Monday, March 2, 2009

New Beginnings Video


New Beginnings V8 Flagstaff Mountain from peter beal on Vimeo.

New Beginnings is a great traverse linkup in the Cloudshadow Alcove. After nearly flashing it, it took another session to refigure the beta that is shown in the video. Chip Philips has noted, after seeing comments in my 8a scorecard that I am getting on the "soft" bandwagon but in this case, the "soft" rating is deserved. If UCT is V9, NB is quite a bit easier, and if UCT was V8 as some have rated it, then NB would be V7. I am not picking on the problem or on Ted Lanzano who found a nice FA but I am highlighting the problem of reaching consensus for difficulty in bouldering.

If NB was in Hueco, it would probably be V9, but in Colorado the V9 grade is incredibly compressed, making it difficult to see the difference between V8 and V10. Add in the Flagstaff sandbagging factor and there you are...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

pretty line.

hello said...

Yeah, V8 sounds about right for New Beginnings. Your beta was quite a bit different than mine. Nice work.

Peter Beal said...

Hi Ted, how did you do the problem?

alex manikowski said...

the reason this probably feels "soft" to you is because of the the v3 jug start used, which i deemed to be "off route". i don't think it should be used to complete the problem, except maybe for a foot. i pull on then match the undercling rail in its entirety then cross left into the first hold on curmudgeon ( the slopey crimp rail), then also i do not use the crimp out left by the crack, which i had heard was not on route, i lock off the slopey crimp rail with the heel toe and reach far up right to obtain the "good egde", (aka curmudgeon) staying tight to not dab on the rock behind you for the finish. For me this problem felt v9, maybe a bit soft for v9, but much harder then hollows way for me, the standard for v8, which is often regarded as HARD, at flagstaff. it probably just depends on your climbing etiquette, whether the route be v7 or v9... any ways good work, none the less

Alex