Tom Randall Instagram – Trip update 1: me and @petewhittaker01 have been out in Utah a week or so now, trying to do one of Mason Earle’s masterpiece cracks – Stranger Than Fiction, out at the Bartlett Wash 🌵🌵
It’s a line that we’ve both been aware of for a number of years but never got round to putting our focus into the same time and place! And this thing definitively deserves focus as it’s got to be one of the very hardest splitter finger cracks in the world. Maybe a bit strange it’s not had more recognition considering its lack of ascents and Mason’s abilities?! Effectively it’s like having Cobra Crack (steep and powerful) on top of one of the White Rim 5.13 /14- roof cracks (technical and powerful) with not that much rest… 😅
At present, we’ve both done all the moves, worked good sequences and realised it’s no pushover… you can’t cheater-beta this one too much 😅. I’ve opted for the “White Slipper” on the right foot (@gorisb I’ll forgive you yet again…) and Pete’s sticking with a @desertdannyp special of a modified @unparallelup UP Lace Pink. Our fingers are deffo feeling the brunt of the strain now, so prob need to take some time off to let the inflammation die down 🙈
Of important historical note, is that @lor_sabourin made a repeat of this route earlier this week just before me and Pete got to the crag one of the days (gutted to miss the action but then got to witness them almost double send whilst taking pics a bit later in the day 🤯🙌) Sooooo good! As not only is it the hardest route they’ve ever done, it’s also the completion of a multi-season project which mentally, is super hard to manage. Quick ticks are something, but getting really deep on the true limit projects is a special (and challenging) place to be. Massive respect!! 💪💪💪
@wide_boyz @rab.equipment @wildcountry_official @mytendon @unparallelup @rhinoskinsolutions | Posted on 12/Nov/2023 01:57:32
