Thatcher overtakes Vostinar
Then a week ago Derek grabbed his second Cave first ascent with The Enigma of Kasper Hauser, which climbs an old Mat Evrard project through new steep and crimpy territory into the rest of Kaiser Soze. The new section appears to be some of the most fingery climbing in the entire Cave, and is a roof of course. Derek is yet to roll the dice to grade this one. He was told by Ivan that he was not allowed to attempt the continuation of this line which crosses through Kaiser Soze and is entirely independent.
Recently he caught link-upitis and climbed Nosferatu (31) to the anchors then traversed across some small holds and down-campusing to the original Space Boy anchor from which he continued up the Space Boy extension. While Derek dismissed this as a training link-up refusing to name or grade it, it has no less merit than other recent link-ups in the opinion of others. Kaz seemed excited to attempt it once he had completed his current project (of eight years). The name 'Buffy' has been bandied about, and the grade? Well, if the Space Boy extension adds a great to the original (given 31), then what does the extension plus a thin traverse add to Nosferatu (also 31) which is thought to be harder than Space Boy? I should mention that this is by far the longest route climbed at the Cave.
Next trip Derek busted out the third ascent of Dracula (32), a Kaz-style burly direct start to Nosferatu which he felt he had been making no progress on. This leaves just two established routes for Derek to do, both of them spanny Vostinar masterpieces Ride of the Valkyries (32) and Centrifuge (32). This also places Derek one climb ahead of Ivan in the race to do the most routes at the Cave. Only more worthless link-ups can follow...
Recently he caught link-upitis and climbed Nosferatu (31) to the anchors then traversed across some small holds and down-campusing to the original Space Boy anchor from which he continued up the Space Boy extension. While Derek dismissed this as a training link-up refusing to name or grade it, it has no less merit than other recent link-ups in the opinion of others. Kaz seemed excited to attempt it once he had completed his current project (of eight years). The name 'Buffy' has been bandied about, and the grade? Well, if the Space Boy extension adds a great to the original (given 31), then what does the extension plus a thin traverse add to Nosferatu (also 31) which is thought to be harder than Space Boy? I should mention that this is by far the longest route climbed at the Cave.
Next trip Derek busted out the third ascent of Dracula (32), a Kaz-style burly direct start to Nosferatu which he felt he had been making no progress on. This leaves just two established routes for Derek to do, both of them spanny Vostinar masterpieces Ride of the Valkyries (32) and Centrifuge (32). This also places Derek one climb ahead of Ivan in the race to do the most routes at the Cave. Only more worthless link-ups can follow...