Attempts on Just Do It

I have now been back 6 weeks since another amazing trip to Smith Rock in Oregon. After climbing To Bolt or Not to Be last year, I always wondered what the other famous Jibe Tribout route at Smith, Just Do It, would be like. Climbed back in 1992 by Jibe, this legendary line was the first 5.14c or 8c+ in the USA. I had heard that it is a very different animal to To Bolt as it is similarly vertical in the bottom two thirds but leans back considerably in the upper third of the route. The climb goes up the west face of the incredible Monkey pinnacle, which has to be one of the most impressive rock formations I have ever seen. The top section of the Monkey has a distictive band of purple rock and this is where the meat of the climb lies. The bottom part is a recognised 13d (or 8b) in its own right with its own chains. The upper part, which is mostly in the purple rock is considered to be 14a (or 8b+). I had seen the excellent videos of Ryan Palo and Drew Ruana crushing the route before my trip so I had some idea of what to expect. The route is long, at 35m+ it is a 17 bolt monster!

Me on Just Do It at the upper shake out (I'm wearing a black T shirt about 15 foot into the purple rock)

It was obviously going to big a major challenge for me and with only 2 weeks available, there was limited time to get stuck in. With this in mind, I decided I would focus completely on the route as there would not be time to do other easier classic routes, although there are no shortage of them round these parts. I teamed up with a good friend of mine, Richard Waterton, who was also keen to have a go. We were joined on the route by Mike Doyle, one of Canada's top climbers fresh off his send of Necessary Evil 5.14c in the Virgin River Gorge.

The Team! (at Redmond Airport). Me and Richard

After touching down in Redmond airport, the next day, despite the jet lag, Richard and I headed up to the route via some warmups in the Aggro Gulley and got stuck in. The bottom part turned out to be surprisingly unsustained with an initial 5 bolts of hard, crimpy 8a+ climbing involving a very tweaky, almost slabby 2 finger pocket move leading to 3 bolts of much more moderate climbing of about 7a+/7b with 2 very good rests on jugs.

Mike Doyle on technical edge cranking by the 3rd bolt

Mike on the crux pocket move of the lower part by the 8th bolt

The crux of the lower part is at the 8th bolt and is a desparate deadpoint off a 2 finger pocket to a distant finger sloper which you must stick with perfect timing which leads to an excellent rest by the 9th bolt bridging on smears in a vague groove where you can hold onto a small ledge with the heel of your hands. (This is the famous 'Sharma rest' where he took off his jumper mid redpoint during his quick repeat back in 1997). This tricky move took a while to figure out but by my 3rd day on the route I had managed to redpoint the initial 8b. On my second day, I was able to do all the moves of the upper part so once I had got through the 8b section for the first time, I had a go at redpointing as far as I could get to and nearly made it to the 13th bolt so I was psyched.

Me approaching the shake out at the 13th bolt

The first moves of the upper section are not too hard and involve pumpy 7b/7b+ climbing with one big lock move to a sloper leading to some massive flat jugs by the 13th bolt, where you can shake out with your heel out left on a sloping ledge, although it is pretty strenuous to hang there for long - this is your rest before the upper crux.

Mike approaching the purple band, at the 11th bolt

The next 30 foot section is by far the hardest section of climbing on the entire route and is 8b in its own right. Off the flat jugs, some basic pulls on flat crimps lead to a desparate crank off a sika'd edge for your right hand to a terrible sharp 2 finger crimp for your left hand way out left, which is difficult to catch as you have to deadpoint for it. From this crimp the hardest move of the route is a massive and powerful lunge to a tiny toothlike crimp for the right hand which allows you to stretch left to what we christened the 'Jibe rest'. This is a hole which would be a decent hand jam were it not for the fact that a chockstone has been irretrievably wigged into there so those with sausage fingers (myself included!) can't get their fingers more than a couple of joints in; also you are only on smears for your feet. Off the Jibe rest, there are 11 further hand moves involving powerful slaps between two 2 finger pockets, some diagonal edges and finally some better holds before the easier top out moves (This last section alone could be a tricky 2 bolt 7c+ if it were on Peak limestone)

So basically to do the route, you must do a long, technical, vertical 8b to the Sharma rest, a further 7b+ to a steep shake out on some flat jugs followed by a steeper, short and powerful 8b. If the route is broken down in this way, it begins to sounds almost manageable, however redpointing is the only way to test this! I have put together this 10 minute video of Mike on an attempt on the route just to show what its all about:

