UKC

Earlier in the week UKC reported that James Pearson climbed Point Blank (E8 6c) at Stennis Ford, Pembroke.

We now have more info from James and superb photos of the ascent from David Simmonite.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=61823

Congrats

In reply to UKC News:

Hero! Inspiring stuff.

In reply to UKC News:

'When the rock on this cliff is free from chalk, it's exceptionally difficult to see even a few holds ahead of you, and so on-sighting comes down to staying calm, thinking quickly, and a good helping of luck."

I agree with this statement, but how does it pertain to the ascent in question?
From the pics there looks plenty of chalk on the route...

In reply to Craig Smith: Since Dave Simmonite has apparently achieved the impossible of being in two places at once given that in the view from across the zawn James is near as dammit in the same point as the first photo in the sequence I'd hazard that perhaps James did the route a second time for the cameras which would mean chalk on the holds from the first time around?

In reply to chris j:

That's pretty funny.

In reply to agibb:
but probably untrue and definitely unhelpful. A second photographer working for Dave? Walking round the zawn and getting a different angle? Both are more parsimonious explanations.

In reply to Jon Read: Not unknown to happen (or even unusual among sponsored heroes), surely? Possibly your second photographer idea is most likely (though less parsimonious, assuming we both think the word has the same meaning), for the sequence of photos Dave would have had to be hanging on a rope, I would have thought, so that would make walking round the zawn so quickly quite tricky. It wasn't meant to be unhelpful, just seemed a fair explanation of the apparently chalked up holds given James's text regarding the difficulty of route finding.

Nice photos anyway, & a great ascent, I'd give a lot to be able to give the route a fair go in any sort of style, never mind 1st try on your 1st trip to Pembroke!.

Ueli Steck speed soloed some of his Alpine routes twice so they could film it! I guess its all part of keeping the sponsors happy. I think in this case its more likely to be a second photographer though.

In reply to chrisprescott:

Wouldn't be at all surprised if he did the first bit of the traverse again for the camera, then reversed back to the rest. No big deal, and maybe par for the course with hard trad photos. Its not like posing on jugs on previously headpointed E9s with a harness under your pants.

Good effort JP.

Did Macleod flash this? I know Robbins and Emmett have taken the fall on the ground up.

In reply to UKC News: Hahahahahahaha
I loved the third quote, correct me if I'm wrong but did he just say: "I'm so awesome that E8 on-sight is passe, think I'll go on-sight some E9s". It's nice to see a top climber trolling in his blog.

In reply to henwardian:

The whole site is a troll! Though he has flashed another E8, so...

In reply to Andy Moles: Me and my friend Toby were climbing on Carreg-Y-Barcud a week or so back and James abbed down, warmed up on an E6 and then smashed out Daddy Cool, E8 6b. What a crag, what a position, just beautiful. Had a chat with him, top guy!

In reply to Craig Smith:

Most climbing pics are done after the ascent, to not stress the climber. So the chalk is from the ascent and then went back on for the pics.

In reply to UKC News:
Awesome fall by his girlfriend (60 foot plus?) a couple of day later on the same route. Dave missed it talking to us!

In reply to Harry Martin:

That was Daddy Cool direct as well, rather than as described in the guidebook. At least slightly more direct - think the direct direct is still unclimbed.

I believe JP will have some other Pembroke news as well, but I guess they'll want to put it up with the pictures.

Surely the hardest ascent ever made by someone staying at a CC hut?

jcm

In reply to John Alcock:

He can't have missed it that much since he showed us pictures of it in May Cottage! Surely she didn't recreate it for those?!

jcm