[bolehillbilly]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Any listed below.

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Duel Dans La Lune 95.2
Worth the wait to get a peaceful time to do this.
Les Frites (Red 7) Bas Cuvier
3 sessions over 2 weeks in Font to finally get this in May.  I was so chuffed as it felt like the hardest 5 ever.  It was only afterwards that I realised I’d done it before, onsight 6 years ago whilst doing some of the reds as a circuit.
Big Ben, Petit Bois
Could have chosen any here from a wonderful evening alone in the woods.

Top three trad/solo UK
The Roof, Crich Tors 
Not the best warm up I’ve ever done but opened the way to some good highballs at a neglected venue.
Little Chamonix
Went up for a weekend with the kid (11) and did this together.  He’s not really into climbing but he loved doing this.  Great to see him get a buzz hanging out on the headwall.
Phoenix Nights, Hillcarr Wood
Not sure if this counts as it’s more of a highball, who cares, it’s a classic.

Top three sport routes UK
I only did 3 sport routes this year and they were possibly 3 of the worst in the UK so I won’t list them here.

Top three routes (kind of) abroad
Stuff at Roseness, Orkney
Beautiful evening with some good local company and wildlife.  Low key routes in a great setting.

Top 3 Nemesis slayed
Banana Finger Direct
Tried this in 1989 and got nowhere, had a brief go on a family walk a couple of years ago, same again.  Went first go on a sweaty, midge ridden day in August.  26 year project finally sent.
Manbearpig – Churnet
It’s obviously my destiny to fall repeatedly off the last few moves of every traverse in the Churnet so very pleased to get this one done back in July.
Les Frites (Red 7) Bas Cuvier
See above.

Top three problems put up
String Theory, Rowsley Woods
The longest roof crack in Rowsley!  An almost classic were in not for the finish, but great fun anyway.  Went first attempt by the skin of my knuckles, forearms, ankles etc.
Pure Merino, Maid Marion’s Mound
A lovely quiet spot down the road from RHS.  Had a few beautiful sessions here before I worked out a way.
Palooka, Black Rocks
I must have walked, run, biked, pushed a pram past this block a thousand+ times before I realised it held this class highball. 


Top Spankings
Ten Inch Zombies, Beatswood
Seems to get harder every visit.
Rouse’s Wall, Carrock Fell
An annual spanking event  but getting closer.
Propellorhead, Churnet
So near yet so slammed flat on my back.

[TN080]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Can count the days out bouldering in the UK this year on one hand, so not got much to choose from
Flying visit V9, Dartmoor – best hard problem on the moor.
Hacienda V10 Dow Crag – top recommendation from the Lakes boys.
Scoop Dragon Sit V7, Ogmore – not sure why but wanted to do this for a while. It is good.
 
Top three boulder probs, abroad
Had a mint first trip to the states, could easily list 20 amazing problems, instead I’ll pick my favourite from each area.
Show of hands V11 Moes Valley.
Zen flute V10 Bishop, not heard of it before I went, reckon it was the best problem I did on the trip. Seven Spanish Angels on steroids.
Americana Exotica V10 Red Rocks.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
After a little break I’ve done tons of trad this year, so many classic routes it’s hard to pick 3. Nice to get back to old venues now I’m stronger.
Free the spirit E6 Sanctuary Wall. First E6 on-sight. Mega after work session, forgot change of clothes so was a shirt and trousers ascent. Almost used it as an excuse to put trying anything hard/scary off that day but in the end I manned up. Topped out in thunderstorm. That wall!
Darkinbad E5 – been on my wishlist for 10 years!
Wizard of Oz 7b, Berry Head – 800m sea traverse, 4hours. Epic fun.

Top three sport routes UK
Didn’t do too many sport routes in the UK this year, less than 10 I reckon as was mostly on the trad, but managed to rub a couple off the wishlist.
Fisherman’s Tale 8b - Nemesis and last straight up at the crag to be ticked, been on my to do list for at least 2 years.
Overnight Sensation 8a+ - Weekend in Yorkshire nice to do a catwalk classic.
Psycho Killer 7c+ - unfinished business from my youth. Cornwall’s best sport route?

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Hard to pick just three routes but…
Spicy noodle 8c+ Yangshuo – big goal, spent a couple months training for this trip with this route in mind. Amazing climbing, awesome crux, loved the process. Ticks a couple new boxes for me being my first of the grade and my first Sharma route tick.
Alix 7b+ Verdon – dream tick list tick, psyched to do it with Jon too. Fully lived up to my high expectations, could be the best route I’ve ever done.
Helos Rodeo 8a Kaylmnos – a memorable route…. That run out! 45m, 9 bolts.

