Sosho - one project down!

Warm spring sunshine at Dumbarton Rock last night (all photos Claire MacLeod)

Friday night was perfect. I was in reticent mood at home, working away to meet my deadlines and making plans and resolutions for the future. I made time in the afternoon for a quick visit to the Dumbarton boulders for more work on the roof link running into Hokku, my problem from a couple of weeks back. Conditions were perfect at the rock but no one was around. I warmed up on the easier sections of the roof and immediately realised that my week in Spain and absent half stone of body mass had made a serious difference to my climbing standard. I had one nervous attempt and slipped from lack of concentration on the last of the crux moves. I had the sixth sense feeling it would ‘go’ next try, so I sat in the warm evening sun and relaxed for the first time in a long time. In hindsight maybe it was only about third sense or so – it was obvious I would do it next go! 20 minutes later I chalked up again and set off across the roof. Sure enough, a minute later I was hanging upside down, breathing hard on the shake out below the exit problem, Mugsy. I had prepared myself for many failed attempts here from failing strength after 18 metres of hard roof climbing. But with every breath the pump disappeared and my strength returned. I was sure I would finish the problem, and I did. A good feeling.

One more project to go on the boulders, and then pastures new await once again…

Dissapearing into the roof, a few moves into the new problem, Sosho Font 8a+

The mid way shake out

The last tricky move

Moving into the exit problem

A gentle top out after so much climbing!

Sosho, Font 8a+
Sit start at the lowest point of the suspended roof of the home rule boulder. Climb the lip problem rightwards and then follow line of good but spaced holds into the cave, on the side of a hanging prow (its difficult to avoid brushing the adjacent boulder for a move at one point). From a bat hang rest at the spiky jug, follow a line of small holds back right across the roof to gain the Mugsy cave start.