Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker have recently broken the speed record on the Staffordshire 'Nose' Challenge, set in July by Andi Turner and Pete Bridgwood at 8 hours and 41 minutes. Randall and Whittaker held the original record at 9 hours and 56 minutes, now holding it at 5 hours and 53 minutes...
Oh, and incidentally, Dorothy's Dilemma in the rain - if DD is the one I think it is then fuq me, I'd have thought 'scarier than Meshuga' was not necessarily any exaggeration'. IIRC this is miles above an absolutely terrible landing and nothing much to hold on to, with plenty of time to think about it.
Solo would definitely be faster - they're not always the easiest / most predictable routes to solo though! I'm looking fwd to seeing Andi get the time under 5hrs next year as that's where any self respecting Leek lad would get it.
In reply to johncoxmysteriously: yup DD was really hardcore. I only just managed to second it. Even on the biggest hold on the route I was falling off.
Well, in the dry you'd not have much trouble with most of the easier crack ones, I wouldn't have thought. Yours is an awesome time in the rain, but I'd have thought it can be taken down a lot in the dry. I'll get the popcorn.
Yeah I think it could be brought down quite a bit more. I'd love to see more teams attempting this - especially people thinking about Yosemite trips as it's perfect preparation. I'd almost go as far as to say it'd be a benchmark to work if you'd do well on a valley trip.
5 hours should be the next target, that's less than 10 minutes per route for two climbers and getting between crags. Probably leaves you about 3 minutes per route climbing time.
It's worth remembering that not only is it scarier than Meshuga and harder than Century Crack, but also has been completed by less people than The Indian Face
I had the pleasure of watching pete leading Dorothys dilemma that morning and still can't believe it was climbable. Piss wet with gear so far below u. It might be just as well to solo it.... mega respect to these two.
Luke.
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