Bearing down on the Skeleton boulder projects

Bear Trap Prow V12 Photo: Claire MacLeod

It has proved somewhat difficult to get any work done over the past week what with the endless days of perfect conditions here. Thankfully the rain is coming tomorrow coinciding nicely with my work trip to England.

I have been bouldering a lot. First up I had a lovely day at the Skeleton Boulder and finished the Bear Trap Prow project following the true line of the prow, which went at around V12, I think. It was good to feel the aggression of unleashing full explosive power on the rock again, after the tricky balance of keeping it reserve on long sport routes earlier this spring. I missed the feeling of getting psyched up to squeeze every last muscle fibre. Claire got some nice footage of ‘release of tension’ screams on my failures from the last move of the prow.

Waterfall Arete Font 5+. Does it get any better? Photo: Claire MacLeod

Today I spent three more hours cleaning some lovely easier problems, a couple of classics, maybe a V8 or so and some other things for next session. I also went over to the other big boulder nearby and managed the stunning crackline there despite Joe noising me up every two seconds (see video). It went at Font 7bish??

Dude Direct V9ish, Ruthven Boulder

After Pete’s stag do in Aviemore on Sunday I visited the Ruthven boulder for the first time. After a loooong warm up to wake up a hungover body, I looked at a nice bulge called ‘The Dude’ There was an obvious direct version of it with a large dyno to be done. An hour of repeatedly throwing myself towards this blind target was rewarded when I eventually hit the hold dead on for a nice V9 or so (easier for giants I reckon).

Last night I saw the rough cut of the Don’t Die film of our first ascent of Don’t Die of Ignorance which was kinda shocking in places but also really funny. I’m off round to Heather Hat HQ now to record some more audio for that film. Maybe see you in Oxford on Friday…

Claire having fun on Ben Nevis