Roland led his new sport route clean, which he still has to name. This is an excellent line, about 23m in height that Roland and I had spotted and top-roped a couple of weeks ago, then bolted over two sessions. It starts on the right side of the column of Encore just before the second cave, has two cruxes and tops out at the very top of the crag. Roland graded it 6b, I thought more like 6c because of the very long reach at the second crux – I have to jump for the jug and the next move is quite a crank! We need a few more ascents to have consensus on the grade. Bolt resin cured perfectly and anchors all tested. Go crazy on this one guys, it’s a great line!
I also put in another new route, a VS 4c which I on-sighted and have called Pogrom! It starts on the platform beyond the two Crux Caves, down a few metres from the starting ledge of The Wanderer (my new sport route 5m right of the second cave). It takes a thorny wall up to a ledge then over a steep pocketed wall to the top of the crag. 17.5m in height, it is a surprisingly pleasant line according to everyone who tried it, which I will bolt over the next couple of weeks. Please do not frighten the mouse who lives near the top, he was very shy but seemed playful enough once Mark befriended him.
At Crux Cave the sport routes are, starting at the left and moving right: Life of William 6b; Mr. Boombastic 6b; Boxer 7a; Roland’s Route (still to be named) 6b+; The Wanderer 5b. At Monolith the sport routes are, going left to right: Sunset Boulevard 5c+; Lobrockster 5b; Meander 4c; Up! 4c. Guidebook is due when EVERYONE STOPS PUTTING IN NEW ROUTES – myself included!
We then also installed new top-anchors on Monolith Buttress’ three trad routes Sleeping Beauty, Alden Grinder and Snowhite. This means now all the significant lines on Monolith have top-anchors except for Jugfest