 Video of attempt by Mike Doyle

Me just before the flat ledge and the upper 8b

On my 4th day, I managed to get to the flat jugs by the 13th and pressed on into the crux, surprising myself by reaching the sika'd edge by the 14th bolt and slapping out to the 2 finger crimp (there is big whipper to be had here, around 20 - 25 feet with rope stretch, as you can't clip the 14th bolt and are forced to skip it!) On my second burn, I managed to stick the 2 finger crimp but it was like hitting a brick wall, the tooth seemed miles away! I was encouraged by getting this far though and it seemed like I might possibly be in with a shout of cracking the route by the end of the trip.

Mike about to go for the lett hand 2 finger crimp at the upper crux (14th bolt) with the Jibe rest up and left

However, the moves leaving the Jibe rest are critical to getting the route done and on my link goes from the 13th bolt I hadn't managed to find a reliable method, even straining my right bicep in the process while extensively working the moves (there are 3 methods from the various videos to enable you to use a poor 2 finger pocket for the right hand take an awkward left hand gaston and then stab into a good 2 finger pocket again for the right hand). I think it was on my 5th day on the route that Mike pointed out a crucial footmatch and outside left edge on the sika'd crimp (used as a handhold earlier) which made a big difference. As we had found it was essential to take a rest day after each day of attempts as the nature of the climbing is so intense, my 6th session on the route would be on the 11th day of the trip, leaving only one further day of attempts -  nothing like a bit of pressure to spur you on!

On the 6th session I again got up to the 2 finger crimp but still failed on the lunge for the tooth, although it was feeling closer. I had a concerted effort to finally do the link of the upper 8b from the flat jugs by the 13th to the chain and got quite close to getting through but didn't quite make it to the good 2 finger pocket. In retrospect and with more time on the route, I should have concentrated more on doing this 8b link before I made any attempts from the ground. As it was, it was tempting to have 2 full blooded redponts from the deck every session, which meant that I never managed to do this crucial link, which would have been a massive psychological boost.

The Monkey, never ceases to amaze!

I decided to take 2 full rest days before my final, 7th session on the route. It wasn't meant to be though. Although I got up to the 2 finger crimp twice from the ground and ticked the tooth before the Jibe rest, feeling not a million miles from sticking it, though no cigar! Obviously although it was a little disappointing to go away without the tick, I was happy to feel good on the initial 8b, to have had 8 good attempts in total failing at the 14th bolt and to have finally found a good method on the upper exit moves. I was feeling a lot of soreness by the end of the trip under my left shoulder blade at some 'trigger points' in the rhomboid muscle, where it joins on to your ribcage and I decided to get this seen to by a physio as this could have been holding me back on the crux move to the tooth. (I have had 3 sessions so far with great results). There is always next time and having written down a full beta crib sheet on the plane home, I am fully amped to return for another crack as soon as I can armed with full knowledge of what the route entails and some specific training.

Sunset at the Monkey Face

Thanks for reading folks and I can fully recommend Smith Rock to anybody looking for incredible technical edge climbing on stunning faces and aretes, get to it, you know it makes sense!

Last morning onsight attempt on Scene of the Crime 5.13b/ 8a

Higher on Scene of the Crime

Bouldering in the Cave and thoughts on training

After getting back from Spain in January, it was time to focus on training in preparation for the forthcoming routes season. I have been listening to a few podcasts of late, in particular the excellent Training Beta podcasts https://www.trainingbeta.com/trainingbeta-podcast/ with people like Jonathan Siegrist, Carlo Traversi, Angie Payne and lately Adam Ondra interviewed which got my thinking on how I was going to improve my climbing for projects this year. I don't pretend to be remotely scientific about any of this and decided to stick to what seemed to work quite well last year, i.e. doing lots of fitness laps at a medium grade at Stockport wall along with some fingerboarding, sessions of 100 pullups and as much bouldering as possible.

