kept going back. Eventually I got it. I think this still counts as a spanking due to the number of times it sent me home empty-handed with nothing left to give.
The Prow project Coire nan Ceum, Arran
I rather arrogantly thought I'd just rock up and piss it. Shut. Down. It's now been done at 7B+ by Tom Charles-Edwards and named Vertigo. What an amazing line.
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A fallow year for me in terms of volume of ticking but not a blow out. I started the routes season incredibly unfit; over-gripping so much I could not string more than six moves together! Likely a consequence of over-use of my woodie over the winter. No regrets though, getting a woodie felt like a "tick" equal to climbing any route.
Top three boulder problems, UK
None: just the odd, isolated session of whittling at old projects; too wet and / or cold to get into any proper projecting.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Only one holiday, spent doing routes
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
None
Top three sport routes UK
Groved Arete (Kilnsey): A huge highlight that made my year. I had rejected it as a project a couple of years ago after a few very chastening sessions - where it was apparent it was my total anti-style (power-endurance) with several moves I could not even do in isolation. But, this year the alternatives were even less appealing so I buckled down and got involved. The successful RP was one of those slightly magical events where you arrive at the crag hungover and tired, conditions are greasy, and you mess up the initial moves; but then become mysteriously convinced that nothing will stop you, and further mistakes and fatigue are just an amusing garnish to the occassion. Crag voodoo.
Steal the Show (Kilnsey): Okay, an arbitrary link-up but it gave access to the upper two cruxes of Showtime, which are brilliant. Next year, if the seepage / hold-breakage gods plays nice, I hope to work on Showtime proper (or, at least bag Stolen Time, which although another daft link-up, possibly combines the best climbing on that part of the crag).
Dark Stranger (Kilnsey): New route near to Puppeteer. Good moves; a lowish crux that was surprisingly dynamic on such fingery, vertical terrain, with lots of sustained crimping afterwards. Unfortunately the rock quality is poor and it will likely get harder and nastier in the future.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Just a trip to Chulilla, which was hit by first-time-in-30-years cold / storms / snow. So, my targets were all seep-shagged and I ended up on lots of relatively harshly graded. old-skool crimp fests. Highlights were:
Flojo de pies (Nanopark), 7b+
Primerisimas.nu (Nanopark), 7c: very sustained and technical crimping
Gofio askatu (Nanopark), 7b+: nice and varied, pleased to O/S.
Top three new routes/prolems put up
None
Top Spankings
Predator - a few sessions in the Spring, when I was too unfit and the weather was too hot; then some in Autumn when I was suffering from "battle fatigue" after the Kilnsey season. Got a sequence sorted but linking it felt like years of work. Still, I'll be back for more in spring
El gran dinosaurio blanco, L2 righthand (Chulilla), 7b+ : fell off literally the last move on my O/S, fell off much lower on my too-hasty second go, never came back.
QuickFixe (Kilnsey): After several sessions and lots of pleading for beta, I just could not fit into any of the moves on the initial extended boulder problem. A very chastening reminder of my basic weakness. I will not be back!
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Top three boulder problems, UK:
Fuck bouldering. I still want to do Pillbox Original tho.
Top three boulder problems, abroad:
Brainstorm Pitch 1, Albarracin - techy teetery tenacious groove with international team psyche
ARR-B53-L1, Albarracin - overchalked lowball but satisfyingly hard on vertical holds
VDM-B10-L2, Albarracin - haemarrhoid popping mantle delight
Top three personal dream routes:
Andromeda Strain, Carn Gowla - absolutely beautiful in all aspects. Situation, aesthetics, weather, company, challenge, atmosphere. Possibly route of the year?
Extreme Walks, Craig Llong - such a great adventure, did the start move with my eyes closed and the wild finish with a huge grin as the rain started.
Endless Flight, Great Wanney - boring trade route but just one I've been wanting for a decade or so, and finally I can do it and find it fine....and brilliant.
Top three trad intense challenge routes UK:
R & S Special, Raven Crag - I didn't realise this route was a big deal, I was just psyched for it being my style. But dealing with the final crux took all my determination and tenacity. The first crux....I didn't know what a golo was, hmmm. Retrospectively, a big deal indeed.
The Professional, Long Band Crag - vintage lakes, hard in all dimensions, really bloody good.
False Gods, Sanctuary Wall - tired after another dream route of Call To Arms, this was even bloody steeper (1 in 3), up and down the start like a yo-yo...so cool once committed tho!
Top three trad pure pleasure routes UK:
Isle Of White, Wilton One - perfect climbing, moves, gear, everything, from beginning to end.
Mean Feat, Carreg Y Barcud - who doesn't love a crimpy slab. The final easy finish is second only to Crimson Cruiser as "best finish ever".
Life And Times, Uphill Quarry - a chance meeting with duncan, seemingly too hot for proper trad, but I got there. Yet another "best finish ever".
Top three six honourable mentions:
Low Profile, Demolition, Pass The Pigs, Trite Rib, Duel Variation, Helsby in general. - all ACE.
Top three sport routes UK:
Western Front Direct, Navigation Quarry - hard, aesthetic, and scenic
Misadventure, Mountain Ash Quarry - perfect designer crimping
Leonardo Da Pinchy, Rob's Reed - it had a thin start with a big move then a super blind and pumpy finish, really went for it.
Top three routes abroad (any genre):
Arete Paulette, Berdorf - unexpected ease on beautiful rock in a beautiful location.
Tempeste, Berdorf - 5 separate mono moves on a hidden gem
Voleur De Spits, Berdorf - entirely neanderthal and entirely brilliant bucket hauling.
Top three new routes/problems put up:
The Maw, Cardigan Bay - Irresistable delicacies!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obOl_-o92Vs
The Sea Giveth, The Sea Taketh Away, Cardigan Bay - aesthetic and delicate shale fun
Neptune's Nikon - aesthetic and delicate shale fun
Top three runs with an RC car:
Carisma GT24TR Skatepark fun - such fun, so wow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui6jDX3XOY0HPI Savage XS Camby Crush - still a BEAST.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdXHga0XmNgLosi Micro Truggy speedrun - size of your hand, 33mph, nuff said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sRxqLvdZYc
Top three weights lifted:
165kg deadlift - giving me a bit of leeway with the bodyweight!
24kg/arm military press - no idea how I jumped 4kg/arm in a session, but I'll take it
18 pull-ups - new personal best since DVTs. Psyched!
Top three spankings:
Norovirus and subsequent nausea, November-December - Far more debilitating than my unbroken but pureed leg falling off at The Roaches.
Gold at Pembroke - E4 going on E6/HXS. Amazing place but out of my depth.
Autumn in general. Totally shit weather and almost no UK climbing after a great spring / early summer.
Top bonus spanking:
Spending 30 minutes unsuccessfully trying to get the fucking forum code to link to a Youtube video not embed it >:(
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Turned 40. Lots of plans to celebrate with climbing trips, all of which evaporated. Retained brownie points banked for 2018...
Top three boulder problems, UK
Pretty much just stuck to the local circuits and classics again. Don’t get bored of the likes of WSS and Brad Pit to be honest - never get easy, always brilliant. Mother's Pet, Slipstones, Almscliff and Cratcliffe sessions were good too.
Top three boulder problems, abroad. Didn’t really climb abroad. What I did was spend most of February guiding a bunch of conservationists around a disintegrating volcanic plug in the Caribbean to kill the rats. Fascinating place, brilliant people and felt refreshingly real and worthwhile. Photos since show the place is transformed. Life-affirming stuff.
Top three four trad routes/soloes UK
Void, E3, Tremadoc. Almost the only ‘normal’ trad cragging day I had this year.
Manikins of Horror, E2, Craig Arthur. Finally made it here after 23 years since school trips to World’s end. At the better end of British lime.
Supercharger, E2, Neist. Not often on Skye but have heard various unencouraging reports on this over the years. Ignore them - this is a towering stone cold classic. Fully a hundred metres of vertical dolerite, immaculate cracks lower down then adventurous steeps higher up. I’ll be going back.
Shibboleth, E2, Buachaille Etive Mor. Broke the drive south with this, despite unfriendly conditions and some route finding issues managed a respectfully efficient ascent. Bigger than it looks, fun positions higher up.
Top three sport routes UK. Didn’t clip a bolt. Had an afternoon of DWS in Pembroke with a cool crew in post-wedding hangover scenes. Exultation (E3) was the pick - burly crux leaving you committed to techy vert at a worrying height with the odd snappy-looking foothold for good measure.
Top three routes abroad (any genre) Winter
Point 5, V, Ben Nevis. Avoided the Ben for a long time, but the last few years it’s turned into an annual trip. We nearly didn’t bother this year due to the worst season in living memory, but finally romped up it on a perfect blue-sky day in late March. Incredibly satisfying, not so much for the climbing, which is great of course, but for properly spotting and nailing an opportunity and being almost certainly the only people climbing ice in the UK that day. I never did fancy queues and spindrift.
Downfall Dribble, V, Kinder. I wouldn’t have bothered but Rainbird was frothing. 6am start, swam across the plateau into first place in the bunfight, didn’t fancy getting soaked so dodged right and up a very entertaining tussle up chandeliers, vert and all, full formed and dry while the downfall hosed. Has piqued my interest into what else might be found in the Peak.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Scowl, E3, Coruisk, Skye. Spotted a cunning link pitch to give Skye wall a classic for the masses.
The Big Peep, Druim Nan Ramh, Skye. Amusing afternoon exploring up a deceptively big gabbro amphitheatre culminated in a mind-blowing E5 pitch. Unlikely to see much traffic but will be prominent on the CV I show to St Peter.
Top Spankings
Queer street, E3, Chee Tor. I remember Rainbird failing on this fifteen years back, while I pissed up the same-graded route to the right. Discovered why - it’s not E3 (even by Peak standards). Welsh E5?
Non-climbing wise: got the business back on track, shot two walking guides, built some microphones. A decent year.
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Top 3 Yorkshire grit
The Fonze 8a - Happy to get it done just as the bracken were starting to embrace their spot for the summer.
Inner Reaches 7a+ - Just to the right of Lanny, never heard of it till I was under it and it was just about high enough, slopey enough and scrittley enough to make topping it out memorable and satisfying.
Corporal Khan 8a - It’s a rare treat to go to Whitehouses as there’s not really anything for the GF to try. So I was already chuffed just to be there let alone do the problem quickly.
Top 3 rest of UK.
The Death Clock 7b+, Ladstones - Managed to flash this at the end of a glorious day out with a good team. It felt pretty spicy and my climbing was so sloppy I basically fell up it.
Resonate 7c, Anston Stones - Great moves and I was very surprised to find I could actually span the last move on the send.
Gnasher 7a/Lizard King 7b+, North Wales - Thoroughly enjoyable group trip to Wales, with the day at Sheep Pen being one of the best days out of the year.
Top 3 abroad
Noir Désir 7c, Rempart - A perfect boulder problem that I’ve wanted to do for years. Thought it would be nails and I was almost too psyched when I quickly did it from stand. Matching the high sloper before popping out left was a perfect make or break moment as I was completely convinced I was about to fire off backwards.
La Bérézina 7c, Cuvier - Think this has been on the top of my Font list since I first went 5 years ago. Movement over appearance all day and I think this problem has a perfect sequence. Last day of a 16 day trip, 4th day on, sickeningly hot day, 2 previous sessions of not being close to sticking the first move. Managed to balance a sitter pad between a feeble branch and the boulder, providing enough shade to just cover the main RH sloper. Took about 20 attempts to stick the first move and topped it straight away… Very psyched and with half a day left I baggsied two pads and wandered over, on my tod, to Apremont Envers to try…
Welcome to Tijuana 7c - Conjured up a poor sequence, I was so broken I could barely work the moves, had a few dreadful attempts, waited patiently for the shadow of a tree to provide solace on the crucial hold then somehow managed to forget my beta and freestyle my way to the end. Genuinely thought I was going to peel off on the move from the jug to the top I was so tanked. Perfect way to end a brilliant trip to Font.
For WTT and ND see
https://vimeo.com/212891724
Top 3 Spankings
My PhD. F**k me it’s kicking my ass. New realms of stress.
Zoo York - Had about 5 sessions in 3 weeks in October and was unbelievably close on the first two. Instead it destroyed my instincts and the rest of the sessions were spent flipping between different sequences and different shoes and I’m back to square one beta wise. But I’ve injured my LH now so at least I don't have to think about it till next winter.
Will Hunt’s mum, Cuvier.
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Top boulders
Titanic Arete 7A - Hepburn. This is actually well good. Brilliant arête with lovely jugs at the top. My favourite from a recent county trip.
The Crystal Method 7B+ - Caley. Because I never thought I'd do it.
