UKC

Climbing magazine reports that early this week Tommy Caldwell redpointed his longtime project at the Fortress of Solitude near Rifle, Colorado. The 120-foot overhanging line had a working title of Flex Luthor, is 100 feet to the right of Caldwell's other sport-climbing benchmark, Kryptonite (5.14c/d) - about F8c+/9a.

So how hard is his new route? "It's the hardest thing I've ever done," says Caldwell, who prefers not to give it a solid grade, but does allow that, "it's definitely harder than Kryptonite."

Sounds like it's the first decent-length route with a first ascent by an American that's 9a.....

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:

Hmmm, unlike 'Realisation' (oops, sorry, 'Realization')...

I thought David Graham had decided 'The Fly' was 9a?

In reply to Probably Wrong: Isnt The Fly in Canada?

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:

Other hard US sport routes:

The Fly, Rumney NH - 9a. FA Graham. One repeat;Parady.
Ghetto Booty, Mt Charleston - 8c+/9a. FA Legrand. Unrepeated.
Kryptonite, the Fortress - 8c+/9a. FA Caldwell. One repeat; Hirayama (who suggested that it was nearer 8c/8c+. Some accusations have flown that this is because Legrand "comfortized" the route while trying it at the same time)
Pyschedelic, St George - 8c+/9a. FA Graham. Unrepeated.


Wonder how it fits in with those?

In reply to Adam:

Rumney....New Hampshire...

Mick

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:
Well done that man, excellent choice of name too.

PS but what's he done on grit?

In reply to TimB:

So what does Livin' Astro get? Is it just a mere 8c?

ps,
anyone seen the "limited edition" version of The Professionals DVD? - they're supposed to go back and finish a load of the things they failed on.

In reply to BenThorne:

Livin Astro wasn't on the list I saw (as it was stuff ABOVE 8c+!!).

DG originally didn't rate it, but I think it's regarded as 8c+. Joe Kinder did the 2nd(?) ascent and put it down as 8c+ on his 8a.nu scorecard.

In reply to BenThorne:

Yeh have seen tp video,quite interesting as YH humility
really stands out,also their attitudes to failure...worth
watching.I believe FL went back and completed stuff in 2002
sometime

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:
What about Chris Charma doing first ascent of Biography in Ceuse.
Wasn't that a 9a

In reply to Dermot:

he didnt do the first ascent of biographie, he did the first ascent of realization

In reply to Adam:
Is 'Realization' the extention of biographie?

In reply to Dermot:

yup indeedy

In reply to adam:

Are you Adam Lincoln?

G

In reply to Graham:

LMAO!

g

In reply to Anonymous:

sorry that was me!

g

In reply to gruff:

what does LMAO stand for?

good to see Cadwell still delivering the goods. What with all these American youngsters performing so well and all.

In reply to Anonymous:

Laugh my arse off.

g

In reply to Anonymous:

Bloomin' amazing when you consider he now has half a finger less than when he did Kryptonite.

In reply to Charles Arthur, UKC Editor:
Very impressive to see he's back to form after the loss of one of his fingers. There can't be many 9a's climbed minus the end two joints of a finger.

In reply to TimB: livin' astro's .14c