Top three new route/prob put up
Only one decent FA this year
Spray 7C/+, Ansteys – highball above the beach.

Top Spankings
Devon Sent V10, Bovey Woods. 2016?

[Gus]

Nice one flashing WOEL fella. Not many have managed that yet.

Cheers word! Was a bit of a skin of the teeth job but I was well psyched. The big fights are the best ones!!

[Fiend]

I couldn't get near the start of I'll Bet She Does during the mid-October heatwave 

Start right hand in an undercut, slap up to a big flat crimp that you can use on the arête problem also. Left hand crimp the broken chicken head and reach up directly above you to another nice crimp. Go back when it's not shitting boiling shirt off weather.

P.S. I did KillerKranky too, loved it, nice to do some hard moves on lead rather than just being pumped - proper climbing.

[shurt]

Had funny old year, not got out actually climbing much but managed to find some motivation to commit to fingerboarding at home and its enabled me to keep route fitness up and I've seen some good gains all round. Routewise I'd done one 7b a few years back and nothing else similar. I got another one this year and got very close on about 3 others.

Top three boulder probs, UK
Little Prow, Ramshaw - got this pretty quickly which was pleasing
Sharks Fin Double Dyno, Ramshaw - Stone Monkey tick YES!
Boss Hogg, Robin Hoods - got this first go, lovely problem

Top three boulder probs, abroad
n/a

Top three trad routes/soloes UK
Tom Thumb, Cratcliffe - I've climbed a lot of E3s easier than this. Amazing route though.
Palm Charmer, Rivelin - I'll be honest I originally went up to try Auto De Fe but was so pumped at the top of the crack I chickened out and did this, it was still great though.

Top three sport routes UK
Still Waters Run Deep, Cheddar - 3 sessions and not entirely my style (which is bouldery routes rather than more sustained stuff) was really pleased to get this.
Tada, Cheddar - not my first 7a onsight but first for a while. Bit of a one move wonder but fuck it.
The Minstrel, Cheddar - first redpoint, felt fit at the time.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
n/a

Top three new route/prob put up
n/a

Top Spankings
Bullworker, Brean Down - Fell off the last hard move about 5 or 6 times during a feel fitness and training high which I've never got back to. Was good for my confidence to know that I can operate at that level...
A whole slew of unascended V7 boulder problems which I got close to or got spanked on - Dancing Queen, Foals Chopper, Nether Edge, there were more. Not really been focussing on bouldering at all this yr.
Insatiable, Cheddar - not that close but not that far either. It could be a good thing to put some time into this year and only 20 mins away from me...
I'm Back, Rivelin - it was bitterly cold and couldn't really feel my fingers but its the second time I've not committed to the move or made any progress on it

[jwi]

Top three sport routes
3. La shabani, Pimaï, Briançon. Objectively speaking not a good route. A cheap glue job on sharp holds on top of a tottering pile of vertical choss. But great memorable climbing and just the right challenge at the time
2. La Porte des Champs-Élysées, St Léger. Utterly amazing climbing.
1. Los taquos de los dos rigolos, St Gery. One of the best sport routes I've done. A route couldn't be more my style, and supposedly well within my grade, but I still had an epic fight on it. Tried it 2 years ago, and had 3 days on it this year, not always in perfect conditions but still... Every attempt was enjoyable, even those attempt where it took me 45 min of fighting to find out that the sloper on top was too greasy.


Top three multipitch/alpine rock
3. Directa a la visera, Riglos. Sustained fun. New bolts, and no polish except on the last pitch (=last pitch of Zulu Demente).
2. Fat Guides, Taghia. Amazing climbing, destined to become a world classic. Last pitch is beyond perfection for lovers of sustained vertical lime stone.
1. Alix, Punk de Vergons, Verdon. A perfect day on a perfect route.

[Duncan campbell]

Flipping love this thread! Love hearing about other people's best of and remembering my own!

Top three boulder probs, UK

Desperot, Chatsworth - a brilliant controlled lash to the break brilliant to go from the move feeling impossible to having done it!

Europe After Rain, Rivelin - looks green and with a terrible landing but is actually amazing John Allen brilliance!

Small is Beautiful, Burbage North - Really fun not too high but high enough to be a little spicy and give the problem length. another Allen gem

Top three five trad routes/soloes UK - this is difficult!!

