Jun 16, 2020
I last visited Moon and Soleil 8 years ago in January. It turns out I was smarter back then. Circuiting on awkward sloper problems 5 days from the solar peak was a fun challenge but a poor choice. This would be a pleasant spot for a sunny day in November. The theme at Moon was awkward lowball sloper problems. Fashion Disaster V5 is aptly named as it's ugly from start to finish. I have no idea how this climb got a suggested grade of V8 - it's nowhere near that hard, even in terrible conditions. Ben Smith's classic 2009 rant continues to be prescient when he wrote: "fashion disaster (v4? climbed this lowball in the rain)". V4 is probably an over correction, but it's definitely a grade easier than the consensus V6 beside it.
The awkward theme continues with Men are From Mars V6. This climb used get full stars, but unfortunately suffered a massive breakage of the awesome starting feature. It still goes (and is kind of interesting) but it's awkward and cruxy in it's current form.
The best climb on the Moon boulder was Right arête V0. It's similar in appearance to the world famous Porkchop V4 in Red Rocks. If it was double the size, the resemblance would be uncanny, and it would be a mega classic.
Soleil is another small boulder with short climbs. However, the best climb of the whole circuit was undoubtedly the La Vache Qui Rit V6. Multiple consistent moves up good slopers to a satisfying high finish. This one is worth the trip on it's own.
Ex-Cowboy V4 with a floppy 1" groundsheet instead of a bouldering pad was hard and sketchy. Not recommend.