Aug 20, 2020
Guest contributor: Tristan Cleveland 17 years ago my brother, Teth Cleveland, stumbled on an enticing set of rocks with fellow climber Jonathan Graham. He recently took me to have another look and our minds were both blown by the number of climbs waiting to happen in a small area. We both got hooked, and after a few months of hard work, we're pleased to introduce Sideshow. (Here's the map. The drive is about 10 minutes longer than the LOC.) Developing a new climbing area is a fun and strange hobby. I never thought I would enjoy scrubbing so much. Sometimes it's hard to tell whether a problem will turn out to be just a turd after all the digging and scraping, but I'm glad to say some were gems. Bob and Doug The coolest boulder I've had the pleasure of developing is the Bob & Doug boulder, below. The main problem, Doug (#2. FA Ben Rose), took me 5 sessions to climb (it's V4, which is where I max out). It has the twin virtues of being challenging while still having lots of features to play with, offering multiple viable betas. I've lovingly diagrammed the holds below. There's a variation worth trying in which you exclude the second arret. This incorporates another set of interesting moves and makes for a more consistent level of difficulty to the end. That variation has yet to be sent.
Gym Wall We call this wall the 'gym wall' because it has so many holds and potential directions to climb. It's a great warm-up wall, with a collection of V0's to V2's. It's unusual to have V1 climbing that incorporates an overhang, which is fun. (If you want a V3 here, try finishing #4 directly upwards instead of veering right. Hasn't been done yet.)
Hard stuff There are four hard projects, in the V5 to V10 range, that we cleaned just so someone else can climb them. This rock below calls out to be climbed, doesn't it? I scrubbed a big section of dirt and moss off the top so that it'll be ready for the epic climber who wants to send it
The other especially-hard one is Project #3, below. It starts on a little flake undercling. There's at least one tiny, tiny pinch on the right and a cruel crimp to the left. I suspect it's in the V8 to V10 range, and should be satisfying. Project #4 is less hard, probably a V5 or so. It has a number of options to start, including a two-finger slot. Project #2 has big, easy holds for getting off the ground, but it might not be possible to go further. (I hope someone takes that as a challenge.)
I'm stoked that on our last visit, Ben Rose sent #9, Double Agent (video). It's a V4 that combines technique and power. It starts with a lunge from tiny crimps to a big rail, and ends with a scrunchy heel hook and a side pull. Right-proper cool.
My brother Teth named #11 after the first thing he said when he finished the problem: 'Everything I hoped it'd be.' (video.) My neighbouring problem, Undercover V3 (#12, (video)), is a similar beast: fun cave climbing with a jug ladder and a more-technical traverse to top out. It was a satisfying reward after 30 minutes of cleaning. Clockwork
Clockwork V3 (#16 FA: Ben Rose, video) has one of the oddest starting betas I've seen (at least the way we do it). It involves crossing both hands and feet, and placing a high heel hook in a wedge to get off the ground. It's weird yet satisfying when it clicks. On our last day at Sideshow, we were just wrapping up a few problems to post here when we stumbled on a whole other overhanging boulder with at least 3 good problems on it. It looks like it might be on par with Bob & Doug, so there's more here to do! There are also some slabs and other potential problems that we haven't cleaned, so there is more here to play with if you like development. I would love to hear about it if you try out the spot, and would especially if anyone gets those hard ones! (Tag me on Instagram). Have fun!