Right Wall, Cromlech - a 5 year dream come true. special memory of looking down at the final runout from the jugs at the end!

Ordinary Route, Main Cliff - brilliant day leaving Sheff at 9am getting to Big G, having a great time with The Champ AKA Michaela Tracy and then topping out in rain, before driving back to Sheff in time for last orders at the Union. The look of dismay on everyone's faces when they asked where we had been made the beer taste even better!

Deja Vu, Great Zawn, Bosigran - Just brilliant climbing, bold intimidating and the Crevasse Jump to get in is just ludicrous!! Great long weekend with Rob Greenwood getting spanked on classics!

The Promised Land/Hallowe'en Fair Head -  both absolutely amazing routes with main pitches that just feel like they go on forever!!

Warpath Rhoscolyn - first E5 of the year and although not the hardest I got really flash pumped due to not warming up and so nearly fell off clipping the peg! Great punk rock scenes in the car on the way home with GuyVG!

Top three sport routes UK

Obsession, Malham - amazing! Love this style of crimpy gnarly climbing.

Cry of Despair Cheedale Cornice - 6 long bloody sessions but in fairness its a great route though if I hadn't done it that last session it would have been a spanking!

Space Race, Malham - got a bit spanked by this last year when I tried it with a friend. this year it felt like a very enjoyable path!

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Le tresor du zebra Gorges du tarn - brilliant climbing on mostly good holds but steep and nicely spaced bolts!

Une colonne derrière les verrous Gorges du tarn - amazing (soft) 7b corner looked like something out of Gogarth. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to climb it!

Per tudadis El Falco - brilliant long wall climb after a short period of not climbing too well this was when I felt like I began climbing well again on the last day of the year.


Top Spankings

last autumn/winter's weather - sucked the life out of me!!

The Crevasse Jump - Great Zawn, Bosi. Second time round (after Deja Vu) I fractured my heel on the jump. after climbing out and hobbling back to the count house thinking it was bruised. the next day i found out not. que a month of work. woops  :/

Here's hoping 2016 is just as good for everyone!!

[cheque]

At risk of repeating myself (and everyone else) I love this thread.

Top three boulder probs, UK

Struggling to fill this one out as I did a fair bit of UK bouldering this year but barely topped anything decent (and new to me) out!

Monk's Wall Traverse (my extra long version eliminating the big footledges), ~6A for the short version, route 6b+ for this?, Pleasley Vale I got my fitness back on this at the start of the summer, allowing myself an hour once a week during the editfest that was May and July. At first it was dispiriting agony, by the end I could do it 5 times in a session.

Hush, VS (3+?), Black Rocks 16:53 on here It's really a route (only 'cos it doesn't have a landing) but it feels like a boulder problem and I had to have at least one thing from Black Rocks! "Found" this in Spring and quickly added it to my little circuit. One of those you always go round and do again straight after.

Wall of Horrors Start, 6A+, Almscliff Class. "Just" need the balls to lead the route now.

Top three boulder probs, abroad

First time I can fill this section in! Lost my Font cherry in March with an amazing trip- two punters tooling round Font getting spanked on easy circuits and whooping with delight and disbelief every time we topped something over 5 out. Cool temps with no rain all week.

Code Secret (white 36), 6B, Isatis This slabby arete thing took my lanky mate three tries with four foot moves- you can more than double both those figures for me. Really satisfying.

Le Nez (Black 10), 6A, Cuvier Had a bit of an epic trying to top this thing out. Lovely juggy moves then mantle-a-tortoise business. They always seem higher when you're on them, don't they? 

Gamme Diatonique (Baltic Blue 11), 5, Apremont An ultra-sketchy high traverse, a bit like the Brain at Curbar, but with no discernible holds whatsoever. I had a bit of a meltdown, shouting "What the fuck Tom?!" as I teetered across. Flash.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Bosigran Ridge, Diff, Bosigran Drove 7 hours down to Conwall for the first time ever, got out of the car and went straight down to climb this without really knowing how you get onto the ridge or what state the tide was in. First time I'd climbed whatever I wanted to for months. Absolutely awesome. I kept needlessly going to the very highest bits of the ridge, stopping and looking back down to make it last longer.

Little Brown Jug, VS, Bosigran Top stuff, great rock and positions like all the stuff I climbed down there. "Ideas above it's station" Climbed with a guy I'd been hooked up with on the BMC weekend who was only just up to seconding it! Used my skill of missing out the gear before the crux and making it needlessly scary as well.