Working Lou Ferrigno V10 in the Cave

Which leads me onto a key debate, how should a climber who spends most of the year doing stamina routes prepare for this? How much of the year should they spend bouldering? Personally, when I came back from Chulilla, I felt pretty weak bouldering wise. I felt I had to get back on track with busting out some V9's and 10's. Parisella's Cave on the Orme near Llandudno is the perfect venue for this as there a lots of linkups and hard boulders like Rockatrocity and Lou Ferrigno to test yourself against. After stringing together a few saturdays in the Cave, I was soon back on track and whilst not feeling as strong as I used to feel 5 years ago when I was purely bouldering, I was not far off. I must admit at times, thinking back to those days in 2009, the thought did flash across my mind of getting back into exclusive hardcore bouldering. I would like to do a V12 and reckon with sufficient training and focus it might be achievable. However, I love routes too much and being an allrounder, you have to put the hours in on a rope indoors (or doing circuits) to have any chance of keeping a cutting edge come the spring. So, a compromise was reached and over the last nearly 3 months I have been bouldering saturdays and sundays and doing 2 routes sessions in the week at Stockport with fingerboarding or pullups on a Tuesday morning, just to keep it real ;0).

More Lou Ferrigno action!

I have since learnt that this is a 'non-linear' approach where the disciplines of stamina and power are maintained simultaneously. Necessarily, unfortunately it is not possible with this approach to generate significant peaks of performance at desired intervals in time (for a trip away for example). However, as this excellent post by Steve Bechtel on the Mountain Projects forum suggests (see midway down), modern athletes need to be fit all year round and there is a risk that by sacrificing stamina training for a punt on increasing one aspect of performance (i.e. power), overall fitness may suffer.

http://www.mountainproject.com/v/block-periodization-linear-periodization--non-linear-periodization/108438729

This has been the reasoning behind my loose 'non-linear' training approach and has been the source of many interesting debates on the way to the Cave recently. A friend of mine says that ultimately, to get stronger, it will be a case of having to knock fitness training on the head completely and work on power alone, maybe next year! Here is a video my friend Dan Cheatam made documenting some Cave action! This shows me working on Hatch Life High, a cool V11 which I managed to bag in February and captures the atmosphere of a good Cave session I reckon.

Training in the Cave - Video by Dan Cheatam

I am currently working on Lou Ferrigno sans Pocket, an upsidedown V11 with lots of compression and clamping along with Hatchatrocity, another meaty V11 link into the classic Rockatrocity V9. Fitness will get you nowhere on these beasts! Here are more vids of some forays to Tremerchion, an excellent roadside craglet of immaculate, crimpy limestone where several extremely cold sessions were had. Top tip, you can't fail to get mutant fingers cranking here, the holds are tiny! (Apologies for readers who have already seen these on Facebook).

36 Chamber Font V9

 22 Chambers V9

A raid down to Dartmoor earlier this month yielded a tick of Jungle VIP, an excellent bloc-style V10 or V11 (depending on who you talk to) at Burrator Reservoir, along with a second ascent of Alex Waterhouse's excellent new V8 slab, Aurora at Combeshead Tor, see these vids:

 Jungle VIP and Others - Dartmoor Bouldering

Aurora V8 (second ascent)

So, how much should a stamina climber boulder? I have no idea! but for me I have decided to try and maintain a decent level of power whilst still majoring on fitness like I did last year. For the future, maybe the rope will be put on the shelf for 6 months in exchange for a sustained period of power training but not just yet, did someone say Malham and the Tor were nearly dry, I'm there!

Chulilla and Visit to Costa Blanca

Hi folks, thanks for stopping by. I have just returned from a highly enjoyable two week trip to Chulilla and the Costa Blanca with my friends Haydn Jones, Sam Hamer and Jose. We spent 9 days in Chulilla over New Year and then travelled south to stay at Gaz Parry and Kate Mills' house near Oliva in the Costa Blanca for a further 4 days. For the last couple of days, we visited Jose in his home city of Murcia.

After the obligatory enforced layoff over Christmas it took a couple of days to find our feet but we soon acclimatised to the style of Chulilla, which generally offers long, vertical to gently overhanging wall climbing with most pitches being up to 30m or more in length. It seemed that half of Sheffield was visiting the area and it was cool to spend time with friends from familiar home crags. We lucked out with our accommodation and managed to get rooms in the same apartment as Matt Segal, of Progression fame. Most evenings were spent arguing the toss over grit highballing ethics with Matt and his mates. They cooked us up a proper banquet on New Years eve (see pic) as well, result!

