Occasionally there is a breakage of a hold so big that when it hits the ground even I hear about it. The hold that came off Sucker Punch (formerly v4) at the Happy Boulders, is just such an example: the huge starting jug has been ripped from the wall. Perhaps someone was going for the big dyno (skipping the usual crimps used to gain the lip), or just climbing on it after a heavy rain... Or perhaps its time was simply up. I don't know, but I hope whoever broke it wasn't hurt. Oh, and by the way, you did us all a favor!
Trevor Markel on the new Sucker PunchThe giant hold was sitting below the boulder, but has recently been broken up by people checking it out and tossing it around, so you may not even notice it now, but you will see the white ring of chalk circling the now clean, smooth rock above the current starting holds like a water mark.
Anyway, I reclimbed this sweet problem the other day a couple of times and felt it was a grade harder than the v4 it used to get (maybe more?). Plus, it's excellent: even better than before! I started at the now lower starting holds, went left hand up to a sidepull, threw a high heel with the right, rolled through to the upper crimp with the right; matched; held the swing (crux) and popped to the top. If anyone else has any input on how hard they feel this is, please let me know.
Tim's Fred Traverse (v9), that begins around right and finishes here, should feel a touch harder too; maybe a grade but perhaps not.
Trevor Markel nearly doing the new Sucker Punch
12 comments:
You should post some before and afters..
I climbed the new line last week too, only my sequence was a little different: I went left hand to the sidepull, got a high left toe and then slapped and stuck to the right hand sloper just above the start, then jacked my right foot up to the starting hold and wrestled my way onto the crimp rail before shooting to the lip. I love this version -way- better than the old one! I'd say probably a solid V5 now.
Kimber stole my beta...
the old starting hold was always a little creaky anyway. when i last climbed the problem in may, it was flexing quite a bit. it was only a matter of time!
I confess, I did steal that beta. Mmmmm... delicious thievery...
hmm id say its a tad harder than 'seregenti' which i consider a benchmark V5 for the area. id say V6, but i may just have been tryin to bully the problem.
I wound up dynoing to the right crimp with the left hand from the starting holds, and then slapping the right sloper. I then got my right foot up high and threw with the left for the top. I'd say V5, with the hardest move being the first. Either way its a way better problem in my opinion.
You probably don't remember Wills. But Sucker Punch was the first problem you ever climbed on your first visit to the the snHappies.
Probably '98. We parked on the rim and walked in and I pointed it out. You did it in your trainers.
Happy Christmas.
Mick
I do vaguely remember that. Exciting days! Earlier than 1998 though. More likely '96/'97.
Time Wills, time.
just did the new sucker punch...feels hard to me...more like v5+/v6
and on a complete side note. big chicken. v2 from the stand? seriously? did the sit start and i felt like the start was easier than the crux of big chicken! took me a lot of tries to suss out for a v2!
Re: big chicken...if the start was your crux, a left hand heel match on the start was my key beta to make it easier, then left up to the right crimp, then cross under right to the left crimp.
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