Hearse Arete, E1, Gardoms The only extreme route I led this year! Wanted to do this for ages. It probably wouldn't make the list in another year but still good.


Top three sport routes UK

Clarion Call, 7a, Cheedale Cornice I'd wanted to do this for ages, even more so since my mate told me it was too hard for me a couple of summers ago (he was right). Nice variety of moves and feels spicier than it is. I don't think I've ever wanted to do a sport route so much (I've certainly never yelled so much when I've fallen off one)- it got in my head a bit and I took a session longer than it really should have but still really pleased. Had a great summer on Peak lime, much better than my routes tally suggests. I think I enjoyed "the process" a bit too much really.

Free and Even Easier, 7a+, Malham New grade! Pleased with how quickly I did it too- one session working it with Shark's beta (probably the key) and another quiet day off work doing it second redpoint.

Rubicon, 7a, Rubicon Just over a week after starting sport climbing again I unexpectedly got back into the 7s with this weird little thing. Felt so good heaving over onto the big finishing ledge.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

All from my Arkansas trip, all sport.

Cotton Candy, 5.6, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch This is a slightly off-vertical rib thing with juggy chickenheads that start huge and end up ridiculous. It's also the last route of the 100 we climbed in 24 hours at Horseshoe Hell and I will therefore never forget it.

Sanctified, 5.10c, Stack Rock  Super-photogenic (wait for my upcoming film!) steep jughaul up a freestanding pilar at the most remote crag I've ever climbed on. I wanted to do this after seeing pictures before I went. Bittersweet memories as it's the last route I did out there.

Crimp Scampi, 5.10d, Horseshoe Canyon Ranch
 Another one I wanted to do from reputation. Beautiful orange rock, nasty sandstone crimps (on the crux at least)- made it up just in time to beat the sun!

Top Spankings

Martial Music, 7a+ Cheedale Cornice I know I was fit and strong enough to do this but I just kept falling off in unexpected places on the session when I should have done it (last one at the Cornice for the year).

Virtually everything, 5+ and above and a fair few below that, Font "What is wrong with French people?"

The Show Me State, 5.12b, Stack Rock Arkansas
 This was my big aim (apart from 24HHH) for my trip but it just didn't work out- too hard for one session, particularly not on the last day of the trip. I'd also really underestimated how exposed it is! Psyched just to have given it a blast though.

Bring on 2016! 

[BrutusTheBear]

Nice to see some South Westerly stuff getting some attention.

Top 3 Boulder Problems UK

Flying Visit 7c - Honeybag Tor - Dartmoor.  Rarely repeated James Pearson problem, had a few local repeats at the back end of summer.  I concur with TN080, one of the best of any grade on the moor, aesthetic feature and great moves.  Should be on your list if you're in the area.

Twister SDS 7c - Lynmouth East - Exmoor Coast.  Did the FA of the stand 11 years ago, have dabbled over the years and finally did the proper sit this year.

The Butcher Baker 7a - Lustleigh Cleave - Dartmoor. I reckon this is the best of two brilliant problems on this boulder courtesy of Macca.  The boys have been busy and there are lots of new quality problems to be had in the Cleave (if you can find them!).

Not been abroad this year.... Had one days DWSing.

Top 2 DWSs in the Shire.

Arapiles Oh Arapiles 7a+ - Great fun and a flash for me.

Once a Dogger 7b+ - Next door to AOA and even better, very memorable 'out there' ascent in the dark with flood lights.

Top 2 new problems put up.

Oompah Loompah 6c - Lustleigh Cleave - Sit start, slap to lip off poor crimps.  Not a king line by any stretch of the imagination.

Ephemeral 6b+ - Lynmouth very far East (start of Sillery Sands) - Spied this stepped out arête a long time ago, normally has an horrendous landing beneath.  Found it with a nice flat pebble landing in the summer.

[abarro81]

Top three boulder probs, UK
Total Addiction - one from the Spring training season; fun weekend working through the links at Roche. Made all the better by the fact I used a knee.
Keen Roof - took forever (and a finger injury) to find a sequence with enough cheating that I could do it. Turns out I shouldn't have gone back to it and should have been resting my finger extensively (see top spankings). Still, very nice to get it wrapped up after many many failures on it.
Corridors of Power - convinced by Ella to try to flash it, tried hard, got lucky. Reminds me of a great weekend at the start of something good too

Top three boulder probs, abroad
Nada

Top threeone trad routes/soloes UK
Rap, Gogarth - soloing this was the highlight of my one trad weekend of the year. Good for the soul, cheers gvg.

