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Either this is brand new 'news', Ive missed something or it's somehow been overlooked...
http://hotaches.blogspot.com/
http://hotaches.blogspot.com/
In reply to Si dH: iy, I saw that. Two Xl 11s. I suppose people dont find it a supprise with macleod anymore?? lol
In reply to Franco Cookson:
Well, its new today, although Im still surprised it hadnt been picked up.
Stunning effort yet again anyway. There seem to be a lot of impressive ascents flying around at the moment!
Well, its new today, although Im still surprised it hadnt been picked up.
Stunning effort yet again anyway. There seem to be a lot of impressive ascents flying around at the moment!
In reply to Si dH:
What an amazing all rounder Dave MacLeod is. Phenomenal. You never know what he's going to do next, all you know is that whatever game it is, it'll be at the top of it.
What an amazing all rounder Dave MacLeod is. Phenomenal. You never know what he's going to do next, all you know is that whatever game it is, it'll be at the top of it.
In reply to Si dH:
There seem to be a lot of impressive ascents flying around at the moment!
There sure is. even some in moors
There seem to be a lot of impressive ascents flying around at the moment!
There sure is. even some in moors
In reply to Si dH:
It was mentioned in one of the other "Dave Macleod climbs something really hard" threads
> Im still surprised it hadnt been picked up
It was mentioned in one of the other "Dave Macleod climbs something really hard" threads
In reply to Si dH:
Picked up on the climb website at http://www.climbmagazine.com/DaveMacLeodAllRounder.aspx
with info provided by Dave Brown at Hot Aches
Picked up on the climb website at http://www.climbmagazine.com/DaveMacLeodAllRounder.aspx
with info provided by Dave Brown at Hot Aches
In reply to Conquistador of the usless:
Dave's last blog entry was from 14th March and described a failed attempt on his project. The Hotaches blog refers to a successful ascent on 16th March (followed by what sounds like a repeat of The Hurting on 17th March).
Fantastic effort from Dave.
Dave's last blog entry was from 14th March and described a failed attempt on his project. The Hotaches blog refers to a successful ascent on 16th March (followed by what sounds like a repeat of The Hurting on 17th March).
Fantastic effort from Dave.
In reply to Si dH:
Incredible work there from Dave. 2 back to back! wow.
The Hurting looks sooo serious.
Hats off.
Incredible work there from Dave. 2 back to back! wow.
The Hurting looks sooo serious.
Hats off.
In reply to Stuart S:
Dave's blog now updated http://www.davemacleod.blogspot.com/
Don’t Die of Ignorance XI, 11 275m Dave MacLeod, Joe French March 16th 2008
Dave's blog now updated http://www.davemacleod.blogspot.com/
Don’t Die of Ignorance XI, 11 275m Dave MacLeod, Joe French March 16th 2008
In reply to Toreador: By the sounds of things it was almost "Don't Die of Determination"........
In reply to Si dH:
Brilliant to see Dave getting this one done. I saw him talking about it in a slide show in Hillhead library about 3 years ago.
The best thing about the ascent for me, is that it has been done in a ground up style. Well done Dave.
One comment Dave made during the talk in Hillhead was that he intended not to use pegs on winter ascents. Since he has used one on this ascent is this a change of tack for him?
Davie (carrier of pegs in winter)
Brilliant to see Dave getting this one done. I saw him talking about it in a slide show in Hillhead library about 3 years ago.
The best thing about the ascent for me, is that it has been done in a ground up style. Well done Dave.
One comment Dave made during the talk in Hillhead was that he intended not to use pegs on winter ascents. Since he has used one on this ascent is this a change of tack for him?
Davie (carrier of pegs in winter)
In reply to Wee Davie: Maybe it was a chouice between ground up with pegs, or pre-practised without?
I know which I think is the better style. (as an occasional peg user)
I know which I think is the better style. (as an occasional peg user)
In reply to Alasdair Fulton:
I don't have a problem with the use of pegs in winter where really needed. I agree with you, ground up with the peg was the right choice. I'm interested to hear if Dave has modified his opinions on pegs?
Davie
I don't have a problem with the use of pegs in winter where really needed. I agree with you, ground up with the peg was the right choice. I'm interested to hear if Dave has modified his opinions on pegs?
Davie
In reply to Wee Davie:
Might there also be a difference between using pegs on new routes as opposed to repeats (albeit of an aid route)?
Might there also be a difference between using pegs on new routes as opposed to repeats (albeit of an aid route)?
Forgot to say.....awe inspiring effort!
Especially since he got up again the next day and did a lap of honour for the cameras on the hurting! I'm normally struggling to walk to work the day after doing a route on the ben!