Special K 7C - Crafnant. Perfect movement. Honourary mentions from Wales are Paul O Grady SS and Lizard King.
Heaven In Your Hands 7C - Brandrith. A Yorkshire must do.
Aerodynamite 7B+ - Fontainebleau. Real thing tick. Ben who?
Top sport
Comedy 7c - kilnsey. If you're only going to climb one sport route all year it might as well be a fun one.
Top routes/highballs
To Be Is Not To Bolt 7A? - Caley. Al Manson, brilliant problem with varying sections. A couple of falls near the top and missing pads for bonus fun.
Shadow Play E4 - Widdop. Only route (fuck me) this year. Strong line though and great team scenes.
Top spankings
Berezina 7C - Fontainebleau. I fell off the top jugs, which should be impossible. Also fell off the top crimp jugs of Alta.
Exorcist 8A - Almscliff. Pulley injury put me out of the game for 2 months.
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Top spankings
Exorcist 8A - Almscliff. Pulley injury put me out of the game for 2 months.
Haway, surely it doesn't count if you did the climb afterwards?
A tick is for life and you don't have to endure further torment the next time you dare think you're good enough for another round: :spank: Spank spank spank "back home you go now little one, see you next week"
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Top three boulder problems, UK Grit
The Art of White Hat Wearing - Was surprised to do this. Having started the day climbing Sean's arete and Flatworld (in that order - there was a lot of walking involved) I was full of confidence. Puntered the start for about 30mins before I decided to give it a couple of tries in comfy boots. All of a sudden the footholds became reasonable and I found myself at the last move. Fell off, missed the pads and crunched both my heels on the rocky landing. Also split 3 tips on the attempt. Not to worry, some tape and a brief rest meant that it went next go before the pain set in. Was worth the walking pain for 2 weeks afterward!
Deliverance - Tried this for almost 10 years. Always slagged it off as a lank fest as it killed my ego. On a magic November day, the high right foot technique just seemed to click and I knew that I was going to be able to do it. ~10 attempts (after 1000's over the years) and I was topping it out. Possibly one of my biggest ticks since I started climbing. Absolutely wonderful.
Low Rider - This is class. Fell off the last move with my fingertips over the edge and thought it wasn't going to be a goer. After a long rest to let the pump subside it was a goer. Absolutely awesome gritstone climbing. Those toe hooks are another level. This one makes you feel like Dave Graham.
Top three boulder problems, UK Non-grit
Roof of a Baby Buddha - Sheer utter class. One of the best looking boulders in Wales, and it climbs as good as it looks. This was a top spanking last year. After some of the 'this is Yorkshire' guys turned up and showed me different beta, it was a goer.
Resonate - Didn't think a peak lime problem would make it into the list. I thought this was a bloody great problem though. I've also been spanked by it on a number of sessions over the last couple of years. Finally managed it this year after being rained (snow melted) off the grit and turned up to Anston in perfect conditions. I find this really hard. That last move was a killer for me. Great burly climbing. Found it way harder than Ebola.
Grand Opera - First climb of a really good week in the Lakes in summer. I certainly wouldn't have climbed half the problems that I did if it wasn't for Cooper's sheer utter determination to get to the crag at 5:30am everyday, trek half way up mountains (some times without ever finding the boulders/climbs) and march through head height midge infested bracken. :lol: Khukuri would probably have made it onto this list if I hadn't have had to climb it with only my eyes uncovered and exposed to the cloud of midges. Conditions at Little Font were much different.
Top three boulder problems, Font
Symbiose - This was pretty decent. Thought the climbing was very good and it certainly forces a battle at the end. However, it's a bit of a hole isn't it? Still, it makes it in here for the excellent heel hooky/toe cammy roof climbing.
Envie d'Ailes - Power. Launching off small holds to catch a good crimp which is miles away. Pretty damn basic. Good fun though. Good consolation tick for not being able to manage Coup de Lune.
Figure de Proue - Technique. Great problem. Took us a while to work out how to get established on the arete.
Top sport routes UK
Grand Canyon - Well this is bloody brilliant. How did this little beauty sneak it's way into the UK. Got to be one of the best of its grade in the UK. It has everything and its sustained nature makes you work for it. Great climbing and well worth putting a rope on.
Sardine - Pretty decent to be fair and makes it in here as my only other 2017 UK sport route.
Top sport abroad
Be Yourself - Literally hanging on to every move at the top with nothing more than sheer utter determination because my arms had zero left in them. It's a good job it was at the start of the trip. Awesome climbing. Gave me unreal expectations for the rest of the trip. Little did I know, it had spanked more than I realised.
Top Spankings
Pogle's Wood Sit Start - Flashed the stand. Then ended up puntering the sit with the worst climbing tactics I'd ever deployed. Thinking it was going to go very quickly I ended up having about 283 attempts in around 13mins. Skin was destroyed and I blew around 4 tips across both hands. This was one of the rare perfect weather weekend grit days, cold and dry and it was only about 1pm. Talk about not having your head game switched on. Great climb and I'm keen to get back.
The Storm - I'm pretty sure you could just copy and paste this from the last 5 years of my posts on this thread. Still completely eludes me. Can't get any closer to the top than the 6inches in my first (of about 7) session.
Secamin Aleykum - I literally cannot hack the excitement at the top. Yet again, instead of getting a solid knee bar and getting my breath back before the redpoint crux - I decided to throw myself at the top and fall off repeatedly. This is why I'm rubbish at sport climbing. This savaged my arms for the middle days of the week in Turkey. One day, I will learn how to sport climb efficiently. One day...
Font weather. Again. When will we get a whole week of decent weather in Font?! Is that too much to ask?
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Slightly self indulgent list from me, but 2017 was the year I fulfilled a dream by buggering off around the world with my other half to some amazing bouldering destinations making it one of my best years for climbing.
Top 5 boulder problems, Font
1 - Misericorde, 7C+. Big YYFY for me, probably the problem I've most wanted to do in Font ever up to now. Fell off the top crimp and nearly flattened by girlfriend on the second session before doing it first go on the third. Yeah, so it's a cliched choice but it's an amazing problem, although it might not be as good as:
2 - De la Terre a la Lune, 7C+. Amazing holds, amazing movement and no skin tearing crimps. It starts off feeling impossible and then the movement slowly comes together. My victory shout at the top certainly confused a pair of local walkers who were out for a quiet morning
3 - Menhir, 7C. Two thirds HVS laybacking and then one third the most exquisite pair of Font slopers you'll ever encounter mixed with subtle body movement leading to a victory jug. Just at the height you don't want to fall off either.
4 - Exponentiel, 7B+. A long walk in and something of a three tiered landing which slopes in all the wrong directions is enough to keep the crowds away. Wasn't sure I had the energy to do it in a session but the alternative was walking back in carrying three pads again which proved sufficient motivation to do it.
5 - Hotline, 7C. Having tried this before and failed to get anywhere near it I decided to walk in with one pad to see if I could work out the start. Managed to figure it out faster than I expected so walked back to the van to get an extra mat to find there was a full on hunt in progress. After saying bonjour to around a dozen Frenchman armed with rifles I collected my pad and then walked back passing some very confused looks and enjoyed a 5 minute conversation with a local about climbing and hunting, neither of which topics I seem to remember learning very much about when I did GCSE French. A random day, but I climbed Hotline.
Bonus mention - Le Dessinateur, 7A+. Tucked round the back of Rocher Greau like an unwanted relative it turns out this is one of the best aretes in Font with one of those all or nothing slap moves which you're pretty sure you'll stick, but if you don't you're going to land on the tree that's fallen over at the base of the problem.
Top 5 Boulders, Switzerland
1 - Confession of a Crap Artist, 7C. Just amazing. Dave Graham tick.
2 - Komilator, 7C. Another one I'd wanted to do for ages. Basic, yet totally brilliant
3 - Arete with the Pocket, 7C. Certainly more French 8a than the Font 8A it gives in the guide, but regardless of grade this is a belter of a problem.
4 - Molunk, 7C. Done in a session but not without plenty of failures at the lip. The tiniest beta change made all the difference, although I was so tired by that point that I missed the move to the jug, slid down and had to throw again. What should have been a victory romp to the top still felt very definitely uphill.
http://vimeo.com/209266482
5 - Black Arete, 7C/+. Dosage tick and one of the most beautiful settings for a boulder problem anywhere. Couldn't get my heel to stick on the go I did it so had to invent a sequence on the hoof which resulted in me being way too pumped (and scared) on the highball finish
http://vimeo.com/212366981
Top 4 problems, New Zealand
1 - Interstellar Overdrive, V10. Probably the hardest thing I climbed all year, 6 sessions in total. Wouldn't be so bad but when it involves a 40 minute walk in, half of which is up a steep hill with no defined path it begins to wear you down. Climbing it in two halves was fine but I really struggling linking it. A definite mental battle knowing time was ticking down and I wouldn't be returning anytime soon.
2 - Sunset Arete, V8. More of a prow than an arete, like climbing the back of an armour plated beetle. Bit of a sketchy moment at the top where you suddenly realise you're a bit in the middle of nowhere and a long way from help if things go wrong.
3 - Pythagoras, V8. Tucked round the back of Castle Hill this is a beauty, crimps and tenuous smears lead up right to an arete as the ground slopes away beneath you.
4 - Ocean, V6. Wanted to climb this ever since seeing a photo on the other channel. It didn't disappoint. Even had some tourists taking selfies while I was on it!
Top 3 problems, UK
Jerry's Roof, 7C. Came so close 2 years ago where I fell off after the crux. Took some concerted effort this year to seal the deal. Made even better by thinking it wouldn't be dry so went to the cave, found it condensed, drove back to the pass and waited. Dried up with enough daylight left to get it done.
http://vimeo.com/229341349
Rock Atrocity, 7C. Cave rite of passage
Ultimate Warrior, 7B+. Off the beaten track and a long walk in for a class problem. Just the way I like them.
Top 3 problems Canada
1 - Worm World Cave, V9. Powerful, pinchy, arete-y goodness. Would have like to have a look at the harder low start but conditions weren't great
2 - Mantra, V8. Great problem with one of those go-ey all or nothing finishing moves
3 - Big Chicken, V9. One of those leg flick momentum to latch crimp moves. Consolation prize for not doing Resurrection, v9 - climbed from a stand but never managed to link it from the prescribed (but still standing) start due to rubbish skin, sharp holds and warm temps.
Top 5 problems, USA
1 - Midnight Lightning, V8. Another YYFY. Another cliched choice involving two attempts and 21 hours of queuing to get into camp 4. Woke up after the first night in camp 4 and did it while most people were still asleep spotted by my other half and a couple of guys we'd met in the queue. No spray, no camp 4 scenes. Bottom wall is proper thumbs over your fingers crimping but the mantel is a thing of beauty, where technique wins out over power. Followed by a mossy E3 slab to get to the top.
2 - Campground Arete, V9. I love aretes
3 - Checkerboard, V8, Such a beautiful piece of rock. Should have tried for the flash but pulled on for a couple of moves in the middle to warm my fingers up then did it first go from the start.
4 - Soul Slinger, V9. Really frustrating problem. Had about 3 sessions on it when the sun was out and wasn't anywhere near then tried it once in the evening and did it in about half a dozen attempts.
5 - High Plains Drifter, V7. Nearly flashed it but didn't. Second go.
Biggest Spankings
Midnight Lightning of Ticino, 7c+. 5 or 6 sessions, didn't stick the crux once.
Eclipse, Font. Wasn't high on the list for this trip but rubbish weather meant this was often one of the few things that was dry. I'll be back
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Some people have had great years!
A mixed one for me. Numerically, my best ever for sport and bouldering, but it didn’t feel like I ever climbed particularly well. Think I’m learning how to play those games and perhaps laying the foundations for years to come.
Top three boulder problems, UK
Y Front Direct, Bowden Doors. Late entry, not yet in Power Club! Lovely climbing, a good partner, thin crimps, a thick pad, a freezing and brilliantly clear day, and a deserted crag. Second go and clearly nowhere near 7A despite mint conditions and my ideal style.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Three from the Franchard Isatis Red circuit. Two hours in the very early morning on the last day of the trip. Glorious.
Top three trad. routes/solos UK
2017 has been a thin year. I’d decided to focus on trad. climbing over the summer instead of my usual habit of doing a big route somewhere. By the start of August I had built good level of fitness, a little trad. mileage, had syked partners lined up, and then twatted myself.
Zeppelin, Mother Carey’s was great relaxed fun. Felt about 6a+, I think I had 6 runners on the main pitch.
Top three sport routes UK
Chiming For You 7b, Uphill Quarry, one of my climbing Alma Maters. Last minute date with Fiend, who also had a good day (see above). Really enjoyed it, helped by encouraging partner, vertical thin crimpy style, and going smoothly after minimal rehearsal. I felt like I could climb harder here (see Aims for 2018).
