UKC

"All they did on the Dru was to suffer a bit to raise their media profile". One magazine editor's view of Parnell and Kirkpatrick's efforts on the Lafaille Route last winter. And Parnell is at it again! Selling his soul along with Kenton Cool on the 8,000ft SW face of Denali.

The pair have just made the second ascent of 'The Denali Diamond', which was unrepeated since 1983. After first flailing on Mt Foraker, "a cold, dry winter had left snow as bottomless ball bearings..the continuous sunshine of April and May melted out most usable ice", they moved on to Denali. The first ascent had taken 17 days, Parnell and Cool fired it in 5, opting for the lightweight approach and climbing at night (sleep in the daytime and you only need a 1 season bag - get it!) Despite the forecast changing and constant snowfall for 4 days, broken tent poles and a dropped axe just before the crux, they used just 1 rest point and 1 tension point on the route to bypass the previously aided (A3) roof (the pitch would rate as Scottish VIII 8 all free). Parnell descibes the following day as "one of my worst days in the mountains" breaking trail through 40 degree snow on the upper reaches of the Cassin (which the route eventually joins).

So what will the armchair columnists have to say about this little piece of alpinism? Will they get all upset again? Who gives a Sh*t - good effort boys!

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Excellent effort.

I was fairly disgusted by "that" rags editorial comments on them anyway.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: pah! but whats 5 days continuous effort in extreme conditions to pitting yourself against a 15ft piece of Grit 10 mins from the car, hey.

Top effort from the boys - and who says the golden days of British Alpinisme are dead

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

I do think they received a bit too much stick for their efforts on the Dru. It's certainly something that I, nor many of the their critics, would want to attempt. Makes my bowels move just thinking about it. However, I agree with Haston's point about whether or not it can be considered to be the hardest route in the Alps. Seems a bit subjective really. Can the hardest route be an aid route? I would expect the hardest routes to be climbed by the likes of Huber. Just a thought.

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:

the sentence 'It's certainly something that I, nor many of their critics, would want to attempt' should have had a 'not' inbetween 'certainly' and 'something'. Thought I'd point that out before someone offered me the opportunity to give it a go. Shudder.

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:
It is no good Haston spouting unless he has done it, obviously a second division climber who can't quite hack it when the chips are down.
Fer christs sake don't tell him where I live.

In reply to sutty:
I remember an interview where Mr Haston was acused of not being an 'all round climber' because he'd never done any hard aid routes. He glared at the interviewer and responded "do you think i couldn't get up an A5 pitch if i wanted too!?" (with the sound of popping veins and flying spit). The interveiwer sank in his chair under the onslaught...
james e

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: Aye, I remember that. Was it American climber mag ye?

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

Are these guys British climbers?

It's just that I've noticed in the past the media in Britain constantly slating the better climbers - why not accept their achievements and promote climbing instead of making the climbing scene look so shabby? I don't know...

In reply to Tom G:

It's not what you do....

It's who you know....or in this case...who you write for...

Parnell got slagged by some sport/boulderer person who edits a magazine and has little or no experience in the mountains......plus Parnell writes for Climber a rival magazine to the one this sport/boulderer edits...

And then some climbing magazine columnist (who is actually an exceptional alpine climber but has a huge freakin chip on his shoulder) slagged off Parnell in the same issue that the sport/boulderer regergitated his sour grapes....

It basically comes down to:

1. professional jealousy over copy in magazines (publicity)

2. a mad scramble for sponsorship and advertizing money

3. the definition of hardest

It's just the way we are now...

Mick

In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA: What Andy K and Ian P did on the Dru was pretty amazing - but I think what was central to the debate by some people who have some idea about what they were doing was the fact that they didn't summit. Its exactly the same argument over a lot of Alaskan ascents and in Patagonia as well - have you climbed the route if you don't get to the top of the mountain?

Of course some people were just jealous or ignorant - but the debate over style of ascent is one were justifiable arguments can be made either way.

In reply to TobyA: I find it quite amusing that Haston is now back tracking and praising Scottish Winter climbing and slagging the likes of ice dribble free Gadd... wasnt it not so long ago that Haston was blowing his own trumpet about his dry tooling to dribbles of ice desperates..??? I think his memory is a wee bit selective.. or is it another case of controversial = publicity = keeps sponsors happy?
Good effort Parnell and Cool.

