[moose]

Keeping the climbing goals simpler and self-specific than usual.  And, for once, forbearing the non-climbing goals, as they usually rely on becoming a different person and I want to pre-empt the disappointment.

Start sport climbing in the UK again - off to the Costa Blanca in 2 weeks, using a rope for the first time in 3 years (the last time I tied-on was in Siurana, when I first heard rumours of a virulent flu-like illness in Wuhan.... a man bites a bat - the whole world stops - and I personally, and possibly society as a whole, went a little insane).  If it goes well, try to return to the Yorkshire limestone in Spring, and if I enjoy relearning its intricacies, work my way back to f7b+ and try to find a project worth aspiring to for next year (lots of "try"s and "if"s there I admit).

At least one F7B+ boulder... as always, weather and psyche for long drives in marginal conditions will probably be as much a limiting factor as my physical feebleness.

More short holidays / trips to visit new crags, and preferably get more value from my copy of North Wales Bouldering - Mountain Crags.

Keep up the mid-week training / conditioning habit, 3-4 times a week have a finger-board session, do sets of pull-ups, do sets of kettlebell swings / squats - the type of exercise not as important as just making an effort to do something.

and I'll allow one non-climbing ambition, get the guttering sorted out!, should be a goer as it will hopefully just require spending money and no self-abnegation or discipline!

[brbushell]

Not usually a fan of definitive goal-setting but my climbing in 2022 was made a lot more productive by focusing on two specific goals so I thought I'd make more of an effort.

Boulder 8B by 30 (Have until 30th July to complete)

30 8th grade boulders at 30 (starting 30th July) - Not usually a fan of volume related goals but this sounded like a fun idea

UK Trip - Cornwall again? North Wales? Scotland possibly? Who knows

Abroad trip - Most likely Swiss, if not then probably Albarracin or Font

Find a new boulder that will force me to push my level - I've done this twice previously and really enjoy the process. Not necessarily bothered about doing the boulder in 2023 but would like to have an idea of what it might be.

Learn to climb more in the Summer - I'm generally awful at this and tend to just train through the heat but 2022 proved that I might be able to function in the heat if I'm clever about it.

[User deactivated.]

Kenzoku. A hard problem that challenges and inpires me, simple as that.

Climb a moderately hard 3 star problem in Wales or The Lakes (cosmic wheels, starshot sit, ???).

At least 10 sessions on rock with other people. My good mates from Leeds have all emigrated to Australia or the USA over the last few years. Since I work at home and usually climb alone, I rarely interact with other humans outside of my household. Hopefully, achieving this goal will help keep me sane.

Something on a rope that takes a few sessions. I have no intention to train endurance, so it will need to be fairly bouldery. Agent Provocateur at WCJ looks good.

5% increase on my max hangs PB.

I already have a couple of family holidays booked but I'd like to aim for one trip with mates, whether that's for climbing, surfing or bikes, it doesn't matter.

Get CEng

[jakaitch]

E3 Trad
7b boulder
5x Hard Rock Routes
Try Strapadictomy
Try Nosferatu

More fun trips with great people!
Finish PhD

Good luck guys!

[chriss]

I normally do these things in my head or diary, but putting it out there makes one more accountable.

I'm a 40 something punter from the South East, I'm getting back into climbing.

Goals are simple, tick off my 100th 7a boulder, ditch some fat. Get back to the Southern Sandstone, few trips to the Peak, Wales etc... I also bought a new BMX & DH bike last year, so keen to ride a bit more.

[Yossarian]

I’ve not had a decent season since the end of 2019 / covid, so need to be organised to try to make this a good one.

Climbing

Climb outside more regularly. In 2018-19 I embraced the SE sandstone (mainly shunting routes with a bit of bouldering) and had my best season in years, so going to try to get back to doing this.

Focus on south coast sport for the first part of the year, maybe with a few bouldering days thrown in. Make in a session and flashing the dominant themes, entirely in the interests of getting as much stuff done as possible.

If my standard goes up sufficiently, start travelling a bit further.

Climb with more people off here, get better at networking re other climbing parents with kids similar ages to mine - 11 and 8 - and generally try to have more options for stuff near and far.

Figure out some good trips for the kids. More routes (and get daughter leading regularly and up into the 7s (which she’s more than capable of). An Easter or summer bouldering trip somewhere fun.

Get on some trad too, but try to keep it productive and fun vs getting freaked out at Swanage and then locking my gear in a cupboard.

Training

Lose loads of weight. It’s by far the most significant thing holding me back, and I have a good track record of getting thinner, so just need to get on with it. I think I could probably eventually get into the 70s, but 80-85kg would be a good start.