Top threefour sport routes UK
Progress - classic British shizzle, psyched to do it quick. Glad I'm tall for this one!
Freakshow - destined to become a modern classic, very Euro. A brilliant addition to Yorkshire. Really enjoyed gettin back on the Yorkshire sport scene this year!
Bat Route - Malham isn't my fave, but even I can't claim this is shit. Again, really enjoyed the Malham scene this Spring.
Mandela - not super hard but a memorable flash questing into that roof with 21st century (facebook) beta (cheers Paul B and Ally S)

Top three routes abroad (any genre)
Era Vella - Fuck yeah bitches. What a wall, what a route, what a siege! For 6 months this route was basically the focus of my life.
La Trencatranques - Good last day to the trip, nice to onsight something hard after all the redpoint focus! Pumpy thugging on good holds, just my bag.
Meconi - tufa bridging, humping, thrutching weirdness. Very funky and fun!

Top three new route/prob put up
Still a parasitic leach. Got eyes on a proj though it'll have to wait until 2017 as I'm out of the country for sport season next year...

Top Spankings
Keen Roof - it gave me the most debilitating/restricting finger injury I've ever had.
Northern Lights - It's fuckin' hard and it tweaked my pulley. One day I will have my revenge...

[SA Chris]

I couldn't get near the start of I'll Bet She Does during the mid-October heatwave 

Start right hand in an undercut, slap up to a big flat crimp that you can use on the arête problem also. Left hand crimp the broken chicken head and reach up directly above you to another nice crimp.

I managed the start once when I was there with just a spotter, but bottled the top and downclimbed. Be nice to get back on it again with a couple of decent pads.

[Will Hunt]

I couldn't get near the start of I'll Bet She Does during the mid-October heatwave 

Start right hand in an undercut, slap up to a big flat crimp that you can use on the arête problem also. Left hand crimp the broken chicken head and reach up directly above you to another nice crimp.

I managed the start once when I was there with just a spotter, but bottled the top and downclimbed. Be nice to get back on it again with a couple of decent pads.

Well then what are we waiting for?

I just noticed I got my left and right mixed up once in that post above. I've done that before on here which is unusual. You'll have you figure out which word is incorrect which will be fun.

The middle line is a romp once you're off the floor. The left arête gets done more as it looks less intimidating but it's a whole different animal. Technical Font 6C, hard moves a good distance off the deck, never quite all over till you're at the top (unless you take the left hand escape route which only becomes available after doing the high, hard moves). High steps and insecure hand matches. Incomparable.

[i_a_coops]

Foreign sport
Les Colonnettes (Ceuse)- I get why people hate the start boulder but I actually thought it was pretty satisfying!
Machoire d'Ane (Ceuse)- the word 'immaculate' gets overused but hey
Enty Prise (Buoux) - holdless frictionless arete-ness goodness
Le Philanthrope (Les Dentelles)- I think this is what they call a 'major route' in Euroland, and the hardest 7a in the world.

UK sport
Mustard Custard (LQP)- best limestone slab in the country?
Threadbare (Torbryan) - Long term nemesis!
Gin Palace (Vivian)- Best frictionless chimney/thrutch/crack-fest in the universe

Trad
The Jackal (Wintours Leap)- proper multi pitch adventure crag!
Loculus Lie (Roaches)
Already Gone (Avon) Not as good a route as Lost Illusions but more memorable as my first (and hopefully last) accidental E6 onsight, I thought I was on Them. Lowered off making loud noises about dangerous sandbag E3s!

DWS
Strangers In Paradise (Cala Barques)- Dosage tickage
Smash It In (Cala Barques) - had a right battle on this, lots of blood. Epic swim through into the Grotto afterwards.
Whiplash (Diablo)- Easy with good beta, thanks Gus!
Once A Dogger (LQP)- so good I'd probably have driven back down to Torquay even if I hadn't needed to even the score with Remus

Long routes

Quarryman (Twll Mwr) - YYFY

Mazeaud/Yannick/M.Mesmaecker (Aig. du Midi) - bit of a 'Triple Indirect', i.e. we got lost. Wild
Oitavo Passageiro - 400m of alternating aid/trad/sport on the big face of the Corcovado. The 'aid' turned out to mean 'do desperate boulder problems to mantel and rock over onto p-bolts (on an 88 degree slab, with no other holds) then jump clip the next bolt, then repeat that process for a rope length'. Pitch 8 might have been the best pitch of climbing I've ever done (gently overhanging sweep of golden juggy granite with massive runoutes between big bolts) and pitch 9 might have been the worst (Hard Full Of Hornets crack climbing). Topping out at Jesus' feet and getting mobbed by tourists after 12 hours on the wall was surreal!