Endgame 6c+, High Tor. The calm before the storm. Unpolished peak lime, unexpected quality, felt I was climbing well and thought it was a good warm-up for Supersonic.
Top three routes abroad (any genre).
No adventures this year (see UK trad.)
Nazgul 6b+, Chulilla. Mediocre, but since it was my first day back on rock after three months out I was pretty happy.
Top Spankings
Supersonic, High Tor. Twice! First time got to the crux, kicked out the gear, and then it started raining. Second go ended in the Northern General having dislocated my shoulder after relaxing on to the final jug. The first time I’ve used UK mountain rescue and worst pain I’ve ever experienced. For a month after I didn’t know how badly I’d damaged my axillary nerve, which could have been a game changer. Thanks again to shark for putting me up.
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Been a mixed year with constant injuries preventing any training but my best year in terms of grades. Down to more rock time and less plastic perhaps.
Top three UK boulders:
Ben’s Roof - grade wise way harder than anything else I’ve done, and also took a lot longer than anything else with 9 sessions in total. Really enjoyed the process of piecing the moves together and making gradually longer links. It also went down two days before I moved out of Sheffield, back to Devon. Good timing!
Mermaid (Burbage) - more for the whole day to be honest... Late October day in glorious sun ending in a flash of this problem, so good I did it twice!
Hanging Flakes (Cuckoo Rocks) - just really good fun! Slightly nervy but above a good landing.
Top Font problems:
Beatle Juice - great fun!
Duel Dans La Lune - can’t believe I hadn’t done it til this year.
Top routes:
Empire of the Sun direct - really enjoyable, I’m surprised I managed to do so many moves in a row.
Rainbow Bridge - ok I didn’t quite manage this but what a climb! (And I was very close to it...)
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top three UK boulder problems
Captain hook 7B, hurt my wrist last year and couldn't finish this off, so happy to work and finish it this year
Topshop 7B+, first of the grade so I was really psyched with this after a tough year
Left Wall Traverse 7B, basically a route and I suck at endurance so happy to send this
top three boulder problems abroad
Ineschakra 7B+ just sent this and for me it felt like my hardest tick to date
Figure de Proue 7A, for me just the perfect climb
Close Contact Droit 7B first of the grade in font and went quickly which was bliss
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I love this thread. Inspirational. Happy new year all.
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Tourniquet, Kentmere: Been trying this on and off for a few years, but decided to get stuck in this year, which involved driving away from Yorkshire in half decent grit connies. The confluence of a few decent weekends of weather in a row on which I could get away to climb, half decent conditions and some equally motivated partners helped hugely. The day I did it Bransby turned up and casually three finger dragged his way across it second go.
The problem has some pretty unique movement on it, and a range of sequences so that everyone seems to climb it slightly differently, not too shabby for a bad sequence on a 7a lip traverse! Additional beta: the bakery in Staveley is amazing.
Roof of a Baby Buddha, Maes Newyddion: A nice reminder that training does work. I had struggled to make headway last year mainly due to feeling weak on the crimps in the roof. A few rounds of structured fingerboarding in the interim really paid dividends on this one, and I think returning to something you've really struggled on previously and feeling stronger is one of the best feelings in climbing. A great find in a wonderful setting.
Grand Unification, Rolling Rock: One boulder set in a beautiful Lakes Valley, if the landing was a little wider it would be approaching perfection in that particular oeuvre. Climbing on my own on a beautiful summer day, took me a while to work out a suitable sequence, and I managed to pull it out the bag just as I was really starting to flag. As much a victory of mentality than anything else, as I have always struggled to maintain a positive outlook when climbing on my own.
Top three boulder problems, abroad (I could fill this section with 10's of problems from Squamish, all world class across the grades)
Mantra, Squamish: Saw this on the first day there and was very excited to try it. Checked out a few videos the night before, and spent the night dreaming about the potential correct sequence. Got pretty lucky on the big move and managed to do it first go, I don't often make a proper effort to flash things and I'm really glad I did on this occasion. As good as anything I have climbed anywhere, ever.
Worm World, Squamish: Classic first day at a new climbing area, say you'll have a jetlagged potter about doing a few easy classics, then end up, five hours of climbing later, trying one of your main earmarked problems for the trip. Excellent powerful climbing to a committing last hard move.
Pensees Cachees, Franchard Cuisiniere Good week in Font where we got very lucky with the weather among a load of mild dampness. Have always struggled on the high foot move on this, so it was great to finally get my toe in that pocket and stand up. I feel like I learn more about climbing in a week in Font than I do in the rest of the year combined, but unfortunately the knowledge and the movement patterns don't seem to take permanently.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Top three sport routes UK
Another year of successfully avoiding wearing a harness. Don't think I even did any boulder problems that used to get E grades!
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The day I did it Bransby turned up and casually three finger dragged his way across it second go.
That’s what he does.
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The day I did it Bransby turned up and casually three finger dragged his way across it second go.
That’s what he does.
... except when he does it first go.
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Top 3 boulders UK
Everything on the lovely Bovey slab - Swansong, Bovey Boys, Mornington Crescent, etc. A lovely early morning hit, woodpecker drumming and stag braying. A great find after being somewhat underwhelmed by the moors.
Incredible Shaking Man SS - six years ago had to hurry away with the sea threatening to soak us after doing the crux a few times then repeatedly dropping the V2 stand section. Looked like the same thing was going to happen but scraped through with the sea threatening again.
Braichmelyn Arete SS - same day as ISM, Chris suggested we go for a look at some obscure block in Bethesda in the evening. I wasn't bothered really, tips were suffering but went along for a look intending to just do the *** V1 & V2. Turns out the stand to this is an utterly joyous V1 and the sit is a technical masterpiece.
Top 3 Sport routes
Garderobe - what a great link, best of the grade at Moat.
Night Glue - another that was long term unfinished business.
eatswood Traverse - some routes are a described as a boulder on a rope so this is a route on a boulder and will have to go in here as there's not much else to work with. A good test of early season fitness before back issues scuppered things.
Top 3 trad routes
The Mau Mau - 20+ years dreaming of doing this, inspired by the description and Jim Jewel picture in the Paul Williams guide.
Manatese - while I was there, not as good as The Mau Mau but still merits inclusion.
Quasar- ok so I came off at the wet finger jam but it was in the bag otherwise. Got to include it as I only did these 3.
Spankings
Back issues which put a huge dent in fitness at the start of the season when everything was going so well
The Prow roof, barely managed to link any of it despite 2/3 attempts with plentiful beta
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This comes around too quick. We'll all be dead soon at this rate.
Was my best year for short boulder problems but didn't tick many routes.
Top three boulder problems, UK
The Tracks (8A). Llanberis Pass . - Fell off the last move in a sesh in 2016 but then turned into a total epic. Finally went down during a good spell in April. Dingy cave but a great mountain problem. Done in the same week as:
Will (8A). Mallory boulder - Great to do this with the FA and all round good guy Huffy. Luckily i had a strong day and got lucky or might have had to do the uphill slog a few more times. Total class and the V diff solo at the end makes it.
Manou (7C). Clogfaeni Y Llys. - We drove through the soaking hills optimistically and then slogged up to it with four pads.. I was nearly sick on arrival then proclaimed 'fuck that' when i saw the horrific landing under the final high arete (there's a big spikey boulder right under it). After a few tentative goes Danny did the arete and then the whole problem. I braved the arete then went from start. Was a bit pumped when i got to the scary bit and my feet were slipping everywhere. A real worldy. It would be 3 stars if it was made from Cromlech rock but it's some of the finest dolerite in Wales.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Had about 4 mint days in Magic before it started fuckin down with snow.
Supernova (7C) - Just great fun especially in good nick. Had shut me down on previous trips.
Intermezzo (7C) - My first 7C flash in mint conditions in a deserted wood. Probably wouldn't get it in UK though.
Intermezzo Left (8A) - Decent fun.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Starkers (8b), Pigeons Cave. Had been keen for this link up for a while but the top boulder problem had always seemed too powerful. I'd worked it out in 2016 so made quick progress this year and managed it in 5 sessions. Love Pigeons.
Choke a Bloke (7C), the Gop. Good to get a FA at the Gop and turned out to be reasonably tricky.
Top Spankings
Foxy Lady, Magic. Was making good progress then exploded off the glassy holds and landed on the top of my arse on a rock. Could hardly get up for days and had a massive purple bruise on my arse.
Pigeons proj. Bolted a sweet new line but was in a bit of a dip when i was trying it and took too long to work it out. Just got the beta sorted then started a busy job and it rained all Autumn. Prob not even that hard.
Sick happy ss. Went to it when i was fairly strong thinking it might go now but no. So burly.
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I wrote a version of this last week, but it disappeared whilst submitting...
Top 3 new routes/problems
1, Dicken's Cider, 8a+, Parisella's Cave. Newbie lip trip with fun heels, toes and kneebars.
https://vimeo.com/213447375
2, I ain't no sponsored jelly bean, 8a/+, Kilnsey. Link-up consolation prize for my roof project being wet.
3, Conie Arbonnes, 7B, Conies Dale. Squeezed in eliminate at the home of Peak district soft-touches.
https://vimeo.com/220068994
Top 3 boulder problems, UK
1, Broken Trigger, 8A, Parisella's cave - a link-up of 2 problems I was reasonably familiar with, but still put up a big fight
https://vimeo.com/224670668
2, Ben's Roof, 7C, Raven Tor - a few years ago, I thought I'd never be able to pull on that pocket after ruining my ring finger. Came back and did the extension too
https://vimeo.com/234913977
3, Hannibal Corner, 7B+, Tom's Cave. Despite the shitty location, this meant a lot to me as it was the first reasonably hard thing I did after A2&A3 strains in my index finger at Easter.
Top 3 sport routes, UK
1, 50 for 5/The Ashes, 8a+, Kilnsey. Great stamina climbing and (re-)taught me about the need for fast paced RP efforts
2, Milky bar Kid, 8a, Brean Down. I was shown some very efficient beta for the top roof and finally put to bed what had been a 6 year on/off project.
3, Cave Alternative, 8a+, Raven Tor. Not for the quality, but for kicking my ass repeatedly. I then decided to skip the shake-out and did it with relative ease - a lesson to remember for the future on this type of sustained bouldery territory.
Top 3 sport routes, overseas
1, El Remanso de las Mulas (P2), 8a+, Chulilla. Scraped my way up this 2nd RP after previously falling off 50cm short of the belay
2, Bricopaco, 7c+, Chulilla. Best flash/OS effort on a trip otherwise thwarted by wet conditions.
3, Planeta Namec, 7c+/8a, Chulilla. Free-styled the top groove on RP after a single working/failed OS go.
Top 3 trad routes/solos, UK
1, Gritstone Gorilla, E3 5c, St Tudnos. Sole trad lead of the year - completed with numb hands, meaning I didn't realise I was doing more damage to my injured ring finger :slap:
2, Portfolio, HVS 5 (solo), Windgather. The same finger injury meant I explored venues I wouldn't have otherwise gone to - silver lining and all that
3, Matterhron Arete, Diff (solo), Winnat's Pass. A very enjoyable roadside jolly.
Top 3 spankings
1, Rockatrocity, 7C, Parisella's Cave. There's still one move I can't do in isolation, let alone on a link. V1/2 my arse Jack...
2, Kilnsey roof project, 8b+/c? Fecked finger kept me away when it was dry in May. Best efforts were doing it in 3 overlapping sections in late July, just before it got perma-wet.
3, (full) Sympathy in Choice, 8A, Raven Tor - can't for the life of me work out a way to get into the stand start position.
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3, (full) Sympathy in Choice, 8A, Raven Tor - can't for the life of me work out a way to get into the stand start position.
Have you tried Polish Dave's beta in this video?
[url]vimeo.com/92890389[url]
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Trigger Cut, 7something, cave of justice - Kneebarred the shit out of it but nice to get up something hard-ish in the cave in fairly quick time.
Zippattrocity, 7B+ stanage, - primo jamming and great to get it in good condition.
Lay-by Arete, 7B, slipstones - one of the few times this year where I've managed to work my way round grit tech rather than getting completely shut down by it.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Biceps Mou, 7B, bas cuvier - Had been soundly shut down on this in years gone by but got on it at the end of a road trip and styled it out. So satisfying to get up something that felt so far away before.
Ghost in the Darkness, 7C+, Rocklands - felt totally improbable until it went on last go of the day. Amazing squeezing through a roof and a cool way to finish off the trip.
Question of Balance, 7B, Rocklands - completely infuriating right up until you do it, at which point it's brilliant! When the heel works it feels closer to 6B.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
End of the Affair, E8, Froggatt - Fuckin classic innit.