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:
"I would expect the hardest routes to be climbed by the likes of Huber."
What an ignorance of Lafaille's climbing levels, in any field. He does not have the exact Huber 's profile, but at
the same global value, one of the best. If not him,
who are the likes of Huber? " Just a thought"
gives an hint on infinite emptyness ..

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor: I thought Haston's comments were shocking when I first read them, but in retrospect, they were quite good I think. It was very true what he said about them missing the crux pitch out and not going to the top, but it was still a good effort by them. Everyone knows what Haston is like and I thought it was a good column. It is always good when it provokes thoughts, which ever way they are.
Nice one Stevie, and nice one Parnell in Alaska

In reply to Ponette:

Fair point. I know Lafaille is a great climber but my point was whether or not an aid route can be considered to be the hardest route in the alps and did not really concern Lafaille's undoubted ability. Haston asked whether the hardest routes can really be climbed by people who are not top class rock climbers. It is the definition of 'hardest' that seems to be the problem here. Hardest technically or hardest psychologically?

In answer to your question 'who are the like's of Huber?'. Well, Leo Houlding's out there freeing big wall aid routes. A remarkable climber. Maybe one day he'll climb the 'hardest route in the alps'. You never know.

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:
Thanks for the answer. Sure that Bellavista is an harder free climb and Lafaille's last one may only compete for the
aid routes (in high mountain which is very different from
Yosemite or Naranjo conditions ). But it is not correct to point an "hardest route " . Even in free routes, there are
very different categories, and Hotel Supramonte free is
difficult to be compared with the (fantastic from my point of view )free ascent of Divine Providence by Ghersen and Renault in ...91. There are always many hardest routes , many best climbers, and when it seems that one or
another is better, most of the times it does not last long..
Cheers

In reply to Ponette:

your knowledge, and no doubt your experience, of these things is far greater than mine (I gave up all the dangerous stuff when my baby daughter was born this year). Anyway, a debate on what can be deemed 'hardest' is an interesting topic of conversation.

I thought you might be interested in the following interview with Haston (click below)

http://members.aol.com/ptakeda1/writing/mad_cow.html

It gives some idea of why he gets worked up about certain things like aid climbs etc and also mentions a certain Lafaille route. Whether you agree with him or not, it makes for interesting reading. Enjoy!

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:
Hello, I must admit my "great knowledge and experience" in hard climbing are controversial,(only did some hard solos and unprotected routes years ago...also reached my girl friend 3rd floor window from outside )
When it comes to Haston, he (seems to )have a problem, no ? It does not forbid him to be a great very gifted climber, but being a great climber does not prevent him from suffering a psycho problem. Surely he deserves
respect because of his sincere love and commitment, may be not because of the weight of his arguments
Then it is difficult (and useless to me), to go into any particular point he makes, just
this: SOME top climbers and alpinists DO NOT criticize or juge the others, and this does not forbid them to be at top.
Even when it comes to risky stuff, Haston meets his masters, with Alain Robert in pure rock solos , with the Russians in high mountain totally loose rock routes, and please did
you hear them criticize or minimise anyone's merits?.
Cheers

In reply to Ponette:

All very true. However, maybe Haston is just too honest and wears his heart on his sleeve. I'm sure that other top climbers feel the same way about many issues as he does. The difference is that he speaks his mind whilst others keep quiet. Haston seems to criticise those who overexaggerate their achievements (see his article in On The Edge last month if you get the chance). He doesn't seem to criticise for no reason and I don't think he was critical of Lafaille, rather those who 'repeated' the route on the Dru. He is critical when climbers have an overinflated opinion of themselves and think they are better than they really are, and that their climbs are more important than they really are. Many people accuse Haston of being a hypocrite, and say that he has an overinflated opinion of himself. However, he climbs 8c, M11, Numerous ED+ soloes (possibly more than any other British Alpinist). If he were a 'nice guy' then he would probably be the most celebrated british climber. Instead he is the most notorious. A great shame.

In reply to Jamie Pembroke:

I must say I cannot help finding the British climbing scene particularly competitive.

In reply to Tom, UKC News Editor:

On the ******* ball! Sounds like a pukka-ho adventure, hope they got buckled when they got down! Kenton Cool has come a long way from working in Cotswold Camping!! If thsy didint put their bodies on the line then no magasine would have anything interesting to write anyway!

In reply to francoise: sans competition pas de sport. i believe the man who said that may have been french.