UKC

Every year I think about the climbs I have done and the great memories they have given. I find it useful to have a list of objectives for the coming year.

They are always achievable but tend to be subject to weather and conditions. This is usually the reason the objectives do not get done. Some routes will remain on the hit list for a number of years. They tend to be at the level to which I am climbing and inspiring routes to me. The routes I choose make me get up and go for a run or do another 30 minutes at the bouldering wall.

So what are your routes to do next year? Grade is unimportant.....so long as they are within the grade you operate and you feel the route will push and motivate you.

.....or if you have more time than me and can be bothered to actually train properly maybe the routes are harder than you climb now.

I am planning a trip to to Dolomites in July and Lundy in August so the routes reflect this.

My five in no particular order:

Astral Highway, Ben Nevis
Don Quixote, Marmolada
T-Rex, Gogarth
Satan's Slip, Lundy
Comici Route, Cimi Grande

If I get all these 5 it will be a good year...........

And if I do actually get round to training: Resurrection, Dinas Cromlech.

I need something to inspire me sat here surrounded by alcohol and food.

In reply to The Grist:

Good stuff, my main goal for the year to be honest is just get on Mussel Beach at LPT and see if I am very far off or not.

If I'm nowhere near doing it, might hunt out some nice 7cs/7c+ both in the UK and abroad.


In Spain - there are a bunch of 7bs I'd like to give a good O/S, quick tick go around the Espadelles sector in Margalef. Doesn't get that much better than jumping between good pockets with amazing scenary.

Bouldering wise - I'd love to try a first font 7b. It's a bit hard for the grade ( I thought) after working some of the moves on Lickety Split 7a+/7b next door to Parisellas.

If that goes well, I'd quite like to get on Split-Youth Link 7b/7b+.

Also a bunch of grit bouldering would be excellent.

Argh, I can't wait to start training after a week of rest over Xmas! :p

In reply to The Grist:


I must try to knock off two that have been on my tick list for years. The Fang at Gouther was a milk tooth when I first put it on my list and Tophet Wall was a kerbstone. Both well overdue for me. I also have a fatuous idea about leading Terminator 2 at Sergeant Crag slabs.

In reply to The Grist:

Good thread I haven't made a list for me yet but I'll definitely be pondering it over the next week.

Resurrection? Everyone who I've spoken to has said just get on Right Wall instead. Easier climbing and only a little Bolder. Not much in it grade wise. I've never done resurrection (but have done Right Wall) so it's not from personal experience.

I've got a trip booked to Lundy for the year after and as Satans Slip is the only route on Lundy that I've heard of its definitely going on my 2018 list lol.

In reply to zmv:

>


Me too, I've had pretty much a month off climbing and I'm gagging to get stuck back in.
Went to Stanage today and did a route, can't wait to climb properly again.

In reply to deacondeacon:

Yes I have heard the same about right wall. I belayed a friend on resurrection earlier in the year. He fell from very close to the top but he had a great time on the route and said it was one of the best he had every been on. I was quite inspired but did not try it that day. I guess right wall should be on the list too........but regardless of what people say it must get e5 for a reason. Even if it is easy e5.

I am sure there are better routes at Lundy as well but I have not even looked at the guide and only put my name down to go last week. Satan slip is also the only route I have heard of.

In reply to The Grist:
You should get on Resurrection if you're going well, it's pretty safe where it matters.

You're right, it's as much about conditions, weather and equally importantly partners as it is about ability!

Winter (if it happens!)

