UKC

What was your first extreme lead?
Mine was Millsom's Minion on Stanage back in June 1978. I still enjoy leading this route, which is now more protectable with friends I'm glad to say.

In reply to Christheclimber: Mine too. Felt intense at the time, but now it feels fine on solo, much easier than equally protected HVSs, should have been downgraded with the advent of freinds.

In reply to Christheclimber: Karwendel Wall back,in the early 60,s when it was still extreme, no modern nuts etc ..

In reply to Christheclimber: Well it was Cenotaph Corner, though I had previously led Moyers Buttress but it was only graded VS(rubbers) in those days. The only route I had ever done above VS was Brant Direct the night before I led CC, in those days it was graded XS(mild), but I only seconded it.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Incursion at Stanage End.
Run out slab over a dubious friend and no 1 wire.
Scary but big buzz at the top.
I did 3PS the autumn before as my second HVS lead (it said HVS in the guidebook) and I was happy to do it at that. It was only after I'd done it and started looking at UKC that I found out about the grade debate on it.

In reply to Christheclimber: Great Peter at Lawrencefield

In reply to Christheclimber: Blue Rinse in Ratho Quarry. I guess it would have been summer of 94 or 95.

In reply to Christheclimber: Just wondering why some older routes where upgraded rather than downgraded. Browns Eliminate was a VS, now its an E2?

j

In reply to Christheclimber: The Plum at Tremadoc, though these days a route I'd done previous to this, Central Buttress at Avon, is also given an E1 grade.

T.

In reply to Christheclimber: The Grooves on Cyrn Las. Like many of my generation we considerd solid performance on gritstone VS to be good preparation for mountain extremes.So one sunny day off we set......I was exhausted at the end and quite a lot of the VS's we'd done on grit have been upgraded to HVS or E1.1978 if I recall correctly.
sjm

In reply to Christheclimber: But the rock and the protection hasn't changed. Why should the grade? ...

In reply to Christheclimber:

Sirplum - quite memorable!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Celica Groove, Parrock Quarry, circa 1990ish.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=5920

In reply to Christheclimber: first extreme lead was strapiombante at frogatt but i had solo'd a few E1's beforehard.

In reply to Christheclimber: Nanoq slab at froggatt, now upgraded to E2 in the last guidebook

In reply to Christheclimber: Strapiombante at 2nd attempt (1995) quickly followed by Debauchery and Sirplum (felt more secure on them)

In reply to Christheclimber:

Strapiombante for me too, I just wandered down the crag for 'a look' and ended up on top of it somehow.

In reply to Jayboy: Great Peter - my first E1, was E2 in On Peak Rock, and has been downgraded......(originally done in 1976, Brown's done in 1948....hmmm!)

In reply to Gfunk: Same here!!! Took my first fall on it too!!!!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Left Unconq. about 1974. I am pretty sure some of the routes we did before that have been upgraded but that was the 1st 'proper' one.


Chris

In reply to Christheclimber:

Superdirect on Dinas Mot, it was well good.

In reply to Christheclimber: Can't really remember. Tensor or Pincushion perhaps, in about 1971, although with some aid - or the Gates (with Alex McIntyre), same year. Also Dream was still XS when I did it, and no beta! Probably the 1st unambiguous E1 was the Beard of Ffoeg Nosam in the Gorge, again the same year. Found it quite straightforward but nearly got chopped abseiling down afterwards.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Motorcade at Froggatt. E1 5a IIRC.

In reply to Christheclimber: Three Pebble Slab

In reply to Christheclimber: Commander Energy in 1983, and my next one was Wall End Slab Direct Finish. After that I went down to E1 which may have been a mistake

In reply to Christheclimber:

Regrettably it was Cent at High Neb (not including upgraded routes of course), which is why I always recommend more rememberable classics when people ask for a grade breakthrough route.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Death Night and Blood at plantation about 2004?? good route, ace name!

In reply to Christheclimber: Brant Direct on the Grochan, about 1968, but it was mild XS in the guide of the time. 3 nylon threads and no artificial alloy chockstones! Fell off Slape Direct immediately afterwards, and quickly realised there are Extremes and Extremes.

In reply to Christheclimber: My first E1 was Mascon.

In reply to Christheclimber: Central route wilton 1 still a nice route.

In reply to Christheclimber: Louis grove at Ramshaw for my first E1. First multi pitch E1 was The Grooves Cyrn Las dont think ill ever forget that day probibbly the best day climbing ive ever had.

