Ω It seems that the Wairere boulders may finally be open for climbing. Or perhaps not?
http://mojozone.co.nz/forum/wairere-boulders-0
Somebody from Auckland (James FM?) should get there, quick smart Ω
Ω Following up Regan’s comment posted earlier today, we have sourced a report on James FM’s recent trip to Castle Hill. The original trip report appears on his blog, but we struggled with some of the text so here is a reproduction of that report, translated into French using the Google translation tool, and then translated back into England:
“Travel Castle Hill
So, after spending eight days in the castle hill, I can say I feel like I’ve been ten rounds with Mike Tyson biting the ear less. Among the eight days I had two solid days of rain that has totally sucked ass, but I stayed six days of amazing climbing. My first objective was to complete many quality problems that had already considered the most: The Air Below (V6), Beautiful Edges (V4), Tupi Masters (V6), Limestone Orgasm (V7 ) Philtrum (V7) and many more blocks V6 and less.
My second purpose of the trip was to send a few problems that are not my limit, but have been hard for me, and I managed to check some of these off: Fidel Castro’s (V9), Dr. Manhattan (V9) , Afterburner (V9)?, Eclipse (V9) but I think I started a grip on this person?, Millennium (V9)?, Camp America (V9/10), and finally the super reachy Che Guerva (V8) .
My ultimate goal was to try to send something really difficult for me, and I found two projects that I attempted Interstella Overdrive (v10/11), and Oren Oshi (v11). Oren was the first of two i tried, and very quickly had pulled the bottom section back and raised on the coat. Unfortunately I fell three times the mantle and, finally, my spotter (Amy Nathan) said I had enough and we need more of a pad. I never had the chance to revisit the problem and therefore could not claim the ascent Blade 3
Interstella then came and I felt like I confident had enough of the road nearly a year earlier. I quickly found a sequence, and catching hold jugish knew at the end of the problem. The only problem I had on Interstella, which was my final fall down is that I was super extened when I caught the last block. Due to the fact I was so stretched out on the final movement, my feet slipped from the hook and I heal swug violently off and could not keep. During a period of three hours, until the sun went down, I managed to fall several points in time curseing hill flock, God, and nothing else I could think of time. I found myself packing up this defeat and didn’t have to try the problem again, LAME!
Besides the issues I mentioned as my projects I also tried several other hard lines, they were as follows: Captain Crush (V10/11), Monster Society of Evil (V9/10) When The Attack Animals (V10) and Brutus (V10). I can tell you that these problems kick the shit out of me … and I had to leave with my tail between his legs each! I also tried several V7s coat on the hill of spit and got cock slapped by each of them.
I can also announce that Amy was an amazing week too. She mounted several days younger than me, but still managed to complete a personal best V6 Spittle Hill. But this was not the full story … Amy has also managed in one day two V4, V5 and V6 in a … She was super happy!
Throughout my trip was cool, short but cool. I want to thank Bevan Hadler and Kat to leave Amy and i crash on the bed for one week, and to lend us the car! Smart guys!
I would say that, I think the locals CHCH, and the herd and people should stop ranking Wuthering there are problems, but nothing V6. Basically, it is because they still seem low grade every problem that is never implemented, and genreally unnecessarily. I’m just saying any degree V6 now rather slow sand bag of shit all.
Peace!”
If nothing else, there is some interesting grading matters arising from that report. Discuss below as you feel appropriate. Ω
Ω Josiah Jacobsen-Grocott, 14 or 15yrs old, has climbed Pumping Iron V9 in the Bronx Cave, Turakirae Head. He promptly declared the problem to be soft, which makes it his first soft V9. As far as I can tell, he’s the youngest person to climb this (almost) grade in New Zealand. Yet another Wellington climber leading the way! Ω
Ω Some reading for those with spare time:
New V16? from P-Rob - click here.
Boulderer goes to Spain to try route, doesn’t try it - click here.
Many things in America are inflating, including V-grades - click here.
And finally, another gem from Jens:
“Golfers are using different clubs for every challenge but climbers mainly use the same shoe on the slab and roof cruxes. In general, hard shoes should be used on small holds but on big features, a soft shoe will increase the possibilities to hook and pull in with your toes. Stiff performance shoes have a toe-hook angle but on big holds, a soft shoe is better, if your toes are trained. A climber who always are using hard shoes, will not directely feel the pull in difference with a soft shoe, as these muscles, actually never have been used.”