Especially since he got up again the next day and did a lap of honour for the cameras on the hurting! I'm normally struggling to walk to work the day after doing a route on the ben!
In reply to Conquistador of the usless: very impressive ascent indeed. out of interest, why repeat the hurting - was it just for film footage?
In reply to Toreador: Crikey, proper brown trouser time. The footage sounds like it would be pretty uncomfortable to watch.
In reply to Si dH:
Who's Dave MacLeod?
Who's Dave MacLeod?
In reply to Lemony: Congratulations Dave - incredible effort. Well done for sticking with the ground up approach. Just for future reference (maybe!) does it need heel spurs? Cheers Ian
Another inspirational climb - but why is it in the "World News" sections and not the "UK News"? Has Scotland gained independence from the rest of the UK without me noticing?
Busy few days in Lochaber. Tell you what I gotta say it is the best place in the UK - Ice and snow on the ben for a couple of days, perfect sport climbing at Steall the next day, bouldering on pristine boulders yesterday and today a bit of rain so I can catch up on the work backlog for a day before the conditions shape up perfect once again. The only problem with living here is not turning into a complete headless chicken.
replying to a couple of questions:
Davie - Yes I try to use as little or no pegs as I can. What I really don't like is in-situ pegs though because they kill people and mess up routes. I try not to use them at all on established summer routes like the hurting. I abbed that route (hurting) and did it pure instead of battering metal into it in order to stick to a ground up ethic. Seems folk would rather see ground up getting done. My attitude has been that inspection/prepractice allows hard things to get done without the rock suffering. Ideally you should be able to climb onsight using no pegs in Scottish winter. But anyone who does harder Scottish mixed routes knows that everything is verglassed and caked in ice so most of the time you either hammer gear or solo (or climb it in semi-winter nick of course!). So maybe there have to be some exceptions like onsight climbing in Scottish winter and the other obvious one is dolomitic limestone. Or maybe not? If everyone was prepared to accept a move to using no pegs and therefore a leader (and second) never falls attitude then Scottish winter would truly be a pure and very serious activity. But many many more climbers would die doing it. hmmm... thought provoking
abcdef - Yes I went back up to the hurting with the hot aches guys to get a bit of footage for their film. But I just did part of the route, so not too much of hard day out. I was eyeing up every boulder on the walk in though to sit down and have a kip for five minutes. The bit of their film (Committed 2) that I'll be in will be about all-round climbing and the special challenges that brings. The main thing I'm saying in the footage is that climbing as hard as you can in different disciplines at the same time means you have to be a tactics wizard and know how to adapt your climbing style and weight quickly. Going to 9.5 stone got me up 9a but I can't break trail in snow to save myself now! Earlier in the season I resorted to crawling over the snow like a gorilla. This time I went out with a fit mountain guide and moaned and puffed a lot until he went out in front.
Ian - No you don't need heelspurs, I didn't use any. Heelspurs went out a solid couple of years back!
Some other random thoughts - It's the hardest winter route I've done. Liked the comment above about 'Don't Die of Determination' Thats about right! While sauntering up the top of the comb in the moonlight it totally reminded me the nature of Scottish winter climbing - huge investments in suffering and frustration, but when it pays you back it's like winning the lottery. I was getting used to another season of abseiling off Ben Nevis cliffs and stumbling down the path feeling empty. But topping out on that route, on that night was the experience of a lifetime.
replying to a couple of questions:
Davie - Yes I try to use as little or no pegs as I can. What I really don't like is in-situ pegs though because they kill people and mess up routes. I try not to use them at all on established summer routes like the hurting. I abbed that route (hurting) and did it pure instead of battering metal into it in order to stick to a ground up ethic. Seems folk would rather see ground up getting done. My attitude has been that inspection/prepractice allows hard things to get done without the rock suffering. Ideally you should be able to climb onsight using no pegs in Scottish winter. But anyone who does harder Scottish mixed routes knows that everything is verglassed and caked in ice so most of the time you either hammer gear or solo (or climb it in semi-winter nick of course!). So maybe there have to be some exceptions like onsight climbing in Scottish winter and the other obvious one is dolomitic limestone. Or maybe not? If everyone was prepared to accept a move to using no pegs and therefore a leader (and second) never falls attitude then Scottish winter would truly be a pure and very serious activity. But many many more climbers would die doing it. hmmm... thought provoking
abcdef - Yes I went back up to the hurting with the hot aches guys to get a bit of footage for their film. But I just did part of the route, so not too much of hard day out. I was eyeing up every boulder on the walk in though to sit down and have a kip for five minutes. The bit of their film (Committed 2) that I'll be in will be about all-round climbing and the special challenges that brings. The main thing I'm saying in the footage is that climbing as hard as you can in different disciplines at the same time means you have to be a tactics wizard and know how to adapt your climbing style and weight quickly. Going to 9.5 stone got me up 9a but I can't break trail in snow to save myself now! Earlier in the season I resorted to crawling over the snow like a gorilla. This time I went out with a fit mountain guide and moaned and puffed a lot until he went out in front.
