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![[Whitestone Cliff Traverse 4, 3 kb]](http://img.ukclimbing.com/t/119148.jpg "[Whitestone Cliff Traverse 4, 3 kb]")
Luke Hunt and Franco Cookson have succeeded on their long-term project of free climbing the girdle of Whitestone Cliff, North Yorkshire at a grade of HXS 6b.
The 14 pitch adventure is described as a
"brilliant and serious route, weaving a line of weakness through spectacular rock architecture".
Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=48200
In reply to UKC News:
That's the problem with the youth of today, brought up at climbing walls, they've no sense of adventure
That's the problem with the youth of today, brought up at climbing walls, they've no sense of adventure
In reply to UKC News: Well done.
In reply to UKC News: Franco Cookson collection photos! Franco Cookson!
7 hours i sat taking photos!
More to the point i got small video clip as well. Wish i had taken a few more
youtube.com/watch?v=a-upW7_QPoQ&
7 hours i sat taking photos!
More to the point i got small video clip as well. Wish i had taken a few more
youtube.com/watch?v=a-upW7_QPoQ&
In reply to UKC News:
the things you have to do to get your name in these forums if you're barred from posting :p
the things you have to do to get your name in these forums if you're barred from posting :p
In reply to UKC News: Impressive stuff. Bo)
In reply to Toreador: oo-err! bagsy not get hit by that on its way down
In reply to Toreador: nice. . . those sea stacks at flamborough should be able to go now, should feel quite solid then in comparison
In reply to GuyVG:
I dont think so, they really did look horrendously dangerous last time I was at Flamborough.....I think i'd rather go bouldering :P
> (In reply to Toreador) nice. . . those sea stacks at flamborough should be able to go now, should feel quite solid then in comparison
I dont think so, they really did look horrendously dangerous last time I was at Flamborough.....I think i'd rather go bouldering :P
In reply to UKC News: pah! traversing is halfway to top-roping
In reply to Dave Warburton: Hi Dave,
Sorry I didn't know you had taken the photos.
I will change the credit. Great shots there - well done.
I particularly like the one Whitestone Cliff Traverse 4.
Also, if you have some more inspiring captions for them - I can change those too.
You can get me on email via the link above (my name).
Cheers!
Oh and well done Luke and Franco, looks like a lovely outing. Men after my own heart.
Sorry I didn't know you had taken the photos.
I will change the credit. Great shots there - well done.
I particularly like the one Whitestone Cliff Traverse 4.
Also, if you have some more inspiring captions for them - I can change those too.
You can get me on email via the link above (my name).
Cheers!
Oh and well done Luke and Franco, looks like a lovely outing. Men after my own heart.
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: No worries, i reckon it was Franco 'conveniently forgetting' anyhow.
Also are these photos actually on UKC? As i was intending to put some on my Gallery, but don't want to if it makes duplicates??
Cheers.
Also are these photos actually on UKC? As i was intending to put some on my Gallery, but don't want to if it makes duplicates??
Cheers.
In reply to Dave Warburton:
awesome effort you 2 and good pictures from dave "the lens" warburton :O)
awesome effort you 2 and good pictures from dave "the lens" warburton :O)
In reply to plexiglass_nick: seven and a half hours apparently
http://francocookson-climbing.blogspot.com/
http://francocookson-climbing.blogspot.com/
In reply to UKC News: Nice one!
In reply to MattG:
Anyone who has climbed at "that" end of whitestone knows the weakness of the rock in places !
Anyone who has climbed at "that" end of whitestone knows the weakness of the rock in places !
In reply to martin heywood:
But then, without his persistance, he would not have done the route.
Well done lads: a fine effort in the best tradition of adventure climbing.
Y.
But then, without his persistance, he would not have done the route.
Well done lads: a fine effort in the best tradition of adventure climbing.
Y.
In reply to UKC News:
Are they old enough to join a climbing club yet?
Well done to them, just shows what you can do if mad enough and driven enough to do something.
Are they old enough to join a climbing club yet?
Well done to them, just shows what you can do if mad enough and driven enough to do something.
In reply to sutty:
What do you mean by that?
They are both members of the Cleveland Mountaineering Club, same as one of the First Ascentionists Chris Woodal, who told us a lot of stories about his attempts at the Traverse!
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> Are they old enough to join a climbing club yet?
>
> Are they old enough to join a climbing club yet?
