In reply to GrahamD:
> (In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com)
>
>
> "He is one of the few, because of his experience and track record, who can safely judge and compare the difficulty and hence the grades of the hardest sport routes.
>
> In short, he ain't bullshitting. He has the experience."
>
> Whereas I agree that he is well placed to make a fair comparison between different cutting edge projects, I think that you still need to take his assesment with a pinch of salt.:
Always. But in Ondra's case a very small pinch of salt.
> Firstly, I assume that routes are graded for 'average' climbers (at this standard)- adults.
Some assumption Graham. I have visions of a grading committee assigning a grade to a route just for an average male, 63 kg, 1.8 m tall with an ape index of 10cm's. Nope it just don't work like that.
> Secondly, as a 15 year old comments like the one below will not help establish a record for objectivity:
Lost in translation perhaps - and youthful enthusiasm tempered by experience and he has lots of it.
> "I did not try many more hard routes, but for me Jumbo Love is the hardest route on the world at the moment however I did not try it... "
I wonder why he said that. Perhaps it has something to do with Chris Sharma's reputation and tally of cutting edge routes. He's no flash in the pan or one route wonder.
As Huber said and he might know something about climbing:
"What I find curious is that still today most magazines, without hesitating, place Jumbo Love together with Akira and Chilam Balam. Had 9b been climbed in 1995, more than a decade ago therefore, then Chris Sharma's performance seems like a kindergarten!"
> in any case Adam hasn't been on this or Akira or Chilam (as far as I know)so proposing Jumbo Love as 'the hardest' is a bold
Get up to speed: Akira - is a boulder route.
Chilam, discredited ascent by many of the top climbers.