Reorganise what I’m doing so part of the week I’m focusing on route-specific stuff, rather than having it in the back of my mind - i.e. train like a route climber who wants to push his bouldering, vs someone who thinks he’s a boulderer who occasionally gets distracted by other things.

Get better at using the 40deg board for route specific stuff, inc 4x4s and 20kg move type things.

Set and work towards various strength-related goals (147, 1 arm pull up, BM slot hang, etc) because they’re simple targets that would be nice to tick off.

Work consistently on flexibility, which is currently in a fairly shit state of affairs.

Finger strength is not a weakness, but I do still want to get back to consistent fingerboarding as it’s nice seeing numbers progressing vs the lucky dip of achieving it via board climbing. Also I think I need to do more drag training.

Life

Finish work-in-progress books, script, and generally work hard to hopefully avoid having to return to conventional employment.

[Coops_13]

Copy Paste Go

Climbing

- 5 V9s
- V10
- Go on at least three trips

Training

- Get down to 10% BW assistance hangs on one-arm BM2k slot
- Get weight down to 80kg

[scragrock]

Fix back problems
Annular tear has had me scunnered for over 3 years {age/wear and tear}, Do regular specific Yoga to help alleviate issues.

Finish off the remaining problems in New development area #1
Last Kingline is a 20/30 move, 10 degree overhanging rising arete {Yes another one} called Epimetheus {the Greek god of bad excuses} It’s high, hard and intimidating with shite landings thus being left till last. Tick off the collection of trad lines on the same outcrop and the handful of outlying problems beyond this.

Organise access to Area #1
Private road and private parking, need to agree on public access and parking with the Estate.

Set up Strathnairn Bouldering club
This is tied up with access to various sites in the Strath, in order to give specific access to its members. To provide accountability and communication with the various Estates and Landowners re good behaviour according to Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

Train specifically for my last line in Rooftown
It’s an awkward dyno, which is fine but with the knackered back I have worked out I can get about 8 to 10 goes before the landings screw my back and put me out of action for a few days.

Finish off last line in Barry Valley
Might be the hardest thing i have ever tried, if this went I would be over the moon.

Finish Strathnairn guide
Hopefully this gets done in 2023.

Open up New Development area #2
Another great wee area within Strathnain but has a bit of a hike in.

[Duncan campbell]

Finish off the remaining problems in New development area #1
Last Kingline is a 20/30 move, 10 degree overhanging rising arete {Yes another one} called Epimetheus {the Greek god of bad excuses} It’s high, hard and intimidating with shite landings thus being left till last. Tick off the collection of trad lines on the same outcrop and the handful of outlying problems beyond this.

Sounds like some good excuses rather than bad ones there!! Like the name though

[scragrock]

Finish off the remaining problems in New development area #1
Last Kingline is a 20/30 move, 10 degree overhanging rising arete {Yes another one} called Epimetheus {the Greek god of bad excuses} It’s high, hard and intimidating with shite landings thus being left till last. Tick off the collection of trad lines on the same outcrop and the handful of outlying problems beyond this.

Sounds like some good excuses rather than bad ones there!! Like the name though

The excuses pop up when you move closer and closer toward the first ascent, unfortunately.
The trad line { 8m } that intersects the Arete {and his brother, Prometheus} is death on a stick, zero excuses for that one. Im NOT doing it, i will leave it for Benj, Robbie P or Dave Mac.

[Ed booth]

Finish local E8 proj

Whats the Proj Andy?

[Ed booth]

HNY all!

CLIMBING:
-Planning on training through Jan and Feb and into March with the aim of hitting Malham in the Spring. Would love to finish off Predator and really want to climb Bat Route. Plan to go on other routes there too to help build fitness and dial into the style again. Had a nice session in the Autumn reacquainting with Bat Route, and it definitely feels doable. Just needs time on it. May get a Euro trip in here somewhere for some fitness and Vit D but work changes mean I can't commit as don't know when I'm on leave yet.
- Insomnia as a local sport proj. Found how to make the heel beta work in Spring '22 so this should be doable.
-Get back to doing more Fr8a's and above. Think I only did 1 ? in 2022. basically cycled most of the year and got weak for climbing. Aim for >10
-Whilst training this next few months will try to get out locally and want to finish off Sub-Moron (Tom Newman's Fb8a at Grinshill) and maybe the odd day out elsewhere to keep the motivation up. Roof of Baby Buddha, Wonderwall, The Big Smile are all things I need and want to finish off.
- Would love to get to Glen Nevis. Loads of trad I want to do there but would love to get on Stolen.
-Hopefully carry some form and fitness out of the Spring and just enjoy some good climbing around the country through the summer. I've got loads of trad and sport routes that have been on my wish list for the past few years now. With the kids I've had to manage my expectations better so I will be grateful for just doing anything really, I just want to feel like I've pushed myself. Dream Topping would be a good early one as my Bro wants to do Strawberries. 39 Slaps and Trumpet Blowers on Scimitar.
-Finish some things on the Slate like Quarryman Groove and Wall Within and Wish You Were Here (Very nearly did this in a sesh in '22 but fell on last tricky move with foot slip, went back week later and it was soaked!).
- I would like to try Unchi Maka on the Sialouze in the French Alps if I can create an opportunity to get out there at the right time with somebody psyched. Would need to have good overall all day crag fitness and be feeling psyched/not afraid for pushing it on a big scary wall out of comfort zone.
-Couple of routes that I never got back on after getting very close to doing in a session are Supercool and Nemesis so be good to finish these off.
-If I get to Pembroke and am feeling fit and have any trad momentum would be keen to try From A Distance and Big in America and more routes in the Leap.

