UKC

In this short clip, Jack Geldard on sights Surgical Lust (E7 6b) on Scimitar Ridge, Llanberis Pass, North Wales.

The clip is an out-take from the film 'On Sight'. During the making of On Sight, Alastair Lee, the man behind Posing Productions climbing films, captured hundreds of hours of footage of British climbers on hard traditional routes.

This route: Surgical Lust, was first climbed in 1987 by Paul Pritchard and graded E7 6b. Jack estimates the difficulties as F7a+/F7b and thinks it would get a danger rating of X, having snappy holds and very poor protection.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=1654

In reply to UKC Articles:
Good effort Jack. I remember doing Tufty Club..., which if I remember correctly goes right of this? That felt steep enough. I wonder why this wasn't used in the video as it would have considerably increased the number of actual on-sight ascents, rather than seeing people falling off the same moves repeatedly.
Cheers
Graham

In reply to UKC Articles: Very entertaining, especially on finding the thank god jug, looks like a great climb and great climbing by Jack. Are we expecting to see more clips then from the unseen stash?

In reply to Graham Hoey: As far as I can see, film makers from Hard Grit onwards have decided that falls sell films.

In reply to John2: Isn't that what the American chappy was saying in the blog post last week? Jack and Caff do chat and say "watch me" a lot as well, which I think is endearing but did seem to bother the American viewer.

In reply to Graham Hoey: Hi Graham,

Yep, Tufty Club goes up the buttress more to the right of Surgical Lust, probably about 10 or 15 metres to the right I'd guess.

Great Crag.

Cheers,

Jack

In reply to UKC Articles: Nice one! Thanks for posting the clip, keep up the good work

In reply to UKC Articles: Made for some sweaty palm watching, good stuff!Cant believe it didn't make the 'grade' for On-Sight.

Looks like a cool crag. Iv often looked over at it while driving down the pass. Planning to give Troy and Chreon a bash some time, I'm hoping the gear will be a little better!

In reply to UKC Articles:
Good work. Made it look pretty easy.
James

In reply to UKC Articles:
Great clip. The thing I like the most about it is the way the little comments, and even breathing patterns, capture the essence of onsight trad climbing. There's one moment half way through where Jack spots a decent wire placement, and the small puff of relieved breath he lets out (and a whispered "oh yeah!") tells us more about the situation that any camera angle or commentary.

Well done all round, it might even convince me to buy the DVD. Can anybody who's seen it tell me if the rest of the footage is of the same standard?

In reply to UKC Articles:
This is possibly the best clip of climbing i have ever seen because He climbs very well (good lad) but he puts gear in, checks it too much, taps holds, breaths like he is shiting himself, talks random shite to himself and belayier etc etc etc like we all do not matter what grade we climb (grades dont matter imho just having fun does) > this clip is so like it is and well done to him so getting it done and for the people who filmed it because I can show non climbers and says this is it, this is the fight against yourself, the joy of movement on rock that makes it it worth it.
PS am i wrong in thinking that he also displays the headgame we all have before we get on a route?
This clip really shows a cragger climbing just because its his joy

In reply to UKC Articles: it's a shame this (and i'm presuming others) weren't included in an extra's section of some description.

In reply to Alun:
"Great clip. The thing I like the most about it is the way the little comments, and even breathing patterns, capture the essence of onsight trad climbing...Can anybody who's seen it tell me if the rest of the footage is of the same standard?"

Yep. It's peerless in terms of its realism in my opinion. Really captures the feeling of trad climbing.

As others say, it'd be great to see more unused footage: there's a montage at the beginning of the film which gives a tantalising glimpse of the amount of filming that was done. From what I've read, it seems that there were plenty more sucessful onsights than the film shows...

In reply to UKC Articles:
I'm suprised they didn't put this in, as for a film called onsight, there is actually a fairly minimal number of routes being onsighted in it, and an onsight of an E7 is certainly something worth of merit

In reply to UKC Articles:
Pity they didn't put all these on the film.
James

In reply to UKC Articles:

It's interesting how different teams operate. If I'd been about to do something hard and serious (relatively) and my partner told me where I was going to land, I'd be bloody unimpressed and would probably come back with a different partner: I expect them to STFU and watch the rope. But I've known other climbers before who operated like this with graveyard humour before a big lead; I suppose it occupies the mind and takes it away from any unhelpful anticipation, and once they start they find concentration comes naturally. Or something like that.

Nice clip anyway, except for the fact my useless internet connection won't play it in one.

jcm

In reply to UKC Articles: yeah great climbing that jack! i really like everything about that, im psyched to try that. Does a grainy quality video where i cant make out the holds blow the onsight?

great video keep um coming!us students cant afford to buy real films!