 

News Years Eve banquet with the Yanks

The ancient village of Chulilla with arabic castle

So, what about the routes? I was psyched to spend some time on-sighting for a change and tried to be disciplined to move onto another route without redpointing it if I fell off. With whole sectors sporting endless 30m lines of 7c, 7c+ and 8a, who needs a first redpoint when there are onsight dragons to be slain! I was pleased to get two 8a onsights and some 7c+'s as well. My attempt to onsight an 8a+ called La Buena ended at bolt 5 of 18 unfortunately, you can't win 'em all ;0). We only took one rest day in 9 days which made a refreshing change to the many double rest days taken before redpoints on home ground. I am looking forward to spending more time on this style of climbing in the future, the other side of the coin to sieging. Here is my ticklist of 7b+ and above:

Chulilla Ticklist

8a+ 

La Buena (El Balcon) - Redpoint

8a

El capataz incapaz (El Balcon) - Onsight
El agente naranja (El Balcon) - Onsight
La boca de la voz (Pared de Enfrente) - 1st redpoint

7c+

Plantea Namek (El Algarrobo) - Onsight
Ramallar (Pared de Enfrente) - Onsight
La quebranta (Pared de Enfrente) - Onsight
El rey de la palanca (El Balconcito) - Onsight
El Bufa (El Balconcito) - Onsight
Tequila Sunrise (El Balconcito) - Onsight

7c

Hipotermia (El Algarrobo) - 1st redpoint
Nivelungalos (El Algarrobo) - Onsight
Bricopaco (El Algarrobo) - Redpoint

7b+

Nikita (Competition) - Onsight
Andromeda (Competition) - 1st redpoint
Ca La Marta (El Algarrobo) - Onsight

La Buena 8a+

El capataz incapaz 8a

                                        

  Tequila Sunrise 7c+

In fairness, New Years eve in Chulilla had been a relatively tame affair so when the opportunity presented itself to party a bit in Valencia with Jose and his friends, we duly obliged. After a few beers, it seemed like the evening was heading to a close at midnight but then the cocktail bowls and bottles of spirits were busted out and an impromptu visit to a local club took place. The Spanish tend to stop out a fair bit later than us English folk, all I would say is sometimes you need more of a siesta than a fiesta! ;0)

With the party scores now settled, it was time to crank again and we were all excited to check out Gaz's local crags. Gaz and Kate very kindly put us up at their home just outside the small town of Oliva, which is not far from Alicante or Valencia airports. Situated amongst orange groves in some beautiful countryside just south of Gandia and a stone's throw from the Penon d'Ifach and Sella, this would make an ideal base for anybody looking to explore the Costa Blanca. I know Gaz has a room to rent so drop him a line if you are looking to spend time in this superb climbing area and soak up some rays!

Another grim day on the Costa Blanca

Gaz and Kate are both animal lovers and have a stable with some horses as well as some very friendly cats and dogs. The dogs include those unlucky animals who are unfortunate enough to have suffered an injury or simply have no home to go to. One of the dogs was my namesake which guaranteed some moments of confusion each morning before coffee had been consumed.

Some Spanish podencos

Feeding time

We were all excited to check out Gaz's local crag 'Sector 45' where his now ex-project Supersonico 8c+ is to be found. David Petts joined us to film the ascent with the aid of his awesome 'quadcopter' or drone which was buzzing around the crag filming the action from all sorts of angles. The days of hiring a helicopter for filming for £10,000 an hour are now a thing of the past. We were all very impressed with the gobsmacking hanging arete line of Supersonico and indeed the futuristic 9a+ project to its right, which is currently being worked by Spanish hotshot Primo. We all took the opportunity to tick the classic 7c 'Luz de Sol' that Gaz bolted along with the quality 7c and 7c+ tufa lines to the left with their tricky traverses on slopey tufas under the massive roof.


                         
                             Haydn on Luz da Sol 7c                                                                                                                                                         Jose on Adios Sol 8b

Is it a bird, is it a plane?

On the last day of my stay, we had spent the morning resting and arrived at the crag at half 3 to take advantage of the cooler evening temps. Conditions definitely felt a lot better than the previous days of working routes and after Gaz did a massive link from low down on the route to nearly the top, I knew a send was on the cards. It was very inspiring to see Gaz on his ascent which was obviously the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication.

