by Tom Briggs Evolution – 8c/8c+ Raven Tor has a long history as the UK´s premier forcing ground for sport climbing and limestone bouldering. With little new rock to go at, linking established boulder problems and routes is a way for the strongest climbers to push their grade. Ben Moon illustrated this with his attempt of Staminaband (F8b+ route grade) into Pump up the Power (F8a+) in the seminal ´90s film, One Summer. This link has now seen a few repeats at F9a route grade. Recently, Steve McClure, bored of running laps on Mecca (F8b+) during training sessions, linked Ben´s Roof (Font 7c+/F8b route grade) into Evolution (F8c/8c+). He then linked Andy Harris´ new Font 7b+/7c traverse into Staminaband, which he thinks is harder than any of the previous link ups. So that will be F9a+? There´s still plenty to go at, with a new, desperately thin high traverse between Pump up the Power and Out of my Tree. Perhaps the ultimate link up will be The Harris Traverse, Staminband, high traverse into Out of my Tree, finishing up Boot Boys… F9b?
![[VIDEO] Tommy Caldwell: The Dawn Wall](https://www.climbing.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/vimeo_58005535-150x150.jpg)
