I wrote on October 18th 2019:
"Currently working the traverse... can't do the moves yet, and the last move seems to be the crux!"
June 2nd, the work was done. Let me describe it to you.
Wake up and step on the scales: 152.6lbs, a new low. I've been trying to gain some weight, for more strength endurance. For months I've only been able to have one or two attempts at the traverse per session, then needing a days rest per attempt afterward. Such is my state of fitness. I'd been aiming for a good recovery but... lockdown zen seemed to strike and I don't think I ate very much the previous day. I was light and recovered - I owed myself an attempt. Motivation fragile.
I hopped on my bike and wheeled down to Dodge Point, and walked the mile to the crag. Warm ups. I've learned how to warm up bouldering. One: start slow, Two: top out, Three: enjoy it.
After, I propped my camera phone on my favorite sapling and heading over to the sit start. The first half is power endurance and can be climbed in 40 seconds... V6; very crimpy. Then there's a rest consisting of a big flat hold. In the winter this hold draws warmth out of your fingers. This time it was not too cool, being 70 degrees. It's more of a shake out than a rest. I caught my breath. The next sequence is great - spin upside down and flick between good left hand holds while pretending to hold a right hand mollusc. Stretched out, cut the heel near front lever, then dead point to a small crimp. I hit the cross over to the good crimp from which it's limit reach to a wobbly flake (hopefully no one pulls it off). Top out was easy thank goodness. Eerie though. Should I be here?
I was there, uncertain, but physically the traverse was complete. And sad. I've climbed everything on the wall; I'll not go back with purpose.
I gave it V10 which I think is a risk... 8b route? I guess so, never climbed one. Maybe someone will repeat it? I've not climbed an establish problem for months. That's on my to do list. I guess "who cares" but, I just don't want to look like an idiot if someone gives it V8.... there are no Brittish 7a moves on it. Maybe a couple 6c ones. Grading is so hard! Someone should make a calculator... wait a sec...
I just googled climbing grade calculator and got this: https://www.bergfreunde.eu/climbing-grade-calculator/, which suggests V10 is french 8c or 14b, which is nonsense!
Look at these examples:
9a+ V15 Wheel of Life long boulder
9a V14 The Fly short route
8c+ V13 Hubble short route
8c V12 ?
8b+ V11 Wife of Fyfe traverse
8b V10 Happiness in Slavery short route, noted as V9
8a+ V9 So Be It short route
8a V8 Consolidated - long boulder problem, comments say 7c+
Well, disagree if you like. Just watch the vid.
Oh, the name. Rage, Rage. A Dylan Thomas line? The opening to the Iliad? The mental state needed to climb it? The psyche of America today?
1 comment:
Mike--
Nice to see some more climbing popping up in Maine and it's been fun looking through the blog to see what's out there. I'm a guidebook author and have had to think a lot about grades, so I thought I'd chip in with some insight.
In the US, v10 is generally considered to be 5.13d. This can vary a bit and some people will say v10 is 14a, but that's a bit more of an old school approach. Generally, for me it breaks down like this: v7=13a, v8=13b, v9=13c, v10=13d, and v11=14a. This makes v14 equivalent to 14d and a good example of this would be 'The Fly' in Rumney.
Another good tool to use for bouldering and in my opinion one of the most effective is this formula. Grade A + Grade B + 4 divided by 2= Grade C. Thi works really well to determine the grade when you add to parts of similar length, or when you add an extension/lower start (that isn't just one move) into an existing line. So for instance, if you add a v6 extension into an existing v8, that makes it v9. 6+8+4=18/2=9.
I'm found this to be a really accurate way to calculating difficulty and determining if an extension really adds something. In the above case, if you added a v4 into the existing v8, it wouldn't change the grade and a v5 might make it more like v8+. This formula can be complicated if the there's a good rest in the middle, but it usually works out pretty well. For instance, adding a v6 into a v10 (while it may add some pump) is still v10.
Just some thoughts that you might be interested in.
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