Gaz post crux on Supersonico 8c+  

Haydn on the7c+

After Supersonico went down, riding on a wave of psyche, I managed to redpoint the third ascent of the excellent 8b 'Adios Sol' of Gaz's which has some cool Oliana-like tufas on the bottom section leading to a rest before the final, very thin wall. In fact, this section is so thin that it very difficult to stop and clip on the final moves, perpetual motion upwards being your only hope! There is significant potential left at this crag not to mention the other crags littering the surrounding area, those after a new route fix need look no further.

Not a bad view from the crag

Celebrating that night involved a mega 'all you can eat' chinese buffet complete with sushi and a chocolate fountain dessert, washed down with some San Miguels, after all we were on holiday! The next day, I took the coach to Murcia to rejoin the lads who had travelled down a day earlier with Jose. After a further night out, including a visit to a club in an old bullring, we lapped up our last rays of sunshine at the quality crag La Boveda near Orihuela. After the crag cooled down at around 5, I managed a flash of 'El Grinch' 7c+ as my final send of the trip and we were airport-bound. What a trip, I hope you all enjoy your own Spanish adventures soon!

El Grinch 7c+ on the last day around Murcia

Hajj attempts and new Mecca Linkup

Now seems a good time to pause and reflect on the last 2.5 months of effort put in at the mighty bastion of peak crimping, the Tor. As September gave way to October, I went back into project mode on Hajj, the left hand extension to Mecca, which I had put on the back burner as a project while I put in the hard yards on Cry Freedom. Now the latter route was ticked, I could focus all my efforts on this beast and I was keen to get stuck in. Having found a good sequence using an improbably small left foot hold earlier in September that allowed a massive reach for the left hand to be made off a good, flat hold for the right, I knew it was on and I had made the crucial link from the Mecca belay to the top. While evening sessions were no longer possible with it getting dark at 7, 6:30, and then by the time November rolled around, 4:30, I was still going out to the crag after work for bouldering sessions, trying to keep the edge with laps on Bens Roof, attempts at Powerband (I have a goal at some point to link this into Pump up the Power - the training linkup 'Pump up the Powerband, which is a meaty 8c) and other boulder problems such as Kristians direct start to Wild in Me 7b, Powerhumps 7b+, Out of My Tree 7b and various linkups/ circuits on Weedkiller and Basher's problem. A keen band of lantern session boulderers kept psyche levels high, after all, what could be better training that busting out moves on real rock?

The Crux move of Hajj (Photo: Jon Clark)

At weekends, I followed my routine of Saturdays on the project followed by stamina days at Malham. In October, I made some good gains on Mecca, getting up it 3 times in a session for the first time ever. However, Hajj is a very tricky customer, with a desparate move off a small, flat undercut for the right hand proving to be stopper on all of my redpoints. The set up moves into this are hard but manageable and I got to the point where I never fell off them, even from the ground. As soon as my fingers bit into the first crimpy undercut for the left hand and then I slapped into the crux right hand undercut, it was like hitting a brick wall. When doing these moves from the shake on Mecca Extension, you seem to have time to stand up into the undercut with the outside edge of your left foot on a big flat hold (that you have previously used as a hold for your right hand). However, once you are a bit pumped, it becomes much harder to stand up into the move. On almost all of my attempts from the ground, I would end up jumping up and out from the crag into the inevitable 20 footer down to the Mecca belay instead of reaching up in control to the tiny left hand crimp which allows you to match on an intermediate and then slap into the big right hand gaston that spells the end of the crux sequence. These last moves are exciting as you are a fair way above the last quickdraw (the last dogging bolt unclippable off to the right) and would be on for a fair old whipper! On one of my redpoint attempts, I got partially stood up into the undercut and within 3 inches of the final left hand crimp. Alas, although close to the move, I knew I was never going to make it although it was my best go of the season. Still, this was a window into doing the route and got my psyched.

Just past the crux on Mecca (Photo: Jon Clark)

Unfortunately, after this good attempt, on my next go I split a tip on the left hand rat crimp on my third redpoint of the day. I had been trying the link into the Whore of Babylon as a consolation prize and had the moves worked and was in two minds as to whether to go for this of have another go on Hajj. I decided on the latter and the tiny sharp crimps decided I had outstayed my welcome. This meant I had to take 10 days off the route.