In reply to chriszxr: On the final pitch of The Grooves (Where you swing right from that spike thing) I looked over my shoulder and saw Dinas Cromlech that looked about the size of my thumbnail.Hmm I thought this is exposed.It was a stunning experience for me as well.
sjm

In reply to Christheclimber:

Feel the Pinch at Crummackdale: two (then) well-protected boulder problems separated by easy ground.

PP.

MGC (e2) at shepherds.

In reply to chriszxr:

Same. I remember thinking this protection is shit and i will probably hit the ledge if I fall.

In reply to Al Evans:

Wow really great lead for first extreme Al.

In reply to Christheclimber:

In guidebook terms, the appropriately named Better Late Than Never at Rivelin. But in terms of the first route which felt like an E1 experience, that'd be Fireball at Fairhead

In reply to Christheclimber:

The Pause, Etive Slabs (another one to get the grade pundits going when it seems to change with every new guide, but surely quite an adventure at HVS!).

In reply to petestack: Whit's End Direct felt sick leading but f*****G great when I topped out.

In reply to Christheclimber:
St Peter at Stoney Middleton. Good little route, done the day after I did my first HVS (Padme) and fell the length of Minus Ten which would have been my second one! Awesome weekend! It was the recent Stoney reunion.
James

In reply to Christheclimber:

Mine was Strapiombante at Froggatt. I'd not even lead an HVS before that, but I saw the line and wanted to do it. I was pumped stupid at the top, but totally buzzing.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Cenotaph Corner was the first Extreme I attempted. Somewhat predictably, I fell near the top. Had to be done though.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Not 100% certain, as memory is a bit vague and it depends on which guidebook you look at for a few routes!

Most likely is Three Pebble Slab - although it was graded HVS in the guidebook I had at the time!

In reply to James Oswald:

Haha, ahh, good weekend mate!
Both took huge whippers, didn't we!?!? hahaa!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Mine was Sinecure in N.pembroke for which I have really fond memories. Note to self - must go and repeat it 15 years on ...

In reply to Christheclimber:

Mine was Millsom's Minion on Stanage back in Oct 1987

If you count routes that have been upgraded it would be my 4th - TPS, Holiday in Cambodia and Pegasus Rib were all given HVS when I first did them.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Craig Bwlch y Moch (Tremadog) - Striptease 1991

In reply to Christheclimber:

M.G.C at Shepherds crag.
I think I'd tried a couple of E1s before but backed off them and then for some reason I tried this and got up it. Was having a good day!

In reply to Christheclimber:
My first extreme lead was Missout at Baildon Bank, E1 5a, about 35 feet and slabby with a good wire right at the top, then followed up by the typical Baildon exit (a steep grass-clawing exercise.) I thought it was OK up to the point I approached the crux 30 feet off the floor and looked down to tell my belayer to watch me (pointless as I'd got no gear in) and saw a crowd forming! After a bit of up-and-downing I made it to the top, although the top out shat me up more than the route!

In reply to Lady Jane Grey: That's VS, isn't it? Nice route though.

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

Yes it's a VS & extreme to me 20 years ago. It is a very nice route.

In reply to Christheclimber:
Mani at Stoney, but it did include a couple of falls. First without falling was a slab on Gimmer, but have forgotten the name.
Both of them in early 86.

In reply to Jayboy:

Because the grade was wrong. Simples.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Synopsis, at Froggatt, as a youth in about 1979 when it was given XS(-). It's now E3 I believe.
I remember scrattling my way to the top in desperation with uncurling fingers, wondering whether my last gear was below half height (it was!)

In reply to Christheclimber:

Brant Direct (graded 'Extremely Severe, but only just' in the Don Roscoe guide at the time) August 1968.
The grade was correct for the gear we had then: the nuts were quite dodgy and it was quite run out from half height.
First full weight Extreme was Cenotaph Corner, August 1970

In reply to Al Evans:

Same for me - Brant Direct Saturday (three runners, descended abseil rope hand over hand, fell the last fifteen feet as I ran out of strength - didn't know how to abseil!) Borrowed a rack of gear then led Cenotaph next day. Using a 120' hawser laid rope and waist tie direct. I'd been climbing for just six months, aged 17.

In reply to Christheclimber: The Fizz, shaking like a leaf trying to thread the runner. Followed by The Toy the week firmly putting me in my place. On the floor.

In reply to Christheclimber: noonday ridge at caley, maybe not the best choice in hindsight but its a great route

In reply to Christheclimber: Aviation, low man, dartmoor. ground-up 3rd go led p1 was mega boxed on the traverse but just had it...AWESOME!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Easter Rib at Stanage, some years ago. I'm surprised it's the first mention here! I did Great Harry, that got downgraded to E1 and also nonsuch at Rivelin, also downgraded (to HVS). Grades go down as aswell as up!