LIFE:
-Got a 2 and a 4 year old so I'm always trying to get the balance right of doing my bit at home to maximise time away from the family, and juggling it all with work and being knackered. This has improved loads through 2022.
Generally can climb in Wales most weekdays and also do a longer day away. be good to do some more multi dayers to places like Scotland.
Changing into new role at work so hopeful  will have a bit more mental energy to expend on the climbing.-Not committing to any biking this year. I'm sure I'll possibly get out on some rides when the weather is nice, but don't want inflexible legs and bulky thighs so going to keep it causal.
- Have done a few park runs this winter. Got PB of 17.40 so far (its got a hill in you go up twice). Will try to keep getting this down towards sub 17, (done sub 17 on flat easy treadmill), but only going to train generally by using treadmill in work time. may also do local road 10km.

Game on! 

[andy moles]

Finish local E8 proj

Whats the Proj Andy?

The Rising Son on the Grochan.

I got close a few times in the autumn and took big falls, just need to get up there in good conditions with a couple more % in the tank and keep trying really hard!

[jwi]

I may move at some point in the not so distant future, and this will influence if I will have a local project near Toulouse or not. Anyway, making plans past July is futile right now.

We plan to go to the Taghia valley in the High Atlas in May. I want to be in reasonable shape for vert-slab onsighting on sharp rock for that. I am hoping to do Les Rivierès Poupres with my bh and L'axe du mal with a mate in reasonable style.

I aim to train for this somehow and not just show up an hope that inspiration will take me to the top.

I would like to do my project on Super Manjoc this spring.

I realise that my goals are incompatible.

[reeve]

Ah the annual internal fight between my wildest dreams and the crushing reality... let's see if I can get the balance a bit better in my goals this year


Bouldering: Do some cool boulder problems which - despite my proclivity to only do things within my comfort zone - actually take me more than 10 minutes of effort. For example: Darkthrone, Stottie, Blackfoot, The Horn etc..

Trad: Fair-style my way up some harder routes. Try hard enough to fall off some / give any onlookers a spectacle. Get committed on some big cliffs. Let’s say half a dozen E6’s / sandbagged E5’s
Do some more dirty cracks, culminating in success on the mightily butch (and big spanking from ’22) Circular Saw (E2!)

Sport: Based on previous years’ abject failures, let’s set the bar a bit lower and aim to do a decent pyramid of sport routes back to 8a. Then let’s take it from there, ideally doing more than one and/or reaching a bit higher than that

Miscellaneous: Go abroad but continue our personal moratorium on flying; do a route at Malham (last time was 2013! [roll over goal from last year]); bivvy / wildcamp somewhere cool (roll over goal from last year); climb some choss; climb on slate; do some DWS; visit a Scottish island.

Training: Maintain strength over summer (FB or board, at least weekly); stretch - get better at middle splits

Non-climbing: soundproof entire house (or at least the bedroom, so our sleep isn’t interrupted by the neighbour having a shouting match with their teenage sons every morning [roll over goal from last year]); depending on money, sort the kitchen; have more friends round for dinner / barbecues in the back garden; continue learning French; read more (I can only think of one book I’ve read since finishing my PhD in 2019!).

[Ross Barker]

I don't think I've done annual goals before, so here goes, I guess.

- Sort out the current dodgy A2 and then stay uninjured. I'll do that by exercising self discipline to drop the intensity when the volume increases, rather than just recklessly going all out all the time.

- Do more DWS. Did it for the first time last year and had great time despite being rather shit at doing more than 5 moves!

- Do some training for DWS, or at least something a bit transferable like sport or long boulder linkups. Not because I want to send hard, but because being able to better manage the pump would probably get me more value out of it.