What do you mean by that?
They are both members of the Cleveland Mountaineering Club, same as one of the First Ascentionists Chris Woodal, who told us a lot of stories about his attempts at the Traverse!
In reply to Dave Warburton:
Well forgotten how long it has been since you posted, and thought it daft you could be doing hard routes under 18 years old and yet had to be protected from unsavoury people in clubs and huts till you were over 18.
I am on your side, after all, most of us older people were doing the same at 16-17 without restriction, then someone decided you needed protecting.
Well forgotten how long it has been since you posted, and thought it daft you could be doing hard routes under 18 years old and yet had to be protected from unsavoury people in clubs and huts till you were over 18.
I am on your side, after all, most of us older people were doing the same at 16-17 without restriction, then someone decided you needed protecting.
In reply to sutty: Oh i see. The club is quite 'common sense' with respect to that i feel.
You have to go to meets and be 'proposed' by club members. Then if under 18, which we were when we joined, you just need Parental permission.
Red tape and all that!
You have to go to meets and be 'proposed' by club members. Then if under 18, which we were when we joined, you just need Parental permission.
Red tape and all that!
In reply to Dave Warburton:
Covering their arses more like. We had people who 'may have been' 16 at the Christmas meet. We asked anyone under 18 to bring a letter to show their age, and as nobody did we assumed everyone was 18.
YHA let you in with a note at 14.
Covering their arses more like. We had people who 'may have been' 16 at the Christmas meet. We asked anyone under 18 to bring a letter to show their age, and as nobody did we assumed everyone was 18.
YHA let you in with a note at 14.
In reply to UKC News: Awesome work. I can see whitestone from the windows of both my house and my office, where it looks very nice. up close it looks like it will turn to dust if you actually touch it
In reply to UKC News:
Good effort lads. (As a small aside), if I'd been the leader on Whitestone (Pitch?) 4, I'd have suggested to the second that he take a feckin' bit o' rope in. But, overall, good effort.
HXS is the best grade ever. (Well, apart from 8a.)
Mick
Good effort lads. (As a small aside), if I'd been the leader on Whitestone (Pitch?) 4, I'd have suggested to the second that he take a feckin' bit o' rope in. But, overall, good effort.
HXS is the best grade ever. (Well, apart from 8a.)
Mick
In reply to Mick Ward:
And I'd like to ask Franco what he's tied on to in Whitestone Cliff Traverse 3...
Although perhaps it doesn't matter if the rock's all as bad as the bit in Dave's video?
> (As a small aside), if I'd been the leader on Whitestone (Pitch?) 4, I'd have suggested to the second that he take a feckin' bit o' rope in.
And I'd like to ask Franco what he's tied on to in Whitestone Cliff Traverse 3...
Although perhaps it doesn't matter if the rock's all as bad as the bit in Dave's video?
In reply to UKC News:
Good effort, looks like quite an outing!
As a matter of interest, what is going on in this photo?:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jSE7Xk_yaWY/SktkiQhjreI/AAAAAAAAAvs/69pWBV2kkbI/s...
Set up to belay, but not on a belay, and with another helmet behind. I'm not digging, but genuinely interested.
Good effort, looks like quite an outing!
As a matter of interest, what is going on in this photo?:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jSE7Xk_yaWY/SktkiQhjreI/AAAAAAAAAvs/69pWBV2kkbI/s...
Set up to belay, but not on a belay, and with another helmet behind. I'm not digging, but genuinely interested.
In reply to UKC News:
I still have to further my admiration. If Franco wasn't banned and posted about doing this he'd have got about about 300 posts telling him not to bother.
I still have to further my admiration. If Franco wasn't banned and posted about doing this he'd have got about about 300 posts telling him not to bother.
In reply to UKC News:
Fine effort. I did it about 25 years ago with a guy who had a bad experience on a successfull the North Face of the Eiger in terrible weather; given the choice of having to do the North Face or the Whitestone Girdle again, he said that he would opt for the Eigerwand every time.
What were the belays like after your crux pitch? They were rubbish when I did it and, since we were doing it in the opposite direction, I had to take the full weight of my leader as he stretched around the corner for the first peg. Rather exciting!
Fine effort. I did it about 25 years ago with a guy who had a bad experience on a successfull the North Face of the Eiger in terrible weather; given the choice of having to do the North Face or the Whitestone Girdle again, he said that he would opt for the Eigerwand every time.