Jimi Hendrix Experience, E6, Uphill Quarry - Entertaining fight while pretty unfit. Good fun day freezing my ass off at the crag with bristol friends.
Crypt Trip, E6, Stanage - thought I was too short, turns out I was just unfit and/or shit at climbing. Satisfyingly easy on the day.
Top three sport routes UK
Despair, 7c+, Brean Down - esoteric brean nonsense at it's finest. Probably better than most of the hard sport lines on the main crag.
Hall of Mirrors, 7c, The Cuttings - Memorable fight up the sweaty groove on a hot evening.
Body Machine (cheaty way), 7c, Raven Tor - Notable for being a route at the tor that I've actually enjoyed.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Ticking the 'sexual' cave in a day, Cala Barques - big old day of smashing in loads of amazing dws lines. Running laps on a move that felt miles off last year (albeit when very off form) was satisfying.
Irak Attack, 8a+, Santa Linya - First of the grade so should probably go in here. In reality spent a lot of time waiting for a crucial tufa hold to dry out after which it went pretty quickly. Nice to get involved in a little redpoint siege though.
Cada uno por so Lado, 8a, Santa Linya - Succulent sequence that came together perfectly on the redpoint.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Didn't really put up anything of note, but an honorary mention for 'Hand to Gland Combat', a shit traverse with a name to match.
Top Spankings
Tomorrow I'll be gone, 7C, Rocklands - 4 or 5 sessions and more skin than I want to think about and Im still shit at techy vert crimping.
Noir Desir LH, 7B, Cuvier Rempart - Fucking problem! Despite seemingly good beta and a couple of sessions with excellent conditions it feels impossible to link and I don't understand why. Such amazing moves though! Could go next session or could drag on to eternity, at least it's amazing climbing.
L'Angle Ben's, Franchard Isatisis - Another 'I don't understand' font special. Really need to work on the old aretes.
Top Belay
Blomu R3, Santa Linya - Amazing to belay cave legend Henning on his successful redpoint at the end of a long siege. Felt like part of the cave clique, sat in the car park enjoying post-send veg curry.
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Inspiring as ever. I love seeing the huge mix of world-traveller's big ticks and local's triumphs. I'm very much in the latter camp.
Rather than writing this all twice, here's a link to a blog I just wrote about 2017's climbing highlights: http://gaz-softrock.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/2017.html
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Top 3 trad routes
The Mau Mau - 20+ years dreaming of doing this, inspired by the description and Jim Jewel picture in the Paul Williams guide.
Manatese - while I was there, not as good as The Mau Mau but still merits inclusion.
Good stuff. I thought Manatese was as hard as The Mau Mau due to the start. Great combo to do in a day :)
Top three four trad routes/soloes UK
Manikins of Horror, E2, Craig Arthur. Finally made it here after 23 years since school trips to World’s end. At the better end of British lime.
Supercharger, E2, Neist. Not often on Skye but have heard various unencouraging reports on this over the years. Ignore them - this is a towering stone cold classic. Fully a hundred metres of vertical dolerite, immaculate cracks lower down then adventurous steeps higher up. I’ll be going back.
Good stuff. Did you do Digitation there?? I thought that was great for inland UK limestone. Supercharger is an amazing experience if only to look back and think "I did that" in a rather touristy way. There were some stimulating blocks on first belay IIRC...
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We did yeah, I didn't think it was brilliant though. Bit shattered lower, higher up is classy rock but a touch contrived.
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3, (full) Sympathy in Choice, 8A, Raven Tor - can't for the life of me work out a way to get into the stand start position.
Have you tried Polish Dave's beta in this video?
[url]vimeo.com/92890389[url]
I have a video of me doing it on my hard drive. Will upload it for you to see if I use any usfull beta
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Cheers Haydn - Happy new Year!
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I say it every year but this is the coolest thread. I've given out lots of wad points. I didn't climb outside the UK so I've split it into Peak and non-Peak.
Top three boulder problems, Peak
Conan the Librarian 6b+, Mother Cap This was on my spankings list last year- every time I failed on Technical Master I went and failed on this afterwards. This year I only failed on TM once but I got really into climbing on the area above Millstone. I wonder how many other librarians did this problem in 2017?
The Arete, 6c, Roaches Skyline I had my one of my best days of bouldering ever in April- it had been years since I'd done a problem of 6c or higher in a session and I did four even though it was too warm. Fell on my arse trying to flash this then just floated up it like Tyler fucking Landman.
Lurcher Direct, 6a+, Bell Hagg Since I moved close to the Hagg I tried this problem on every visit and found it absolutely nails- just couldn't fathom how it got such a low grade, but I kept persevering. Then I met another local there who showed me a positive sidepull that I'd somehow never noticed. I did it next go.
Top three boulder problems, non-Peak
The Pinch, 7a, Pleasley Vale I did four problems that get 7a in the guidebooks this year, this is the only one that's really 7a though. Last summer me and my mate Martyn worked out a kneebar way to do this- it gave Martyn a hole in his knee that lasted 6 months. This year we used a proper kneepad and I did it too- I felt like it didn't really count that way so I gave the proper way a go too. A couple of minutes later I'd done it. :dance1:
Apprentice Wall, 6c, Anston Stones Best 6c in Rotherham.
All the Hull slab problems, Kay Nest I only went to Kay Nest to take photos but found it to be a really nice place. The Hull slab is a lovely bit of Northumberland-like rock with easy problems and a great view.
Top three trad routes/soloes Peak
All grit HVSs.
Sorrell's Sorrow, HVS 5a, Curbar Wicked. Get involved.
Pisa Superdirect, HVS 5a, Shining Clough Great day on the high moors.
Alcove Crack, HVS 5a, New Mills Torrs Steep basic fun, awesome belay behind someone's garden fence.
Top three sport routes Peak
Martial Music, 7a+ Cheedale Cornice I reckon this is a great route. Unlike the other routes of this grade I did this year, the crux is at the top rather than the bottom. I tried it in 2015 (the last year I did any sport climbing)- it was a bit too hard for me then and I still had the bad habit of working routes on toprope. This year I got back on it thinking it would be fine and found that I was really scared and tense on it and it felt harder than ever. After a session chucking myself off from all the bits I felt uncomfortable on I did it with what I'm choosing to remember as the minimum of fuss. Felt so good to get the big flat hold after the crux- the happiest I've felt at the top of a route in a long time. ;D
The Corniceman, 7a+, Cheedale Cornice 2017 was all about the return to form for me and this was my first 7a+ for 2 years. Hard bouldery bottom, steady middle, spooky wet top. Nearly killed Haydn with a rotten tree branch at the belay.
Bream in Black, 7a, Embankment Obviously the Embankment's a bit 2nd Division but I had some great evenings there this summer. First session this felt nails but I got my own little way for the top and it felt steady.
Top two routes non-Peak (any genre)
Toe the Line, 6b+ Blacknor, Portland I had high hopes of onsighting at my hardest on my Dorset trip but it turned out to be stupidly hot every day. It had never occurred to me before how little shade there is at the crags down there or how poorly adapted I am to heat. So I ended up onsighting at my limit anyway, just on routes easier than I would normally warm up on. This is a vert wall that's like stuck-together shells with pockets. It's really good and felt desperate. Very nearly in the spanking section particularly as I got sunstroke while I climbed it.
South-east Buttress, VDiff, Roche Rock Ever since seeing pictures of this crag (https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/sites/default/files/photos/roche_rocks.jpg) I've always wanted to visit it. Turns out just photograph it in a way that makes it look like it's bigger and more remote than it is. That suited me though as I only had a short time period on holiday with my girlfriend to visit. Great soloable routes on excellent granite-like rock.
Top Spankings
A Little Extra, 7a+, Raven Tor Didn't really get spanked by this, just didn't do it despite having loads of goes. Hopefully reading that Mastermind book will help me overcome my problem of falling off easy moves having done all the tough ones.
Bachelor's Left-hand, HVS 5b Hen Cloud After needing two goes on it's neighbour, Hen Cloud Eliminate, I thought this couldn't possibly be harder. First go I skidded down the wall on my knees (in shorts), second go blew it right before (what I later found out is) the first of many jugs. :lol: Both are wicked routes though. In some perverse way I find failing on low-graded routes the most fun type of climbing.
I felt like I had a great year climbing cool hard routes but reading this back it sounds like I'm rubbish and just messed about on easy stuff. This year I'm going to "enjoy the process" less and get stuff done.
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Eat It, Fairhead. Pure class. My first day exploring the Fairhead boulders and this got me keen as mustard to delve deeper.
Barely completed many other boulders in the UK, lots of almost dones!
Top three boulder problems, abroad
El Canto del Buho, Albarracin. Loved everything about this, the day, the crowd of psyched spanish and scandies, the highball moves and the location.
Zarzamora, Albarracin. Mint.
Beauty Rest, The Scalp, Wicklow. Pointed at this by the FA on a tour of the Scalp. Subtle moves down low into memorable and thankfully easier highball finish.
https://vimeo.com/112707150#t=150s
Top five three trad routes/soloes UK
Demetrius, E3, Ogwen Think this was my first trad route of the year and I went far too unprepared - new partner, went with his rack and didn't have a few of the pieces required. Wore sloppy shoes with poor edges. Sun was on the route. By halfway my calves were totally fucked, by three-quarters height at the crux I was run-out and almost peeling off through calf meltdown. Just about pulled it out of the bag facing a whipper most of the way back down the crag. 'Shit at the time/Brilliant afterwards.'
Magellan's Wall, E5, Rhoscolyn. Found this tough. Got to the crux finishing headwall and thought I'd just blat up it running it out, but got halfway up the headwall then encountered wet holds. Got pumped stupid down-climbing to a semi-rest and got even more pumped fiddling in a decent runner. Glad I did, as I was so boxed on the finish and I would have gone forever if I'd peeled.
Hells Kitchen, HVS (would be E1 in Wales), Fairhead. With ex-gf as her first multi-pitch HVS . Brilliant corner climbing with an out-there finish for the grade.
Red Wall, E2, Gogarth. A route I'd wanted to do for years. Another complacent day where we didn't really have the right gear - how do you forget to bring lots of large pieces on Red Wall? Blowing a hooollie on the cliff. Felt like a good adventure and much harder than it should have done, great!
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Acheronte, WI3, Cogne. With ex-gf as her first ice-climb. 300 metres of water ice gully climbing, a looong day out and a great adventure for her if slightly nerve-wracking for me.
Circles, 7b+, Teverga. not a king line by any means but it was satisfying to work out the beta without any knowledge and send straight away on this bouldery route.
Paseo Vertical, 6b+, Teverga. Perfect wall/slab climbing.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Flying Colours, M10, Clogwyn Manod. 30 metres of gently overhanging tenuous pumpiness with an out-there traverse to the chains as your forearms give up the ghost and picks feel like they're going to pop off at any moment. Mega
Winter Prey,M11+. Clogwyn Manod. From visualising the line, to equiping, working out the moves and finally sending, all highly satisfying.
Mack Attack (watch yer back), 7a, The Diamond. Totally unique line and just fun!
(https://scontent.fman1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21230865_373702549716001_6744347089530848675_n.jpg?oh=f737f80e435ffbc5ac47da5272d9e72e&oe=5AB98DAA)
Top three four new crags developed
Waterfoot
Mega crag x.
Mega island x.
The Allotment.
Some from here will end up travelling to mega island x, it's gonna be amazing.
Top Spankings
The drive to the Tor to try Mecca. A round trip of 4.5 to 5hrs from Llandudno each time to try a proj at my limit. What had seemed like a good idea in spring 2016 turned into a total motivation-killer by autumn of 2017. On the first drive over of last autumn I found myself at half-way just after Knutsford asking myself what the fuck I was doing this for, wasting my time on the road. I sacked it all off there and then, turned the car around and went home to have a great day in the cave! One day hopefully I'll be back, when I'm stronger and can do it more quickly - the route that is, not the drive.. In the meantime I'm picking stuff local to me for proj's at my limit.
Millennium Drive, Pillbox Wall. How many sessions on this?! I can do all the hardest climbing and get into Whiskey Bitch but keep falling off the Whisky Bitch finish, which I flashed years ago! And now can't seem to do WB even in isolation.. grr
Relationships.
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I barely did anything of merit on routes this year apart from one of my own. Bouldering was great so I'll do a top five, most of my outtings tend to come with some sort of epic for some reason.
