UK trad climbing odd?

[Jens]

I was gonna put this in the spray section but decided to post it here:

 

Any opinions on UK trad climbers publicizing their "headpointing" style gritstone ascents over here?

I know I would't have a prayer on any of the extreme routes and consider myself a wannabe climber but is anyone else unimpressed with these "ascents"? Here is what I am seeing in some of the photos:

* up to a dozen crash pads below the routes

* up to a dozen spotters below the routes

* friends on top of the routes with bights of rope ready to toss should the leader start to feel shakey in any way shape or form.

* photographers hanging on ropes that could be grabbed.

* Ropes hanging on adjacent routes (could grab in an emergency)

* They are rehearsing some of these routes like 150-200 times!

* 40-50 chalked tick marks and written notes

* many of the extreme headpoint routes are only like 35-50 feet tall!

* All stones and rocks are mass excavated and moved from the landing areas

* Gear pre-placed

and then they want to slag the French sport ethic--- but many French sport climbers have done some way bad ass soloing sometimes 1,000 feet off the deck at the highest grades.

Bachar thought that British rock climbers talents were overhyped and that the British headpoint ethic was lame.

-I just want to get a little discussion going.

I'm bored and decided to spray a little

[Dru]

Why don't you post it on ukclimbing.com

[richard_noggin]

Why don't you post it on ukclimbing.com

 

Maybe you could hang out there for awhile and give us a break

DICK

[RuMR]

i don't know about that jens...

there are routes at smith that i've done thousands of times redpointstyle w/o falls...don't think i'd solo those no matter how many spotters/ pads i had...many of those "leads" are essentially solos...so why don't you rip folks who solo stuff they have wired? Its the same, right??

[JensHolsten]

What's up Jens-

As your fellow wannabe climber I definetely have no right to downplay the top grit climbers accomplishments. No matter how many crash pads, spotters, top rope rehersals ect...all bad ass grit climbers have an intense and inspiring belief in themselves. That said, the routes that I have done in headpoint style have left me much less satisfied than intense onsight leads I have done. For myself personally, I always try to pursue rock climbing from the ground up. Nothing compares to onsight climbing in IMHO.

[RuMR]

but jensholsten, its a proven fact, that you are a certified WHACKO!

[bigwalling]

I'm not against the headpoint thing at all, but I suck at free! Ground up is kinda hard around here if it is a new route.

 

This video is pretty big but cool! http://www.freakclimbing.com/modules.php...p;orderby=dateA

[Marty]

What RuMR said. You were project master when you lived in Spokky-Doke. What has happend to you in the last few years Holsten? Merry xmas. Bland

[LUCKY]

i don't know about that jens...

there are routes at smith that i've done thousands of times redpointstyle w/o falls...don't think i'd solo those no matter how many spotters/ pads i had...many of those "leads" are essentially solos...so why don't you rip folks who solo stuff they have wired? Its the same, right??

 

Dude you think Vantage blows but you climb at the mud pile what up with dat? some of those cracks wig me out its like plug'n gear in what looks like mud and the sport climbing... the whole place is a slab

The anti smith has some cool stuff off by yourself ... go to the right at the bridge .

[JensHolsten]

Hey bland-

What can I say, times change. I got sick of spending three months on routes that you onsight, so I took up trad climbing. Pretty damn fun I must say. Have a great new year. Any new development on the limestone this past year? Peace,

 

Jens