Hit the Diamond yesterday with Pete R. I feared the worst conditions wise. Low tide was at 12 so we met at 11, a bit early for this crag really. Sure enough it was pretty damp, overcast skies didn't help i'm sure. It was a high low tide so we only had a few hours so we had to make the most of it. Pete jumped on A Skip of Fools, a George Smith 8a+ from back in the day. First run up was a hold finding mission, these holds hadn't been pulled on in a long time. The start proved tricksome and took Pete another go up to figure it out. Then he pissed it, typical, was a fine effort and probably a 2nd or 3rd ascent (anyone know??). I warmed up on the top of my proj and played around a bit, the last move to the finishing jug had been a bit goey but then i guppy'd the hold like Pete suggested which made it more solid. I love getting intimate with a route, knowing exactly what you are doing. This is my favourite stage. I did some links on the top. Next run up i wanted to experiment with a different boot on the crux. A while ago a friend Ian Whyatt gave me one Mad Rock boot (for some reason) so i tried it on the tenous heel on the crux. It stuck like shit to a shovel- amazing! This would be a big help:
Thanks Ian and if your reading this come back you tit.
Next up i really surprised myself, i have only done the crux twice recently and have never managed the cut loose after it. With the magic boot i did the move, cutloose and thought fuck it keep going. I got to six moves from the top falling on what will probably be the redpoint crux, amazing my best effort to date (in shit conditions). Confidence was growing! I have worked out a very rough breakdown of the sections of this route, the start is font 7a to some massive jugs. Then you do a font 7b+ sequence which is followed by a 7c+/8a to the top. Can any experienced beasts out there suggest a grade for this cos i'm still not sure! Anyway the sea was coming in so we sacked it, very productive sesh.
Pete doing a very hard campus move at the bottom of a very steep wall:
2 comments:
Not quite the same, but there is a route over here which is a 7c+/8a route to a 7b+ boulder problem, followed by fairly steady (maybe 7a/b) climbing to the top and it's 8c.
This potentially means nothing though.
Yeah you do the 7b+ bit on this when your pretty fresh, doing it after a 7c+/8a route would be savage. But then i know this ain't 8c. hmm ta Brad
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