UKC

I got a bit confused and extremely spanked by this yesterday.

On the crux moves, do you stretch rightwards past the third bolt, then head back left (left hand slap to awful, sharp sidepull/crimp thingy above the undercut, right hand in the undercut, left hand slap to juggyish boss thing above)? - very bouldery and hard for ageing weaklings like me.

Or do you stay left (just to the right of that big niche) using a series of Cheddary sidepulls, before moving right, right hand in the undercut and left hand slap to juggyish boss thing)? - I was too tired to try this way.

Anyway, it was great fun failing so badly E4-6b in old money in the old Cheddar guide. Makes Empire seem like an E0.

Note to self - when racing up a 5+ at Easter Island afterwards, try keeping right of the bolts where the 5+ holds are, not left of the bolts which was a little more taxing... I've clearly got directional issues!

In reply to Cusco:

I stayed left then leaned across, like you suggest this felt much more reasonable than going more direct through the bulge. Maybe there's a good sequence going straight through the bulge though, I didn't give it more than a couple of goes that way.

In reply to Cusco:

Bolt is misleading where it is placed. Go to left then back right and reach high rather than traverse at the level of the bolt.

In reply to Cusco:

Sidepulls on the left, undercut with right, shuffle feet, left to a small crimp maybe 18 inches up and left, shuffle feet, left to jug, feet oover rightward, rock right to the rest.

In reply to AJM: Benchmark 7b I've heard mate . Must go back and finish it off

In reply to Cusco:

Fantastic. Thanks for that beta guys. That explains why:

1) there were those three chalked-up leftward facing side pulls one after another (although not all the chalk right under and right of the bolt);

2) the moves I was trying moving leftwards towards the undercut felt so crazily desperate and powerful;

3) my (albeit stronger, better) mate saying he was sure there was an easier way because he did it on his second go; and

4) people have commented that it's soft at 7b.

I'm psyched to go back for round 2 in the near future...

In reply to Cheese Monkey:

<chuckles>

I'd maybe give you the 7b tick for going just right of the bolts through the steep bit into the undercut with your left, but otherwise no deal...

In reply to Cusco:


People still seriously argue it's anything at 7b?! It's a lot softer than "soft at 7b" when you get the sequence right, totally reasonable at 7a+.


It's a nice little route, well worth it. If you've not done them, speedfreak and sunset score are some of my other favourites at the grade, plus mendipian way although I never got round to finishing it, and for an actual 7b tick its hard to argue with Still Waters although I've also got a soft spot for spy in the sky (ignore the guide, it wasn't really 7b+ anyway and the flake has crumbled a bit since the topo so it definitely isn't any more)

In reply to AJM:
Hard, cruxy 7a plus for me. Feels okay when strong and desperate when not powered up. Key for me is getting right foot outside edge on small hold under my left hand and then slapping right for a little arete. Great little route though
Now Rave Party- surely that is 7b (and in one of the best positions at Cheddar)

In reply to John Alcock:

Where are you doing that sequence? Doesn't ring any bells at all with me! Unless you're describing a sequence starting with your left hand already on the jug below bolt 4?

Perhaps I've done it too many times now! The crux (for me, moving my feet up after getting the undercut and getting the crimp) is a bit powerful but as with everything at cheddar the right feet make it a lot easier. The top is a bit pumpy but you've just got to keep chugging away.

I've tried to flash rave party, fallen off, and never gotten around to finishing it. Nice position, but I wasn't mega inspired by the route/rock from my recollection.