Monday 12 August 2013

Stoupe Brow - Panda To The Masses (E6 6c)

Franco and I had oft-eyed the thin cracklines tackling the steep wall left of 'Waves of Inspiration', however on a previous visit the bottom crux was slightly damp. This climb fell off the radar really, but we remembered about it and popped in for a half day bash, with Matt Ferrier for company.

A quick clean on abseil and we were grounding it up, the starting boulder sequence is 7b or something which feels pretty hard and fairly on-off. Franco taking a large solo jump when he succeeded in completing the boulder problem start, bolding it out on the iffy middle section and then attempted the un-known quantity which was the top out... Hilarious action as he wiped out the spotter and camera man.

Setting out on lead, rather than highball solo, was a much better idea and a couple of wires later so a safe top sequence unlocked for a ground up F.A.

I tried the line now, pretty stoked for a safe & hard route on the moors (they are usually ground fall routes at this grade) and after succeeding with the start faultered higher up. A quick rest and I was at the break where it became apparent the final move is an absolute beaut - but so reachy! Great stuff, what a way to finish a sustained testpiece.... It took me about four go's to nail the big reach at the end, by which time I was spent...


One to come back for, with the ground up gone it will be a RP...