Top five boulder problems, UK
King of Drunks (7A) - Wanted to do this since I first started climbing, had no chance on it a few years back. After getting close one early morning I returned to it after driving out late at night in the week and doing it at 10pm, a strange and atmospheric experience.
https://vimeo.com/216326589
The Tench Sit-Start (7A+)- Got fully psyched on the new dolerite venues earlier in the year, got lost in head height brachen for a couple of hours with my son before finding it and suprised myself to do it quickly, great moves.
https://vimeo.com/220244029
Super Crack (7A)- Again, an early morning dolerite outting. Didn't know what to expect from it but it is a gem of a problem, even getting eaten by midges didn't detract.
https://vimeo.com/217570966
Corbyn Youth Surge (7A) - Once my NWB 2nd edition arrived this stood out as something I needed to go do. Took my then 17 month old daughter out for the day, dented my car on a fence on the way there. Expected a nice walk in to the bouldering but turned out to be bogs all the way, rained heavily when we got there, managed to wait about and sneak up this classic before it rained again!
https://vimeo.com/236492427
Panty's Down (7A+) - Roof's are not my forte so I was made up to work out some techy toehook beta to get up this, came frustratingly close on the sit...see below.
https://vimeo.com/209493379
Top new route put up
The Greenhouse Effect (7c)- After having a hard time with some personal stuff and basicly not doing any training for months in summer it was great to have something to pour all my energy into. Really had no expectation to do it this year as I hadn't trained but it all came together really well over a fair few sessions inching higher and higher. Big thanks to Pete Harrison for being psyched to get out up there and all the belays!
https://vimeo.com/232225539
Top Spankings
Panty's Down Sit Start (7B) Almost managed my hardest tick in my complete antistyle, fell off going for the finishing jug loads then managed to get a flexor unit strain on the pocket in the roof and pulled something in my knee on the same session, basiclly never tried it after that, never been so close to doing something and not finished it off.
Being weak. Realisation that I am massively weak for the grade now everyone seems to know their max hang score. How I managed to get up some of the things I have, I don't know... Something I want to sort out this year.
The weather, the driving and my head - I've been caught out by bad conditions more times than I care to think about this year, I've drove hours to boulders to be shut down by either the weather or the fact I'm weak, I'm not sure why I do it sometimes. I get really psyched to drive ages to try something classic, get shut down on it and get annoyed at myself thinking I should of gone closer to home or I should of just not bothered until I knew I was stronger.
I think the bad sessions get to me more now I have 2 kids, I don't like to think the time I take away from them is wasted I guess. I attach alot of emotion to climbing and always expect a lot from myself, I need to learn that I can't be my best all the time. People who know me may find this a bit strange as I'm always really psyched and happy, but it's more of an inner battle. This has got better since taking my son out with me more now he's a bit older.
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Top 3 UK problems:
1. A combo of Horror Arete/Cleopatra/Jerrys Arete (Bridestones). A wonderful session 10 years since my previous and only visit here. Retro flashed Horror Arete, flashed Cleopatra and worked out the subtlety on Jerry's Arete just in time to wobble up it with all energy fading and the darkness encroaching having slid off the top 15 mins earlier. Finished the day off with a good meal down the road.
2. McNab Sit (Lords Seat). After being bed/couch ridden with lightweight-drinkers-hangover-sickness the day before and missing the trip to Slipstones, I crawled out sheepishly and survived the hike up here. After taking a few goes to stand up properly into the undercut on the stand, I finally braved it and it felt fine, the sitter went first go and was a nice sequence of tension and committing to the moves to avoid further Punting. We climbed a good circuit of problems this day including gorgeous Geordies, Galaxy and spondonical. What an awesome setting and fantastic rock shapes/quality.
3. The Main Event (Benllech). An optimistic drive across Anglesey and walk in through heavy rain led to the pleasantly dry hidden gem that is the Main Event Roof. Described as the coastal answer to Jerrys Roof, the Main Event did climb very well indeed and with zero knowledge, we worked out a great burly sequence that I eventually used to scrape up with the last dregs of energy and a hearty bellow to frighten off the lone Seal watching us. Jack almost followed suit but faded fast and we agreed to return ASAP to get him up that and have a look at the scarier prosposition that goes left and up the chossy wall of death.
Top 3 Problems Abroad:
1. Alea Jacta Est (Roche aux oiseaux). A great easy looking 1 mover into some delicate tick tack balance. I had had a quick look in the full sun of summer a few years ago and came back with low expectations as it felt weird and miles away. The warm up went well with a quick 2nd go ascent of the 7B+ in the pit opposite, which helped warm up the pipe cleaners for some further undercutting action. A promising 1st slap was followed by sticking the crimps shield next go and onward to the summit! Slightly shocked, I managed to do another 2 laps on it and it may as well have been 6C. I thought the sitter would be a mere formality but the font 5 sit moves seemed to make the stand miles harder.. Spanked
2. Gasthaus Unterslag (Roche aux Sabots). After getting up the above problem, I managed a cheeky ascent of the hugely morpho Herrison problem hidden up on the hill and ran over to Gasthaus on my Billy no mates. I recall going with Mick to this a good few years back and he lanked it to the top off an undercut. After putting my token 2 pads down on the steep slope, I did the easy 6C version out right and cleaned just enough of the leaves and soil off the lip to make it grippable. I quickly learned that going again off the undercut would not be possible and worked out that I would have to yard through to the top with the lower hand, meaning a long flight feet first horizontally down the slope to be entangled in the dodgy web of old tree trunks and branches. A good chance of injury was paramount in my thoughts, so I practiced a jump and catch of the lip a few times before committing to the full thing and screaming with terror as I launched through and thankfully held on to the wild out swing. A cool end to the brief 5 days in font.
3. Megalight (rocher st germain). A scorching first day in font found us at this new venue. It felt desperate to jump up from a frogged position until it clicked to do a leg pogo. With this newly discovered sorcery, it all came together. What a cool move to a lovely sloper.
Top Route - UK
1. Phantom Rib (Clogwyn y Grochan). I purchased a new Sirocco helmet which was 15 years on from my first and with Bertie in tow, we closed the shop on time and raced up to the pass to tackle a quick multipitch. I shook, sweated, sketched and nearly got blown off the exposed rib by the fiersome gales blowing up the Pass but somehow we made it up and down. I was shocked by the lack of decent gear for a Vs 4c on that rib pitch. It was jolly good fun and we intend to do more in 2018.. Although I could do with a comfy pair of shoes, currently owning around 30 pairs that are all 2 sizes too small.
Top Spankings:
1. Megalithe (rocher st germain). Having romped up megalight, I fully expected to crush this having looked at the holds. After many close but no cigar slaps and multiple shoe changes, I had ran out of excuses and had to admit defeat (although it was sunny and 26 degrees ;))
2. Alex Jacta Est sit (Roche aux oiseaux). Having lapped the stand, the sit looked a formality. About 5 tries in, I had a meaty flapper from twisting my right fingers around on the undercut and the white flag was raised once again!
3. Big Kicks (Lords Seat). I thought it was my lucky day being light from the previous day's sickness and having quickly dispatched several classics up to this point. I basically got soaked and no where near to catching the top. Couldn't work out how to jump or which bit to jump to. One to go back for.
I really must climb more his year. Just went through ukc and had a mere 12 days out in the UK, 5 in Font and 1 trad route evening! Hopefully there is life in the old dog yet.
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3. Big Kicks (Lords Seat). I thought it was my lucky day being light from the previous day's sickness and having quickly dispatched several classics up to this point. I basically got soaked and no where near to catching the top. Couldn't work out how to jump or which bit to jump to. One to go back for.
Good post, lid. I have been similarly perplexed by Big Kicks, though have only tried it with a taped up finger, and I suspect you have to really pull on that right hand crimp.
Interesting to see you list Cleopatra. I looked at this briefly as I recognised it from videos and thought it was a bit log.
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This is a strange report to write for me - as in many ways I enjoy the failures as much (if not more?) than the successes..
So, I've divided it up a bit differently....
Lancs Quarries
I got stuck into some of the harder problems in the Wiltons, Brownstones and Ousels Nest. Enjoyed them all - and pleased with a series of ticks around Slipstream at the Wiltons, and enjoyed feeling close (but miles away) on Meeting Palms at Ousels
https://vimeo.com/213840806
https://vimeo.com/242600567
Conies Dale
Early in the season had some great sessions up there with Dolly, and later Shark and Plattsy. Did a few new things - the names of which I've all forgotten (its that sort of place!) but really enjoyed the climbing and the company (and THAT leap Plattsy!)
Rubicon
As much as I have been known to slag the place of, it often becomes my summer venue of choice - mainly due to convenience and relatively short travel time from Manchester. Had some good sessions there and was good to meet a load of other UKB'ers and other folk there over the season.
Having done most of the 7A/7A+'s I got stuck into a Bigger Splash Direct, The Press and Kudos. ABS(direct) went - the others didnt.. Kudos I may sack off as it just feels crappy - but the Press has lured me with micro progressions at every session. Even on my last session of the season where I just thought I'll have a play I nearly caught the crimp about 5 times (progression for me..).
Late on in the season and into winter I got stuck into the start of Caviar - and despite not having done the problem by the time the winter waters rose I was darned close (grabbing and not holding the final hold) and I've really enjoyed the tussle. It is a great problem for me (techy - body position climbing with a fair bit of brawl being more overhanging that it looks). White Bait (I think?) the 7A to the left of Millers Tale was a new tick (and great problem with some microbeta).
https://vimeo.com/228055408
(what a bizarre problem - 1.5 moves yet strangely good!)
Open projects AKA Spankings to be..
Lots there -
I've yet to get on Blind Date since Jan/Feb and probably should some time...
Caviar. Once the water levels subside.. and the Press I'm looking forward to inching higher on...
Enjoyed recent account openings on Great White and Spring Voyage
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I think the bad sessions get to me more now I have 2 kids, I don't like to think the time I take away from them is wasted I guess.
I identify with this a lot. I often feel guilty at choosing to be away from the kids at weekends climbing after being at work all week. This is especially so if I have a crap session, when I question whether it is really worth it. I try to justify it to myself on the grounds that if time climbing de-stresses me and makes me happy, hopefully I'm a better dad for it.
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Interesting to see you list Cleopatra. I looked at this briefly as I recognised it from videos and thought it was a bit log.
You should have pulled on, it's very good.
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Last filled this in 2008! :o
Need to sort that out. Love reading through this thread!
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Last filled this in 2008! :o
Need to sort that out. Love reading through this thread!
Did you not scale any problems from start to finish at Sheep Pen last weekend? Or were you keeping it 2008 and just doing the crux move on people's projects followed by finding some microns to crank on? :2thumbsup:
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Top three boulder problems, UK
Enter the Dragon V12, Tremeirchion
Drink Driving V12, Pill Box Wall
Ru's Traverse V11, Griff's Buttress
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Nothing
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Nothing
Top three sport routes UK
Something for Nothing 8c, Malham
True North 8c, Kilnsey
The Great Escape 8b+, Malham (A toss up between this and the excellent Cover to Cover 8b on the upper tier)
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Musas Inquietantas 8a, El Chorro. This one's in the now banned Lower Gorge and we raided it on New Year's Day when all the guards were hungover presumably and the cameras were off. An immaculate wall climb and one I had tried unsuccessfully 16 years before
Porro 7c+, El Chorro
Honk Down 7c, El Chorro A nice onsight at the end of the day
Top three new routes/prolems put up
Nothing
Top Spankings
Dalliance 8b+ at Kilnsey. Pranged my shoulder in September after flipping upsidedown in a fall off the last move which set me back 3 weeks, then it got wet. Found a new, better and safer sequence but ran out of time
Just Do It 8c+, Smith Rock. Another round on this beast in October/ November just gone. Unfortunately, we went a little late in the season and it was pretty baltic. Still had my best ever effort and still psyched for a rematch.
West Side Story 7b+, Burbage West. Managed to get a small talus fracture at the start of last month falling off the last move of this problem when my right foot scrittled off the foothold out right standing up to get the top of the crag. (I have done it a few times before and possibly got a little complacent - its pretty bloody high up there!) Landed on a downwards sloping pad half stacked on top of a lower one due to the proximity of the boulder behind. Lesson, always sort your pads out securely if you are embarking on a highball! One month into the healing process but its quite a bad bone to break due to the poor blood supply and slow healing. Still, have now discovered the campus board!
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Absolutely love reading through this thread, so impressive to see how good/psyched some people are!!
Top three boulder problems, UK
It’s been a fairly slim year of bouldering for me but have still done some good problems.
Piethe of Pith, 7A, Talfarach. Thin crimping up a high, vert wall - just my bag! Luckily had a big crew out for a mate’s birthday back in Jan so we padded it out well. Funny to shock everyone by flashing it.
Horror Arete, 6C, Bridestones. Wanted to do this for years and it’s didn’t disappoint. Was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it due to poor form but smashed it in 2nd go. The jump to get off the top is also brilliant. Hilarity ensued when one member of the party psyched himself out and ended up cragfast for a while.
