UKC

"The other major thing on my mind was that the top RP snapped on one fall and I glanced the belay ledge as I went passed (70 footer). If it had snapped a split second later there is potential to die on the belay ledge?"

Because of the very high technical difficulty and the danger, I thought a tentative E11 7a was warranted.

Read more in 'Dave MacLeod, The Modern Traditionalist – E11'.


http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=198

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
pox, and he's two years younger than me.

In reply to Dr.Strangeglove: The look on his face says it all, in fact maybe a little more.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Are you sure he boulders at font 8C mick? Don't you mean 8B?

In reply to 8A:

He's done Marcus Brock's Armstrong, which is 8c.

In reply to tony: Marcus Bock's Armstrong is indeed 8c.

'tis a route though, not a boulder problem.

In reply to Peter Walker: 'I've hardly done anything else except try this route for nearly 2 years'

Just Scottish winter XI, Font 8B, 3rd ascent of Breathless.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: clearly the UK's best climber at the moment. His list of achievements are second to none and awesome. Bloody amazing.

Will Mr MacLeod ease up now and be happy with his lot or go onto even more unbelievable stuff?

Time I got back out and did some climbing.

In reply to Peter Walker:

Ah. Fair point, well made.

In reply to 8A:

If I've imagined this he's still capable, but wasn't there some swiss font 8c thing?

In reply to yer maw:

Woah, woah, woah ... lets not forget Rich Simpson.

In reply to 8A:

These are all boulder problems. He has done sport 8c on Dumbuck.

Davie

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Repeated falls up to 70' onto an RP! Wow.

Whatever one calls it, trad, sprad, headpoint, whatever the grade turns out to be, this has got to be one of the world's most impressive single pitch first ascents ever.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Harderst trad route in the world - in a HELMET! Dave you are my, and probably all other wussy helmet wearers', hero. What a dude.

V interesting comment about Breathless (supposed E10) being three E grades easier. Rather challenges Dunne (and Birkett who repeated it without much comment on the grade IIRC). Breathless looks fairly mind-blowing in its own right tho.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

congrats mr macleod. amazing stuff. looking forward to seeing the vid.
danny

In reply to JonC:

Which is to say he might have actually undergraded it at E11 and his E9s are probably E10 !

I guess it will take a while for enough repeats to find out.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Good to read proper information about such an impressive ascent. There are also detailed but different reports on ScottishClimbs.com, Planetfear.com and CubbyImages.

As for the ascent itself, awesome stuff, the man is a legend. Sound bloke and an inspiringly cutting edge climber, you can see to total dedication and love of climbing.

I like the way it mirrors Requiem as the hardest trad route when it was done and the "other" direct finish, Alchemie Scotland's first E9. A certain "neatness" there.

Just one question - in terms of physical difficulty, is it really only 7a tech?

In reply to yer maw:
You not better waiting until El Diablo is fit enough to hold your falls?

In reply to Removed User: Dinnae worry, it'll no' be too far away, ah'll be back on rock before Yer Maw.