In reply to Christheclimber: Beyond the Azimuth at Carreg y Barcud

In reply to gribble:

Great Harry is VS.

Chris

In reply to Christheclimber:

Fairy Wall at Ilkley.

It was a case of getting to the top then trying to figure how the hell I just upped my grade by two points without killing myself.

In reply to John Rushby:

Admit it, you did it in thick fog and could not find the way down again.

In reply to sutty:

I climbed it purely because girls were watching. If it had just been the lads I would have minced up Walewska as per usual....

In reply to John Rushby:
Vember,
John not had my jersey yet - if you've posted it I'll check out the post office

Thanks

Kevin

In reply to kevin stephens:


I thought I had sent it but will check. Had you down for a large.

In reply to Monk and many others: I'm now going to do my "grumpy old man" bit - those routes are never E1, don't know why they've been upgraded, load of wall-bred softies, blah, blah, blah.

For people's historical information, here are some of the mentioned Peak routes that have been upgraded since they first appeared in a definitive guide with technical grades in late 70s, early 80s (obviously if you go enough guidebooks back then you'll find some that used to be VS)...

Strapiombante - used to be HVS 5b
Pegasus Rib - used to be HVS 5a
TPS - still is HVS 5a
Debauchery - used to be HVS 5a,5b
Cent - I'm sure this was VS 5b at one stage - may be wrong.
Louie Groove - used to be HVS 5a I think, however this is one of the few where the holds might actually have changed.
St Peter - used to be HVS 5a, presumably it's even more polished now

By the way Minus Ten is classic VS jamming - none of this HVS stuff. Well protected unless you're copying what young James appeared to do in just going for it and then taking a spectacular lob - any photos?

Of course in reality, like most of you who operate near the HVS/E1 divide, I too happily grab any upgrades to E1; I always reckon that I become a better climber every time a new guide comes out

In reply to Christheclimber:

Cemetery gates. Can't believe I'm first to mention it although no doubt the old timers will now tell me it's hvs...

In reply to Christheclimber: Just dug out old guide book--Long Tall Sally, Burbage 17/9/1994. (Had top roped it a couple of months earlier).

In reply to Christheclimber: Springbank on Gimmer in 1986, I didn't know what climb it was until I went in to the Climbers shop in Ambleside and checked a newer guide. Nice surprise!

In reply to Christheclimber:
Dovedale Grooves. May '68

In reply to Christheclimber: The Plum, Tremadog in 1994

In reply to Wilbur: I won't, I thought it was about as hard as the Corner when I did it.

In reply to Andy Long: Impressive Andy.

In reply to Christheclimber:

The Baldest/E1 5a at Portishead Quarry many years ago. Then it was downgraded to HVS 5a in the 2004 Avon Cheddar Guide...

In reply to Christheclimber: Another one who led Cenotaph Corner as a first XS (September 1979).
I was fired up after waiting ages for a team faffing about on it, so I think I took less than half an hour. No falls, anyway, and not many runners; it mostly appeared to be a layback.

In reply to Christheclimber: My only 2 E1 leads were both at Armathwaite - and both were originally graded HVS but they both get E1 5b nowadays

Time & Motion Man has a thuggy boulder problem start above a sandy landing before you reach the first protection point. Above that, the route is an amenable VS 4b until the real extreme crux which is pulling out through a gorse bush on to sandy soil! I'd bouldered out the bottom section a number of times before committing myself to the lead.

I'd top roped Barnacle Bill a couple of times ( as was the norm of those days) before deciding that if I could fiddle a thin thread through a hole at the lip of the overhang, it would give me enough psychological protection to make the crux move and reach the good runner placement in the upper corner beyond. The last time I looked several years ago, there was a scar at the lip of the overhang where the tiny thread used to be. Perhaps that's why it's been upgraded to E1.

In reply to Lord of Starkness:
I don't think they count, then.

We've been ignoring upgrades in this game...feel free to include a climb that was officially E1 twenty years ago but is now VS (are there any - they all seem to go the other way?)

In reply to Andy Stephenson: One I can remember that was XS and is now down to VS is Sin, at Stoney, but that was more than 20 years ago.

In reply to Andy Stephenson:

I pretty certain they'd were E1 more than 20 years ago when the 2nd edition of the guide came out - though it's over 30 years since I led them in the days before sticky boots and cams were invented, and before the first little brown guide came out!

In reply to Al Evans:

Wasn't Sin given 'Exceptionally Severe'?

