You call that bouldering?

Post by **tomdarch** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 6:09 am

Check this out:

http://www.8a.nu/eng/index.shtml

8a is reporting that Jason Kehl sent David Grahm's The Fly - 14d (French 9a) as a solo/highball! Holy crap! As a boulder problem they're calling it Fontainebleau 8B+ or something like V14. Filtering through the torrent of crap spewing on rc.com, it sounds like The Fly is about 25' high, but screwing up the top moves (13ish, after a 14d sequence) would result in a really bad landing, no matter how many pads or spotters you've got.

Damn I wish Climb X Media was still up and running.

Post by **Wes** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:21 pm

Yes I do. That thing should have never been bolted in the first place. Just say no to 25 foot sport routes!!

What is the shortest sport route in the red? Maybe the 5.7 at pistol?

Wes

Post by **Yasmeen** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:27 pm

Is it shorter than Scabies? That seemed pretty short.

Post by **lordjim_2001** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 1:54 pm

That 5.7 at pistol is shorter than the roped walls at Lexington Rocks by about 10 feet or so. Guess that puts it >25ft. Fun though. I guess I have to check out Scabies now to compare.

Ah the new quest! Find the shortest sport route at the Red.

Post by **merrick** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:13 pm

man i have stood at the base of that thing and i would of bolted it too. that is nice that jason soloed it but it is on a wall of 5.13 and 5.14 bolted lines and has a horrible landing. i mean really bad. i am not going to criticize those that bolted it or those who climbed it using bolts. mad props to anyone who has gotten on that thing.

Post by **overhung** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:30 pm

What's the highest boulder problem any of you guys have topped out? Mine is about fifteen feet and I was scared to death.

Post by **Artsay** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:39 pm

There are many routes less than 25ft at Rifle. Should they not have been bolted?

My opinion is that a fall from a boulder problem shouldn't be an obvious life risk. My two cents...

Post by **merrick** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 7:49 pm

i have topped out a 45 foot probelm, or maybe i soled a 45 foot gearless route. and let me tell you i wouldn't want to fall from ten feet on the fly.

Post by **Wes** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:08 pm

I have done 25+ foot boulder problems, but nothing that was very hard high up, like the fly. To me, if it is a feature that tops out, on a leadge or whatever, then it should be a boulder problem. If it ends in the middle of a face, then bolt it.

Many hard problems with bad landings (thimble, anyone?) have been put up in the past, sometime TR'ed, sometimes not.

Not a question of ethics, just one of style. Sending the fly as a problem is Proud (with a capital P). Sending it as a sport route (sometimes with the 2nd bolt preclipped) is just really hard.

Wes

Post by **climbhigh** » Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:23 pm

I have highball/soloed(?) up to about 50 feet. As far as getting up there on something thats pushing my physical limits I would say about 25-30 feet with the crux usually within the first 15 or so.

On this one I would say since it was done as a route first, then its a route that Kehl freesoloed. If it would have been highball/soloed first it should remain a boulder problem, like Evilution. The line between a highball and a solo is impossible to draw.