Successor State, 6C+, Brimham. Gotta have a micro-route-turned-highball on the list. Took a while to figure out how I would do the lower crux arete as I wasn’t tall enough to use everyone else’s method. Then it’s all in the mind with a brilliant committing palm move to top out. Go and do this grit dudes!
Top three boulder problems, abroad
L’angle Allain, 5+, Cuvier rampart. Brilliant and desperate. Such a great day out. Doing the left hand side and just latching the top with the tip of two fingers was an ace feeling as I’m so bad at jumping.
Marie Rose, 6a bas Cuvier. Brilliant wall climb, and chuffed to not slip off. Don’t believe for a second that ondra fell off it though. Must be some bullshit BD film plot...?
La place Roja, 7A, albarracin. Soft but a great bit of fierce crimping.
Top three trad E5s
This is really hard as I did loads of amazing E5s in 2017
Darkinbad the Brightdayler, Pentire. Probably the E5 I most wanted to do this year. Just amazing, raced up the start as I was worried the sun was coming round and it was going to get hot. Fortunately it clouded over but I found the rest really taxing and absorbing. Going up to the roof felt really quite bold. That top crack was good too, so nearly off. Got to the belay with a mixture of elation and “thank fuck!” Had done Eroica as a (bad choice) warm-up. Such a great day with a great partner. The ultimate combo of a Littlejohn FA and a Fawcett FFA make it even more special.
Run Fast, Run Free, Gogarth. Really enjoyed this one, Although it’s only got a couple of short hard sections and a lot of technically steady climbing, it is really pumpy. Fortunately I was fit enough to deal with this and not get flustered. Great name and great climbing to boot.
White Heat, Pembroke. Tried to do this in 2016 but the sea was too rough and was hitting the bottom of the route. Had an absolute blast doing it, especially exciting to push on past the mid-crux runner as it would be really hard to place. I think the fall would be safe but very long. Plus it’s a Whillance route - not often you get to do those!
Honourable mentions;
Tales of Yankee Power and Supersonic - have wanted to do these for ages and was good to get some tradding done when much of the rest of the country was wet.
Get Some In - Pembroke mega classic
Doubting Thomas, Malham - desperate on first acquaintance Good to redpoint.
Top three trad non-E5s
Route X E4 5c, Jersey. Upon returning from Spain there was no structures work so, desperate for money I agreed to go to Jersey for a month of geo. Got in touch with the Jersey climbing club who were amazing and let me lead whatever I wanted. Toss up between this or Hot Tuna as the best route I did on the island. This was long, sustained, gently over hanging face climbing on granite. Hot tuna being bold slab climbing at the same grade. Both of these were totally onsight as nobody does the harder routes much out there. Very keen to go back post birdban for the Pinnacle routes.
Byzantium, E4 6a, Craig Doris. Again one that’s been on the list for a good while. Only had a single rack of cams which I had to ration to allow me to protect the whole route adequately. Two sets would have been nicer, especially for the bit above the first break, where I essentially had only one cam and a tricam between me and the ground. Littlejohn does it again.
Slender Loris, E4 6a, Malham. Discounted ever trad climbing at Malham but this is amazing. Unbelievably pumpy at the top.
Honourable mentions;
Resurrection, E4, Cromlech. Fantastic. Why I hadn’t done this before is beyond me.
Wall of Horrors, E3, Almscliff. Found this nails but so so good.
Pan, E4, Pembroke. Brilliant to do this and then maybe better to belay a friend on it as her first E4.
Top three sport routes UK
L’ob Session, 7c+, Malham. Love the climbing up here and was chuffed with how quick this came together. Did it 3rd session having had the second written off due to no cloud cover. The low crux is grim but the upper groove is incredible!
Body Machine (from the break), 7c, Raven Tor. Have tried this sporadically over the last few years but never enough to actually do it. This year I must just be a lot better as I did it third go up having not been on it for over a year. Ron is the man!
Night Glue, 7a+, LPT. Brilliant, tried years ago and should have retro-flashed but didn’t. No time for a second go as tide was very much encroaching. Did it putting the clips in the next day. Such good varied climbing.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Les Rivieres Pourpres, 7b/+, Taghia. Certainly one of the best routes I’ve ever done and with a great partner (except for using quickdraws in belays ;) ). with 8 pitches of climbing between 7a and 7b/+ including 3 7bs and 3 7a+ plus a load of other pitches on a 500m route I was really chuffed to not fall off especially as I had a bit of a dodgy stomach. 14 hours after leaving the gate we were back. Would have been a bit quicker had we not been behind some Germans but all’s well that ends well. Amazing how sustained the quality is as well.
Pren Nota, 8a, Siurana. Wanted to try this before heading out and it ended up being my first of the grade. Brilliant sustained and varied climbing. The top is amazing especially as I took some massive lobs skipping the last clip. Saw Margo do la rambla from the ledge too which was cool
Moon Safari, 7c/+, Chulilla. Fudged my way up it 2nd go having dogged it a couple of days before to put my clips in. Bridging up those tufas is really special.
Honourable mentions;
Barrieros, 7c, Chulilla. Gave it a good onsight go and just scraped up it next time up. Really good climbing
Segui Iluitan, 7b, Chulilla. So good, every section is totally different, it’s soft at the grade and 40m long.
La muerte del sponsor, 7b+, siurana, great to onsight this, another dream tick.
Top Near misses/spankings. I’ll let you decide which is a spanking and which is a near miss.
Orange Robe Burning, E6 6b, Pembroke. Blimey, worked hard all the way to get up this as it was unchalked. Had no idea where I was aiming on the top crux. By the time I was up there a few mates had gathered at the top to watch. I fully went for it, pulling on nothing-holds with them all screaming that I was nearly there before my hand popped with my other an inch from the Good hold at the end of the hard climbing. Very proud of this effort, probably one of my best to date.
Energia positive, 7c+,terradets. Spent 5 days falling off at th very top of this route, on my best effort I meat hooked the finishing jug with both hands, got a foot over the rooflette and fell off as I tried to stand up. Had a sense of humour failure on this.
Morrir de Exit, 7c, Chulilla. Was climbing really well on my onsight go, then missed a hold and climbed too far up the crack and couldn’t get to where I wanted to. Fell off down climbing. Scraped up it next go. Doh!
Such a great year despite being shot at bouldering in the autumn/winter - here’s to hoping 2018 will be really good too! :icon_beerchug:
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Bit of a strange year from a climbing perspective - I've been motivated to climb/train for the first time in a few years, but largely just been ticking over outside while in the process of moving to Sheffield. Most days out were widely spread, so never really got any momentum going on routes. Managed to do a bit more bouldering as it fitted the shorter timeframe better.
Top three boulder problems, UK
Mark's Roof, Gardoms - first tried about 15 years ago and sporadically since, but never been able to do the top out. A short session between the showers on my own and finally did the top out after a couple of tries, followed by the full problem next go.
Right to Silence, Glen Nevis - best problem of a trip to Glencoe area in May/June. Also bouldered up in the Lost Valley and did some fantastic running around Glen Etive. When the weather's good, there's few places that beat Scotland.
Beretta, Anston - less about the actual problem and more about finding a reliable venue for those days when the grit edges are clagged in.
Top three boulder problems, abroad
Nothing.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Very little, finally got round to doing Left Unconquerable and had a good day doing E1/2s at Pic Tor - underrated venue, especially if you've done most things at High Tor.
Top three sport routes UK
Also very little, did some decent routes at Llandulas on the way back from a North Wales washout but that's about it.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Two good trips to Siurana/Margalef and Pyrenees, but not much that stands out.
Top three new routes/problems put up
Nowt.
Top races
Weets - best I've run at a champs race and didn't feel totally out of my depth like I normally do! Could have done better still if I hadn't been boxed in on the first lane.
Tigger Tor - such a great route with a bit of everything, fast descents, technical descents, some boggy bits, some good running and the odd tough climb. Plus, it's great when a bit of local knowledge pays off!
Long Mynd Valleys - who knew Shropshire was so picturesque? Didn't run especially well and suffered on the last couple of climbs, but more than made up for by running in such a great spot. Tempted to go back for other races or a longer break.
Top Spankings
No climbing ones this year - probably due to not trying especially hard! Briefly tried Musee Imaginaire at Curbar after doing Late Junction and think that could have shut me down, but I don't think 15 minutes of failure counts as a spanking.
Sheffield Half Marathon - missed my target by 90 seconds, started drifting off the pace running into the wind at Ringinglow and then couldn't peg it back on the descent. Back this year.
Tebay Fell Race - felt crap from the start, couldn't get my legs moving on a course that ought to suit me. Felt like I was running into a furnace on the descent before the final big climb, no wind and the sun beating down. Legs were like jelly for the last few miles.
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Only climbed twice this year - one session indoors, one session outdoors. Feels very weird to have lost such a high climbing drive the past two years but it's nice to know that muscle memory is a wonderful thing and is always there if the urge comes back. Larking about at Sheep Pen with a load of Scousers last weekend reminded me that it can be a far less solitary pursuit than running and I even felt a surge of psyche coming back. Perhaps that'll develop in 2018.
I finally got an MRI on my lower back this year and discovered that the chronic and at times crippling bouts of pain result from a stress fracture and spondylolisthesis. It's pushed me to my limits I can tell you. Despite that, I still managed some decent fell races early in the season and have only had to put them on hold the past few months after upping my training intensity and volume too quickly.
Main year highlights in summary:
Our trip to Japan (just go!)
The Inov-8 High Cup Nick race was superb and I'll definitely be back for that
Ras Yr Aran saw some of the most horrendous conditions imaginable but I still managed a respectable time (and survived moreover!)
Cycling from Liverpool to Sheffield and back for the work charity cause. Was tough after a few months of not cycling!
Briefly experiencing the feeling of progression in fell races
Joining the Liverpool Harriers and some good training sessions with them
Releasing a new whisky
Making headway on the republishing of Stud Marks on The Summits with all copy now transposed and proofed
Progression with music production/modular synthesis knowledge
Really looking forward to attacking 2018 and I think I'm finally accepting I'm not 18 any more and that supplementary conditioning is king in the world of sport!
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After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).
I think it's quite vindicating to see it mentioned no less than three times on this thread.
I stupidly forgot that my biggest spanking of the year was giving up on my project at Earl Seat which I mentioned in the Yorkshire Open Projects thread. I was fairly gutted not to get this as I had one attempt when I was really, really, stupidly close to doing it. I had three fingers in the crucial slot - if I'd got my little finger in as well it would have gone. It would have been the hardest problem I'd ever climbed full stop - I think I would have given it 7C+ in hindsight, though it might have been subsequently downgraded.
I don't regret the decision to pack it in. It was a long walk in to do with 4 pads - an hour's steep uphill grind and heather bash. On one occasion I had only two goes on it before I ripped my tip on the two finger crimp (with a subsequent fortnight healing time where I couldn't really climb very well). It ruined at least two pairs of shoes by putting a huge hole in the rubber on the left toe. If I'd done it it would have been glorious, but by sinking so much time into it I was missing out on a lot of other climbing I could have been doing. It's all very well for Nalle to say that giving up is the only sort of failure, but he only said that once he had succeeded, and for a weekend warrior with limited opportunities to get out then I think a careful budgeting of what time you have to spend on rock is important.
I told myself I could always go back to it if I got psyched - regardless of whether it had been climbed by someone else in the interim. The wall got a relatively large amount of attention in the last year. I was disappointed to hear that an important pebble has been pulled off which might mean that it now doesn't go. I was slightly heartened (in a mean sort of a way) to see that the subsequent line that was created on the wall (The Chieftain) doesn't climb the line that I had been trying. It might be harder than what I was trying, but in my view it is inferior since the finish of it is escapable, eliminate and can be accessed direct via a much easier piece of climbing.
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After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).
I think it's quite vindicating to see it mentioned no less than three times on this thread.
I stupidly forgot that my biggest spanking of the year was giving up on my project at Earl Seat which I mentioned in the Yorkshire Open Projects thread. I was fairly gutted not to get this as I had one attempt when I was really, really, stupidly close to doing it. I had three fingers in the crucial slot - if I'd got my little finger in as well it would have gone. It would have been the hardest problem I'd ever climbed full stop - I think I would have given it 7C+ in hindsight, though it might have been subsequently downgraded.
I don't regret the decision to pack it in. It was a long walk in to do with 4 pads - an hour's steep uphill grind and heather bash. On one occasion I had only two goes on it before I ripped my tip on the two finger crimp (with a subsequent fortnight healing time where I couldn't really climb very well). It ruined at least two pairs of shoes by putting a huge hole in the rubber on the left toe. If I'd done it it would have been glorious, but by sinking so much time into it I was missing out on a lot of other climbing I could have been doing. It's all very well for Nalle to say that giving up is the only sort of failure, but he only said that once he had succeeded, and for a weekend warrior with limited opportunities to get out then I think a careful budgeting of what time you have to spend on rock is important.
