UKC

NEWS: Nightmare Inauguration: New Anglesey E8 by James McHaffie

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 UKC News 23 Jan 2017
James McHaffie, 4 kbAs reported on DMM's Facebook page, James McHaffie has begun a new year of first ascents with an E8 6b on Anglesey at Porth Dafarch South, which he has named Nightmare Inauguration. The steep line offers ten metres of horizontal heel hooking with plenty of exposure.

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 Misha 23 Jan 2017
In reply to UKC News:
Nice one but what's a guppy, other than a tropical fish?
In reply to Misha:
It's when you 'wrap' your hand around a hold rather than grabbing it front-on. See number 2 here:
https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=7220
Post edited at 14:39
 SenzuBean 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

> It's when you 'wrap' your hand around a hold rather than grabbing it front-on. See number 2 here:

> https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=7220

I thought a guppy was when you gripped a hold with your inner palm like this: http://i.imgur.com/XHkp2RQ.png . Is what I'm doing in this picture still a guppy? (fingers are just resting).
In reply to Misha:
A guppy is when you wrap your hand around a piece of rock whilst in a gaston position, but rather than gastoning an edge you would be guppying a larger feature. If that makes any sense!? I.e if you climbed an arete straight on you'd turn each hand so your fingers faced inwards with elbows facing out and you'd grip the arete in a guppy.

In fact if you look at the picture of will hunt on the front page montage picture for the unknown stones article will is guppying with his right hand!!
Post edited at 15:15
In reply to SenzuBean:

The key is to contract as little as possible, but it depends on the hold you're using of course. I suppose you are guppying in that photo, although it looks like it'd be better to just open hand it as a sloper? It's most useful on spikey holds or ones with some sort of curved lip on them.

You can try to get as much of your palm involved as you can, but sometimes your fingers will have to engage a bit, I think!
 SenzuBean 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

> The key is to contract as little as possible, but it depends on the hold you're using of course. I suppose you are guppying in that photo, although it looks like it'd be better to just open hand it as a sloper?

Undoubtedly best as a sloper - but it was the only hold I had on short notice

> It's most useful on spikey holds or ones with some sort of curved lip on them.

> You can try to get as much of your palm involved as you can, but sometimes your fingers will have to engage a bit, I think!

Yes I agree.
I try to keep the fingers as relaxed as possible, and use them only as much as to stop the palm slipping - with the palm taking as much of the load as possible (sort of like heel hook, but using the palm - or like resting on a hand jam). Otherwise I'm not really sure how it's not just the normal way you'd grip a hold instinctively?
In reply to SenzuBean:

Think of it as being like a sloth's grip, elongated, relaxed and most of the weight taken by the skeleton rather than assisted through muscle contractions...they have curved claws which 'wrap' around trees rather than gripping like we have to on a crimp or edge. I hope this doesn't make me sound too mad!
 Misha 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

Thanks, that's my favourite form of cheat hold, didn't know it had a name.
 Misha 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

> Think of it as being like a sloth's grip, elongated, relaxed and most of the weight taken by the skeleton rather than assisted through muscle contractions...they have curved claws which 'wrap' around trees rather than gripping like we have to on a crimp or edge. I hope this doesn't make me sound too mad!

Great, always thought my climbing was slothful
 Elliot Walker 23 Jan 2017
In reply to UKC News:

An incredible looking climb. I take it your knee is better Caff, especially with all those heel hooks!
In reply to Misha:

Having belayed you Misha, and you too Natalie, I can say with some degree of authority that you both mastered 'sloth style'


 Michael Gordon 23 Jan 2017
In reply to UKC News:

What a brilliant looking route. Good name too!
 snoop6060 23 Jan 2017
In reply to UKC News:
What a line that looks. Shame (for me) it is so hard at E8. As well as probably a sandbag!
Post edited at 17:41
 Misha 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Ha, yeah I need to speed up. I think Natalie is a much better sloth than I am though. May be we can start a club for slothful climbers. Ueli Steck need not apply!
 Jon Stewart 23 Jan 2017
In reply to UKC News:

Looks amazing. And a brilliant name.
In reply to Misha:

I feel another thread coming on, there's plenty of material there.

For instance, Glenda Huxter - legend had it - took 4 3/4 hours when she did The Bells, The Bells. Reckon she'd be up for a honorary membership were the 'Sloth Society' to form...

I remember when I first did (or should I say didn't) do Comes the Dervish that it took me longer to get from bottom to top than it had the Huber Brothers speed ascent of Zodiac on El Cap. At the time that felt pretty humbling...

 john arran 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Natalie Berry - UKC:

> Think of it as being like a sloth's grip, elongated, relaxed and most of the weight taken by the skeleton rather than assisted through muscle contractions...

Before 'guppy' became quite widely accepted, one of the other words often used to describe such a hold was indeed a 'sloth', and it wasn't uncommon to hear of people 'slothing a hold' to gain a cunning rest.
 Misha 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

Ask The Ex-Engineer of this parish of his experience of belaying for a certain rather good but rather slow and rather loud female climber a while ago...
 jon 23 Jan 2017
In reply to Rob Greenwood - UKClimbing:

> when I first did (or should I say didn't) do Comes the Dervish that it took me longer to get from bottom to top than it had the Huber Brothers speed ascent of Zodiac on El Cap.

Congratulations. That is indeed something to be proud of.

In reply to john arran:

That has just made my day.
 Bulls Crack 23 Jan 2017
In reply to john arran:

The trick with the guppy is to get press the cupped hand together as hard as you can , and whack it down hard on the rock surface so that its air-tight thus gaining some suction
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