Action Continues in the Red River Gorge

11/8/12 – Daniel Woods has climbed The Golden Ticket at the Chocolate Factory in the Red River Gorge, confirming another suggested downgrade by Adam Ondra.

The Golden Ticket and Pure Imagination, which Woods and Ondra climbed first try, were originally graded 5.14d, and both Woods and Ondra suggested that 5.14c felt more appropriate.

With those two routes, plus Southern Smoke Direct and several other lines, under his belt, Woods has redpointed the Red’s hardest lines, along with Ondra and other visiting climbers. Three days ago, Climbing reported that Ondra had begun bolting work on a new route that snakes up between The Golden Ticket and Pure Imagination; now, Woods is getting in on the bolting game as well.

Over at the Bob Marley Crag, Jon Cardwell has made the fourth ascent of Southern Smoke Direct (5.14d), marking his third route of the grade. And just to the left of Southern Smoke Direct sits 50 Words for Pump, which France’s Melissa Le Nevé climbed on Monday. She also managed a redpoint of Transworld Depravity (5.14a) and an onsight of Ultra-Perm (5.13d). Le Nevé is well known as one of the world’s strongest competition climbers; she finishes consistently in the top 10 in World Cup comps.

Dates of ascents: November 2012

Sources: 8a.nu, melissaleneve.blogspot.com