John Welford has climbed what is most likely the hardest route on Stanage. He has linked a direct start into Robin Barker's until-now unrepeated E8 7a Marbellous on Marble Wall. John's direct start ascends the wall between Orang Utang and Robin's start via a massive Font 7c dyno up the wall to the break. He then finished up Marbellous, which involves that route's desperate crux undercutting flat holds with rubbish footholds. John took a couple of tumbles off the dyno, hurting his back in the process. He has given his line the grade of E8 7a and named it Mother of Pearl.
Was trying a problem at the wall the other evening which, for me, involved at sorts of technical boylocks including ever higher heel hooks. Some young git came along and onsighted it using nothing more than brute force and ignorance. Doesn't mean much.
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