Went to the Foundry on Monday night. Its such a good wall, but for being the works' resident computer geek I would sign up for a year there. The works gets so busy, and theres always too many people to say hello to! Anyway, had a good night, skin terrible, climbed ok. Tuesday rest.
Last night (weds) I was presented with a dilemma. Spoke to Jim who was Peakside with Adam and the worm. Think he said they were going to do Mossatrocity and then go to yarncliffe. Not that bothered about anything at Yarncliffe, would be nice to join the team, but - it goes dark at 1800, so after leaving Leeds at 1500, I would only really have an hour and a half. Contemplate a split outdoors/in session but decide to go to Caley instead. At 15 minutes from work, I really shouldn't be such a stranger to this Yorks gem. The last time I went it was wet, so with Almscliffe in my back pocket as reserve I left work and legged it to Caley. As I was chatting to the honey monster on the phone at the roadside, a harnessed up Fiend yomped past, through the trees presumably on the way to the edge - wonder if he always drives with his harness on? does he sleep with it on too? and a full rack? the mind boggles!
Bimbled up Otley wall, fingernacker crack etc before moving to Zoo York and finding Tom Peckitt - yorkshire's nicest man. Its pretty green but all climbable, and I'm quietly pleased to have recruited a team to hang out with, especially one containing such an accomplished local hero. We pad out ZY and he pulls on. He's shaking like a shitting dog and theres no way he's gonna do it, but he fights it out and has despatched. Blimey! it looks well feasible to see it done so well, even with the shakes. I have a go and get to the first toe lock, go to sidepull bit, the toe isnt in and i'm scared - drop off. Do that move, and fail on the undercut to edge bit thats coming up, but it does feel possible. My skin is terrible. I have holes from Gardoms in four fingers - as soon as I chalk up my finger tips go pink again and are wet to the touch. This is less than ideal. Do some more links on ZY and really think I could do it. Everything needs to be right for success mind - I'd need to be on it, wearing a toe with rubber on the toe and have a full hand of skin. I can tick none of the boxes on this session, so move to something more realistic - ju ju club. Originally in the old book at 7a+ but everyone says its more like 7b+. I would tend to agree. Tom and I work a sequence and he does it - again, shaky shaky, but gets it done. I get to the top two holds maybe 6 times? but I never do the last move (other than in isolation) It feels really really slippy. Its like its moist. Think its a combo of it being super green and my weeping fingertips. They move their pads to secret seventh. I stay on ju ju club (have done SS before). They move to Ben's groove, and its this that I had ideas about when I thought of coming to Caley, but its high, and one small pad on your own is bold. Join in and comfortably romp past the 'hard' bit but have no concept of how to get my left foot atop the rounded boss. I'm set up in the sidepull and pocket every time, and I try a variety of things with my right foot on that ramp thing, but I'm miles off, and I dont know what to do! Give up and have another failed attempt at ju-ju club. They move to Wainwrights wobble as their last problem. I've never tried it and have a few goes, but it reopens one of my tips and I sack it all off with nothing in the bag when it goes dark.
I'm pretty psyched for Zoo York mind. I think with two pads I would be allright on my own. Hmm. Not really in keeping with the Mosely plan. But I suppose I could try it for half an hour on each visit to do other easier stuff. The grit at Caley is so sharp that its murder on the tips. Good crag though.
I looked across at 8a.nu in the week, and saw that Ted Kingsnorth had done low right press. I was amazed - he was nowhere near such things when I last climbed with him. Happened to mention this to someone and apparently he's out of work at the moment, so is climbing a lot. Its a great effort, and must be one of the quickest progressions I can think of. He added Tsunami to his ticklist this week too. Blimey.
8c Stu also chalked his name on Tsunami's well worn bed post this week too. Apparently he had to match the sloper footless! Is this the shortest persons ascent? I cant think of any other midgets who've done it? Hark back to Keith's comment that it would get downgraded due to the number of people whove done it now. I dont think that means it isnt 8a, it just means that its very accessible. I'm pretty sure it is 8a. I'll entertain your argument if you suggest bouncing off the sloper to the pocket is 7c+, but matching the sloper (like a hero) and walking the feet is for sure the full monty.
5 comments:
Firstly, what you are about to read is nothing to do with Tsunami, The press, or any other crap peak limestone ;). This is just my theory on grades.
Grades are an invention of man. This is something I think people forget all too easily. If a group of 100 boulderers go to a sector with 2 problems, and if 80 people do one and 20 people do another, it stands that the second is more difficult. This assumes that all people try both problems. This disparity is often found but people still won't downgrade/upgrade things. Also worth remembering is that there is no definite way to decide on which way to go (up/down) other than reference some other supposed benchmark.
This is so obviously seen with The Terrace at Burbage North. If 50 people all have this as their only 7C+ then you have to ask if it really is.
So, a little bit of my thoughts on grades. Perhaps I'll write a long essay on grades at some point.
Love and kisses to you dobbin.
A grading system based on ascents (like Gill's B) is flawed only when problems don't get tried enough. Certain esoteric things may stay high in the B-rating as they are not in-vogue.
Maybe Ru's book upgrade can deal with some of these problems that have a high volume of ascents and a high grade.
BTW Dobbin JuJu is 7a+ :)
its in the new guide at 7b+. Consensus of the locals was 7b+. Didnt do it anyway, so it doesnt matter.
Grades?
No Stu's is not the most midget ascent, I saw Katz do it easily in a session. He matched the sloper incredibly casually with his foot on in one of those shit tiny pockets low down. Disturbing!
Ju Ju is 7b+ definately.
I saw Ted at Rubicon last year and he was trying The Press! Incredible effort from the man.
I mostly agree with what Pascal say, but obviously it's not quite as simple as that. 80 people might do one prob and 20 do the other for various reasons, such as - one prob is shit, the other good; one prob is a fingernail slab, the other basic burling on edges; maybe prob 2 is a dyno and only 20% of the people are tall enough; etc.
Yes, the easiest goodish problems within a grade will get the most ascents by people pushing the grade. This does not automatically mean the prob is overgraded. It's just as likely to mean that the problem is indeed the easiest goodish problem but correctly within the grade bracket.
It's easy to use the "he's done it so it can't be X" logic. Sometimes it's the correct conclusion to draw (yes, the Terrace is standard 7c). But generally this logic will have a long term effect of pushing grades ever lower ad infinitum, as people will still always be ticking the easiest goodish prob at the grade.
I thought 7b for Juju. A grade easier than Crystal Method (7b+).
Post a Comment