Eagle Ridge (Winter) (VI 6)
Un Poco Loco (VII 7)
Neanderthal (VII 7)
Central Grooves (Winter) (VII 7)
Shield Direct (VII 7)
The Citadel (VII 8)
More aspirational:
Knuckleduster (VIII 9)
Blood, Sweat and Frozen Tears (VIII 8)
Sundance (Winter) (VIII 8)
The Godfather (VIII 8)

Alpine

Supercouloir (ED1 6)
The Ginat (ED1 5)
Pinocchio (ED2)
Colton-MacIntyre (ED2 6)
Peutérey Integral (ED1 4)
Central Pillar of Freney (ED1 5c)
Tournier Spur Direct (ED1 5c)

Trad

Some more Extreme Rock ticks in the Lakes
Some more Pembroke E4s and E5s
Some more Gogarth Main Cliff E5s
America (E4 5c)
Black Magic (E5 6a)
Il Duce (E5 6a)
Supersonic (E5 6a)
Aspirational - E6 but I'd need to train properly!

Sport

Drag my ass up a 7c, Dominatrix (7c) would be nice (had a couple of sessions on it this year)

In reply to The Grist:

Make sure you are fit and take the 6a + grade for pitch 25 with a pinch of salt on Don Quixote

In reply to The Grist:

Resurrection especially with RH finish is quite possibly harder than RW but a lot safer. RW has two hands off rests on ledges. Getting to the first ledge is dangerously bold but it's 5c going into 5b. Getting to the second ledge is bold and I think is the crux but you've got good gear (yellow BD cam), it's a clean fall and shouldn't hit the deck - at least I didn't, though I didn't peel off as high as you could conceivably do. It's a 6a move or two into 5c into 5b as the lactic builds and don't traverse too far left into Lord, which is what I did the first time, resulting in the fall. Gear on the second ledge, then nothing until a bit after the Porthole (I did find a decent looking offset just before the Porthole the second time I did it but it probably only looked good). I think it's sustained 5c up to the Porthole, a techy 5c move to get stood up in the Porthole and then 5b above the Porthole. You're high up so shouldn't deck but if you do peel off, push out and hope you miss the ledge, otherwise good luck for your ankles! I think hitting that ledge is a real possibility if you come off. I'd say get on Tesurrection and if you get on ok with that, get on RW.

In reply to Misha:

That makes it sound so much scarier than when I climbed it. Doubt I'd have got on it if I'd read that first

My description would be:
It's safe when it's tricky, and bold when it's easy. That's it!

In reply to mark hounslea:

Or just send my partner up it......cunningly making sure that is the way the pitches fall.

In reply to Misha:

They all sound good. I sign up to second you on any of the trad routes and I would love to do eagle ridge (if winter ever comes). I remember you were there last time I tried it. Had to ab off the top of pitch one as it was in very tough conditions. A big route.

I am keen to do some more in the lakes this year. I still have not climbed on scafell in summer which seems crazy.

In reply to Misha: Nice list mate!

Will happily belay you on a few of them

Also definitely up for a rematch with Tournier Spur Direct (ED1 5c) at some point having had to bail from the breche in 2010.

Sport f7c is probably going to be my main goal for 2017. I really need to rectify the current crazy situation where my best flash grade is the same as my hardest redpoint at f7b+.

In reply to The Grist:

Well I disagree with the views reported above re R Wall being easier. It probably is technically easier although I missed a hold when I first did it (found on a later ascent) and the unnecessary move was the hardest on either. Both were near my limit but there are a lot more places on R Wall where I wouldn't like to fall off. I suspect it is one of those routes that feels relatively easy if you have enough in hand to be confident in those places but if you have less in hand you tend to feel the grade?

In reply to The Grist:

That damn Cuillin ridge. Bad partner on first attempt and driving hail in July second time. This year must be the one.

In reply to deacondeacon:

I'd say the first bold bit where you can deck, going up and across to the first ledge, is relatively easy - 5b on the dangerous bit, last couple of moves 5a. The section up and through the porthole is 5c but you'd "only" break your ankles if you hit the ledge from around where the porthole is. So your summary is right but it's all relative - in this case easy still means 5c.

In reply to The Grist:

Motorhead is the only route on my list at the moment for 2017.
I'd like to get to gogarth and pembroke too.