- Consider day trip-able DWS options around North Wales (driving from Shropshire):
*Nant Gwrtheyrn and maybe more Lleyn potential
*Various Orme bits
*Penmon and maybe more Anglesey potential

- Rigpa, but subject to pad logistics and finger health.

- Visit some of the "grand full day out" list:
*St Bees
*Sampson's Stones
*Cwm y Foel
*Rhinogau in general
*Howshaw/Back Tor
*Simon's/Lord's Seat
*Great Wolfrey
*Anafon

- Do some exploratory/development days.

- Visit some of the "why haven't I been here yet" list:
*Pac-Man Boulders
*Cwm Glas Bach
*Carreg y Foel Gron
*Llyn Celyn
*Wimberry
*Wolf Edge
*Secret Garden

- Revisit some of the "got all or most of the moves done so could be a goer" problems:
*The Mentalist
*Lizard King
*Harvey Oswald SDS
*Cosmic Wheels
*Hannibal
*Severus Snape
*Brass Monkeys
*Cruella
*Grasswind
*Bad Moon Rising
*The Captain
*Old King Cascade
*Suavito
*Cholesterol Traverse
*Beef Growler

[fatneck]

Bouldering

• 1. Rehab rotator cuff
• 2. Get out at least once a month
• 3. Get out on the local sandstone more
• 4. Have a foreign trip not too Font

Life / fishing / running

• 1. Drop a day to work 4 days a week
• 2. Maintain current balance that enables all the hobbies and happy family medium
• 3. Enter a few more fishing matches
• 4. Get running fitness back up to the point where I run 10 miles on trail whenever I want or have the time

[monkoffunk]

Few goals for me this year. Just the overview rather than the means.

Climbing

1. Try 7B, just to make sure I’m aiming high enough long term
2. Visit Lulworth in summer
3. Tie on a rope
4. Focus on consistency in training above all

Life

1. Get off my phone
2. Sleep habits as ever
3. Maximise family time
4. Organise career faff better

[Wood FT]

I would like to do my project on Super Manjoc this spring.

This one, JWI?



I can't remember if it's one you've done already. Either way, it looks very, very good.

everyone with DWS in their aims

Let's make a date for a UKB meet in August in Devon. Easy and less-threatening venues such as London Bridge, short bouldery ones for boulderers at LQP and utterly world class journies of the mind on Berry Head. Happy to guide on all the (easier) ones. It's what people did for me..... karma an' that.

[jwi]

I would like to do my project on Super Manjoc this spring.

This one, JWI?



I can't remember if it's one you've done already. Either way, it looks very, very good.

I've done that one, it is really good! Hard as well.

[Fiend]

Rollover year with added details:

1. Stay alive and try to find something worth living for.
- keep up with self-care and maintenance in various forms.
- try to find some greater purpose in life in lieu of climbing prowess
- just keep moving.

2. Try to stay active enough not to deteriorate further.
- try to transmogrify my depression into DMac-style "obsessive exercising depression" instead of "hide under the couch and hope the outside world fucks off" depression.
- do more regular gym sessions to complement climbing and regain some lost gym prowess.
- keep up with the "less sporadic than previous years" stretching.

3. Keep pushing to stay in contact with friends, climbing partners, and maintain social life.
- keep putting myself out there with local climbing groups and wall nights even when it's not promising
- be more flexible socially with venues and where and when I go
- try to become more involved and productive in the community (guidebooks, cleaning, clubs)
- meet more climbers whom I share other things with esp. music taste and general vibes

4. Try to be careful enough to heal elbow a bit more.
- keep up with the steady mid-grade mileage indoors as it seems to be working
- add in additional rehab exercises if wrist-curls have plateaued
- do not get fucking complacent
- introduce something vaguely akin to training (Depot 30 board?) as elbow allows

5. See 1.
- if it works I might aim for some climbing goals.

[remus]

Let's make a date for a UKB meet in August in Devon. Easy and less-threatening venues such as London Bridge, short bouldery ones for boulderers at LQP and utterly world class journies of the mind on Berry Head. Happy to guide on all the (easier) ones. It's what people did for me..... karma an' that.

Sign me up.

[SA Chris]

That would be ace. I'm actually in the New Forest second week in July for some family birthdays, not sure of plans after that, might head to Dorset or to parents in Dawlish, if that could tie in with anyone. Nice to do some DWS without the risk of hypothermia.

[Ross Barker]

Let's make a date for a UKB meet in August in Devon. Easy and less-threatening venues such as London Bridge, short bouldery ones for boulderers at LQP and utterly world class journies of the mind on Berry Head. Happy to guide on all the (easier) ones. It's what people did for me..... karma an' that.

Sign me up.

And me as well, please!

[Bradders]

I'd be interested, never done any DWS but sounds fun!