9a FA by Andy Raether again

Andy Raether has done his second 9a FA, Manphibian in Mt Charleston which is an extension of the unrepeated Spyfiction 8c+ from 2012. That route took some 7 months only working on that and now he added four months for the 9a extension. (c) Lacey Jones "Manphibian follows this gorgeous line out a super steep face and into a blank looking steep arete and is capped off by a gruesome slab finish. The most difficult climbing is the beginning and the boulder problem up the arete right after Spyfiction. This route also has the most "keep you honest" finish of pretty much any route I have ever done, because after all the most difficult climbing is over, you still need do execute a 12+ slab section that if you aren't absolutely perfect then you're done." In total, Andy with no shoe or rope sponsor, has put up some 300 routes and 600 boulders. Interesting is that the hardest grades he has repeated are 8c and the latest was five years ago. "Honestly I climb way harder on my own routes. For me I really love all the hard work of bolting, cleaning, and sequencing a new line. Others' work is usually less intriguing to me. Plus I have zero money for climbing trips. Recently I've started bolting at a few completely new crags that previously had no routes."