Summer Sends – News From All Over!

Lizzy and I had a lazy weekend in Pasadena. With not too much to report on the personal front I can only provide links to the top notch sending spree that has been going on the last couple months.

Sport Climbing, according to some, has a new hardest route! Chris Sharma sent the Clark Mountain Project and dubbed it Jumbo Love. While usually hesitant with grades it seems that this new climb gets a number. At 250 feet long Jumbo Love is rated 5.15b. It will be interesting to see if any of the strong Euro’s such as Adam Ondra or Patxi Usobiaga will come and try it.  After making progress last year it seems likely that Ethan Pringle will go back and work the route again if the weather works out.  Sharma, obviously in top form, also made a 2nd try one day ascent of Joe Kinder’s Golden Direct. While Kinder speculated that the route may be 9a (14d) it will take a few more repeats to be sure.

Rifle has seen a bunch of summer action. There was a big party for the Rifle Clean-Up with Pimpin and Crimping representing in addition to a large community turnout.  Adam Taylor and Jon Cardwell both  resent the Crew after a few holds broke. Joe Kinder dropped in and repeated the Crew and started work on the Bauhaus Project. Dave Graham came by and after some discussion with Andy Raether did the FA of Girl Talk, 14c. Kinder made the 2nd ascent and Daniel Woods, who seems to be climbing routes again, made the 3rd.

Ethan Pringle joined the crew in Rifle and after a full beta spray from Dave and Joe sent Girl Talk in 5 tries. His 8a scorecard has it listed as 8c and I’m sure it must have been easier knowing the beta for every move. Carlo Traversi, who has also been hitting the ropes, just did the 5th ascent of the now classic Girl Talk.  This send comes in fast progression after sending Simply Read, 8b (14a) , and Benign Intervention, 8c (14b), according to 8a.nu .

Dave, Daniel and Joe have also been spending some time at The Fortress in Colorado. Dave made the 4th ascent of Kryptonite and Joe and Daniel are close behind.  I believe Pringle will be joining them and some sending is sure to happen. I am curious about a bit more information on Flex Luthor, Tommy Caldwell’s 15a at the fortress. Kinder seems a bit unimpressed with the rock quality.  It is interesting that these routes are only seeing attention now five or more years after the FA.   (It seems, according to 8a.nu that Graham tried Kryptonite on a visit to the Fortress in 2000) 

Paul Robinson is off in Switzerland looking for new blocks, checking out hard climbs and talking about grades. Beyond the classic hard routes I am interested in what Paul thinks of Daniel Woods’ new problem, In Search of Time Lost. Check the video on MVM to see Daniel do some serious crimping.

Colorado Bouldering has also been hot this summer. Alex Johnson started it off with a quick send of Clear Blue Skies (V12).  Alex Puccio continued by crushing The Marble SDS (V11/12) and Angie Payne finished it off with a send of her 3 year project, European Human Being (V12). These sends complement the esablishment of two new hardlines in the park, Blood Money by Daniel Woods (V13) and Top Notch by Ty Landman (V12).

Here in California Issac Caldario established Chumscrubber, a possible V12, at Way Lake. This newer area is located near Mammoth Lakes, north of bishop. Due to cooler temps it has seen a bunch of action by the Bishop and  Bay Area crews. Once a bit more information comes out I would be excited to take a look. The rock seems a bit different than what is offered in Bishop and it could be a nice change of pace.

In the trad climbing world both Ethan Pringle and Matt Segal sent the Cobra Crack this summer for the 3rd and 4th ascents respectively. Matt had a bit of an epic with squamish weather that delayed his send until the last possible moment.

With the fall temps coming I wish everyone luck on their projects!! Once the J-Tree weather cools down a bit we will be working on Equinox. All of this sport climbing has given me hope that I will have enough endurance for this pumpy crack!

Cheers,

Luke