UKC

Nicotine stain

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 geddicakes 05 Mar 2014
What is the line for this? The Guidebook says the left of the seam but it feels more natural, and probably easier, to climb it on the right. The other pictures on ukc have people tackling it on the right.

It feels a bit contrived to say climb it on the left. Is it a purposeful sandbag by rock fax or is this how the route was climbed during the first ascent?

(Let's not bring pads into this)
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 05 Mar 2014
In reply to geddicakes:

The new bouldering guide isn't so prescriptive:

A classic up the faint crack in the slab. Doing it more than once is hard.


Chris
 dr_botnik 05 Mar 2014
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Nice. Good to see the new guide won't be losing any of the condescending attitude of the other rockfax publications.

Weird thing is, its actually funny when grimer does it.
 John Gillott 05 Mar 2014
In reply to dr_botnik:

Do it on the right but don't touch the right arete.

This way is a tad artificial at first, but after a move or two the right arete is out of reach.

 MNA123 05 Mar 2014
In reply to geddicakes:

Nicotine Stain is the hardest Font 6b in the world.
 Offwidth 05 Mar 2014
In reply to Adam Moroz:

Mmm? have you clkmbed obscure problems in font, yorkshire, northumberland or sandbag equivalent V grades in the US?
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 05 Mar 2014
In reply to geddicakes:

> What is the line for this? The Guidebook says the left of the seam but it feels more natural, and probably easier, to climb it on the right. The other pictures on ukc have people tackling it on the right.

> It feels a bit contrived to say climb it on the left. Is it a purposeful sandbag by rock fax or is this how the route was climbed during the first ascent?

I think to the left is the natural (and harder) line, to the right feels like an easier variation,


Chris

 MNA123 07 Mar 2014
In reply to Offwidth:

> Mmm? have you clkmbed obscure problems in font, yorkshire, northumberland or sandbag equivalent V grades in the US?

I have not.
 Jon Stewart 07 Mar 2014
In reply to Adam Moroz:

> Nicotine Stain is the hardest Font 6b in the world.

It's totally fine at font 6b climbed on the right without the arete. A great problem with lovely balancy climbing. Climbed on the left, which I've heard rumours of being 'the line' it is completely impossible.
 Jon Stewart 07 Mar 2014
In reply to Chris Craggs:

How hard to you think it is on the left? I tried it with a bunch of people all of whom could climb 7a and harder, and none of us could do it. We gave it about 20 goes each.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 08 Mar 2014
 Jon Stewart 08 Mar 2014
In reply to Chris Craggs:

An interesting range of views! I think I'll continue to climb it on the right at font 6b which I think is bang on (same sequence but not V0+!!). I don't think that the LH start is V4, but there is talk of pebble-loss which could have increased the grade to about V6.

And I'm occasionally guilty of saying V6 feels V4 because a particular problem suits me, so if people are saying V4 for the left it could easily be V6 (especially if the V4 brigade are V10 climbers and think the RH start is V0+). Old grades for microroutes (and routes full stop?) are total garbage - NTBTA HVS 5c etc.
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 08 Mar 2014
In reply to Jon Stewart:
> Old grades for microroutes (and routes full stop?) are total garbage - NTBTA HVS 5c etc.

Not sure if they are garbage is they are used properly - NTBTA, E2 6a is nearer the mark!


Chris
Post edited at 11:16
 Jon Stewart 08 Mar 2014
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Sorry I didn't mean UK trad grades for micro-routes, I think they work well. I meant the grades grit micro-routes were given when they were first put up: it's only little so let's call it HVS 5c regardless of difficulty! Easy Walling and DIY were both HVS 5c!!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 08 Mar 2014
In reply to Jon Stewart:

Agree totally, I think a lot of those grades were aimed at saying "I'm brill and your crap" rather then offer any real idea how hard the route/problem actually was!


Chris
 Timmd 08 Mar 2014
In reply to Jon Stewart:

I always think of Paul Nunn writing that grades were invented to bamboozle the gullible.

It might not be true... ()

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