I told myself I could always go back to it if I got psyched - regardless of whether it had been climbed by someone else in the interim. The wall got a relatively large amount of attention in the last year. I was disappointed to hear that an important pebble has been pulled off which might mean that it now doesn't go. I was slightly heartened (in a mean sort of a way) to see that the subsequent line that was created on the wall (The Chieftain) doesn't climb the line that I had been trying. It might be harder than what I was trying, but in my view it is inferior since the finish of it is escapable, eliminate and can be accessed direct via a much easier piece of climbing.
:wank: :wank: :wank:
But is it harder than the geminid trail?
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Anyone who can't recognise the pure class of Horror Arete is an idiot, like you say up there with the best on grit. Thankfully it's of a lot better quality than most of the grit at Bridestones, but still relatively fragile, so hopefully it will be treated kindly.
Slightly easier then Gemenid Trail but not much, I can only imagine that Will had taken an ethical stance and was trying to climb on the moss!
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After we had that World Class Problems thread, I've made the point to my friends a few times that Horror Arete is amongst the absolute very best problems on gritstone and is one of the few ultra world class problems in the area. This is generally met with cries of protest because it obviously can't be as good as Demon Wall Roof Eliminate #217 (the subtext being that easy problems can never be as good as hard problems).
For the record, this has nothing to do with me.
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76 days on rock. That sucked. Down from 110 in 2016.
Because I didn't really do anything of note this year and was injured quite a bit, mine will just be a summary of the most memorable lines that I did.
And spankings...
Arete Steady V3/4
Fishermans Bay, Port Stephens
Nothing like sketchy piano swapping fingers while laybacking over a ledge....
(https://i.imgur.com/dUjOohm.jpg)
Copperhead V6/7
Venus Baths, Gramps
Nothing like falling off the last move (THE move) on your flash...... And then the next 20 times as well...
(https://i.imgur.com/16EoePs.jpg)
The Prow V5/6
Lakeside Boulder, Wanaka
The joy of sprained ankles... The joy of the location!
(https://i.imgur.com/eNzjG42.jpg)
Whatever random DWS lines I did in Hawaii.
Interesting climbing on lava! Dynoing wasn't my best idea...
(https://i.imgur.com/yBJJ0p1.jpg)
The Spankings.
If The Shoe Fits V8
The Frontline, Sydney
Same move. Same couple of degrees between me and doing it.
Grr.
(https://i.imgur.com/C14zxh4.jpg)
Ain't No Easy Win V8
Jurassic Park, Sydney
All down to the one rollover move to a pinch. Landing isn't great and ate shit a few times...
(https://i.imgur.com/DN5mcYZ.jpg)
Fingers crossed for a better this year.
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I forgot! I did one boulder problem in the UK:
Top three one boulder problem UK:
Some blunt arete at Helman Tor: it had small crystals for the hands and feet and was pretty nice :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vncpI8o0mm0
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Better late than never...
UK
Backstreet Mime Artist. 6 sessions. Loved the process. Happy to complete it (my only 8a of the year).
Roof of a Baby Buddha. On the list for ages and fought up it by the skin of my teeth at the end of the day. Best day’s bouldering on paper, as did Wavelength and Corridors of Power earlier the same day.
Quarantine, Anston. One of those afternoons when conditions are perfect and you nail it first go (redpoint), having done precisely the correct sort of training (though for another PE problem).
Abroad
Pirouette Cacouette. Skin of teeth. Happy to climb a proper Font ‘King Line’ in August.
Pancras Assis. One of the forest’s quickest drying problems and proof that you can get Velcro conditions in August. It’s popular cos it’s kind of basic for Font, but that doesn’t stop it being a classic.
Bob’s your Uncle. Targasonne. Classic prow hugging and mantle top out.
Trad
Bludgeon, Shepherds. Got psyched for trad again after a weekend in April. Didn’t lead on to much!
Repeated Circe one evening. First E5 in a few years. But never did any more trad.
Sport
Didn’t do any this year.
Abroad
None.
New
Did a low start to a problem at Confluencia camp on Aconcagua, which I don’t think had been done previously. Didn’t boulder at Mulas as too busy sorting sh*t out.
Spankings
Where to start? The big one was Trou de culte assis (8A) in Targasonne. 4 sessions. It’s a classic core-intensive burly crack/gaston/pinch line. Had really good conditions on one of those sessions but made the mistake of thinking ‘I’ll get it next session’ and didn’t. Enjoyed the process, but it would have been really nice to do it ;-)
Aqua Planning in Font. Not very Font being a long roof climb. World’s hardest 7C. Slapped the crimp before the final campus move a dozen times but not enough beef.
Pump up the Powerband. Never really got going. Had done a load of training but the psyche just evaporated come late April, so only tried it a couple of times.
Kentmere in October with Dave and Cofe. Got shut down on virtually everything and felt like a broken, old man. Pretty much gave up bouldering for 3 months.
Fell races
The Great Lakes. 21Km/2000m. A fairly last minute opportunity presented itself. Amazing weather, amazing route. Small field meant making some decisions about route choice. Was keeping up with some pretty handy folk as far as Scafell, but inevitably lost a lot of time in the final stages as the engine ran out of steam.
Tideswell. A week after the GL and the opposite end of the spectrum, being short and fast. I think I’d built up enough endurance to run as hard as possible in the final Km without slowing down. Was a nice feeling to hold my position (albeit way down the field as per).
Warslow Beer Festival. The following week, I continued my short ‘peak’. A 10k race with 500m of climbing. Lots of steep ups and downs, so suited my walking and descending ability, as opposed to (lack of) flat speed. My best result and finished just a few minutes after a mate who is a much better runner than I am.
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Forgot to do this!
Top three boulder problems, UK
Did a fair amount of UK bouldering this year, but mostly training-style link-ups and grotty stuff in caves rather than high quality bangers. Anyway...
Louis Armstrong - Became a real mental struggle. Going from nearly doing it to failing to be able to do the moves after a week away with work in China broke me mentally. Was very glad to be done with it when it finally went.
Saucy Mutton - A triumph of alternative beta over strength. First I ruined Mutton Busting with a new sequence (I blame Ned for finding a new hold), and then I improved Mint Sauce with an awesome kneebar sequence. Best of a bunch of linky/travy stuff from an early Summer period of spending too much time at Griff's. Done on a pre-work 6.30 start as a bonus.
La Grande Fissure - A fun problem, but mostly indicative of a nice sunny day in Wales. Good for the soul.
Top threetwo sport routes UK
Not much UK Sport this year
Giant Haystacks - Normally I'm not very into short routes, but this was really good.
Belly's Gonna Get Ya - My dumb new addition to the tor. Still, good to hunt out hard things that I can climb locally that aren't very crimpy so that I can actually try them.
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
La Banda, Rodellar - Everything I could want from a hard onsight/flash: great climbing on a great cliff getting unbelievably pumped. 2 bolts from the top and having reversed out of a tricky section it felt inconceivable that I could get to the top. So much fighting, so much pain, pins and needles and wanting to throw up afterwards... This is why I climb.
Ixeia, Rodellar - First 8b+ (or 8b/+) onsight. Nearly punted it low down when I struggled to fit a kneebar in, then climbed really well on the upper half. Rad.
Batuka, Margalef - Rad pocketses
Top three new routes/problems put up
Belly's Gonna Get Ya
Contra Girl - The Misogynist's Link - the usual tor shuffly shuffle
Cave Converter Sit - dumb but fun with a full invert toe hook sequence
Top Spankings
La Bongada - Wanted to try this in Margalef at Christmas. Felt mutant on day 1, got a cold on day 2, hurt my finger on it on day 3. Decided to sack off trying hard stuff on holidays for a the next few years and stick to onsights/quick ticks
The Mentalist - Flashed through the hard stuff and punted the damp and dirty last move. Then couldn't do the hard bit anymore - cue about an hour of frustration and ranting before dragging my sorry ass up it.
My fingers - still stektchy and perma-injured
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I thought I'd write something mostly because reflecting on the best of the previous year temporarily stops you thinking you're a shit climber.
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
I've put this lot first as it's the focus of my climbing:
The Golden Mile, Chee Tor
This was a big one for me as it features possibly the hardest climbing I've done on a trad route. I tried it a couple of times in 2016 and fell off going to the mid-height thread. This presented a bit of a psychological barrier for me: up to the thread the gear is good and the thread itself is excellent*. However, I had heard that after that there is one more piece of gear: an upside down cam in a pocket and still more hard and insecure climbing. Not trusting cams at all on peak lime, this essentially meant that there was no more gear after the thread and it is a long way to the top. Even worse, I had heard that Peak hardman Dom Lee had fallen off the top section, ripped some gear and broken a rib or two. Shit.
*I take no responsibility for any deaths resulting from the failure of the thread.
Did I really want to go above that thread in to the danger zone? I had bought myself a totem cam especially to fit that pocket but from previous experience I still didn't trust cams on Peak lime. One evening I turned up for 'a look' with a new partner. I 'kindly' offered him the first bash as an onsight attempt. He didn't get too far which meant it was my go. Being an evening session the time pressure is always on and I don't want to fuck around too much and waste his time. Off I go and, on the lower section which I've done a few times before a hold breaks and I'm off. My gear rips but the piece below holds and just keeps me off the deck. I say "my" gear but it was actually James's; I inspected it as I climbed past and thought it was bomber. Climbing back up to the offending gear I put the same nuts back in and again they looked bomber. Fucking Peak lime. Fucking trad. When is bomber gear not bomber? When is gear bomber? Can't we just have some rules to play by!?
Anyway, here I am eye-balling the thread having just climbed a tricky, slippy, traverse to get there. Thankfully I manage to get it clipped from below and find a good hold in the thread itself enabling me to mantel on to the 'ledge'. Shit, I'm on the ledge. What do I do? Do I want to go up there? No. Will I go up there? Well, it's that or jump off, and I've got so far. The ledge is in fact a fairly slopey affair and the handholds here aren't great so whilst you can get something back it's not exactly a rest.
I contemplated my fate and moved off left towards a series of holds that led up, back right a bit, and then up some more eventually reaching sanctuary below the big girdle break along the crag. Nervously I reached the undercut pocket and stuck my new cam in. I didn't (still don't) believe it would hold, but psychological pro is worth having. The thread would definitely save you but it'd be a big 'un and the cam popping out would perhaps flip you upside down (I have a penchant for this). Moving up above the undercut I reached one of those classic trad positions: you can't see an obvious way onwards, it's not easy to climb downwards, and you're pumping out but telling yourself it's OK, constantly shifting between rubbish holds. Eventually you always have to commit one way or another, and so I did, moving rightwards and trusting those awful, slopey, dust-covered footholds which are the special reserve of Chee Tor. Slipping, sliding right I somehow made a cross-through in to a positive pocket and yarded up to the sanctuary of good holds. I was pleased to have done the route, and perhaps more pleased not to have fallen off. Looking back on it, moving up from the pocket is all one of those wonderful 'out of body experiences' where you can't actually remember what you did but your body went on auto-pilot and did it for you. Regardless, I put myself through and got to the top. Ground-up as well, and definitely my hardest trad lead.
Golden Mile kind of sums up why I love trad climbing so much: it's fucking scary, and in some ways you don't want to do it, but in other ways you know it's the best thing ever and you can do it. When you do it, you put yourself in to a space that you don't find anywhere else.
On the topic of gear ripping, and other accidents, it's interesting how immediately after you can climb as if it hasn't happened but then it comes back to haunt you later on; this and other negative experiences affected the rest of my summer head-game. Any words of wisdom as to how to get over it and put your head in the right place?
Interspace, Paradise Wall, Carn Les Boel
This is perhaps the polar opposite of the Golden Mile experience.
My first trip to Cornwall was great, and this was by far the route of the trip. Beautiful sunshine, amazing place, thousands of new routes to go at right by the sea. What more could you want? Well, the Paradise Wall is what you flipping want my friend, because it's all of those things times 10.
Walking along the top of the cliffs with little idea of where we were going or what was beneath us, I dragged my girlfriend to the top of a cliff that looked good in the guidebook. That was handy, because leaning over the top you could see fuck all apart from a bird-covered pinnacle opposite and the frothing waves below. Assuring Roisin it would be fine, whilst not being so sure myself, I chucked the rope down and abseiled with trepidation in to the unknown. Immediately, things started looking up: pristine golden granite veined with fat breaks eager to receive my juicy cams. Aiming for the little belay ledge at the bottom things became even better: swimming a couple of metres away from me were two seals. The sea in Cornwall is that beautiful transparent turquoise and you could see the seals swimming in and out of the picturesque zawn in all their glory. A five star belay, which was fortunate for Roisin as I would spend the next god-knows-how-long jibbering my way up the route.
