Man, I’m glad people are working that problem! I’m getting a good word picture, but I’m excited to come work on it in person and see this crazy beta. After climbing at these huge west coast gyms it might be a shock, but still there’s nothing like good FP session. Be back 1/16, see you cats then.

Thursday came and went without a send. I put enough dedicated time in on HoD to make a little progress. Which amounts now to having not one but two ways to match on the post-arete hold—these amount to different foot positions. The less difficult way to match on the post-arete hold leaves for a more difficult reach out to the crimper and also makes for a really tough match on the crimper. The harder way to match on the post-arete hold set me up really well to reach out to the crimper and to match on it, but then I’m in trouble because my feet should be somewhere else and I can’t move them. So I’ve still got a problem to solve. Meanwhile Ha has matched on the crimper with his feet where I wish me feet were. Advantage Ha! Maybe Saturday!

Thursday is the only day of the week I seem to be able to climb! So back it was to ‘HoD’. I wasn’t much warmed up but I went stright ahead into HoD Crux #1 and did the match—and it seemed so much easier than ever before—and proceeded to Crux #2 and did THAT match—and IT seemed (well not “easy” but) so much less impossible than ever before—and leaned out to the finish hold and GOT IT… but not nearly so well that I might have matched. Progress!

Pete’s looking pretty confident on Crux #2, as well!

The first half of the problem is wired to the point that it’s trivial now. And I’m still using the Ha/Pete-heel-hook-on-the-arete beta to catch the crimpy sidepull.

Matching on that last crimp however is insane! I can get both hands on it, but can’t really weight my left enough to have any shot at bringing the right off.

It’s encouraging to keep making progress. After resting today, I think I’ll work it a little more on Saturday afternoon. I really think it’ll go.

I love that comment: “so wired to the point that it’s trivial”! Pete’s come a long way! V6 is now “trivial”!!!!!! What if the last section was at the beginning, and the now trivial first section was at the end! Would we all be discussing how “insane” the throw to the deflated basketball is?

Anyway, I know exactly what I need to do to send this thing: 1) match; 2) lean away a little; 3) pull in lightly, only as hard as my modest match can sustain so when I (hopefully) snag the finish I am coming forward (my right hand should then be in control; 5) and match it up. That will work!

I would call the first section (up to the arete) V1/2. Then to get to the penultimate hold is V3/4. And I’m guessing the finishing bit is V5/6 (these are all FP ratings). So I don’t know that I’ve accomplished much in wiring the first half. I really do believe that if the problem were reversed, I would have the end wired, but would still be flailing at the start. We’ll see if any progress occurs tomorrow.

I washed those two holds.

Each of the last three days I’ve had time to go up this thing once or twice. I always start at the start. I barrel ahead all dialed in and reach the two enjoyable crux matches. Only nailing the finish eludes me. But it’s pretty fun just to bang thru a really wired sequence of good moves! Whether I eventually send this or not it has been a fun fun ride!

This elusive beast has been abandoned by its poachers for two weeks. For me, it’s been a rest from the many self-inflicted cruelties and complete eviseration felt when returning home each night empty-handed and my family would ask “Why do you bring shame onto your wife and child so?”. But the hunt is back on! Demetrius may have found a new strategy.

I also have failed. No raspberries for my children. No buffalo for my wife.

It truly is the heart of darkness. So aptly named. Godspeed Demetrius.

Demetrius made progress on HoD tonight—left hand on the sidepull, right hand momentarily on the finish!

Zac made progress on HoD tonight—left hand on the sidepull, right hand on the finish hold for a solid second!

I made progress on HoD tonight—left hand on the sidepull, right hand on the finish hold for several solid seconds!

Pete made progress on HoD tonight—with a supersolid left hand on the crimper, right hand down below!

Still every strategy seems to have it’s confounding flaw!

More progress today. Not much, but some. I climbed HoD 3 times and feel I’ve got my approach to the finish absolutely wired. On each climb I reached the finish hold (as described above), and always felt really solidly on finish (right hand really camped out there), and tonight I was finally able to bring my left hand onto the grip surface of the crimper. Not so well as to hold it for any length of time, but I am begining to “feel” that move. Once I get that piece I’ll be there.