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General Climbing Discussion

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The greatest sandbags in Victoria 8-Aug-2003 At 2:22:45 PM (removed)

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On 8/08/2003 Joe wrote:
>Not the 'Hardest Route in the world' anymore.... check out www.8a.nu for
>details of Chilam Balam... 9b+, by Bernabe Fernandez. 80 metre long grade
>38.
Yes it sounds like reverse sandbagging. This is coming from a guy who never leaves his home crag in Spain, sounds dodgy. Alex Huber's response is particularly interesting - some have called it sour grapes, and I for one don't like to see the doubt he has cast over whether Fernandez actually DID the route, but his points concerning the grade are all relevant.

Speaking of grade 38 though, it seems that Trumpet wasn't quite so futuristic as he perhaps intended in his outstaning rock article / story from about 10 (++) years ago if indeed grade 38 has already arrived. I don't remember too much from the article other than "Ben Moon's grade 38 traverse of Tjuringa Wall", something about Mallory guarding the gates of heaven telling those who entered that he summitted, but "tripped on the descent"and something about requiring a license to go climbing at Arapiles. Great writing. Anyone have a copy of this ?