Jill sends Écaille de Lune

Two years ago, Jill projected Écaille for maybe half a dozen days or so and continuously failed at the big dyno to the jug. Some days she flailed and felt weak. Most days she would climb through 5-8 times from the far back sit start all the way to the crescent right intermediate (some go left to the top), and blow the dyno. On this trip, on the 3rd day, Jill finally dialed the dyno in (not her strength), and sent Écaille de Lune, 7c.

Écaille de Lune, 7c. The sit can be started either matched at the right hand or, as she did it, with both hands farther back under the roof.

I think, importantly, that she started the climb from the back-most crimps requiring a hard campus move to match at the lip. She thought if she skipped the farthest back start, and started from the front edge where most people apparently start, she’d have sent it two years ago. Maybe. Even after dialing in the dyno, she still wasn’t getting much height on it from the start. I mentioned why not do it from the front edge sit (she had never tried starting it from there) just to link it through and get some satisfaction and confidence. Her very next go, she sent from the forward crimps, and clearly stated there was a significant difference. Two tries later she sent from the farthest back crimps. Done. One day two years ago, we ran into 3 locals,  and one of them sent it from the back crimps after 3-4 tries and working the crux a bit. We asked, and I thought he said he saw the first ascentionist climb it from the back crimps. Bleau.info and 7+8 both just say “sit start.” There are several videos that show the climb done from the front crimps.

Crux move to the crescent crimp.

The big dyno that most do.

After sending, Jill ticked Mille-Pattes, a soft 7a or 6c+.

Mille-Pattes, 7a/6c+. This problem is just left of Écaille de Lune. This is the starting position we both used.

The crux is sticking this crimp. From there, different sequences go to the top.

My two cents centimes:

Choosing to climb a line according to specific first ascent information is important specifically if it’s to repeat a climbed line. If this is not important, it shouldn’t matter what anyone did or does or will do. In such a situation, First Person Theory applies. Also, when specific information isn’t available, First Person Theory should be applied. In the end, we all die. Choose your path wisely. It only matters to you.

That said, I don’t think the old standards are necessarily applicable today: sit start, stand start, jump start. Everyone has a different reach while sitting and standing. And in deciding that a jump start is a run and jump, just jump with both feet, one foot on the wall, one hand or both hands on the wall, only makes things confusing unless the above FPT is applied or specific first ascent information is available (SFAIA).

Also, one has to ask themselves why they even boulder. I mean, I boulder because I want to do it. I like to climb many moves. I enjoy one move problems, or 12+ move problems. If more moves add quality and difficulty to the line, I think that means I get more fun from the same line. If I choose to NOT climb 2 extra moves, I have to ask myself why am I skimping on fewer moves? Is it the fact that I summited that I want, or maybe the number? Or is it that I WANT to do those moves and link them to know I can climb that real estate of stone without any external aid or influence? Is it harder to do those few extra moves? If it is, then the line seems rather legitimate to me. I mean, I am trying to climb my hardest. This single piece of real estate is one-of-a-kind where there are no other options to add. It’s not a gym line that will disappear soon. I have all the time I choose to make for myself to do this line. Why would I do it with 2 fewer hard moves?

~ by r. mulligan on 2014/04/21.