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Mr. Big

V8, Boulder,  Avg: 3 from 9 votes
FA: Jeremiah Johnson
New Hampshire > Pawtuckaway > Fire Tower
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Description

From the obvious horizontal at head height, move up to bad slopers and make a big reach to a very slopey mono solution pocket. Get your feet up high and either bump to the slopey ball or make a hard lock off and cross to the ball. Once you've matched the ball, it's an easy move to the top. This problem is really unique for Pawtuckaway and looks much easier than it is. It's very friction dependent; long arms and good footwork will help too.

Location

Follow the main trail up. When it breaks right, continue heading up and slightly left on a faint (maybe nonexistent) trail. Eventually on your left you'll see a 20-foot mossy wall with an obvious crack. Skirt the wall and you'll come out in a clearing. Mr. Big is on your left. Start in the slopey horizontal at the 7-ft level and go up.

Note: there are several other good problems in this area worth exploring.

Protection

Maybe a pad.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Sticking the crux move on 'Mr. Big'.
[Hide Photo] Sticking the crux move on 'Mr. Big'.
Gaining the weird mono pocket on 'Mr. Big'.
[Hide Photo] Gaining the weird mono pocket on 'Mr. Big'.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Christian Prellwitz
Telluride, CO
  V8
[Hide Comment] I spoke to Jeremiah and confirmed that I climbed this line, so now I can offer some insight about it. This is an unassuming line that is actually quite good. It looks simple, but ends up being more intricate than you expect. It is also very reach dependent, so the grade is going to vary notably depending on your wingspan. If you can reach the 'ball'/flake from the lower feet, it will likely feel a bit easier. Jeremiah admitted that he graded this on the low end for his wingspan (which is fairly large), meaning it's probably more like v7 for him. For me personally, this climb felt closer to v8/9. I've done most of the hard slabs in the Northeast (and many throughout the country) and most of them take me a session or two. This climb took me around 10-15 sessions to send.

It took me a while to figure out beta, then I tried a bunch of beta that had me close but falling just short of the high flake. I was ready to give up because I thought there were no usable feet above the foot I was already using, but then I found another tiny crystal that was a bit higher. I got close and then that foot broke slightly, but fortunately what was left was still usable. And finally, on my last day before heading back to Colorado, I sent.

A notch down in quality/aesthetics from 'Midnight' and 'Voodoo Child' but, for me, pretty damn close in difficulty. High quality rock and engaging movement. Nov 22, 2016
Ian McAfee
Hooksett, NH
  V8
[Hide Comment] Was able to do this yesterday, conditions were perfect and it still felt hard, I thought around v8 for me.

Directions: Easiest (not fastest) way to find this would be to hike the fire tower trail and trend leftwards after passing the fire tower itself, it's on the white blazed trail in sort of an alcove. Alternatively, from Midnight in a Perfect World, head back downhill and trend right on an obvious trail then uphill, same white blazed trail from the other side. Nov 23, 2016
Christian Prellwitz
Telluride, CO
  V8
[Hide Comment] Footage of this climb begins at 6:42

youtu.be/_XPCme64Ayo Nov 25, 2016