Youthful crimper Aidan Roberts has returned from Colorado where he managed amongst other things, to climb the hard classic Jade (Font 8B+) on his 3rd attempt. He also added his own problem nearby called Railway, which he describes as his hardest ascent to date.
Jade was first climbed by Daniel Woods in 2007 after a great deal of attention from the top American boulderers. The problem was flashed by Adam Ondra in 2013 and Aidan told us: 'I had it at the back of my mind that I'd be able to flash this one, though ended up having a very similar experience to my flash attempt on Amandala out in Rocklands last year.'
On his first two attempts, he used a foothold which didn't suit him, although he felt close: 'I decided to try a higher foot and found I could do the crux move extremely statically. Perhaps it suited me very well, I'm aware static isolation on small holds is my strongest style, but with this method, I feel it felt more around the 8A+ grade. Regardless, I was very pleased to complete a line with so much history!'
On the same day, Aidan climbed Don't get too Greedy (8B), Wildcat (8A+), Lockness (8B) and added his own problem on the steep Green 45 wall which he has yet to name, but we reckon it'll be hard!
Suffice to say, Aidan's finger strength is world class and when he found a long-standing project at Wild Basin that was a step up from his other ascents his motivation went sky high. He began work on the problem during a very warm spell of weather. Realistically, it was too hot but he confirmed it was possible:
'I returned on a cloudy day when it rained elsewhere, actually the day after I climbed Jade...etc. My confidence was high, and I knew I could do the climb if I stuck the first move - the definite crux and possibly the hardest individual move I've done outside.
'After a handful of tries, I had to dig really deep in order to ride the apex of the swing and could thankfully hold it together and execute the final 3 moves. Perhaps this is the boulder I am proudest of this trip, I feel I've tried some of the world's most finger intensive boulders and this one felt a level up from them for me, a true crimping test piece!'
Aidan named the problem Railway and graded it Font 8C, becoming one of a handful of Brits to have climbed the grade.
Not content with world class crimping test pieces, Aidan had a productive day at the Dali Boulder near Mt Evans. The boulder is a steep, board-like wall and has several powerful and hard climbs, the most difficult of which is Daniel Woods' Ode to a Modern Man (8B+), possibly now 8C after a hold crumbled and the lack of ascents for a few years.
'I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Woods on this trip and at one point he mentioned the challenge of completing all of these climbs in a day. The line suited me extremely well and I was able to get it done in 3 tries, as a result I feel the grade 8B+/V14 still stands. I really loved the simplicity of this boulder, no secrets to it, holds just big enough on an otherwise featureless face, perhaps the epitome of bouldering in my eyes.
'I was pleasantly surprised to manage to flash the rest of the climbs on the wall, consisting of two 8A+'s and two 8A's along with a few slightly easier blocs, all to make up one of the most productive days I've had on rock!'
A day on a trip that Aidan will remember for a while! He's currently editing some footage from his trip where we can get more of an insight into a top climber operating at his peak. He also plans to return for a longer trip next year. Apparently, there are a few things he didn't climb!
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