                                                                                           Mecca linkups and projects

It was at this point that I started trying to bag the Whore of Babylon link. This is the red line on the above topo I have drawn of Mecca links and projects. This is a cool linkup that Steve McClure had first done but which I think finished up Crucifixion. The moves from where it leaves Hajj (after the first independent move) are not too hard and the whole 2 bolt sequence before it joins Proud Whore is probably 7b+. The moves are not trivial but way easier than those on Hajj. The finish up Proud Whore, although probably 7b+ again, was steeper and more physical and on my link attempts from the base of the groove on Mecca, proved to be very pumpy indeed!

As late November arrived, me and the ever dwindling band of regulars started to get hit with unreliable conditions as, even though the crag was still essentially bone dry, as soon as the temperature rose above about 6 degrees, the dreaded condensation came on. On Saturdays in a row, this happened, which resulted in frustrating enforced rest in the hope of better conditions the following day. Basically, opportunities for successful redpoints were dwindling fast. Even when the crag was dry, as December rolled around, it unsurprisingly became bitterly cold as the sun now didn't rise above the hill opposite the crag and Mecca got zero sun. One day when I failed to get up Mecca via my usual method in the dusk due to a late arrival at the crag, I decided to experiment with the different ways of gaining the base of the groove, managing to climb it via the classic right hand to the horn method and then, the following week by the Egyptian way method. What I was after was an easier, more reliable method and I hope that I have now found it with the Egyptian way. After all, if Steve and most other people do it this way, there must be a good reason!

As the end of the season approached, I wanted something to show for my efforts and on last session before the Works party, the Whore of Babylon link went down. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) I discovered a really good rest in the Creamteam break before the finish up Proud Whore which took the edge off it, although at the end of the day, this section still has to be climbed and is no pushover. The direct version will be even pumpier. So, with the Tor season ended for 2014, I have been getting stuck back into some plastic training and some much needed new moves. I'm psyched for what the New Year may bring and will be back for Hajj, and other projects, in the Spring! For now its off to Chulila for 15 days of bolt clipping heaven, some onsighting and change of scene, venga bichos!

A classic 8a route from around Chamonix earlier this summer, can anyone guess which one?

Update

I hope you have all been getting out and enjoying the mostly still dry crags. To update you, I am excited to be working with Scarpa from now on. I have been wearing Instinct VS's recently and have been very impressed with the edging power, stiffness and downturned toe which has been awesome on some of the small footgrips at the Tor. In particular, on Mecca you need to be able to stand on some pretty poor, polished edges on the crux section gaining the base of the groove and I have noticed the moves feeling easier due to more weight going through my feet, which is a great thing!

The Tor season is still hanging in there, I have to keep pinching myself thinking the crag is bone dry and it is 23 November! It is a bit of an effort to stay warm enough and avoid the dreaded hotaches or 'numbing out' as it is called across the pond. Sprinting up and down the road 5 minutes before climbing seems to work but then all the blood can go to your legs and away from your hands. Handwarmers work for some. Maybe the Spanish trick of a heated rock in the chalkbag might be an idea...or better actually move to Spain!

Right now I'm trying Haaj, the left hand extension to Mecca which is a cool piece of climbing with some V8 or even V9 moves on the crux on rat crimps and two gnarly undercuts. Fortunately there is a half decent rest after leaving Mecca Extension. I'm also trying a long link of Mecca into the Whore of Babylon, which is easier but will still be a stout 8b+. It adds a 9 bolt 8a on top of Mecca and is very pumpy!

For inspiration, here is a shot of warmer climes from March this year and one of the most classic 12d's or 7c's at Smith Rock, USA taken by my friend Tom Wright. Can anybody guess which route?

Stay tuned folks and happy climbing!

The Year of Malham

It has been a vintage season for Malham Cove this year. I have enjoyed experiencing the different seasons at the crag from the cool temps of spring, the heat of summer (which can be avoided by climbing superlate at the crag), the send temps of autumn to where we are at the moment in the cold conditions of early winter.

I have been going to Malham ever since I was at university in Manchester and still have my Rockfax 1990 guide which has been a source of continuing psyche. Seeing Cry Freedom in the guide next to the other classics, I always wondered whether I would ever be able to climb this historic line. I actually tried it in 2011 with James Riley for a couple of sessions but was way off the level back then. This year I was excited to use some of the fitness gained from trips away and plenty of time spent at the Tor to try some of the legendary staminafests the crag has to offer.