What were the belays like after your crux pitch? They were rubbish when I did it and, since we were doing it in the opposite direction, I had to take the full weight of my leader as he stretched around the corner for the first peg. Rather exciting!
Nice work yoots....
This and the Brown/Whillans challenge this week just shows there are adventures to be had close to home. Inspiring stuff...
This and the Brown/Whillans challenge this week just shows there are adventures to be had close to home. Inspiring stuff...
In reply to UKC News: Good effort lads!!
In reply to James Jackson: Luke just nailed the Crux pitch. Obviously got very excited, tied into his belay then decided a Cigarette was in order. I laughed as i took the photo, it seemed almost timeless.
He's tied into a couple of pegs i think near his right elbow. The helmet was off, as it was extremely warm and he didn't wear it for the crux, but he pulled it across with the red rucksack so Franco didn't have to carry it as he did the crux.
Cheers, Dave.
He's tied into a couple of pegs i think near his right elbow. The helmet was off, as it was extremely warm and he didn't wear it for the crux, but he pulled it across with the red rucksack so Franco didn't have to carry it as he did the crux.
Cheers, Dave.
In reply to petestack:
Probably the only solid belay on the cliff! A big fat boulder thread!
> (In reply to Mick Ward)
> [...]
>
> And I'd like to ask Franco what he's tied on to in Whitestone Cliff Traverse 3...
> [...]
>
> And I'd like to ask Franco what he's tied on to in Whitestone Cliff Traverse 3...
Probably the only solid belay on the cliff! A big fat boulder thread!
In reply to Dave Warburton:
Ah yes, cheeky pegs up by the elbow! I hope they're just as bomber as some of the Avon classics to really fit in with the route!
Ah yes, cheeky pegs up by the elbow! I hope they're just as bomber as some of the Avon classics to really fit in with the route!
In reply to Mick Ward: HXS? Can somebody enlighten me about this grade. No cheek please...
In reply to Dave Morrison:
Hard Extremely Severe. Used to grade highly unconventional climbing, often very serious, loose, weird, retreat difficult if not impossible, death for one or both members of the team in the case of falls etc etc etc.
Think about Breakaway - "after pitch 2 retreat would be at best extremely difficult and at worst terminally easy".
Hard Extremely Severe. Used to grade highly unconventional climbing, often very serious, loose, weird, retreat difficult if not impossible, death for one or both members of the team in the case of falls etc etc etc.
Think about Breakaway - "after pitch 2 retreat would be at best extremely difficult and at worst terminally easy".
In reply to Pagan: Thanks, it seemed logical for those letters but couldn't find any info with a quck search. Awesome climbing.
In reply to Toreador:
Only Franco certainly wasn't brought up on climbing walls!
> (In reply to UKC News)
> That's the problem with the youth of today, brought up at climbing walls, they've no sense of adventure
> That's the problem with the youth of today, brought up at climbing walls, they've no sense of adventure
Only Franco certainly wasn't brought up on climbing walls!
Dave, your 1989 date for Chris Woodall and Mike Mortimer's first crossing of Camelion is clearly wrong as it is in Tony Marr's 1970 guide to the Moors!
If you young lads want a little more Whitestone excitement, why don't you try Black Mamba? In the old book it was E2 in the route description but appeared in the E1's in the list of recommended climbs at the front of the guide. I noted this to Chris Woodall one night in the pub and he said (in all seriousness), "it is E1 isn't it?". Well lads, you tell me!
If you young lads want a little more Whitestone excitement, why don't you try Black Mamba? In the old book it was E2 in the route description but appeared in the E1's in the list of recommended climbs at the front of the guide. I noted this to Chris Woodall one night in the pub and he said (in all seriousness), "it is E1 isn't it?". Well lads, you tell me!
In reply to Chris Shorter:
Looks like they've already done it!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=37087
"Fab Climb, a lot more solid than it looks! Think the grade is spot on at E2/3 5b - the crack is quite sustained and pumpy but eats gear (especially hexes). A classic."
Looks like they've already done it!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=37087
"Fab Climb, a lot more solid than it looks! Think the grade is spot on at E2/3 5b - the crack is quite sustained and pumpy but eats gear (especially hexes). A classic."
In reply to UKC News: Fabulous effort on an adrenaline inducing crag - possibly the best cliff in the world.
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