In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
"Can a problem such as this be compared to a short Font 8c bloc or would it be better to give long link-ups like these a route grade, as has been proposed for some of the long links in Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians, Australia?"
Good question, but not really part of the news item. Perhaps an in depth editorial featuring interviews would be illuminating. But a quick, simple answer would be no. 50,000+ problems using a system specifically designed for them vs 1 problem using a completely different system. Problem solved [sic].
"The grade debate will rage on, and yes we need a benchmark, but grading is not an exact science and just as one person's proposed x is no consensus, neither is a first repeater's downgrade to x."
Do we really need this tedious caveat every single time anyone does anything hard? UKC takes itself far too seriously sometimes. Anyone who has ever climbed anything will understand the frustrating and confusing nature of grades. Going out of your way to end an article on a question doesn't make it profound.
More fact less waffle please.
