UKC

Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter has made the second ascent of Leo Houlding's El Cap swan song The Prophet (E9, 500m). But the route didn't go down easily.

"I think it was the most savage and satisfying rock climb of my life. One of the hardest routes I have ever done. My first El Cap route ever. And I'm glad it's over..."

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=65119

In reply to UKC News: Brilliant effort by both guys! I hope Will goes back and gets it next year!

In reply to UKC News:

I'm guessing you are deliberately ignoring Sonnie's modest assertion which characterises the ascent as a “failure” in the hope that and interesting ethic debate brews. This may be far too subtle an approach as, I fear the prevailing ethic as pointed out by Franco on the other thread, is unknown to a lot of us. I’m thinking confusion will ensue when trying to reconcile the UKC headline with Sonnie’s blog.

Let’s have a new headline, “Sonnie let down big style by fellow canadian Glad”.

:¬)

In reply to JLS:
I don't read Sonnie's blog as saying that he failed, I read it as saying he succeeded. Don't know whether he's conformed to the '1 person leads all pitches free' thing or has just freed all of them, with some of the others being on second. I don't get the impression he feels he needs to go back to 'finish' anything, but that Will does.

In reply to abarro81:

>"I don't read Sonnie's blog as saying that he failed"

Yeah, on re-reading you are correct. I think I misunderstood the, "5 weeks in the Valley, 5 failed ground up attempts" statement.

I could have sworn it had suggested a "team" failure...

In reply to UKC News:

Sweet jesus. Has Leo died? Surely not?

In reply to chuffer: I think it can also mean the last act before retiring from something- here perhaps Yosemite climbing?

In reply to UKC News: Awesome! I bet that felt good. Leo and Jason must be chuffed too : )

In reply to chuffer:

Well he did look at a bit rough at Kendal on Saturday night, but I didn't think it was terminal...