UKC

Did my first 6b+ at the local wall this morning...

Pink Grips:

Reachy start (if you're tall, if not a thin move on crimps) gains a decent 2 finger grip and the first station.

Rounded grips lead you to the next safety station, then carry on up a couple of bucket grips to a decent 'splits' rest at the third station. You can have a good rest here if you get your belayer to reel in all the line.

Now on to the summit! difficult manouvres using moderately sized side grips up to the fourth station (optional rest here, but today I battled on through to station 5.

Above this it looks HARD! the grips are much smaller and the wall turns into an overhang. Needless to say I turned back at this point, the adrenaline pumping around my veins and sweat dripping from my forehead.

Does climbing get any better than this!!???


What's the best indoor route you've done?

WAJ

In reply to waj: Yes.

In reply to waj: Yes

In reply to waj: Does climbing get any better? Damn right it does. Better a diff outdoors than high indoor gymnastics, however difficult. The wind in your hair and a fine view* beats being lowered down in a haze of chalk dust any day.

But that's just me. I hope your achievement inspires you to greater things.

T.
* even if it is of mist or rain, it can still be a fine view; although, admittedly, a rather more restricted one. And wetter.

In reply to Pursued by a bear: No, it's not just you!

Indoor walls are for training nothing else. But that's just me..

In reply to Pursued by a bear: That should have read 'high level indoor gymnastics', obviously. I blame this phone. This phone blames these fingers.

T.

In reply to waj:
troll

In reply to Conor1:

Grips, safety stations, failing on an indoor route...you may be right!

In reply to waj: youtube.com/watch?v=MyY8eZJHlE8&

Then... youtube.com/watch?v=wPhHjOyy770&

Then... youtube.com/watch?v=5SVmM6wj4FE&

Then... youtube.com/watch?v=IWelYnIQCVk&

Then... youtube.com/watch?v=NULhqMVM1Xc&

Oli

That should get you phyched!!!

In reply to waj:

Lost me at 'grips'.

In reply to waj:

Much better - on real rock, with some serious exposure below your feet, and a view to kill for (have a look through the photos here for some good examples).

Still, don't let the folk on here get you down too much - if you enjoy what you're doing, that's the most important thing. A lot of people dismiss indoor climbing as only good for training, or entirely pointless, but if yoou're having fun that's all that matters really.

But seriously, try and get yourself outdoors sometime It's much better

In reply to waj:

I'm pretty certain that it couldn't get much worse - does that help?

In reply to waj:


Sounds a bit soft for a 6b+ with the bucket grips. sounds more like a 6a

In reply to waj:
Outdoor is better, always.

But indoor- my favourite moments are in the Bouldering room- an upside own route with a final top out in a huge pull, with encouraging from those below is better than backing of a route, sweating and swinging.

Outdoor is where the best moments lie though- one of my favourite moments was where I was soloing a HVS/ VS... can't remember- and with no way to get down, the only way was up- the rush from topping out was great, after a bit of hanging around on the crux.

In reply to tehmarks:

Ahh misread it - succeeded on the route so probably not a troll...in which case: Well done but yes; it gets better!

In reply to waj: What's a station?

In reply to waj: what your saying is pretty understandable, when i moved to sheffield from warwick i was climbing 7b indoors and HS outside and comparing the two i would rather have been inside, outside was scary and not really a physical challange in the same way as indoors was. but stick at it out doors.
ignoring the veiw (and perhaps the more masochistic or pointlessly short grit (not all grit just >8m)) there is somthing to be said for figuring out what you need to do to get up, not what someone else planned for you to do but what you decide you need to do. as far as quality of moves goes indoors is generaly just as good as outdoors (with a bit less veriety) but its a totaly new aspect of climbing trying to figure out what you need to do while managing pump. also the more you climb indoors the more you learn which holds are which so you never get that unexpected glory jug feeling.

In reply to waj: I love indoor climbing as much as outdoor!
The best route I've done was an indoor crimpy one where even the first move was hard but the satisfaction at the top was unreal
Don't let the s***e comments get to you.

In reply to Cameron94: Yeah I do know a few people actually which prefer indoor climbing, who used to climb outdoors, just because they prefer the physical endurance side in complete saftey, as opposed to necky trad climbing.

