UKC

Hello everyone,

i just spent about a month in UK and really enjoyed the climbing in Scotland and in the peak district. Eventually i could climb my dreams routes even in summer which I thought would be impossible considering the  style of climbing. Anyway, today 9am i sent Gaia after working on it in the sun by 23degrees two days ago. I know that's nuts. But i live far away from UK so it is what it is. 
i could not do the traverse on the sloppers due to my hands slipping straight away with the heat. So I thought, why not jumping from the right hand slopper to the final jug/arrete? I did it, and it worked. So as I did my homeworks in order to make the route the  safest possible, i checked all the videos that I could find on the web but did not see anyone doing this. My question is : does anyone has ever sent the route like this? I have it on tape if ever someone is interested. Thank you for helping me figuring it out. I ll appreciate. Jonas. From france 

Similar to Sean Mccol? 

youtube.com/watch?v=2Plhx0ztZkI&

Nice, you've almost certainly got the record for the warmest ascent! I'd like to see the video.

The slopers are pretty good when it's cold, so I doubt anyone else has tried it that way. 

No i don't match the slopper with my left hand. I take it with the right hand and jump from there with my left hand on nothing. Quite weird.also i really jump. Sean mc cool seems to just close easilly his left bicep haha

happy to have that record haha. I will create a youtube account and post it. I ll put the link here when it's done

Having said that, didn't Toru Nakajima tick a lot of hard grit routes, including Gaia, in pretty warm connies? Not sure how it compares.

Did you do Balance It is a few weeks ago? Possibly met you if you did 

I'm ok with whatever spot on the podium haha. I'm no pro climber. I just trad climb in holidays around europe and sport climb home once a month.

Here's the link : youtube.com/watch?v=-THGh3Tp29I&

Yes I did ! when did we meet ? at the bottom of Nosferatu ? The climbing shop ?

We met at the bottom of Nosferatu, there was an interesting cultural discussion about dog poo bags and their owners 🤣

What did you get up to on the rest of your trip?

Very interesting to meet you here. Actually we followed your advice. Thanks a lot that was perfect. We went to Reiff and It was epic. Good weather despite loads of midges. We did the beautiful The Screamer, a bunch of moderate routes and for me the goal was to climb The Undertow (E7) in Bouldering Cliff which was one of the most beautiful bits of rock i've climbed on. The surroundings are amazing. A bit of Fishing, hiking ... We will definitely come back. But never again in summer .... ***** midge. That's the reason why we stayed up there only two weeks. Sheigra was nice as well. Then I did Master's edge and had the full grit experience again (after balance it is) :Took the big whipper until a soft catch feet on the ground. Then Gaia.

You'll have to come to North Wales next time 😁

Ace first ascents like the one below still up for grabs, this one was new last week.

Superb video quality. Superb achievement.

What a brilliant thread! Hope you enjoyed your trip Jonas. 

I'd love to see an undertow ascent!

Sorry we did not film this one. Such a good route. 

Excellent video and ascent. Well done!

No need to harm butterflies on the sloper. 

Ladybird surely?

That's mad, well done! I've never seen anyone do that and I've watched a few Gaia videos. Out of curiosity how tall are you?

That's a good question. I'm 185cm. Gaia is definitely easier for tall people. The crux moove of the beginning, but also in the stamming positions where i felt very stable with my reach and it was hard to understand how people loose balance there. I know the style suits me well but still if you are my size it does help again. Then the jump. It is not so far actually and it took me maybe 5 minutes in the first try top rope to try this. Obvious. I was able to go 15cm higher than needeed. And it depends a lot of your left quad! Of course again easier if you are tall. But the traverse with the feet reaaally low does not help either for small people. 

This is mega. Allez! 

Just out of interest do you climb on plastic? i was pretty sceptical about the new trend for parkour style competition setting and the relevance to outdoor climbing, who is going to be jumping around on poorly protected trad right? Looks like i have been proven wrong yet again! 

Please tell us that you in addition at least do some secret hangboarding or something, otherwise I‘m giving up climbing for good.

Fantastic achievement!

Brilliant reading and a superb trip all round. 

Fantastic!  Well done!

Hi Jonas. Nice to meet you in Scotland - we had a chat at the campsite near Reiff.

I'm pretty sure no one has climbed Gaia by this sequence before. Good effort, looks terrifying! That's a great set of ticks for August!

I suggest you visit in the spring next time, the grit is better cooler weather and the midges in Scotland don't really get bad until June.

Au revoir, Adam

I never climb on plastic. Only rock. But where i am from the sandstone does not provide many holds so it's really often bouldering on the rope with small crimps, jumps, dynamics. Which i m not especially good at but i had to at least get better at it. Actually i m from the same region as Jean Minh Trinh Thieu, the really strong climber at the time that fell from Gaia and hurt himself in the Grit movie. 

Thank you!

Well i climb for 15 years now so I think I have a good overall background in climbing. So when I climb for one month in summer I get back  quite quick to a decent shape again. But no. I never climb in the gym, and I never train. But I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 2 to 3 times per week which definitely sharpens me for climbing as well.

Hey Adam! That's nice to read you here, thanks for your feedback. yes It was scary to do this move as you have to accept loosing control. I was not sure if I could relax enough to go for it. And also I would have fell from pretty high. Emma was prepared to run down the hill and I guess this gave me enough confidence to let go everything.
Yes we will follow your advice, and also your tips about the islands west of Scotland are still in the back of my mind. Next time!

Well I climb for 45+ years now so I also think I have a pretty good background in climbing, but I‘m still gobsmacked. Maybe I should take up Braziilian Ju-Jitsu.

Nice touch with Jean-Minh. Now that‘s what I call tradition.

If you've been climbing for 45+ years, probably best to start with the bossa nova.

Hi Jonas, 

Amazing video, congrats on the ascent. I've belayed someone using the exact same beta at the end on Gaia. The crazy mo for only had me belaying, no mat and no bottom runner. One of my friends took photos but the light was fading fast so you can barely see him.

Just wondered what you were referring to here? Not sure if you meant to put a link in.

There is a photo attached to that post, might not have loaded for you?

Got it now, cheers.