Let the sieges begin

It’s official the grit season has definitely finished, whilst walking the dog tonight the local cricket crew were having a nets session. So no more slogs up the hill to thorn and a new focus on lakes limestone and volcanic cranking.
Looking at my sends above 7a list I noticed it had got into double figures currently totalling eleven. I’ve decided to set myself a target to get this list up to twenty by September of this year. Now this might not sound a hard task but considering the average number of sessions for me to complete a problem above 7a must be four and the shit British weather this could be a hard task. Hopefully I’ll be able to do it weather, slice land approval, marathon training and work permitted.
Now I need to focus on some problems of class to get stuck into. Nine problems of 7a + and above. The hit list is as follows:

Debaser 7b (Plum Buttress, Warton Pinnacle)
J Mascis 7a+ (Gouther, Truss boulders)
Negative Reality Inversion SS 7a+ (Kentmere, Little Font)
Phantasmagorica 7a+ (Kentmere, Garburn Pass Boulder)
Head Banger 7b (St Bees North Head, Apiary Wall Area)
The Trick 7a/+ ( Fairy Steps)
The Coil 7a+ ( Farleton Knott)
Jungle Hobo 7a+ (Rolling Rock)
Ian’s Arete 7b ( Gillercombe Upper) This could be a bit long for me!


In addition to this I’d like to try to get a 7c. Now this could only be a dream but there is one I’ve got in mind up at Warton. Poison a lovely looking traverse that finishes up a 6c traditional crack! Could go !

I know all this could be out of my league because in reality I’m not really a 7a climber never mind a 7a+, 7b, 7b+ or 7c boulderer. I can still struggle to suss out 6b problems. Maybe I’m a 6c boulderer as this is the hardest I’ve flashed. Possibly I could be a 7a climber as I’ve managed to do a couple of 7a’s in one session. I’m definitely not bouldering harder than this. It’s taken be over two sessions to climb anything harder than 7a. Hopefully the more I try the quicker they will fall !

All this obsessing about grades might seem sad, hung up on numbers and ego driven. This is partly true but focussing on progressing through grades has helped to keep me psyched and made my successes feel even more sweet. Focussing on climbing good problems at a certain grade has meant I’ve visited new crags, made new geometries on rock, seen more of the country, more great views and had a more rounded climbing experience. Most of my bouldering is done alone and this can be hard work. Hiking up to cold, wet and wind blasted crags in hope of said project being dry can be so frustrating and demoralising when you only get a few goes before your skin rips open. Then in summer you get some time spare and it pisses down or it’s too hot and you skid off your limestone project of choice. Even so I can’t stop snatching these moments away from all the bullshit of life because when it all goes right, you get that Yes Yes Fucking Yes moment it feels so good. You leave the crag thinking that wasn’t too bad. In fact it was easy. I’m climbing well what’s the next project ? Ha the addiction!

Don’t get me wrong I also love the day’s out with old or new friends cruising round familiar or new circuits having laughs and taking the piss. It’s good to share problems, learn from others and feed off each others psyche. The projecting and battling with harder problems make these day’s even sweeter. I’m really up for some sandstone crushing ( up to 6c) this weekend on my first trip to the county this weekend with Sully and Pete. Psyche levels are increasing with the promise of good weather from met check!




Well all this said what action went down today. I headed up to Gouther crag in the lakes to try J mascis. This is a highball arête problem that you can see the line of on the front of the lakes bouldering guide (It's the arete on the left of the boulder). Swindale Valley is a remote valley in the lakes which is quiet and described as how the lakes used to be before the tourists. Most of the bouldering at the crag is restricted at the moment due to a nesting peregrines. Fortunately the truss boulders where J mascis is situated is unaffected but this also means there ain’t much to warm up on. So I jumped on the problem cold. After an hour or so of working it and going from it feeling impossible to this might go I had sussed out the opening couple few moves but I had, had enough of the biting cold and sharp hold pushing into my palm and I bailed. The problem looks good and the opening moves are cool but I hope it eases off as they feel hard. I will be back but that highball finish is a bit scary looking.