Cracker! Ω
Ω Naenae climbing legend David Kopp became a father for the first time at 2.50am today. Frankie May Kopp was born by C-section, weighing 9 pounds, 2 ounces. Both mother and baby are doing well. That deserves a big “Nice job on a well executed breeding strategy!” from us Ω
Ω James FM has a love-hate relationship with New Zealand’s bouldering media. We love him, he hates us. Or at least he used to. Now, he’s joined an elite group of internet-stalking-climbing-gossip-hounds by creating his own climbing blog: Primoris Climbing. Here you will find news, views and poos about climbing in the Big Smoke (aka Auckland). More helpfully, you’ll discover that James himself recently dispatched a long-time boulder project at the Mt Eden Quarry - originally dubbed the Alpha Male project, now known as The Professional V9/10. Sounds like the hardest thing going at the crag now, except (perhaps) the Go Danny traverse Ω
Ω The final event in the National Bouldering Series 2010 was held at Spittle Hill this weekend. As always, there were winnes and losers (more losers than winners). Full details coming soon (or you can check: http://nbs.org.nz/ for updated scoring and live commentary) Ω
Ω While Stoo Kurth and others have been toiling away on the pebbles of Aotearoa, the Powerband editorial team (and a few radshots [Ed: that's a compound abbreviation for rad hotshots]) have been State-side checking out North American pebbles (hereinafter referred to as “NAPs”).
Pete “Radshot” Allison was dispatched to Hueco Tanks as a one-man advance assault team in December (actually he was sent in late October but was quarantined at LAX for over a month due a mixup between him and giant Colombian mole). Notwithstanding his totally broken leg, his Walmart tent and the distracting attention of an amorous Javelina, Pete still crushed some NAPs, including a mucho-respecto ascent of Power of Landjager V11.
Team Hobbit (Derek Thatcher and James Morris) was dispatched next, this time to Chattanoogawoogawooga in the South East. They arrived to the coldest January since the last coldest January; Morris later said “There were some really cold days. And some other cold days too”. In spite of the weather, and despite being achingly short, both climbers acquitted themselves well on the sandstone NAPs. Derek climbed The Shield V12, reportedly also flashing V10 and climbing V11 that day. James climbed Golden Harvest V10 and Western Gold V11 - clearly he has a thing for the bling!
The H Team moved on to Hueco Tanks at the beginning of February. More NAPs were had, including team ascents of Dark Age V10/11, Schwerer Gustov V10, Loaded With Power V10 and Loaded Direct V11. Thatcher also climbed Power Of Silence V10, The Scream V10 (”That’s about V2″) and Full Service V10.
The Powerband editorial team finally dispatched themselves, along with Castle Wall legends James Perry and James Knapp, to Hueco Tanks in mid-February for two weeks of “rampage”. Traveling under the pseudonym “Big Tony” so as to avoid attracting attention, Tom Hoyle crushed spans and annihilated NAPs wherever he roamed. Standout NAPage from the Gomezatron included Hector V9, Fern Roof V9 (”No knee bar fag beta for me”) and Dean’s Journey V9. I have no aversion to “fag beta”, but I prefer “tricky ho’ beta” where I can get. With whithered arms and a bung finger, THB was my savour on the trip, with THB NAP ascents of Loaded With Tricky Ho Beta V10, The Tricky Ho Scream V10, Les Fleurs de Tricky Ho V9 and other such malarkey. All of which I climbed in my “slab climbing shoes” (to quote Dave Kopp), which just proves that big arms and down-curved toeboxes are no match for an old man with tricky ho beta. Over and out Ω
Ω Rumours are flying through cyber-space that Stoo Kurth (aka the Beast Kong) has bagged the first ascent of the infamous Lock-That-Crimp-Down-To-Your-Ankle-Arete-Porject, at Flock Hill. Sick! Stay tuned for updates Ω
Ω The Hogan Boulder, not to be confused with Hulk Hogan (the now-wrinkled and just-ever-so-slightly-sad wrestling star) or the bouldering area in North Otago, is a delightful little boulder atop a small moraine mound proximate to Arrowtown. Schist it may be, but not the kind that makes your pulleys scream, for this bloc has been lovingly polished, buffed and spit-shined by a glacial presence that vanished long before the combustion engine was conceived (perhaps the dinosaurs used a lot of hydrocarbons?). The result is slopers, slopers and more slopers. So many slopers. Really good slopers.
Lakes District denizens, Thomas Van Den Berg and Sam Anderson-Mangai [now there’s a good driving game – see how many times you can say those names when driving across the Rakaia River] have developed a good clutch of problems, with an average grade of V7. Access is an easy stroll from the car, although farmer permission is required, and the problems all follow obvious lines of holds (mostly from comfy sit starts). All in all, it’s a great spot for a evening session – the only downside is that there aren’t more boulders thereabouts. Then again, maybe that’s a good thing. Ω
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