The Paradise Wall leans out at perhaps 20 degrees over the sea. Interspace blasts diagonally up and right through the centre of the wall making the most of the rock and the surroundings. The route itself is excellent: bridging up a corner plonks you one third of the way up the wall ready to blast off in to space along the deep breaks towards the top of the crag. There are no hard moves, but the pump is always present and it's one of those routes where you could never have enough gear and every time you place a precious cam you debate with yourself if you really need it and oh, wouldn't it fit better in that nice placement up there? Once sufficiently pumped the top of the crag looms over protected by a slightly wet crux. Wouldn't want to drop it now, but, having climbed unnecessarily slowly due to uncertainty the whole way, it's not a given. Pulling past a flakey peg and over the top to salvation the route is certainly 3 stars but it's the situation and atmosphere that make it a 5 star experience.
The Wall of Prey, Fairhead
There are certainly a few contenders for this spot - Survival of the Fastest at Craig Arthur, the big 3 E4s at Hen Cloud - but I'll give it to Fairhead for the context.
Think the weather is shit in England? Get yourself to Ireland, it's fucking dire. Mid August and it rained most of the day, every day, for a week. Fortunately we were on a family trip so it wasn't a climbing trip lost. That said, it did sometimes stay dry until midday so we managed to squeeze in some of the single pitch routes at the side of the crag which would, to be fair, be 3 stars anywhere. However, climbing single pitch routes at Fairhead is like going to an ice cream shop and ordering a plain cone. Fairhead is by far the most impressive cliff I have ever seen: one hundred metres tall and miles in length, a stark, foreboding cliff rising proudly above the sea where legends of daring-do are played out by hard men and women from across the Irish Sea. Below, the tumble of giant boulders looks like the playground of dinosaurs. It really is something else - if you haven't been there, go (but check the forecast first).
Hopefully this sets the stage for how eager I was to fight my way up the length of this amazing and seemingly unobtainable playground. The route I'd chosen which fit 'my grade', style and our team's ability was Wall of Prey. I think this is the first time I'd wanted to climb a route not for itself but because I wanted to ascend a piece of rock. (When I say "our team's ability" what I really mean is 'which route can I drag my poor girlfriend up, do that annoying trad-hanging-belay-changeover-thing as fast as possible, and get to the top before she gets justifiably pissed off'). Fortunately half way through the trip a day arrived when, after the morning's rain, the sky was blue the rock was drying and it was on.
Psyched to finally be able to approach the main wall I started up the Wall of Prey. Glancing behind me I could see the usual rain clouds flittering on the horizon, no way of telling which way they were going or when they would visit you. The climbing lulls you in, easy at first and gradually increasing in difficulty. A swift move out of the initial corner and on to the arete proper lands you in an airy position. A few more balancey and slightly nervy moves quickly bring you to the upper section of the arete and below the crucial roof and a peg. I clipped the peg and then heard my name float up from below. I turned round to see that a massive storm cloud had engulfed the sky and was almost within reach. Shit. I lowered off, leaving a couple of pieces and retrieving the rest before making a hasty retreat and, obviously, getting absolutely soaked.
A couple of days later the opportunity again presented itself to retrieve my gear and ambitions. I raced back up to the peg, had a quick glance behind me to check for sneaky storms, and then did battle with the crux. A bit of up-and-downing and a stiff pull saw me through, in to a balancey corner and eventually on to the belay. The crux was fairly reachy, so Roisin had a hard time seconding and by the time I had brought her up to the stance we had an hour or so of light left. Climbing is often just a game and you can have a go and if you don't succeed it doesn't matter. This was one of those situations where you think 'shit, I have actually got us in to a sticky situation, attached above a deathly fall by only a couple of pieces of metal, and now I need to get us out of it'. Fortunately Roisin was more positive and once I had finished dangerously flailing around with the rope work (don't climb with me, I'm shit at stuff like this) I could set off. This pitch was certainly graded as easier, perhaps 5c or so, but I had it in my head that I had to get us out before dark, and quick. The middle of the Fairhead face is not a place to be stranded in the dark, with only Shaun the friendly farmer within a couple of miles. I was full of adrenaline and I climbed quickly, pulling through cruxes and past rests with determination in a sort of 'survival mode' (this is what it must be like to be Bear Grylls). Nearing the top of the pitch I realised that I had done it, and before it was dark. I was elated with relief and also to have climbed to the top of the Fairhead beast. Flipping good day that, never got scared for a moment, easy-peasy....
That state of speed and determination would be a good way to climb on every route!
Top Three sport routes UK
Looking back on the selection of mostly shite Peak lime sport routes I climbed this year I'm struggling to remember any stand-outs. It just doesn't stick with you like trad, does it?
This is the sea, Cornice, 7c+
Excellent bouldery sequence with a great deadpoint in to a gaston - isn't that the best kind of move??
Excalibur, Moat Buttress, 7b+
The Moat Buttress revival last year was great, with plenty of 'quality' routes going up which all seem to be 7b+!? Excalibur was a really tough cookie for me, having quite a powerful move at the end of the hard climbing. Took me a while but was really satisfying. I seemed to be getting in to 7b+ quite well this season, often doing them in an evening, so it was good to get put in my place again.
The Day of the Long Knives, Rhubarb Buttress, 7b+
Great route slapping between little side-pulls. Good effort to Mark for cleaning it up. The day after I was at the Cornice telling someone how good it was who then turned out to be Keith Sharples, the first ascensionist. Good story behind the route name.
Top sport abroad
Les Rivieres Poupres aka Poo Poo River 7b+, Taghia, Morocco
A 14 pitch 7b+ with 8 pitches of 7a+ or harder. Flashing one 7a+ is a good day for me, let alone 7b and 7b+. At the start of the trip the route was always there in the background but I thought there was no way we could do it within the limits of a single day. James was more confident and by the end of the trip we were becoming much more efficient with the ropes etc. I still didn't think we could do it, but we could always call it and ab back down if we had to. Anyway, after setting off in the dark we made good time on the lower half and then knew we were in with a chance. I think James got 2 7b pitches and I ended up with the 7b+ at pitch 10 :sick: After a quick bit of French free we were at the end of the hard climbing with only 4 disgusting low grade pitches and a sketchy descent in the dark between us and home. A 15 and a half hour day that I thought we had no chance of doing - thanks for pushing us on James!
Lester Pearson, 7c, Finale, Italy
The start of the route climbing year and an excellent 7c. Amazing burly moves through an overhang and then on to a techy slab featuring the mother lob. Skipping a quickdraw was necessary and the lob was glorious. On my first descent redpoint I tried to clip and took the lob anyway - twat. Next time round I didn't place the quickdraw and so had to press on - definitely worth leaving the quickdraw out if you know you're going to skip it anyway, avoids any temptation!
Top Spankings
Tales of Yankee Power, High Tor
I thought this would be alright but I was wrong. After traversing out on the the face the lack of hand holds and footholds in an appropriate combination became apparent. I slapped up some sidepulls and, knowing that I was a long way from my number 1 nut in the bottom of a flake, slapped for my dear life higher and higher. It was one of those glorious moves when you think you won't make it but you do. Then, I still wasn't at the sodding thread and I was spat off, taking a massive lob during which I had time to be conscious and let out a little scream. Fucker. Haven't been back but will do this year. I blame Duncan really - he made it look easy with his tiny fingers ;)
Some 6a, Upper Pen Trwyn
This one was a bastard, and right at the end of the route season. I was warming up on a 6a sport route at, at the top holding on to a jug about to clip the chain with the rope behind my leg, my whole hand hold exploded and I fell the full length of the route, stopping with my head inches above the ground. This understandably shook me up, and I shouldn't have had the rope behind my leg, but it was a fucker. This, plus the gear ripping mentioned in my Golden Mile write up, plus belaying a mate who decked due to a peg ripping, plus the big Tales fall, put me about a bit. Any advice?
I'll leave it here for now as that is already far too much for anyone to actually read. Now I'm psyched for trad again!
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The Golden Mile, Chee Tor
This was a big one for me as it features possibly the hardest climbing I've done on a trad route. I tried it a couple of times in 2016 and fell off going to the mid-height thread.
Nice write up. I fell off this a few years back. I don't remember the upper wall being that scary, but I must have been going well as I got past the thread before I came off, although selecive memory always plays a part :whistle:. I never got back on it though, it seemed like I could forever peel off if I did it ground up.
Top sport abroad
Les Rivieres Poupres aka Poo Poo River 7b+, Taghia, Morocco
A 14 pitch 7b+ with 8 pitches of 7a+ or harder. Flashing one 7a+ is a good day for me, let alone 7b and 7b+.
Off there next month. This is on the list, but have the same reservations (and you're no doubt a lot fitter than me!)
...I fell the full length of the route, stopping with my head inches above the ground. This understandably shook me up, and I shouldn't have had the rope behind my leg, but it was a fucker. This, plus the gear ripping mentioned in my Golden Mile write up, plus belaying a mate who decked due to a peg ripping, plus the big Tales fall, put me about a bit. Any advice?
In general I'm pretty bad for head games. Despite climbing for 20 years I still have to remind myself not to shout take! On trad one thing which helps me is to make sure I double check things before I set off (so I don't wonder if I'm tied in halfway throught the crux) and to score my gear out of 5 as I go. I'm more likely to remember a specific "that was a 4" than a vague "it was good". Cheque's tactic of working everything on lead last year seemed to be a good idea too. In general if I'm feeling good on sport my trad head follows.
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I used to do the 5 thing too. Always had in my head "never have less than a total of "5" worth of gear stopping you take a fall you don;t want to take"
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Performance wise 2017 was one of my worst years for a long time. Bad shoulders and a weird finger injury prevented any hard climbing in the first part of the year and also due to not being settled anywhere due to setting up a new business, trying to work remotely from Germany but travelling back to the UK all the time. Having said that it was a good year for variety and climbing at new venues, exploring Switzerland and the Alsace.
Top three boulder problems, UK
Heaven in your hands (7C) - Brandrith
Inaudible Vaudeville (7B+) - Bowderstone *Here because it seems to be the only other one I recorded in the UK
Lambrini Girl (7B+) - Sour Milk Boulders
https://youtu.be/-7u1rsSdLOY
Top three boulder problems, abroad
High Plains Drifter (7A+) - Buttermilks
Happy Colours (7C) - Kesslerloch (CH)
https://youtu.be/MaakPnfHgdQ
Dornröschen traverse (7C) - Oberried (Black Forest)
https://youtu.be/zPfPJzcmCtg
Top three trad routes/soloes UK
It seems I didn't do any trad routes in the UK this year. I had a session on Burnt at the Stake at Reescastle which was awesome but didn't get a chance to lead it.
Top three sport routes UK
These are probably because I only did 3 or 4 sport routes in the UK this year as opposed to their outstanding quality!
I ain't no sponsored jelly bean (8a+) - Kilnsey
Action man (8a) - Kilnsey
Le Lapin (8a) - Kilnsey
Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Ramadan (8a+) - Siurana
Gravitationalist (7c+) - Lungern (CH)
Namaste (5.12a) - Kolob Canyon (Utah)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159714037710500&set=t.889805499&type=3&theater
Top three new routes/problems put up
N/A
Top Spankings
Hang the Boss (V4) - Crookstones. I first tried this in the year 2000. At the time I had just bought my first bouldering pad and had just started to drive. After seeing an article featuring Crookstones in On the Edge I headed out for my first outdoor bouldering experience. I couldn't get near it then. Unfamiliar with grit and slopers I couldn't "Hang the Boss". Fast forward 18 years and 6-7 V-grades later, I still couldn't get near this problem. The sloper seemed even worse and more scrittley. I tried every method crimping on everything, lost all my skin and went home defeated.
Dirty Boulevard (7c) - Balmchopf (CH). The neighbouring classic 7c (Ringe de Kraft) took me 3 sessions. It features a desperate crux with an extended move of a shallow mono and crap feet. Moving onto Dirty Boulevard I couldn't do all of the moves. After swearing to never try again and trying again two more times I still couldn't do all the moves. Basler Jura is hard!
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3, (full) Sympathy in Choice, 8A, Raven Tor - can't for the life of me work out a way to get into the stand start position.
Have you tried Polish Dave's beta in this video?
[url]vimeo.com/92890389[url]
I have a video of me doing it on my hard drive. Will upload it for you to see if I use any usfull beta
finally uploaded it.
https://youtu.be/G5Sm-tUIc7M
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Cheers beast - looks like i just need to get stronger fingers!