UKC

I was at Ilkley Quarry on sunday and was lucky enough to see James Pearson onsight Deathwatch (E7 6b) in the dark - luckily I was on hand to lend a head torch! What a mentalist, but also an inspirational climber. He pretty much walked all over it, and made it look too easy! I was there belaying Sean Jacobs, who has put up an new route Turbo Prop (E5 6b?) on the arete between Propeller Wall and Old Crack.

In reply to davepwsmith:

What's with all these ascents by headtorch these days ? That always used to be the preserve of the incompetent !

In reply to GrahamD: No idea. I offered it as a joke about half an hour before when he was still thinking about it. Then just before the ascent his girlfriend said "d'you want a head-torch" and he looked enthusiastic/surprised so I dug it out!

In reply to davepwsmith:

Was it chalked? Impressive stuff either way.
jk

In reply to jkarran:

His girlfriend abseiled down and brushed it, but didn't chalk anything I don't think, she just said "it's a different colour, you'll see it when you're up here!". His 'ethics' (I hate that word) were pretty strict. He had a mat on the bottom, but insisted it was removed the minute he was on the rock, because it was 'just to keep his feet clean'. He wouldn't even ab down himself to brush it, and then his girlfriend told us that he'd closed his eyes and covered his ears when it was on some video or other!

In reply to davepwsmith: His girlfriend abseiled down and brushed it


The ultimate climbing girlfriend ? I hope he brushes their house in return

In reply to Simon Lee: His mum does that.

In reply to Glyn Jones:

Ha, bit off topic but i watched the short film 'Keen Youth' last night and had to laugh at the bit where James (aged about 8) scaled up the scaffolding on the side of his house while his mum (instead of scraming at him to get down etc.) filmed him doing it.

Does she drink?

In reply to Adam Moroz: heavily but I hear it's only water.

In reply to Glyn Jones:

Ha ha!

Disclaimer

By the way to all the anal posters on here that was a joke and was in no way meant as a personal insult to Mrs Pearson who seems like a lovely lady.

In reply to Adam Moroz:

I bet she is a lovely lady putting up with all the chalk marks around the outside of the house.

Nice one keen yoof.

In reply to davepwsmith:

I was just wondering how he planned to find the holds in the dark really.

jk

In reply to davepwsmith: Can you have an onsight in the dark? We need another category.

In reply to davepwsmith:
Beast! Wish Id been there. Would loved to have attempted to second it.

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Haha I watched that too myself last night. James's bits of commentary are funny to him climbing the scaffolding.

He has some awesome strength that lad.

How old is he now???? 21???

In reply to GrahamD:

if you can't see it it can't scare you!

In reply to JDal:

Didn't Dave McCleod do a climb in almost dark conditions also in the Peak?
Can't remember the name of it but it is on the Committed DVD.

BM

In reply to Bananaman:


Yep Blind Vision E9/10 at Froggatt

In reply to Adam Moroz:

That's the one. cheers mate, didn't have my Committed dvd to hand.
It was great watching him climb that.

BM

In reply to Will Hunt: The second would basically have been a top rope, the only gear's at ground level, to stop you rolling off down the hill.

In reply to Will Hunt:


Shirly you mean toprope, the only runner's on the floor in the gully isn't it? :-P

jk

In reply to jkarran:
Hmmm a very fine line between the two things I suppose. I reckon its more ethical if someones actually lead it though.

In reply to Will Hunt: Ethical my arse, that's a toprope Will! To be fair, I can't see the huge distinction between seconding and toproping - technically it obviously IS toproping - you're climbing a rope which is belayed from the top. In fact, climbing a route with a big swing would be positively easier on a second than a toprope. You can all gun me down now.

In reply to davepwsmith:

An absolute cake walk for James.