In reply to john arran:

Yes, a fair number were given exceptionally severe at the time. Remember that limestone at the time was rarely climbed on apart from some routes at Cheddar. We weren't used to the exposure on such loose rock either.

In reply to Christheclimber: Minus Ten is hvs and Louie Groove now around E1/2.

In reply to Christheclimber: Beyond the Azimuth at Carreg y Barcud - Easter 92, was graded as HVS at the time.

In reply to Christheclimber:
The Quaker at Sennen Cove. Should do it again - I remember really enjoying it, bit of a hidden gem.

In reply to Al Evans: Snap! My first extreme was Cenotaph as well (in '88 I think).

It had something to do with the climbing books available at my local library in Dartford (all published between the 1890's and the 1960's!) - one of them said that you were not considered a rock climber until you had done Cenotaph, so we jumped on a coach to Bangor, and then walked to the pass...ahh the vigor of youth.

Did The Gates as a warm up, 'cos it was only HVS. I have to say that at the time I thought the crux on Cenotaph was much harder than anything on the Gates (it was a bit bit wet though)

Also in reply to Al - This wasn't my first trip to the Cromlech. Funny enough, there was a thread earlier about your first proper lead climb and mine was the same as yours again - Flying Buttress. Having walked from Bangor to Ogwen, walked over the glyders and camped below the Cromlech (My god that pack was heavy) we did F.B. in walking boots, with a No 4 Viking Hawser tied round our waists on a bowline (those books on climbing in the local library again were our only source of info). Later on we met some climbers with "modern" gear and realised that harnesses and boots would probably be a worthwhile investment - I wouldn't have fancied Gates/Cenotaph with our old gear. (we already had a few slings (no 3 hawser ofc) and half a dozen nuts/hexes)

Rich

In reply to Christheclimber:
gimmer string......summer of 1980......

In reply to john arran:

Yes, but that was a Stoney anonamly, I don't think Stoney had the in between grade of Extremely Severe.

Laceline at Mytholm steeps quarry, first accent, was weel pleased.

In reply to richtea21:

I wonder how many others have CC as their first Extreme? It was my first Extreme lead in 1982 having only ever really climbed toproped or solo on the southern sandstone outcrops. My first lead was a pitch on Grooved Arete and then Brant Direct the day before. Quite an introduction to lead climbing!

I'd never used chalk until I reached the rather gynaeocological slot above the niche. It was blistering hot and I was sweating profusely, pumped senseless and wondering what the consequences of a fall might be (not a lot of experience of placing gear!). I remembered my second had tied a chalk bag on 'just in case'. The top few metres were a blur...

In reply to Christheclimber:

"Gold Rush" in Auchinstarry, May 2001. (I thought it felt very soft and as a result was a bit disappointed.)

In reply to Graham Ad:
Good effort on Brant Direct so early on!

Quite a few in the 70's and 80's would have gone for CC as a first extreme I reckon, it was so often referred to (it still had too much of a reputation in the 60's I believe)

I came from a southern sandstone apprenticeship too - i still remember that first trip to North Wales and being amazed at how easy the climbing was with many holds being actually positive, and rock that wasn't covered in tiny ball bearings. Chalk was useless the day I did it - the holds were sopping, all I can remember is fighting the fear in the belief that the promised finishing jugs were only 1 more move away...

Must go back and do it again some time

In reply to Fraser:

My first clean lead of a climb then graded E1 was Skerryvore in the Moelwyns (It now gets E2), I remember it as being quite scary. I had previously climbed a few HVSs that now get E1, the earliest probably being Mythical Wall near Aberdeen.

Interestingly I too climbed Brant Direct the day before attempting my first E1 (which was nice n sleazy on Gograth) although I had a rest on it.

In reply to Christheclimber:Chimney Variant,june 1976.next day got spanked on GimmerString.

In reply to Christheclimber: The plum at Tremadog. Met Joe Brown at the top too!

In reply to richtea21:

Well I did it as my first extreme lead in 1966, so maybe not by then

In reply to neilh:

>gimmer string......summer of 1980......

Good lead, that top pitch must have gripped you a bit.
Me and tut did it along with Poacher, and Delphinus the day before and found it the hardest of them all.

In reply to Budge:

Nice to think one of my routes was somebodys first E1

In reply to sutty:

It looked easier than doing kipling groove and we were young then and would try anyhing......once!

In reply to richtea21:

The only chalk we had was in the classroom, my ascent was 1971!

