Unfinished Business

One of the nice things about climbing is coming back to old projects. Quite often there can be months, even years in between your attempts, and it is in returning to these old undone problems that you can see how much you have progressed. It is definitely an element of climbing that you miss out on if you only climb indoors. In the last couple of weeks I have taken a small break from new routing (it can be exhausting finding and cleaning problems, before the climbing even starts), and I have really enjoyed returning to some unfinished business on the Southern Sandstone.

First up was ‘Maybe When You’re Older’ (font 7b) at Bowles. I met up with a friend mid-week and did a few top ropes at Bowles, and while I was there my eye drifted over to this traverse. I had tried this line once before a couple of years ago, when it was not in the best condition. I did all the moves that day, but I couldn’t put the whole thing together. Anyway, I came back at the weekend, repeated the moves, and to my surprise sent the whole link within about 10 minutes of trying. What was really nice was how easily this climbed, considering how hard font 7b can be on the Sandstone!

Next up was ‘Yoda Assis’ (font 7c) at High Rocks. I had ticked the stand start to this (font 7a+) back in 2012, but when attempting the sit start it looked like a crucial undercut had come off, making it un-climbable. However, sometimes you can’t get a problem out of your head, and I found myself sitting once again underneath Yoda. Indeed, I think that the way that it had been climbed via the undercut would now be very unlikely, however, I started playing around with a slopey left hand hold. This hold is very poor in isolation – yet when you sit just under it and compress with your right hand and feet, it gives you just enough to dead point through to the top section of the problem. In a moment of elation I held this move…. and then I remembered both how difficult the top was and that I was approaching it from a different (and more awkward angle). I didn’t send the problem that day, but a week later I returned, and after tweaking the beta for the top section I sent what has got to be one of the coolest 7cs on Sandstone.

The final un-finished problem that I have tried recently is ‘Hypersonic’ (font 7b+). This is a striking line up a high blank wall at Eridge Green. The problem starts with a tricky (and dynamic) move to get to a large pocket. From here there are basically no more hand holds for another meter and a half, which forces the climber to do a large move from undercutting the pocket to reach a vague break, where a selection of small but positive edges lead to a finishing jug. Traditionally from here you would top out using an old tree, but this is long gone these days and recent ascents instead involving using a rope to pull round the sandy top out (the last meter or so really is completely un-climbable!). I had tried this problem before, but I had always struggled with the large reach off the pocket. However, off the back of climbing the previous two problems I felt a certain momentum that could help me dispatch this one as well. This problem also went fast – so fast in fact that I didn’t film it (this is also difficult to do due to how big the route is). However, it did provide one of those wonderful moments in climbing – as I reached from the pocket to the small ledge – where you do a move where everything feels perfectly in balance. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to capture this climb on film - but there are other videos of the route being done on youtube.

Bring on more good weather!