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The Font Problem

V9, Boulder, 8 ft (2 m),  Avg: 3.1 from 14 votes
FA: unknown
New Hampshire > Pawtuckaway > Blair Woods > Font Boulder
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Description

Desperate slopers up a short bulge that deserves far more traffic than it gets. Sit start beneath the bulge with a good edge above your head, a good foot, and a divot for your left hand. Pull up and left to a slopey pinch, adjust your feet, and slap left again into the slopey bowl above. Make an absolutely desperate match on the nothingness and move left to a sloping crimp that will feel like a jug. Topout and run to the top of the boulder.

Location

On the backside of the Font Boulder. Head past Swirley to the Conditions boulder, then continue towards the large boulder behind Conditions on the right. This problem is on the uphill side.

Protection

Pad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Font Problem
[Hide Photo] Font Problem
Needs a little TLC.
[Hide Photo] Needs a little TLC.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

BDalhaus
New Gloucester, ME
  V9
[Hide Comment] Powerful, desperate and fun! Once everything clicks it doesn't feel too bad, and it climbs much better than it looks. Most of the green moss in the photo is gone as well. Nov 4, 2012
MattWallace
Center Harbor, NH
[Hide Comment] I heard that someone figured out beta that makes this much easier than v9, anyone hear anything about this? Oct 30, 2014
Christian Prellwitz
Telluride, CO
[Hide Comment] I haven't heard anything like that. I think that conditions make a big difference on this climb in terms of how hard it feels. You want it cold and dry. A crisp December day would be perfect.

It felt quite hard the one time I tried it. But, that was most certainly not in December. :) Oct 30, 2014
Travis Blair
  V9
[Hide Comment] There are some really good holds (handholds and footholds) about 4 feet to the right of this problem. So, if you traversed over and used those, it might be V4. If you avoid them and go straight up, it's V9. I finally sent this today after four years of working it - and I used some weeeird beta. Fun to work since the first move or two aren't bad - you definitely want cool conditions and be prepared to give up some skin. Nov 23, 2016
Troy Fauteux
Henniker, NH
  V9
[Hide Comment] This is a really cool line. Moving off the slopers definitely felt desperate. Once you find the foot beta the movement is awesome though. youtube.com/watch?v=AadYqYU… Dec 3, 2016
BDalhaus
New Gloucester, ME
  V9
[Hide Comment] Not sure how I feel about the use of the right arete... Dec 4, 2016
Jake Perry
Concord, NH
[Hide Comment] If it's actually "off" then that's something that should really be mentioned in the description so people know about it. You can't expect people to use the same beta you do... Dec 4, 2016
BDalhaus
New Gloucester, ME
  V9
[Hide Comment] Has nothing to do with using the same beta or not, more about using holds that may or may not be part of the problem. This problem is only 4 moves long as described in the original guidebook and the description here above. The arete is never mentioned, nor was it even clean years ago. Using it makes the problem easier, but again, I'm not sure how I feel about it. I can see an argument either way - climb it as it was originally done or use new holds uncovered in further cleaning... Dec 5, 2016
Travis Blair
  V9
[Hide Comment] Nice work Troy! My thoughts on using the right arĂȘte: I used it. I think it's close enough to the problem that it would be lame if it was "off." If new holds are discovered and used throughout a problem's history and the new sequence is significantly easier than the earlier sequence, it is appropriate to downgrade. Comparing to other problems in Blair, I rated the sequence with the right arĂȘte as V9. If anyone thinks it's V8, just put that in the suggested rating section. Dec 5, 2016
[Hide Comment] This ain't a gym, there's no tape. If you can reach it and its on the same boulder, use it! Eliminates are for places with like 2 boulders you live 10 minutes away from so you can do new stuff without getting bored. Not for massive concentrated boulder fields like Pway. Dec 5, 2016
Joe M
MA and NH
[Hide Comment] Eddy, that's fine, go ahead and use whatever holds you want, but you aren't then also allowed to claim the problem as V9 if those holds make the problem easier. You can't have it both ways, either you do it as described for the V9 value or you do it however you want at some other grade... Dec 6, 2016