UKC

Hi.

Just for fun 

Guess the grade of this problem I did with Plas Y Brenin many years ago.

I topped out by the way.

Sav

ED, 7a/6b+obl, A2, WI4, M5.

Am I close?  

Hi Dave.

Thanks.

I don't even know myself, it was a random boulder in a field.

Sav

Tahdah!

Me topping out!

4a?

You get extra marks for a chalk-free send

Thanks.

I didn't even have my own chalk bag back then.

Sav

Someone did say it was VB at most.

Moderate 3a?

 Tbh, I don't even know that area the problem is/was in - maybe Gwynedd.

Sav

Bouldering V grade, would that be around V3/V4 ish?

I should have said UK tech 4a (font 3) but I think MS got that

8C+

Yup

Apparently the sit start variation is F9a.

There are 2 grades of climb. Ones you can climb and ones you can't. Judging by the pictures this is one you can climb.

My question to you.. is how much did you enjoy it. If in the area again would you scamper up it again for pleasure?

Appart from getting grazing one of my legs, I enjoyed it a lot. I would do it again for pleasure.

From a technique and coaching perspective.

What technique I am using to ascend the problem?

Where, the two seams meet, could you jam and if any, what kind of jams would you use?

S

Who was it who said 'there are only two grades, piss and nails'? It may have been in Hard Grit.

Nails can be divided into three subcategories: nails, hard as nails and balls hard. 😆

S

That grading scale existed. See history of John Gill. The bouldering B grades (1950s), has been climbed by ...

B1 a lot of people

B2 a few people

B3 one person. A repeated B3 is automatically downgraded.

If he had the gift of hindsight, he might have added B4 for ‘first of grade’. Gill’s list of B4s would have been Font 7B, 7C and 7C+, two of those added in the 1950s, so operating in the UK trad 6c/7A region. Stunning, although the Bleausards weren’t too far behind.
 

https://ukbouldering.fandom.com/wiki/World_Bouldering_First_At_Each_Grade

So B3 must be balls hard then.

Sav

I don't know, have never completed one that is still that grade

Remember John could do one finger pullups, and pinch grip pullups on road signs ...

It doesn't look like the cracks are wide enough to jam (the bit up and left of your left hand is wider, but it looks flared). The angle looks perfect for smearing with your feet, making use of the cracks and seams as something to put your toes in/on. Hands are for balance here, rather than taking your weight.

There’s a great piece about him in Jon Krakauer’s book Eiger Dreams. He apparently once soloed a new route ground up (can’t remember where it is) which was apparently 40 feet of vertical granite with very minimalistic holds. At its base and very close to the rock was an iron fence armed with big sharp spikes. Type 3 fun I would say.

PS I found it: “The Needle”, 5.12 now and he did it in 1960. The guardrail’s gone now.

Are you referring to the B grade system? 😀

Are you referring to it's founder - John Gill? 

I have managed to lock off on monos and narrow beast maker edges. 😀

Sav

Hi Becky.

I agree with you on evrerything. Well done. 

If it was part of a trad route, would tot say the seams won't be able to take protection?

Bye 

Sav

Seams rarely take protection. The cracks might take some, but it's hard to tell from the photo - the bigger crack looks too flared to be useful but that doesn't mean you wouldn't be able to fiddle some small gear in somewhere.

Hi Becky.

There is a lot off small gear available such as peanuts and zero friends. Wound you say the placements if any are marginal?

I suppose you could run that section out if you don't any small gear.

A friend says that the entry crack of The Peapod is a  flared crack.

Sav

Typo: It should have been any small gear.