UKC

n this short film, Nina Caprez recounts her story of attempting To Bolt or Not to Be (8b+) at Smith Rock, Oregon. Jean Baptiste Tribout climbed the route in 1986 and it was the first 8b+ in North America. It was also one of the first ascents in the States that required a top down approach of working the route to complete, a method being pioneered by the French at the time.

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In reply to UKC News:

Great film!

In reply to UKC News:


Presumably the first 5.14 then, which makes it a bit more significant than 8b+.

In reply to UKC News:

One of the most enjoyable!

In reply to UKC News:
One of the first ascents to use redpoint tactics?

As in the first to use it or first in America? Incorrect on both counts and also it was pioneered by Flipper Kurt and Wolfie in Germany.. rotkries (sp?) or redpoint

In reply to FBSF:
Yes. Rotkreuz was yoyoed and rotpunkt- well that’s history now
It was from progressively filling in the circle marking the route as the style improved.

The writer could mean that Jibé worked the upper sections first I suppose.

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:


Why?

In reply to Robert Durran:


You really don't know?

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:


No

In reply to Robert Durran:


I guess it's a well kept secret that only myself, the climbing media and all the climbers I speak to who aspire to climb 7a, 8a, 5.13, 5.14 or whatever understand.

If only Eric Horst had called his book "How to climb 5.11d".

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:


Oh, I see. Just a completely arbitrary and therefore entirely insignificant accident of grading system calibration then.

In reply to Robert Durran:


I did know what you where getting at Robert, was only a matter of time before the word "arbitrary" came up. Less of the games please.

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:

rather than condescending all of us who don't know, could you please explain?

In reply to Robert Durran:

Silver wedding anniversary, 50th birthday - most wouldn't regard them as insignificant calibrations of the calendar unless you are Spock

In reply to ukb & bmc shark:


At least they are related to the fact that we have naturally evolved to have ten fingers rather than an entirely arbitrary artificial construction. But yes, I think we do get too hung up on base ten.

In reply to Jim Nevill:

I'm not trying to condescend, was just having a hard time believing that Robert hadn't noticed the phenomenon. Thought it was a wind up.

I'm not a psychologist, but I've noticed people focus on specific boundaries. There'll be a reason we've evolved this behaviour, maybe as a means to push ourselves, as an aid to setting long and short term objectives.

Thinking about it last night, when I was climbing in the US last months all 4 Americans I climbed with had objectives around numerical grade boudaries, 5.11a, 5.12a, and 5,13a.

Not just in climbing, the 4 minute mile was an arbitrary prize, and I'd bet young talented sprinters are keen to get under 10 seconds, etc, etc.

If you accept that, then going back to the original post, the article had translated from YDS to French for the UK audience, but that translation had lost some of route's significance in US climbing history. I though it was mildly amusing, and now it's a long discussion which I didn't really want to get involved in....

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:

I once met an American climber ( who was rather annoying) who'd had "5.13a" tattooed onto his arm after he did his first of this significant grade. He didn't see the funny side when a European climber pointed out it that it wasn't even 8a.

In reply to 1poundSOCKS:


Of course I have noticed the phenomenon and, yes, it was a wind up, but a wind up with a serious point - that it is absurd that we get hung up on such entirely artificial boundaries ( I am probably guillty at times myself). The fact that this ascent might be more or less significant depending on what grading system you are familiar with captures this absurdity beautifully.

In reply to Robert Durran:


Glad I'm not losing the plot.


In one sense, yes. But we're wired that way for a reason. And it adds to the fun if you don't take it too seriously.


Exactly. When I did my first 7c+, I recall my comment in the logbook was "First 5.13". Adding absurd significance to an absurd objective.

In reply to beverooni:



Rotkreuz - red cross - in fact indicated that a route had been toproped without falls. Rotkreis - red circle, and presumably what fatboy was suggesting - was the yoyo indicator that was filled in when the route had been redpointed. Admittedly, of course, a substantial part of a final, successful yoyo ascent might by definition have taken place on a toprope - although, assuming it wasn't also a "varied leads" effort involving two or more climbers, the leader will at some point have led each section unrehearsed.