Begehungen in Pierces Pass als Pink point

Cracker climbing with awesome exposure (not as run out/scary as expected). Just managed to hold on through that last reachy bit above the cam. Absolute limit, had veins popping everywhere all up my arms/shoulders hah! Pumper

Finally! 5 sessions, 5x laps of BBB and 18 or so tie ins. 😅

First things first, the grade….

I’m grading/proposing 25 but consider it on the soft end of the grade depending on height/reach. If you have a sub 195cm span that initial move into the roof might be brutal 🤷‍♂️ (I'm 199/200 and can just reach)

Blueies locals and the 2nd FFA should definitely give feedback on grade so it can be confirmed or adjusted.

So here’s my rationale for grade 25:

• Very beta intensive; once it was dialed it was a matter of executing and being mindful of all the micro beta. The actual effort output felt comparable to Screaming Insanity at Coolum.
• It’s comparable to, but a step or two above, Two Men Enter (24) at Flinders Peak QLD, which took me two shots.
• I’ve put down a number of sport 23 and 24s in 1-3 shots the past few months, this took 8 pink point attempts.

Just so damn psyched that I could add a sweet roof crack smack in the middle of one of the Blueies most famous multi pitches.

I really do think the movement on this makes it a classic; from the absurd long reach move into the roof, the cut loose, the inversion and a dead point to a hand jam…. it’s novel, climbs very well and the gear is primo. 👌

Thanks to John and Ondra who enthusiastically did several laps up BBB with me and to everyone who tolerated my frothing about this random roof crack I saw over a year ago.

(PS: any future ascenionists, shoot me a message if you want gear beta so you don’t have to carry the whole rack up BBB)

Third run

Second run

Alzheimer Flash, I didn't remember any moves from few years ago attempt. Lucky I could rest every 2 moves, 3-4 cruxes got me thinking and I had to push quite hard, didn't cruise it. Memorable ascent. Grateful there were long slings pre-placed on few crux bolts. Didn't find the runouts outrageous as they are on easier sections. New belay bolts are great.

Second shot was much better, I knew where to grab and the body movements required to make it through the one stand out hard section. The route's not mega hard, not hard at the grade but it is very insecure, It felt as if I could fall off at any moment. Def type 2 fun for sure as in I was enjoying it at the time but as I look back i'd do it again!!!! Good intro to this wall!!!

2nd shot. Flash ended at the midway crux. Wicked arete climbing but slightly let down by some suss rock on the LH wall. Still should be on everyones list.

2nd shot today (and I'd tried to 2nd Neil on it unclearly, previously). I fell off on the final hard move back left on my first shot . After that I came up with some "Paul Beta" (featuring yet another classic "Rose" move) and crushed it next shot. A really good pitch in a particular sustained techo style. Despite being a face climb, and not having any particularly BAD crimps, this is a brutal little number, in an intriguing kind of way.

Second shot today. Absolute radness. Definitely my hardest, best and proudest tick for so many reasons; the actual difficulty, the runouts, the immense exposure! What a completely wild ride and a piece of climbing I would recommend to everyone. Get on it!!

Sent this solidly (with no breaking holds to steal the send) as a warmup today, totally in control the whole way. A great way to break in 2018, and a good warmup for The Obvious Elbow direct

Total Retro-Flash... Buuuuut I'd seconded Ben Jenga on this (in the dark!) 5.5 years ago, so can't claim the flash . Better than I remember (some average rock, but not too bad), not too hard at the grade (more sustained than cruxy) and the runouts weren't particularly intimidating. No long runners/cams for me Aside from the mission to get to the actual rap-in, I'd definitely recommend this route. The position and climbing is spectacular!

awesome to finally lead this

Hold blew from top on onsight :l

Gave it hell and got good linkage, but didn't manage to find the chalkless crucial hold at the crux before I fell off. Still felt tough, but went easily enough second shot. The climbing is awesome, with the crux near the ground and some rad moves near the top, but the rock quality is quite average. I know you're psyched, Nathan, but calling this "mega-classic" is rather pretentious.