Rumney Rock Stars
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During a one-week visit to New Hampshire, a trio of French climbers made short work of some of Rumney’s hardest climbs. The Frenchmen were visiting the Northeast for the Petzl Roc Trip competition and Access Fund benefit at the Gunks in early October. Detouring to New Hampshire after this event, Toni Lamiche made the third ascent of the Fly (5.14d) after three days of work. He said the two-bolt climb is essentially a boulder problem (and turned it into one by pre-clipping the second bolt) and should be graded hard Font 8b (V13/V14). Daniel Dulac made the fourth ascent of Livin’ Astro (5.14c) and flashed Dodge the Lemons (5.14a). Jérôme Meyer onsighted Riviera (5.13d), and both Lamiche and Dulac then flashed the route.
Between them, the three climbers flashed or redpointed four other climbs rated 5.13d or 5.14a during their short visit to the Northeast’s premier sport-climbing crag.
Chris Sharma made a one-day ascent of the Fly (5.14d), perhaps the fastest redpoint of a climb of this grade anywhere. Sharma stick-clipped the second bolt of the two-bolt climb and flashed through the crux moves. After working on the final moves a bit, he rested, fell a couple of times on the opening moves, and then redpointed the complete climb. This was the fourth ascent of the Dave Graham route. Luke Parady made the second.