UKC

Adam Lincoln reports:

At Earl Crag on Saturday, Jordan Buys from Burnley, made the first headpoint ascent of one of Yorkshire's last great lines.

The route, now named, French Duke, and given a tentative grade of E8 7a takes the arete to the right of Mind Bomb. It boils down to a three or four move boulder problem in the...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=11&year=2008#n45420

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Brilliant. I've seen the line and it's fantastic. Well done Jordan.

In reply to andi turner:

Really really hard. Remember trying it ages ago with Jordan and we both didn't do very well!

good effort!

In reply to andi turner:

As not an eliminate as some people have said.

So, who's for the wall to the left now then....

In reply to Adam Lincoln:
Didnt look very eliminate! Saw the chalk on it as we were driving back home that day and it looked like a truly brilliant line.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Great effort on a long standing project.

Many have tried this line. Nice one Jordan!

I always thought it would be E9 7a so there you go - I'm obviously a bit soft!

Jack

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Jordan has changed his mind, and in hindsight, has opted to grade it E9 7a.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Nice one Jordan.

In reply to Adam Lincoln:

We also need to know the French grade and YDS fear/pro grade...R, R/X, X

Also how many mats and where were they positioned and how many spotters - how tall were they and how burley they are?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


Whatever next? Surgically enhanced Z-list celebrities purchasing new routes on God's own rock??

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Wahay!!

Finally we get a BD (Burly Dudes) grade

ALC

In reply to Nic:

That was funny, I'm surprised no-one noticed that earlier lol!

In reply to Nic:

I have to admit after a long day it took me a couple of seconds

In reply to Adam Lincoln:

Just to clarify this - Jordan originally graded this E8 for two reasons:
1) He hasn't acutally climbed an E9 before (unless you count New Statesman being upgraded)
2) IF the gear at half height held, you MIGHT not hit the floor...

So in hindsight Jordan realised that none of the other routes he has climbed/repeated before have taken even remotely that much time or effort (about 10 days), so this route definitely is harder and scarier than all the E8's he has climbed. Also, the gear is pretty marginal really. Plus, bearing in mind that loads of excellent climbers have tried the line and not been able to lead it, the general consensus is that French Duke is E9 for sure.

Naomi x

In reply to Naomi Buys:

French grade, V/Font grade, and YDS R, R/X, X grade please Naomi.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Well after one very quick go many years ago, I thought it around Font 7c+.

Hard to give a sport grade to as it is a short section of hard climbing - very grit-esque. But I'm sure Jordan has a much better idea than me.

So a dangerous Font 7c+ = F8b R? Or there-abouts I would guess.

E9 7a (Font 7c+ crux) would be the best way of describing it!

Jack

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Sorry, Jack but thats unexceptable - to not give this route a "proper" french grade. Next thing you'll be suggesting that E grades actually work.

In reply to Ian Parnell: To clarify - if he had to, Jordan would give the route 8a+ but says its just too short to give it a French grade. Its a 7c+, V9/10 boulder problem above some marginal gear. Video coming up!

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
Yea you are not far off there Jack, not pumpy in the least, just tricky so can only say Font 7c+ish.Would love someone to repeat it, its good fun... Also E9 makes me feel manlier too.

In reply to Jordan:

Cheers Jordan and Al - great to get it straight from ..... and congratulations .... I remember Peggy doing Mind Bomb ..... isn't there another line there too ?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The leaning wall to the right is a well-known LGP. It's all there for a crazed V12 pebble puller. Slopey crimp to a good edge/rail, then twin pebble rockover dyno. No gear. Delightful.

In reply to Naomi Buys:

No it isn't.

In reply to Tom Briggs:

Sounds like you have some intimacy there Tom with this piece of rock - but you haven't committed I gather? Or tied the (lead) knot ..... or spread the matts..to consummate the relationship.

I'll shut up.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Just a quick 'look' on abseil some years ago to confirm that it was "next generation"