UKC

Lofoten / Presten / The Codfather. A question?

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 FedUp 22 Jan 2010
I’ve wanted to climb The Codfather at Lofoten since watching Fowler & Garthwaite on telly on the first ascent 10 years ago. Obviously I’ve re-watched the vid many times since and now have plenty of beta! At least I thought I did….
It’s only recently that I’ve aquired the guide in preparation for a planned trip on which this route and Vestpillaren of course, are the prime objectives.
However when I watched the vid with the guidebook to refer to aswell, it’s apparent that the crucial lower section below the big roof differs between the guidebook description and the first ascent vid. I don’t know why this would be – hence the reason for this post.

If you’ve got the Rockfax guide turn to page 146. And if you’re lucky enough to have the video the press play now!

Pitch 1 and 2 of the vid and guide match, but after this is when it differs. In the guide you can see that pitch 3 of The Codfather (route 6) moves up to the twin overlaps, traverses left under them, then angles rightwards to a central belay below the big roof, before a subsequent pitch gains the corner belay in the angle below the roof itself. However on the video, after Fowler appears to go too far on pitch 2 and then lowers back a short distance to the approximate area of the belay in the guide, Garthwaite (on pitch 3 of the first ascent) then climbs up rightwards - away from the guide description - onto the obvious orange streak and joins and belays at the end of pitch 2 of the 2006 route, Søndagskole turen instead (route 7 in the guide). Fowler subsequently climbs a short distance up the left side of the continuation of the orange streak – just past where this route moves sharp left - before doing the fantastic moves rightwards over the streak (best bit of the vid!) to the base of the obvious slanting crack which he then follows on a rope-stretcher to the belay in the angle under the roof to re-join the guide book description.

Now, as the moves rightwards across the streak above the Søndagskole turen belay, where Fowler lobs off, are the bits of the vid that inspired me to do The Codfather, I’d like to know why the description has changed and the route now veers off to the left before coming back right to the angle belay; thus missing out this best bit!?

Whatever happens I intend to (try to) climb the original line as per the video, but any of your thoughts would be welcome in the meantime!

If someone could point Mick Fowler or Mark Garthwaite (or Andy Cave who did the first ascent of Søndagskole turen) at this post I’d be very pleased to receive a personal email with their opinions too! That was worth a try wasn’t it?!

Cheers in advance…
 Si Witcher 22 Jan 2010
In reply to FedUp: Does the guide say Fowler and Garthwaite did the 1st ascent? I thought they were repeating an existing route (FA by Musgrove/Ashton? along with other genius route names like Coley Smoke). Could be wrong though - haven't been myself.
OP FedUp 23 Jan 2010
In reply to switch:

Fowler and Garthwaite made the FA on 5.7.1999 and it was filmed for TV as part of a series of 6 half hour programmes. I've got them all on video (and one day will transfer it to disc to stop further deterioration of the picture).

 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 23 Jan 2010
In reply to FedUp:

Well I put the line on the topo using the original description and diagram in the New Routes book - without the benefit of the video - so there could be an error in there. I assume the description in the guide (I don't have it with me) is a straight copy of the original - how well does that match up with the video/guide topo?


Chris
OP FedUp 23 Jan 2010
In reply to Chris Craggs:

I was waiting - and hoping - for you to reply thanks!

The Pitch 3 description from the guidebook fits the guidebook topo perfectly, but does not correspond with the video footage at all (the pitch where Garthwaite leads ‘easy but scary climbing’).

The Pitch 4 description from the guidebook does not fit the guide book topo, but fits the video footage perfectly (the pitch where Fowler fell).

Watching the video and at the same time comparing it to the picture in the guidebook (on page 146), it appears Garthwaite climbs up and right from the belay shown in the guide at the top of The Codfather pitch 2. This pitch then obviously ends at the belay of Søndagskole turen (above and right of the curving overlap in the photo). The pitch Fowler then led (where he fell) is well filmed and leads obviously up from this belay, crossing the prominent orange steak in the pitcture, to the base of the slanting crack and up, to subsequently bear right to the angle under the big roof. This is as described for pitch 4 in the guide.

Hope you can shed some light?
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 23 Jan 2010
In reply to FedUp:

Not much I can do without a copy of the guidebook (plus my photos of the New Routes Book) which are all at home. If you don't make any progress flag up this thread in a couple of weeks and I will revisit it. Hope that helps.

Chris
OP FedUp 23 Jan 2010
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Thanks for that. In the meantime I'll try and get the video transferred to disc in case you can't get to see it.
OP FedUp 24 Jan 2010
Okay, just one or two more observations gleaned from closely re-watching the video that I haven't yet mentioned. I think this might be the definitive line of The Codfather:

Pitch 1 of the vid ascent: Garthwaite belays on a grassy ledge at the junction of Ypperstepresten (route 4). The belay shown on the guide topo is actually atop a potentially loose block (described as a ‘toboggan’ on the vid).

Pitch 2 of the vid ascent: Fowler climbs through the overlap at the notch and below the orange blob as per the guidebook topo, but then starts to follow Søndagskole turen (route 7). He climbs to just above the black number 7 on the topo, but unable to find a belay he lowers diagonally back, to belay at the cracks just above the bifurcation of this route and the incorrect topo line of The Codfather in the guide.

Pitch 3 of the vid ascent: Garthwaite then leads onto and up the line of Søndagskole turen to its belay above the curving overlap on the topo.

Pitch 4 of the vid ascent: As seen from a very clear long shot, Fowler is shown positioned stepping rightwards across the orange streak, just above the Søndagskole turen belay, and in the process of reaching the diagonal crack which he then follows to the topo belay in the angle under the big roof.


So, in practical terms, The Codfather would therefore be shown on the topo in two pitches as for Søndagskole turen, with the subsequent pitch drawn on the topo crossing the orange streak to the diagonal crack and following this up to an obvious black streak where it would join the existing topo (i.e. moving up rightwards to a further black area and the belay in the corner below the roof).

I shall resurrect this thread when Chris returns to the UK…

In the meantime your comments would be appreciated. There must be other people with both the guide and the first ascent video?

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