Via Franco Braziliera (Pedra do Sino)- Even moderately jungly jungles are hard. Got lost on the approach, spent 24h covering 2km, ran out of water, didn't make it to the next water source, had to bivouac on 70 degree hillside surrounded by carnivorous pitcher plants, then had to boil the digestive juices from those plants to make tea (which was gross). Wanted to try and free it but gave up and started French-freeing/full aiding about halfway up due to the nature of the rock being too much like overhanging weetabix, despite a valiant effort at hammering in pegs while hanging on crimps. Got to trundle a microwave sized block while hanging one armed from a fist jam on the lip of a 200m overhang - best Cliffhanger moment ever!

Spankings
Aigulha do Diabo (Pedra do Sino) - Couldn't find the base of the wall we wanted let alone the route, did some bushwhacking, settled on doing the F3+ easy route to the top, backed off because it was too hard and too scary (3+ chimneying is very, very scary when you can only just span the gap and there is only one bolt every 20 metres)

Eclipso Occulto (Pedra do Sino)- got to the lip of a 200m overhang after nearly 9 hours of tradventuring only to be turned back by about 2m of vertical, filthy rock before it slabbed out a bit and started having lots of cracks in it again. To make it worse that section had bat hook holes drilled but we'd left all our hooks behind to save weight! Still probably the best I've ever climbed, aid climbers leave bolts in really bad places for free climbing it turns out (i.e. at the only places where there aren't nice downwards pointing holds that you could clip off....)

[205Chris]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Master Kush, Rivelin. A (relatively) modern classic, the crux succumbing to a rather satisfying leg sweep move to generate the momentum required to hit the lip.

Vitruvian Man, Trowbarrow. Always fancied the look of this problem. I had 3 days off work and spent the first two getting shut down in the Lakes and lugging my pads up too many hills. I decided to bail out early but swing by Trowbarrow for a look at Vitruvian Man, never thinking that I'd tick it in a session given my performance over the previous couple of days.

The Pinch, Cragx. Premium gritstone conditions never really arrived at the end of 2015, however the limestone was still holding out against the weather. I managed to get many a decent session in at cragx when all others were heading indoors and ticked it late on in November. Looking at my diary my last cragx session was 6th December! Long live the lime!

Top four boulder probs, abroad

Pirouette Cacaouette, Font - A proper desert island boulder. Hidden in the forest away from it all is this lone prow with a bit of everything, pinches, crimps, slopers, heels plus at that perfect height that you need still need to keep it together at the top.

Surprise de Chef, Ailefroide - First visit to Ailefroide and I was a bit disappointed with the bouldering to be honest. It was far warmer than usual at the time of year which meant early starts to get good conditions. The highlight though was the classic of the area. I wasn't sure if it would happen but on the penultimate day of the trip I stuck the dyno and committed to the top, luckily to be rewarded with a solid crimp right where you need it.

L'Angle Parfait and L'Angle Plus Que Parfait, Font. What a pair of problems, both climbed in the same session. I think it took 4 sessions over a couple of trips to climb L'Angle Parfait, whereas it's sister went in about 4 attempts. I know Misericorde gets touted as the best arete in Font but it's going to have to be pretty darn good to beat this pair. Hopefully I intend to find out this year.

Top two sport routes UK

Another vintage cornice season (best for a long time?). I didn't get involved with the cornice til I was back from the Alps in August which meant it felt like a gamble how long the season would last, luckily it lasted long enough for:

Nemesis - I'd wanted to do this route ever since I saw the classic photo of Ru one arming his way up it. I was a bit intimidated as when I first started climbing at the cornice there was usually a wad hanging off the third bolt struggling to make progress and I'd heard rumours the start was Font 7C. Luckily the rumours about the difficulty were just that and armed with perfect beta from Stone it slowly came together. I'd prepared myself for a siege but it only took 4 sessions in the end. This was at the end of August so I decided to roll the dice and gamble on the cornice staying dry for:

Bricktop - So it turns out the crux of this route is still the start of Nemesis and I managed to do all the moves on the headwall the same day I clipped the chains on Nemesis. Linking it however proved much more of a battle. 3 sessions after climbing Nemesis I fell off the penultimate move and the following session I was going backwards. I took three rest days and ticked it just before my birthday for my first 8b.

