UKC

Any hints and tips on this classic problem would be greatfully received.

I slipped out at lunch time to have a go and couldn't quite manage to hang the highest of the lay-aways for your right hand (from which you apparently lunge for the break from).

Unfortunately I split one of my fingers on the "could be better" high starting pocket for the left hand.

Presumably the lunge for the break is the crux? and what is the top like?

In reply to Simon Cox:

Top out is flat and good...
Its on the real thing video I think

In reply to Simon:

Ooh, you're gonna love me - I've got your beta.

1) Tape up your knuckles on your index finger on the LH.
2) When you've got the middle side pull, there's a pebble on the wall for your left hand. Pinching this between taped index finger knuckle and thumb makes the slap for the third sidepull much much easier.

See! I'll have a friend 6 for christmas please.

In reply to midgets of the world unite:

And once you have got the third sidepull, step high with the left foot and lunge? doing anything special with the right foot??

If you are over in Font at Christmas/ New Year come round to the Gite for some food/ drinks; and if you have any hot beta on Voie De Flirt (32 Bl) at Elephant a Friend 6 will be nicely wrapped next to your Christmas lunch!

Many thanks anyway.

Cheers,

In reply to Simon Cox:

Right foot on smears at the bottom of the flake, left foot high and pop!
Hit the left of the hold for best chances of success. - Voila!

Sadly, I'm in Spain for Xmas/New Year. Anyone got a beta chart for La Rambla?

In reply to Simon Cox: I'd love to show you in person how to do it, Simon:

"There's a place for us
A time and a place for us
Peace and quiet and open air.......
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somewhere, we'll find a new way of thinking
We'll find a new way of crimping
Somewhere...."

In reply to Marc Chrysanthou:

Thanks for the offer, do u live in Sheffield?

Unfortunately I don't think my tip will recover for a serious go this weekend, I would be suprised if I could do the start with a taped finger end, but knowing my obsessive nature I may not be able to stop myself.

Anyhow I feel I have discovered a lot today about the problem.

"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."

Eliot.

Cheers,

In reply to Marc Chrysanthou:
Has Tom Waits done West Side Story?

In reply to Andy Robinson: I don't think so. He prefers the climbing ethic of the US (i.e. much more free climbing)

"I like to be in America
Everything goes free in America"

In reply to Marc C:
I did this one not so long ago and thought it to be a classic 6b boulder problem. what was jon allan thinking of at 7a! still it is one of the best probs at burbage. what grade is it ?B9 in the guide i think. never.

In reply to justin c: Well I did it in 1973 and thought it was only 5c so there !

When will you grow up ?

In reply to Ivan:
Woooooooooooooo lad woooooooooooo .


And who is ivan? surely not jon himself.
And 5c sounds even better
And no i will not grow up as that is for adults! Im 25 stroke 16 and getting younger.

over and out.

ps no diss to jon allan as he is fuc*ing good and done some shit hot stuff. respect.

In reply to justin c:

I did note that in the Jerry Moffat video "The Real Thing" there is footage of our hero falling off WSS at the end. I guess he must have just fallen asleep hanging off the crux 6b move: as Ben would say "6c is just not that hard anymore, and 6b is approaching a rest". So which move did you find the hardest (relatively speaking as they are all easy yeh?)?

In reply to Simon Cox:

as Ben would say "6c is just not that hard anymore, and 6b is approaching a rest".

Bull shite i have seen ben fail 6b problems. he just talks poo.fair enough on limestone 6b tends to be easyier(for super strong ben)as its just power but i have seen his ass kicked on grit by 6b. It proves my point that you dont need to be strong to climb gritstone,its all in the movememt,to flow if you know what i mean?
6c is hard it is just people too bloody eager to give out the 7a grade.

In reply to Simon Cox: It must be 6c for an on-sight, no beta ascent. When I was regularly climbing 6b I couldn't do it, and it wasn't due to a lack of effort. I kept missing the slap for the ledge by about 3 cms ! I think it helps if you are at least 5ft 10 or have very long arms. 6b is a bit of a joke .

In reply to John Kirk:

Thanks for that John, this is the sort of beta I want to hear.

I am 5 10 with an ape index of +1 so I am thinking with this info and midgets beta I am in with a chance when my left index finger tip heals: I was pretty close to hanging the high layaway in my first 30 mins on the route.

This is probably what The Fat One needs to hear also i.e. if he doesn't lay off the chocolate and get working on the Smarty Power he might just get beaten to the tick by Joker Cox! (Not to be confused with the Ultra Cool John Cox).

In reply to Simon Cox: I am 5 ft 8 ins and have a 6ft span (ie + 4 inches) but still couldn't quite get it. Maybe in another life ?

In reply to justin c: I climber whop climbs 7a can fail on a 6b move just as an e2 climber can fail on HVS. Applies to all. n
Proof available. [won't boast but the apex of my snadbagging career].

Personnaly I think the difference between 6c and 7a on grit is so marginal that the opinions of the ascentionists are invalidated by their personal charaterisitcs. eg height flexibility strenght et etc ad infintum.

Eg blind date, given 7a, and a huge numbe of ascents, but a fairly unique problem. Easier or harder than Honorary Caley at Stanage. Would anyone really complain if it were 6c? [except me for it was my first 7a on grit].

In reply to Sloper:

>blind date, ......Easier or harder than Honorary Caley at Stanage<

Chuffin' MILES harder, man! What are you talking about?

In reply to John Cox: HC requires technique and [dare I say it reach, how tall be you big boy?] BD requires the ability to hold comatose cats and power.

Incidentally I think the're about the same.

In reply to Sloper:

Have to agree with John Cox on this one matey, I flashed this problem in a battered old pair of Mythos's when I were nobbut a lad of 16. I thought it a slight giveaway at 6c, perhaps hard 6a? Slightly different league to Blind Date, which is downright nails, but no way 7a.

In reply to Neil: Like I said, slight give away at 6c HC and BD hard but not 7a.

I likes powerful slopey probs and hates slabs. Now being short, strong and unflexible HC feels like an absolute csker.

Good on ya for flashing it, how hard compared to nightmare slab?

In reply to Sloper:

Nightmare Slab? The one next to Daydreamer? Much harder, Nightmare Slab's only 5c isn't it? Do you mean Shock Horror Slab, in which case I don't know, I haven't done it!

In reply to Sloper:

What on earth are you on about? I did Honorary Caley about second go and I'm useless albeit a lanky streak of piss (well, about 6'). By comparison, however, Nightmare Slab, Daydreamer and Shock Horror Slab are all paths. Blind Date on the other hand is the equivalent of trying to cross the Atlantic on a pogo stick.

That Nightmare slab suggestion has to be a mistake mate, smallest hold on it is bigger than the biggest on blind date and it's a slab to boot, utter piss. The other two are Font 5+, comared to a 7b/7b+ rough guess for BD?

In reply to Paz: ER YEAH, I meant the 6b one. Point is, now don't ge me wrong blind date is really hard and certainly not something i can do on request however, HC for me feels really hard too.

Its just horses for courses. I like steep powerful slopey problems rather than slabs. Also being 5'7" I think slabs are a lot harder than if you're 6'.

Also, how many climbers views are needed to establish a grade and is the difference between 6c and 7a really that well defined?

In reply to Sloper: there is no such thing as lack of height only lack of power or talent