The big news is that Solomon Kemball Dorey has dispatched a long standing project on the back of the BIG Slab boulder at Lynmouth East. The problem involves some very powerful climbing on some very small holds into a relatively straightforward highball finish. Solly has called his problem 'Rusty Gem' and graded it 8a+. A very impressive bit of climbing. There was much discussion about the grade, I guess we'll await for 'beasts' that are in the area to see how they get on. A video of the ascent is on Solly's (@solly.k.d) InstantSpam right here https://www.instagram.com/p/CBgWFKWlrW9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Photo: Solly on the first ascent of Rust Gem 8a+
As I have said in previous posts, the 'Chimpanzee Acne Roof' has been in splendid condition so far this summer. Pete Dawson (@petejdawson) was first in on the action linking 'Half Shark, Half Alligator, Half Man' (which has settled in at 7b+) into 'It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over' to give 'Locked and Loaded' 7c+.
Having had a 2 hour session on a steep board earlier in the day, Solly 'warmed up' for 'Rusty Gem' with a play on the roof repeating No More Nails 7b, 'It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over' 7c and 'Locked and Loaded' 7c+. He then opened a right hand entrance into the mantel finish of IAOTIO to give 'Final Nail in the Coffin' 7c. This starts in the same place as NMN but moves rightwards to access the big phat sloper mantel finish from the other side.. For now see here for more info:- https://www.exmoorbouldering.com/post/locked-and-loaded-pete-dawson-does-the-project
Photo: Kyle's on his new link up heading for the finish of No More Nails having accessed the lip from the right.
Kyle Whitehand (@kylewhitehand )then stepped in yesterday evening linking Solly's new problem to traverse the lip into the finish of No More Nails. The Long Way Round 7c.
The 'Chimpanzee Acne Roof' is now close to being fully worked out, with link ups galore. Here's a graded list of the problems there:
Shrewd 7a
Chimpanzee Acne 7a
No More Nails 7b
Half Shark, Half Alligator, Half Man 7b+
It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over 7c
Final Nail in the Coffin 7c
The Long Way Round 7c
Locked and Loaded 7c+
Will anyone succeed on the direct mantelshelf??
I'll post a downloadable topo with even more lines all over it (!) for the roof ASAP.