[cofe]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Master Kush, Rivelin. A (relatively) modern classic, the crux succumbing to a rather satisfying leg sweep move to generate the momentum required to hit the lip.
 

Monster year Chris! Leg sweep on Master Kush like this?

[205Chris]

Top three boulder probs, UK

Master Kush, Rivelin. A (relatively) modern classic, the crux succumbing to a rather satisfying leg sweep move to generate the momentum required to hit the lip.
 

Monster year Chris! Leg sweep on Master Kush like this?

Thanks Cofe. That's the magic beta. Seems to give you momentum and help kill the swing.

[cofe]

Word. Before I try it like this, can you just confirm you haven't climbed Font 8C?

[205Chris]

Word. Before I try it like this, can you just confirm you haven't climbed Font 8C?

Not unless you're handing out some serious upgrades in PDB v3 I haven't 

[El Mocho]

Been a bit of a mixed year - had a 4 month break from climbing whilst in the USA (skiing every day for 4 months straight) and due to work (the little I do), family and moving house never got that much trad stuff in the summer...

Top three boulder probs, UK

Witness the Churnetness, Churnet. I know it's soft for the grade but I really didn't think I was going that well at the time so to get this on sight felt great. One of those times when you climb really well and naturally on the first go and it all comes together.

Mint Sauce, Blackwell dale. Horrible dirty peak lime. I got quite into this buttress for a few weeks and I think this is the best here. Cleaned what I could off the ladder but once I got through the start was left questing off towards the nearest jug - think I did a cop out Rwards finish.

Thumbalina, Churnet. Maybe a bit high for a boulder problem, done it before but the day here with Pickles was great fun. He had the baby along which made things more interesting, had a church group talking religion to a bunch of kids at the base whilst Pickles stomped around swearing under his breath. The highlight was Jase satching it up on the last move, after a few abortive attempts.

Top three boulder probs, abroad

The Farce, Yosemite. This was one of the first days bouldering after a 4 month break from climbing. Fell off high a few days earlier (on my own with no pad) and hurt my feet a bit on landing. Was gonna sack it off but some local we met said the top was ok. Last morning in the valley went to have a look. As I arrived a lass was packing up so I had a choice of no warm up but a pad to borrow or warm up but on my own. Went for the first option (now I have older bones) and was glad as the top still felt hard and would have been high with no pad.

Did some other stuff in Yosemite and Joes valley but not really much stands out.

Top three trad routes/soloes UK

Lundy was great fun, first trad holiday I have had for a few years. Hard to pick a highlight but did some route on some crag (not got guide) which I took a reasonable sized fall first go then got back on and finished it. I always like a good fall in retrospect. Considering it was a stag do we got a lot of climbing in.


Top three sport routes UK ski descents US

Lone Tree, Snowbasin. Skiing this with May and her Ski class was great. A short hike in then round to the top of this little gully. Quite intimidating looking down the top for the little one (feels more so as you are in full view of the masses at the top gondola station) but she skied it really well and controlled and then insisted we did it most other days out.

Runs off Lightning Ridge, Powder Mountain. Not the best year for snow out in Utah but a couple of days after the biggest dump of the season (and a blue sky day) we skinned up here (snow shoed in Mays case). Took a nice line down which we all really enjoyed. Was great to be here with the family - Kath had been a bit nervous about steeper off piste skiing especially when a bit more remote but she had got more confidence and really enjoyed it. May had been struggling in the really deep powder (there was well over 2 ft of fresh snow and she had been sinking a lot) but it came together here... great fun

Some steep narrow thing, Powder Mtn. Did this on my own after scoping it from top and bottom. Never seen tracks down it all season. First time was pretty hesitant including slightly dead ending myself and having a harrowing removal of skis, climb up a bit then reattach to blanks to immediately drop through what was for me a very narrow and steep shoot. Was more like down climbing than skiing. Did it a few more times including a much more confident run where I almost felt like a good skier.

Top three routes abroad (any genre)

Including a bit of 2014 here (was on the big holiday so it feels like last year to me)

Archimedes' Principle, Grampians. So so good. Perfect rock, great gear, looks really hard but is steady. Everything we did in the Gramps was awesome. Hanging out with some of the locals was great and meeting HB was a highlight, especially when he turned up clutching his beloved lap dog (some tiny thing) Imagine a burlier, even more tanned Ron Fawcett (including iconic tash) cuddling some little pooch with a pink collar on.

