[Paul B]

I'd love to climb True North.

[cjsheps]

Ready to sweat blood in the process.

[nik at work]

Ah, I see people are looking at this in a slightly different way to me.
Seems to me there are two questions:
"Who would like to put in the tremendous amount of work and focus their efforts purely on climbing an 8c to the detriment of all other aspects of their climbing?"
or
"Who would like to climb 8c as a part of their well rounded collection of climbing endevours (bouldering 8C, trad E11, on-sighting the Nose etc etc) without making any changes to their current attitude to climbing/training/life balance?"

My answer changes depending on which question I'm being asked...

[nodder]

bouldering 8C

Now your talking. 

[Doylo]

I love epic multiple day grinding down affairs that you hate when its happening and just want to be over but are sad when it finally is. This tends to happen on 8a+/b though so long way to go 

[Paul B]

"Who would like to climb 8c as a part of their well rounded collection of climbing endevours (bouldering 8C, trad E11, on-sighting the Nose etc etc) without making any changes to their current attitude to climbing/training/life balance?"

Although I realise the above is a little flippant, the truth is that for most, it'd take a concerted effort in that direction to achieve said grade so by definition it can't be part of a well rounded life in general.

[dave]

So we're agreed then, F8c is for losers.

[boulderingbacon]

id love to one day climb 8c but i know a lad who will probably do it soon and the amount of effort and training he puts in is something i could never be able to do due to time/work plus lack of motivation.

[lagerstarfish]

When I was 27 I thought I had a reasonable chance of climbing 8c by the time I was 50, not least because I expected that by that time there would be plenty of routes at that grade to choose from.

Whilst my laziness is not so extreme that I could justify leaving 'draws in place wherever I like, it has caused me to fail to move to a country with lots of good sport climbing or do enough training to maintain any fitness.

At 41, playing with my kids seems to provide most of the satisfaction I need out of life, so I doubt I'll be putting in the effort required over the next 9 years to even get to 8b, let alone 8c.

I'd still like to climb 8c - especially if I can do it before Jasper does.

[Jaspersharpe]

Well that gives you forever to do it then so get your finger out fatty. 

[corniceman]

I basically gave up climbing when I realised that I was not ever going to crack 8C. I spent 5 years trying and failing on one at Raventor and it eventually eroded away my enthusiasm for climbing as well. However I replaced that obsession with another and with probably greater success in running on the fells, so I kinda feel now that I have done my 8c all be it by running ridiculous distances and amounts of time in the mountains!!

[Fiend]

No.

Don't give a shit about climbing a particular grade....unless there's routes around that grade that inspire me in themselves. There are probably 8cs that look cool but given 1. I could never climb them and 2. There are millions of equally inspiring easier routes, why on earth would I have any desire to climb "8C"??

[shark]

No.

Don't give a shit about climbing a particular grade....unless there's routes around that grade that inspire me in themselves. There are probably 8cs that look cool but given 1. I could never climb them and 2. There are millions of equally inspiring easier routes, why on earth would I have any desire to climb "8C"??

Difficulty and achievement is inspirational for most people - though maybe not you. Hard climbs are generally more absorbing, more dramatic and out-there. 8c might be just a number (and a letter) but as an aspiration it's a goal to work towards and you have to improve yourself as a climber to get there.

[nai]

Sounds a bit

Inspirational for most people, difficulty and achievement is.   Though you maybe not.  Hmmmmmm.
Generally more absorbing, hard climbs are, more dramatic and out-there.
just a number (and a letter) 8c might be 
as an aspiration, a goal to work towards it is
Improve yourself as a climber to get there, you must. Yeeessssssssssssss.

[ShortRound]

Sounds a bit

Inspirational for most people, difficulty and achievement is.   Though you maybe not.  Hmmmmmm.
Generally more absorbing, hard climbs are, more dramatic and out-there.
just a number (and a letter) 8c might be 
as an aspiration, a goal to work towards it is
Improve yourself as a climber to get there, you must. Yeeessssssssssssss.

