UKC

Would anyone with deep knowledge of Rocklands bouldering wish to comment on whether this (see link) represents a legitimate ascent of Archbaby:
vimeo.com/226738010

Thank you

Daniel

In reply to SimonisD:
What are you concerned about?
Unfortunately I have no idea what the "legitimate " ascent is, nor do I climb at that level. Just interested! Looks like a nice little boulder!

In reply to SimonisD:

Probably not. If you have to ask the question... :P

In reply to SimonisD:

I have absolutely no knowledge of the problem beyond the two vids I just watched on Youtube but that bridging looks highly suspicious to me...

In reply to SimonisD: I guess the question is - why does it matter?

I found out about 5 minutes before leaving Rocklands that an alternative way up doesn't rely on the “suspicious bridging” which Lemony describes. I don't know if this substantially affects the difficulty of the climb, I haven't had a chance to try. I'm also not sure if the first ascensionist (Klem Loskot) avoided bridging and would be horrified at my style, or recognised that there was more than one way up his line and would be pleased to see a variety of styles of ascent. From the guidebook “...climb through the arch and up the black face.”

I am not losing (too much) sleep over it..

In reply to SimonisD:

Never climbed it and don't know if the bridge is out or not but I'd bet it is out and I would have avoided it if I tried a problem like that unless the book or other climbers said otherwise.

youtube.com/watch?v=cbaUUjRwGD0& in this video there seems no need for it.

Did it seem like not using the bridge made it significantly harder than V8, or did what you did feel soft for the grade?

In reply to SimonisD:

As moderator of Rocklands crag and long term annual visitor I say this is legit ascent Unfortunately Scott Noy's guide book descriptions are a bit woolly, hopefully the new guidebook will address this.

As to the grading, well Arch Baby sitter (7B) and Arch Baby (7B+) are both quite out of character, they are more like soft 7A/+ and soft 7A+/7B, you need only go try Poison Dwarf (7B), Slash and Burn (7B) or Shift Horizons (7B+), in the same area to get a feel for that level of difficulty.

As for what Klem would do, the pygmy meat mountain would probably just scream and pull.

Ultimately grades are irrelevant, both climbs are absolutely excellent.

In reply to SimonisD:

It's not legit as it is bouldering.

In reply to alx:

I suspect there may be a case for documenting 4 routes, along the lines of:

Archbaby (ledge is out), 7b+
Archbaby (ledge is in), 7b
Archbabysitter (ledge is out), 7b
Archbabysitter (ledge is in), 7a+

Each variant climbs quite differently. As the descent leads back to the starting horn, for an extra prize, an Archbaby enthusiast could even try lapping all 4 without feet ever touching the ground!

In reply to LakesWinter:


Bumbly alert!
















:P

In reply to SimonisD:

Sorry to disappoint but the climb is normally graded for th easiest way up and thankfully Rocklands is not some eliminate infested limestone sweat hole like parts of the Peak District.


I have a sneaking suspicion I met you when climbed Arch Baby sitter, mutual friend of Betty and Michelle.

In reply to alx:

..any guidebook author wishing to update route descriptions from "a bit woolly" to rich and helpful will get no criticism from me!

yes - i clocked you were the enthusiastic birder we met!