After having got familiar with the type of climbing offered by Red River Gorge (some describe it as „idiot climbing”) and sending one of its true classics,
Southern Smoke Direct flash, Adam finally visited the Chocolate Factory sector and did what he had traveled for. First, he got through with Jonathan Siegrist’s piece, Pure Imagination known mostly for Sasha DiGiulian’s last year’s ascent and after an hour of rest, he cruised Adam Taylor’s
Golden Ticket. Adam was a little bit disappointed with the difficulties offered by both of the routes and while he admitted that Taylor’s line is a bit harder by suggesting downgrading it to
solid 8c+, he gave
Pure Imagination the personal grade of also 8c+ but with the
"soft one” commentary.
Jonathan Siegrist commented for Dead Point Magazine on Adam’s conquest as follows:
"YES. Very stoked for Adam. This is super impressive, and while he may be too strong to really know (probably), I think a little grade correction is long overdue in the Red - even if it is one of my routes getting downgraded... Nice work man."
Time will show what’s the case here: either the routes should really be downgraded or the 19 year old Czech is simply much stronger than he thinks he is.
On the other hand, who’s more entitled to question the gradings if not Adam? let us remind you that on his list there are
66 routes between 9a and 9b+ as well as
12 8c+ onsight (!!)
One way or another, what we are dealing here with is the history of sport climbing in the making.