Ian - No you don't need heelspurs, I didn't use any. Heelspurs went out a solid couple of years back!
Some other random thoughts - It's the hardest winter route I've done. Liked the comment above about 'Don't Die of Determination' Thats about right! While sauntering up the top of the comb in the moonlight it totally reminded me the nature of Scottish winter climbing - huge investments in suffering and frustration, but when it pays you back it's like winning the lottery. I was getting used to another season of abseiling off Ben Nevis cliffs and stumbling down the path feeling empty. But topping out on that route, on that night was the experience of a lifetime.
In reply to Dave MacLeod: Great Stuff Dave. Very inspiring.
In reply to Dave MacLeod:
That looks a tad hard :0) I'm looking forward to seeing the film when it comes out.
That looks a tad hard :0) I'm looking forward to seeing the film when it comes out.
In reply to Si dH:
The route description and the Climb photo of The Hurting is going to give me nightmares just reading it.
Dave - you say you ad no need of heel spurs, are we seeing a move back to more "traditional" winter kit and climbing compared to the use of predominantly foreign kit? I mean, it looks like a fairly traditional rack as oppossed to whizzy leashless kit, Sportivas with integral crampons etc.
The route description and the Climb photo of The Hurting is going to give me nightmares just reading it.
Dave - you say you ad no need of heel spurs, are we seeing a move back to more "traditional" winter kit and climbing compared to the use of predominantly foreign kit? I mean, it looks like a fairly traditional rack as oppossed to whizzy leashless kit, Sportivas with integral crampons etc.
In reply to Nevis-the-cat: utter mince your spouting
anyway, back to the subject matter, outstanding effort Dave, a very improbable but obvious route to free and done in a very strong style too.
There cant be many lines outwith your reach on the Ben now? hopefully Dont Die will fire up competition and see some repeats as well as inspire others to nail the last great problems on the Ben and elsewhere. I heard of a brave attempt on sassenach earlier in the season, so close as well by all accounts, brilliant stuff.
anyway, back to the subject matter, outstanding effort Dave, a very improbable but obvious route to free and done in a very strong style too.
There cant be many lines outwith your reach on the Ben now? hopefully Dont Die will fire up competition and see some repeats as well as inspire others to nail the last great problems on the Ben and elsewhere. I heard of a brave attempt on sassenach earlier in the season, so close as well by all accounts, brilliant stuff.
In reply to Erik B:
Why so?
I asked a fair question. There is all that high end whizzy kit out there, and it looks, judging by the photos, that Dave did it in a pair of Nepals with Rages, not eactly all carbon, heel spurs and integral crampons is it?
Why so?
I asked a fair question. There is all that high end whizzy kit out there, and it looks, judging by the photos, that Dave did it in a pair of Nepals with Rages, not eactly all carbon, heel spurs and integral crampons is it?
In reply to Erik B:
Regarding Sassenach: This is what Simon Richardson said in an MCofS article:
'... This is why a route such as Sassenach on the Ben has not been climbed in winter. Without doubt it is climbable wearing axes and crampons, but it rarely holds snow or hoar frost and it is likely that any 'winter' ascent would be a rock climbing exercise with crampons on.'
'Don't die' did not see an ascent despite being in winter condition often (?) but Sassenach is rarely ever in accepted winter condition but probably more doable.
Regarding Sassenach: This is what Simon Richardson said in an MCofS article:
'... This is why a route such as Sassenach on the Ben has not been climbed in winter. Without doubt it is climbable wearing axes and crampons, but it rarely holds snow or hoar frost and it is likely that any 'winter' ascent would be a rock climbing exercise with crampons on.'
'Don't die' did not see an ascent despite being in winter condition often (?) but Sassenach is rarely ever in accepted winter condition but probably more doable.
In reply to Nevis-the-cat:
?? Not sue what photos you are looking at. I use Black Diamond Fusions (leashless axes). Leashless is far far better and more enjoyable that faffing about with leashes and not being able to swap hands on your tools. On this route I used my Phantom Lites on my feet (I work for Scarpa and Black Diamond btw). But on pevious attempts I used my fruit boots (slang for thinner boots with screw on crampons). There is footage of me trying dont die in these in the film E11. I try to wear my fruit boots whenever I can (i.e. shorter routes so not too much chance to get cold).
lighter gear = getting to the top of routes.
I had to wear less clothing than normal on dont die to save weight on the crux pitch. It worked, but I got frost nip in all my fngertips from the following belay.