Ha!

[rodma]

Sounds a bit

Inspirational for most people, difficulty and achievement is.   Though you maybe not.  Hmmmmmm.
Generally more absorbing, hard climbs are, more dramatic and out-there.
just a number (and a letter) 8c might be 
as an aspiration, a goal to work towards it is
Improve yourself as a climber to get there, you must. Yeeessssssssssssss.

Too old you are, and too bitter, never the ways of the 8c will you achieve

[SA Chris]

Hard climbs are generally more absorbing, more dramatic and out-there.

That's not really true though is it. Many hard sport routes are in uninspiring locations, but you can get routes at just about any grade which are dramatic, out there and totally absorbing.

I can see where Fiend is coming from, the question is open to interpretation, as Nik pointed out earlier.

[shark]

[SA Chris]

If you want to use Cartman, I would have thought his would be more appropriate;

[TobyD]

Hard climbs are generally more absorbing, more dramatic and out-there.

That's not really true though is it. Many hard sport routes are in uninspiring locations, but you can get routes at just about any grade which are dramatic, out there and totally absorbing.

inspiration is in the eye of the beholder... I am totally inspired both by huge natural lines up El Cap, or huge mountain ridges, or a row of f**king tiny little crimps, which form themselves into a beautiful series of moves i can only just do. It's just a bit different, that's all. I'd love to climb 8c as much as I'd like to walk among the Himalayas, or run a marathon.

[Fiend]

Difficulty and achievement is inspirational for most people - though maybe not you. Hard climbs are generally more absorbing, more dramatic and out-there. 8c might be just a number (and a letter) but as an aspiration it's a goal to work towards and you have to improve yourself as a climber to get there.

Yeah I agree with all that, I like improving too, and pushing myself at my level cos I too find it more absorbing. But "8c" is a pretty empty concept to me.....although if I was an 8b/+ climber and had seen some super-rad looking 8cs that were currently just beyond my grasp, the question "Would you like to climb super-rad route xxx (8c)??" would have a lot of meaning 

Errr so maybe the point is that I'm a complete punter 

[SA Chris]

Hard climbs are generally more absorbing, more dramatic and out-there.

That's not really true though is it. Many hard sport routes are in uninspiring locations, but you can get routes at just about any grade which are dramatic, out there and totally absorbing.

inspiration is in the eye of the beholder... I am totally inspired both by huge natural lines up El Cap, or huge mountain ridges, or a row of f**king tiny little crimps, which form themselves into a beautiful series of moves i can only just do. It's just a bit different, that's all. I'd love to climb 8c as much as I'd like to walk among the Himalayas, or run a marathon.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, you can draw your inspiration from wherever you fancy.

If you read what I said I was just responding to Shark saying that harder climbs are generally more dramatic, out there and absorbing, which just isn't true.

[rodma]

I'd love to climb 8c as much as I'd like to walk among the Himalayas, or run a marathon.

So, not very much then   

[TobyD]

I'd love to climb 8c as much as I'd like to walk among the Himalayas, or run a marathon.

So, not very much then   

 

speak for yerself 

[PATRuL]

Paul B you could easily climb True North if you set your mind to it ... do not doubt.

I breeze
Cut detritus
No thought
Of action
Just flow.

I've seen so many wads fail on stuff they could easily crush, only the little thing called the ego gets in the way, wanting it tooo badly, oh sooo badly .... its a sure fire set up
Then there's the whole contention of 'the scene' to deal with.
Its a curious thing the British mindset, how 'we' are supposed to love a failure ... another set up.
Better not look or be too good, the giggly boys at the back of the class won't like me.
Then there's our so called humour, which is little more than self putdown, and it another socially accepted norm ... another set up to failure.
Then there's i'm so great ....
... apparently some bubbles just can't be burst?