Saturday, 6 April 2013

Finkelstones - Auroras Encore

A lonely day was spent walking over to the newly discovered Finkelstones. I was tired, the Boro game was on the radio and the Grand National was on the box, but it was too nice a day not to get out, so I got stoked and said to myself I would definitely climb the project from the last visit, a direct variation to Labyrinth.

After warming up on the Chain Gang block, home to a terrific 6a+, I returned to the quarry walls. On the last visit I felt ill, dizzy, so decided not to try anything on this wall due to the sloped, rocky landing and slopey tops. I also couldn't fit my fingers or thumb into a useful mono hold. However, my week long thumb-toning exercises worked wonders and this time is slotted right in... Obviously my fingers were a bit puffy in the colder conditions last trip?

A quick direct start to the wall, which is around 6b+ and then the mono start to 'Bambino' which is around 7a. Both really good. Bambino is eliminate in nature but feels fine and packs a punch. I fell off a couple of times but managed to stich a video together having failed to catch a full ascent in between battery changes.

After this, I returned to the Labyrinth boulder and got cracking on the project. Franco and I got really close last visit with a left heel and crimp beta. I warmed up but soon lost interest in this method as my fingers began to hurt. I tried the lock off jam method and surprised myself with the results. However, I was still open to other methods and uncovered an excellent feeling right-heel method. This was hard, probs 7c, and i didn't manage it. I knew there was a 7b+? method somewhere and I eventually found it.

Chuffed to bits, I said I would call it whatever the winner of the National was; walking back to the car I was really hoping it wasn't 'Sea Bass'. Fortunately it wasn't and Auroras Encore was born.

Cool stuff.

Finkelstones - Auroras Encore 7b+ from Dave Warburton on Vimeo.

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