Speed of Life pocket about to break

Working Speed of Life at Farley, MA yesterday (12/18) we noticed the left-hand pocket before the gaston is cracking. At first we thought it was just the sound of fingernails on the rock, but we later confirmed that it makes cracking sounds when pulled.

We put a tape X over it and a note. Please do not climb on Speed until this is resolved.

Are you going to glue it.
Holds break everyday does not mean it cant be climbed any longer.
Just have to get stronger or learn new beta.
Gluing is as lame as chipping. Let it evolve to what it wants Natural.

Wrote:

"Are you going to glue it.
Holds break everyday does not mean it cant be climbed any longer.
Just have to get stronger or learn new beta.
Gluing is as lame as chipping. Let it evolve to what it wants Natural."

+10

Seems like only a matter of time until the route resolves it by its self.

sounds like the rock is resolving the problem, and then people will have to re-solve the problem. that's just how it goes some times.

Once the hold breaks and someone climbs it again; in its new found glory we can have the rename it thread thing happen. Cant wait.

SubantZ wrote:Let it evolve to what it wants Natural.

I'll bet most of the routes you climb are far from natural.

If you've ever put up a single route you'd know this.

Whats wrong with preserving a fun or classic line that is experiencing unnatural effects, like most climbable routes?

Richard Fernandez wrote: I'll bet most of the routes you climb are far from natural. If you've ever put up a single route you'd know this. Whats wrong with preserving a fun or classic line that is experiencing unnatural effects, like most climbable routes?

I have broken more than a few holds. What I do is throw the rock in the bushes.
Last time a hold broke on me I slide down a hill on my back for about 6-7 feet before going over my shoulders and back to my feet. That hold is now in the river. So yes Holds break and no I do not glue them. Even if it means a no send for me. Thats part of developing. It happens move on...

In the augmented words of the late Micheal Reardon, "Naked, chalkless, barefoot, free-soloing on unglued, unchipped rock is climbing. Everything else is a compromise."

Speed of Life is not some local boulder. It's a destination problem - stunning, imposing, inspiring. It is unarguably one of the best problems in the US and has already been subtly reinforced. Another subtle glue job seems a minuscule price to pay in order to preserve such an inspiring line.

Rajiv Ayyangar wrote:In the augmented words of the late Micheal Reardon, "Naked, chalkless, barefoot, free-soloing on unglued, unchipped rock is climbing. Everything else is a compromise." Speed of Life is not some local boulder. It's a destination problem - stunning, imposing, inspiring. It is unarguably one of the best problems in the US and has already been subtly reinforced. Another subtle glue job seems a minuscule price to pay in order to preserve such an inspiring line.

+1000000000000

Letting this hold fall off would destroy one of the proudest lines in New England, this is a problem that attracts people from all over the globe. It is a 5 start route on the 4 star scale. (No I have not climbed it) but being a local I can say the loss of this hold will be a loss to NE bouldering.

To put it in perspective the loss of this hold in NE would be like Seven Spanish Angels or The Mandala losing a crucial hold for the west...

Logically, why not take it a step further? Maybe it would be six stars if another hold was glued on.

matthewWallace wrote: +1000000000000 Letting this hold fall off would destroy one of the proudest lines in New England, this is a problem that attracts people from all over the globe. It is a 5 start route on the 4 star scale. (No I have not climbed it) but being a local I can say the loss of this hold will be a loss to NE bouldering. To put it in perspective the loss of this hold in NE would be like Seven Spanish Angels or The Mandala losing a crucial hold for the west...

I've never touched Speed of Life, but don't decry the route as impossible if a hold breaks off. What makes you so sure it would destroy the route? Several people on MP have commented that Peanut Man got better after the crux foothold broke off. (In that case, having attempted but not sent it both before and after, I agree).

Speed of Life may become a heinous V17 that only some yet-to-be-born mutant crush-monster can send, but that's all part of the game. Perhaps the route will be come even more popular once another "FA" is up for grabs?

If a hold on Midnight Lightning broke would it get glued back on?

P LaDouche wrote:If a hold on Midnight Lightning broke would it get glued back on?

No, a forum would be started on MP and then everyone would freak the f*ck out like usual. Eventually, it would cause a split of the union, not unlike the Civil War.

My opinion probably counts for very little, as I rarely boulder & don't live anywhere near the area. However IMHO gluing is bad form, and if I did have a vote, would vote to let it be.

This is a local issue that should be decided by local climbers, and I believe that is what will happen in the end. You can certainly lend your opinion, but only the opinions of those that actually do (or don't do) something about it will matter. So if you live 2000 miles away and don't boulder, I don't see what you are trying to accomplish here other than upping your post count.

Mike Anderson wrote:This is a local issue that should be decided by local climbers, and I believe that is what will happen in the end. You can certainly lend your opinion, but only the opinions of those that actually do (or don't do) something about it will matter. So if you live 2000 miles away and don't boulder, I don't see what you are trying to accomplish here other than upping your post count.

No need to be snarky, just giving my opinion, like many others here, b/c it seemed to be evolving from a warning post to an ethics post. I do boulder some, but more than that I care about climbing in general. Maybe we should clearly outline who is allowed to give their opinion and who is not.

BTW who on earth cares about their post count?

Let it break. Rock climbs break. Its just a rock after all, the fact that your climbing on it doesnt give it any extra value, it may become harder, but that will just be a new challenge, not a loss.

Your preserving it by letting it break, if that makes any sense.

Let nature take its course...

New England has a long history of climbing and over the years the routes have changed whether it's from mother nature working her magic or us as climbers pulling on the rock... Sometimes something new and good comes of it and other times nothing...

People thought that Jaws, up at Rumney, would never go again after the crux holds broke on it but the determination of a few strong climbers and a lot of hard work brought the line back and upped the ante... As it was Jaws was a classic at its original grade and a test piece for any climber willing to throw themselves at the line and climbers are still getting on it and pushing themselves to send its reincarnated formed...

Agree let it break...

Mike wrote: No need to be snarky, just giving my opinion, like many others here, b/c it seemed to be evolving from a warning post to an ethics post. I do boulder some, but more than that I care about climbing in general. Maybe we should clearly outline who is allowed to give their opinion and who is not. BTW who on earth cares about their post count?

OK, I'm not even a boulderer, but imagine if this hold is key to the route it might be worth glueing to save. it's only a boulder afterall, not like chipping/glueing the crux of a multipitch route. Agree it is mostly a local issue. If a local route near my home was about to lose a key hold, one that could be fixed or saved, a hold that makes it classic, I'd do all I could to save it too. Kinda like saving an old growth tree from the loggers. Aren't they reinforcing Delicate Arch so the generations ahead can enjoy it? didn't they reinforce and make efforts to save the old face on the mountain up in NH years ago? Seem a small hold isn't a big issue after all.

For those who have never stood under this thing.
vimeo.com/9343024

What's with the crotch grab at the end of the video?