In reply to Christheclimber: Fisrt extreme lead was Cameo at Wilton. It was the last route of the day and I had been scoping it out while we had been milling around the prow doing easier routes. A couple of older guys breezed past as I was gearing up for it asking if we were planning on doing it! He could tell we were a bit nervous and we told him yes we were and that it was our first E1! His words didn't really fill me with any hope saying it was sustained and that the gear was small and sparse. He then asked if I had done Dawn round the corner which funnily enough we had tried and failed on earlier that day. Never the less I decided to go for it. I found it tough but exhilerating and ended up powering through the top section without putting any gear in as I was too pumped to stop! As I got to the top the guys who had nearly put me off were just walking out of the quarry and gave me a big round of applause! It was a great moment!

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=17104

In reply to Michael Hood:

It seems that there are a lot of HVS routes that have subsequently been upgraded. Although Millsom's Minion was my first "real" Extreme I had led HVS's and even solod VS's like Saliva at Stanage that have since been upgraded to Extreme.

In reply to Christheclimber: mine was 'randolf cheerleader' @ stanage popular - and it was a big gay headpoint! it were good though!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Chlorophyll Cluster, on the granite at St Loy Crag in Cornwall, in about 1975...funny how you can remember your first extreme lead, I can't remember the first VS or HVS...I suppose when I started climbing my goals were to climb extreme and do some new routes, both of which I have done, I missed out big time on Carn Gowla though...

In reply to Christheclimber:

My first E1 lead was a mistake, I was leading frount line (HVS) at St Govan's way back in 83 when I went up the left hand groove instead of the main groove by mistake (E1), my second Phil didnt notice either. It was only my 2nd or 3rd HVS lead as well. Not to sure if its still given E1 or not though.
Chris

In reply to Christheclimber:
Vice in Nice at St Govans, July 1985, with my sister.
Many upgraded HVS routes, in retrospect.
All the E's (and most HVS) I ever did have been jamming problems, including the jamming problem on Suicide Wall at Bosigran. I think the latterday upgrading may have to do with jams going out of fashion in the climbing wall era.

In reply to Christheclimber:
space scuttle at dunkeld. I remember leaning over to place a side-runner on the adjacent runner and afterwards wondering if that meant I'd really climbed E1. I think my first 3 or 4 E1's all had similar question marks (did I do it right, is it really E1 ). There is a lot to be said for climbing something irrefuteably E1 first off.

In reply to hedgepig: Good choice. The route next door wouldn't have been appropriate!

In reply to Christheclimber: My first extreme lead was Sirplum, in Cheedale in 1981. I'd tried and failed on several before that, but Sirplum broke the barrier for me.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Living At Speed, Stanage, twice!

Had a copy of Gary Gibson's little joke book of the time and it said it was E2, but new Stanage guide (1983/4-ish) said E1 so off I went.

Soon afterwards, sat on the top in the glow of a job well done, no falls, no submissions, etc. and my belayer informs me that he's "not sure you did it right", and where I foot-traversed out insists I repeat and hand-traverse out! So, after a debate, I did!

In reply to Christheclimber:

Some extended boulder problem at Woodhouse scar, V2 traverse into a short HVS top-out. Sh** but I guess it seems I still remember it!

jk

In reply to Black Mamba:


Wow, good effort!

In reply to Black Mamba:

Mine too in 82or 83 think!

In reply to Christheclimber:
Probably Tufted Crack, even though it was HVS back then. Needless to say I didn't do it clean...

First one that was E1 in the guidebook was Left Unconquerable, which I found a piece of p1ss compared to Tufted Crack...

In reply to Christheclimber:
Green acres, Curbar.

In reply to Christheclimber: Mine was Gimmer String, on Gimmer, no less.
Rests between each hard move, good intro lead.

Indy 500

Had been hoping for first E1 on the way to Lundy, tried it at about 9am on day 5 of the trip. Was absolutely at my limit and felt fantastic but pumped silly at the top. By a mile the best route I'd ever done at the time. Still buzzing when I think of it 6 or 7ys later. Not sure how hard it is for the grade in retrospect – I had very little to compare it to. At the time I’d only done 3 HVSs, but Formula One a few days earlier didn't feel a whole grade easier.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Three Pebble Slab. About 10 minutes after falling off Chequer's Buttress which would have been about my 4th HVS.....

In reply to Christheclimber:

Embankment route 3 - no downgrading that one!

In reply to BeccaSnowden:

Roger that Becca, fair play for your first E1! I thought it was hard and I'm a crack addict.

In reply to Christheclimber:

Malambo, Avon, 1978 at 7am after being awake all night having travelled back from a Bob Dylan concert at Blackbush aerodrome. It gets E2 5c now