Half Dome sans cables. Multi day hike in and wild camping with family. The cables were down for the winter and the day we did half dome the forecast was for a storm by 11am. We got up early and were on top before 9.00 (May's first 'alpine start') and were the only people up there. The weather was perfect and the rain didn't arrive until we were back at the tents.

Leave it to Beaver, J Tree. I failed on this the first time I went to the USA with my mum and dad (round about 1992/3) and I was keen to see if it had improved in 20 years of climbing. Answer: only a little. Got up it by the skin of my teeth, including trying to jam my head in a horizontal crack to take some weight off my arms. Ended up doing that thing where you are too pumped to place gear so just run it out and then when the holds get a little better and you can stop (but not find any gear) you realise how far above your gear you are and how bad a belayer your wife is and get really scared. Loved all the history of all the routes at J tree. The story of the soloing exploits back in the day especially the Yabbo/Long one on this route are pretty full on.

Top three new route/prob put up

Full Empire, The Diamond. A route but the project start was essentially a boulder. Hard moves, weird body position and a sagging slap to a jug. Last move felt desperate in isolation so to do it on the link relatively quickly was great. I also burnt off Robbins which happens less and less.

The New Colossus, The Diamond. Petes route but I did it shortly after. One of the best stamina sport pitches I've done and right up the middle of the diamond. It has been a real privilege to be involved a little in the development of this crag, especially rewarding seeing so many people there this summer.


Top Spankings

Yosemite (mini) double. After a few days wandering around camp four with Jason, drinking beer and dissing the current scene for the lack of alcohol/drug consumption we had talked ourselves up so much we decided that on our 1 day of climbing we'd go for the 'double'. Luckily we had some sense so decided on Steck/Salathe on Sentinel then the East butt on El Cap. Based on our fitness and climbing level from our last trips to Yosemite Jase proposed an 8.00 wake up would give us 'plenty of time to do them both, we'll be down in time for beers and pizza with the family'. This wasn't the case. The Steck/Salathe is long, the approach is also long. The descent is long. There are also a lot of wriggly pitches, which although I enjoy them they are not fast (the Narrows is an amazing pitch) We topped out about 3 in the afternoon, with lunch and water waiting back at the car ('just a morning climb the S/S') and by the time we were back at the valley floor any idea of the double had long since evaporated. We did have time for a couple of beers sat on Derek's Bench thinking about friends we have lost in the mountains - it is pretty sobering looking down the slab pitch on S/S and thinking about Derek...

White Rastafarian, J Tree. I feel I am the kind of climber who can manage a V2 highball, apparently not. It took 4 or 5 goes, getting nowhere near the crux, for it to sink in that I couldn't do this. Luckily no one was around to watch me slink off back to the campsite.

Mutation, Raven Tor. I have never tried this as it is obviously way too hard. I did feel I got invested in Ryans failure. I had quite a few sessions providing moral support - on most of the visits I didn't even put my boots on preferring to commit 100% to offering 'advice and encouragement' to Ry. The battery fan on a hoist, pads saturated in chalk taped to the rock, double dropping laxatives, no drinking, no tabs... Obviously we all want him to do it but the failure has added to the myth (both the route and Rys)

[Johnny Brown]

Nice write-up word.

The route on Lundy was Too Precious http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=122678
'More like E4' says Steve Walker.

J-Tree stuff is interesting, watched that recent vid of Romain and wondered why he wasn't pissing them! Would love to go.

[Johnny Brown]

Edit: Gib has done White Rasta, says it is piss.

[SA Chris]

I always fancied White Rasta, but put off now! Easier for the lanky (clutching straw!?)

[duncan]

Everything we did in the Gramps was awesome. Hanging out with some of the locals was great and meeting HB was a highlight, especially when he turned up clutching his beloved lap dog (some tiny thing) Imagine a burlier, even more tanned Ron Fawcett (including iconic tash) cuddling some little pooch with a pink collar on.

Golly. My memories of HB are mainly of him roaring into The Pines in his V8 Holden Ute, audible from before he got to Natimuk.

[Johnny Brown]

I always fancied White Rasta, but put off now! Easier for the lanky (clutching straw!?)

Looks like it boils down to a reach in the vids.

[SA Chris]

Might as well just take the tick already. Save carbon footprint.