The Ark

What a line. Perfect rock, amazing crimps, clear sit start, amazing progression of moves that increase in difficulty with each move until a definitive, but not too anomalously hard crux, wih one further hard move, then solid mantle topout. Going to jump into my top 10 list at the New. Marley locked her in, had the vision for the solid (and obvious in retrospect) sit-start. Tried this within my first few years out at the New but could not do the crux move. Never even felt close. Was able to nail it within a few tries the same day I finished Rose Water, but had a heartbreaking punt, sticking the crux but not able to match after. Came back in essentially perfect conditions (mid 40s, post-rain) and nailed it 2nd try from the start. Third ascent? Hodder seems to have sent from 3 relatively easy moves in, wouldn't discredit since he still thought it was a project. I couldn't do the crux move in isolation back several years ago when I was climbing solid 10, although did go relatively quick this year. I think this was more reflective of the stars aligning than the grade, likely lower end 11 but not entry -- say 11.2 or .3. Worked a bit on the contrivance right variation, close-ish to the crux move but never stuck it despite feeling perfectly warmed up and excellent conditions. Likely solid v12 that way, although again a contrivance. Variation could be the hardest line on the boulder.