After coming back from the Alps in August, it took a couple of weeks to get my sport fitness back but it returned pretty quickly. I was pleased to do Totally Free 2, which was totally awesome (linking The Groove 8a+ into Free and Easy 7c then into the final roof of Breach of the Peace). This must be one of the best challenges at the grade in the UK even though there are quite a few good rests at key stages. Having frustratingly fallen off the last few moves in the wet before going to the Alps heaving up over the final barrel once stood up over the roof, the key to doing this was taking the trouble to first tick 'An Uneasy Peace 7c+' which starts up Free and Easy to its last bolt. Instead of going up and left to the belay of Free and Easy, Uneasy goes straight up via a runout section to finish up Breach. I reckon the roof of Breach must be 7c in its own right as it is burly and a tough finish to Totally Free 2 after 25 bolts of climbing, despite the hands off rest below Breach. Definitely save yourself the trouble of climbing all this way without having the top ruthlessly wired...and try not to attempt it in the rain either like me! I couldn't believe it when the heavens opened on my successful redpoint. Luckily I managed to bear down enough on the final wet crimps to avoid getting spat off into the void below. Here are some pics.

 The lower crux of the The Groove

Bridging rest on The Groove

Strenuous moves leaving the rest

Starting the hard section of the second half of The Groove

Keep on trucking! Just past the crux on Free and Easy 7c

After this, I had a couple of sunday sessions on Cry Freedom second day on and sorted out all the moves but it was only when I started trying it fresh that I managed to make some breakthroughs. Linking from the undercut rest at the end of the initial 6 bolt 7c to the top was a massive buzz as it includes the first crux bulge which has some baffling V7 moves. The upper crux on its own must be about V6, depending on your reach. I know that climbers of shorter stature really struggle on this last section but I was lucky enough to be able to just reach the crux crimp with my right hand from the big undercut at the end of the final 'corner'. Getting fully crimped on this hold and having a little bend left in your arm while your right foot remains on a small spike foothold at the back of the bulge is crucial. You then place a tenuous heel/ toe cam in a big hole out left and take a grim little slot/ sidepull for your left hand. Releasing the heel/ toe is the real crux whilst remaining pasted to the wall as the next moves are a little easier and you are soon stood up over the bulge on small crimps eyeing up the belay. 

Here is a video of the send. I would encourage anybody to try this route who may be having second thoughts given the many stories of last move failure out there. This is a stonking route with a real sense of history. I even managed to get a decent kneebar rest below the last crux which with a 5.10 pad is not far hands off if you can tense up your core enough. Unlike Bat Route or Unjustified, the crux is right where it should be, at the top!

Cry Freedom 8c - FA Mark Leach 1988

A short word on the grade of Cry Freedom compared to Unjustied and Bat Route. I reckon it is harder than either of these two routes overall although of a different character. On Bat Route, while the moves individually are often desperate, particularly the roof section, the hard bits tend to be broken up by really good resting jugs and a bomber kneebar. Unjustified by contract is the opposite having virtually no rest but with moves which are perhaps not quite as hard with the exception of the crux bulge. I have gone with Mark Leach's original grade of 8c for Cry Freedom as this is apparently the grade he gave it initially after his 46 day siege, which has become part of climbing folklore. I hear it was only after the first few repeats that it got downgraded. Jibe Tribout apparently thought it was easier than Mecca but was going well at the time!

After Cry Freedom, I got my guide out and sussed out the remaining doable ticks I had left on the lower catwalk. Twisted and the Well Dunne Finish were obvious gaps and I was stoked to be able to tick both after a spot of spring cleaning of some very dusty holds. I would definitely recommend both of these routes. I would not say Twisted was much easier than Well Dunne but see what you think. Hopefully these two videos are useful for beta.

Twisted 8a - FA Mick Lovatt 1988

Well Dunne Finish 8b - FA John Dunne 1988

So the crucial question, which of GBH or Zoolook is it best to start up when trying Well Dunne? Zoolook of course! To me, its a fair bit easier than GBH with a bomber rest at the fifth bolt that GBH doesn't have. So, get it while you still can, the crag is still dry I hear, see you out there!