> (In reply to Erik B)
>
> Why so?
>
> I asked a fair question. There is all that high end whizzy kit out there, and it looks, judging by the photos, that Dave did it in a pair of Nepals with Rages, not eactly all carbon, heel spurs and integral crampons is it?
>
> Why so?
>
> I asked a fair question. There is all that high end whizzy kit out there, and it looks, judging by the photos, that Dave did it in a pair of Nepals with Rages, not eactly all carbon, heel spurs and integral crampons is it?
?? Not sue what photos you are looking at. I use Black Diamond Fusions (leashless axes). Leashless is far far better and more enjoyable that faffing about with leashes and not being able to swap hands on your tools. On this route I used my Phantom Lites on my feet (I work for Scarpa and Black Diamond btw). But on pevious attempts I used my fruit boots (slang for thinner boots with screw on crampons). There is footage of me trying dont die in these in the film E11. I try to wear my fruit boots whenever I can (i.e. shorter routes so not too much chance to get cold).
lighter gear = getting to the top of routes.
I had to wear less clothing than normal on dont die to save weight on the crux pitch. It worked, but I got frost nip in all my fngertips from the following belay.
In reply to hwackerhage:
Surely Sassenach would have been in good nick the day Guy and Pete did Centurion?
Davie
Surely Sassenach would have been in good nick the day Guy and Pete did Centurion?
Davie
In reply to Colin Moody: I bet it was in nick round about the time ths was done,
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=80285
in fact thats round about when it was tried funnily enough
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.php?id=80285
in fact thats round about when it was tried funnily enough
In reply to Erik B:
I haven't scanned my slide of Brian on the roof so I can't show the size of the thing, I don't see how conditions would form under it like they would on Centurion.
I haven't scanned my slide of Brian on the roof so I can't show the size of the thing, I don't see how conditions would form under it like they would on Centurion.
In reply to Colin Moody:
I don't see why Sassenach should not be done as a real mixed route. Tooling the one pitch, traversing under the roof, to get to the chimney should not be frowned upon, as the other 8 pitches will hold snow/ice.
I don't see why Sassenach should not be done as a real mixed route. Tooling the one pitch, traversing under the roof, to get to the chimney should not be frowned upon, as the other 8 pitches will hold snow/ice.
In reply to Colin Moody:
Carn Dearg buttress was spectacularly well-iced that weekend, to an extent that I've not seen before.
Carn Dearg buttress was spectacularly well-iced that weekend, to an extent that I've not seen before.
In reply to Jamie B.:
I think traversing under the roof will be the crux. I thought it was E2 5b in summer, sloping holds, rounded and poorly protected. I'd have said barely possible in winter, but then so was Don't Die of Ignorance
I think traversing under the roof will be the crux. I thought it was E2 5b in summer, sloping holds, rounded and poorly protected. I'd have said barely possible in winter, but then so was Don't Die of Ignorance
In reply to Colin Moody:
I used aid too. I didn't mean the roof was E2 5b; I meant the traverse was E2 5b; it was graded HVS at the time. I did Bullroar the day before and there was just no comparison
> We used aid (before it went free).
> The guide gives it as E3 6a.
> The guide gives it as E3 6a.
I used aid too. I didn't mean the roof was E2 5b; I meant the traverse was E2 5b; it was graded HVS at the time. I did Bullroar the day before and there was just no comparison
In reply to Colin Moody:
Really, Ian Nicolson and myself did it free in June 1970. I thought it was hard.
> (In reply to Andy Nisbet)
> We used aid (before it went free).
> The guide gives it as E3 6a.
> We used aid (before it went free).
> The guide gives it as E3 6a.
Really, Ian Nicolson and myself did it free in June 1970. I thought it was hard.
In reply to Norrie Muir:
Sorry Norrie, I did it on aid after it had been climbed free.
Sorry Norrie, I did it on aid after it had been climbed free.
In reply to Wee Davie:
The roof was bare, but you could've traversed in via the Patey Traverse no bother (well, you know what i mean!). It wasn't half as plastered as Centurion though, being much more recessed.
There was a somewhat futuristic line of icicles hanging left of the access roof of Sassenach, heading into no man's land....tempting, but Centurion just looked sooooooooo good, which it was
The roof was bare, but you could've traversed in via the Patey Traverse no bother (well, you know what i mean!). It wasn't half as plastered as Centurion though, being much more recessed.
There was a somewhat futuristic line of icicles hanging left of the access roof of Sassenach, heading into no man's land....tempting, but Centurion just looked sooooooooo good, which it was
In reply to Dave MacLeod:
Good work fella. This is legendary and inspiring stuff for us mere mortals.
Good work fella. This is legendary and inspiring stuff for us mere mortals.
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