Oli

In reply to Cameron94: I agree with Cameron. Love my indoor climbing just as much, if not more than outside! Not sure why there seems to be so much hate towards sport, bouldering and indoor climbing from most trad climbers. As long as your having fun with what your doing then that's the main thing!

In reply to oliverg: That's what I enjoy about Bouldering, indoors or out- the physical challenge- a view is nice, but the climb is what I care about most.

In reply to Dan1984:

No hate being directed at you from me but don't you think its just a tad more interesting outside - trad, bouldering or sport?!

In reply to Bulls Crack: Tbh I love all aspects of climbing. Sport, trad, indoor, bouldering etc... But nope I wouldn't say I prefer outdoors, there just different.

The thing I like about indoors is it takes away all the dangers and allows you to climb at your hardest. I know indoors and outdoors are very different, but I do think some walls offer more than just pulling on bright plastic holds. Some offer aretes, pockets, cracks, flakes etc.

One thing that does put me off climbing outside a bit is the venues at weekends tend to be overly crowded.

In reply to CragRat_Trad:

You sound like a lot of fun

In reply to waj: I think indoors is pretty fun, but given the choice I'll always go outdoors. Outside is always much more of an adventure. Best indoor route I've done was a juggy overhanging 6b, not even close to clean but alot of big powerful long moves, which I quite like.

In reply to Dan1984:
]

We could argue about that but lets not!

In reply to oliverg:

Indoors actually scared me more, the fact that people used to love taking falls next to someone who was climbing a harder route used to annoy me.

These days I just climb harder.

In reply to Dan1984:

You need to travel further a field or visit somewhere not so popular perhaps.

In reply to waj:

Welcome to the world of steep climbing and roofs some people love being off vertical.

In reply to waj:

Nice troll. And what the hell is a station?

In reply to waj: Get back under your bridge!

In reply to halo: Such as? fairly new to the outdoor world, so only gone to the well known area's such as the peak district. Where would you recomend that is quiet?

In reply to waj:

i never knew the name of the route, and inherantly it wasnt that difficult, but the single best indoor route ive ever climbed was 18 months ago.

i arrived at the wall to notice it was kind of shut but the lights were on. turns out it had been booked for a private group that was just finishing so i was let in.

for about 20mins i got to climb in amongst a pro cheerleader group on their end of season fling, by this time all warmed and limbered up.
the crowning moment was when (by no accident i admit) i was climbing between (and slightly below...) 2 cheerleaders in hot pants and bikini tops. fit girls who could actually really climb, it was poetry in motion.

funnily my belayer felt no urge to climb at all, being surrounded by a small squad of his own cheerleader fantasy. if i wasnt so distracted myself by all the thighs, nipples and belly buttons around me i may have been concerned he wasnt paying attention - then again, i would have died happily.
we came out of it all grinning and with invites to a cheerleader competition - which we attended and enjoyed - my friend has only just broken up with a girl he met there. she said he wasnt fit enough.

so yes, it does get better. waaaaay better.
but it depends what you want from climbing.

In reply to Dan1984: Hi Dan depends where your based geographically, however places like Baslow or indeed Chatsworth edges or a worthwhile visit.

Stanage or Burbage can become too overcrowded so it is better travelling elsewhere. I paid a visit to Blackwell Dale and then Birchen edge to finish off the day. A really nice day in all on limestone then the Grit.

In reply to ice.solo: These cheerleaders are they regulars at this wall and where?

In reply to ice.solo:

Haha ice, you never fail to amuse me!

In reply to waj:

not sure if the girls have been back, but will ask around. will let you all know - baring in mind the wall is in tokyo.

In reply to halo: I live near London, so not really near anywhere but most big places within the UK are within easy driving access.

Look's like i've been going to the wrong places! Been to Stanage and the Roaches a few times, but the main place I go is Burbage. Always just assumed all the places in the peaks got pretty busy... Any reason why Baslow, Chatsworth, Birchen etc is alot quieter?

In reply to ice.solo:

Freudian typo?

In reply to Dan1984:

Baslows is fairly minor
Chatsworth is quite hard but very good
Birchen is usually crowded

Try the Chew Valley for less crowds - or Kinder -or Yorks Grit

Gardoms and Rivelin popular but not heaving