2023-11-07 · SBP Poplar
This route was up for Boulderfest, but I didn't attempt it or really even look at it. It's interesting! I think the start is difficult: it's a two-hand start on an undercling. I start it from above, by placing my right toe on the nub on top of the volume, letting my left leg hang straight down, and placing my center of mass directly above the start hold. It's controlled and stable, so I think it counts as a legit start. Once you get on top of the volume, you need to commit to stepping up to the finish, which is psychologically a bit scary, especially with how rubberized the volume is around the hold. (Correspondingly, it helps to step only on the hold itself, not the surrounding volume.) The finish hold is not great; you can grab it, and it will cooperate, but only resentfully.
I saw someone trying this with a "proper" low start. It looked really hard for them: they had their right hand on the nub where I want to put my right foot, and they had a lot of trouble getting their own foot there. They couldn't really establish. I tried it, too, and didn't get any farther. So I'm sticking with my start.