UKC

In this video James Pearson onsights Charlotte's Dream Direct (E7) at Back Bowden in Northumberland.

"Life as a professional climber is great, I mean this is the best way I can describe it, it's perfect, it's my dream and I couldn't think of anything better..."

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=66917

In reply to UKC News:

Well held!

saw this on ukb, brilliant piece of climbing

what was james refering to in the video as the hardest route in SE asia?

In reply to j4kub:

Nix fuer Lutscher – 8c+

He also flashed an 8b+, obviously going well at the moment!

(info taken from his website)

In reply to Richard Hall:

That move looked mental. And James has a pretty good reach. Either there is another way, or I seriously doubt that move was 6b.

quick, quick someone moan that he had a pad down.

nice one Mr Pearson, superb effort.

In reply to UKC News: I've got to say, that was a brilliant effort onsight. It looked like a very bizarre move and judging by the lack of rack, he judged the gear perfectly too. Obviously not just a good headpointer! The music and rising intonation did irritate though.

As for the grade of the route, unless that gear is terrible, that aint E7 6b. Maybe E7 6c? Obviously I've never climbed this route, but that is just a fact.

In reply to UKC News:

Excellent video.....I find it odd that people are commenting on the grade when they have not attempted the route.

In reply to Christheclimber: It's a reasonable question to ask - I mean, it'd be weird to say "there's no way that's a 6b move" without having done it, but anyone can look at other routes and see that E7 6b ought to be badly protected or very sustained or something and ask which is the case here...

In reply to Ramblin dave:
And Ged's just answered that question.

Impressive onsight, anyway.

In reply to Richard Hall: I like Crispin Waddy's definition of E7 english 6b moves you can deck out from, obviously not the starting moves.

In reply to GDes:



Is the lunge that James did the normal way? Or is there some arty static sequence used by lanky locals with all the beta?

In reply to UKC News: Impressive.

In reply to UKC News:

Weird, why have the posts about the grade been deleted? I've not noticed moderation like that before. Only one post was even slightly critical and Ged's info was interesting, adding to the story further.

In reply to Monk:
Happens occasionally, just don't mention Dyers lookout!

In reply to Jurgen A:

Having watched it once I can definitively say that it was only top end E6 with a slightly soft 6c move the way he did it, but he failed to spot a better sequence that would have made it barely harder than average 6b. The protection he placed would have held a fall on the crux (though possibly touching the ground on rope stretch) but not from the move to the break.

In reply to Reach>Talent:

Can't see the problem with Dyers Look out to be honest. He described exactly why he gave the grade he did and it really boils down to the trust other subsequent ascensionists placed in the protection.

Who is to say that opinion won't swing again once someone falls and unzips the route a la Parthion Shot ?

In reply to GrahamD:
I don't either but I suspect that recent flame wars around grading have lead to slightly more prompt moderation on news items.

You have to love ukc. All these keyboard warriors grading stuff from their computers. Get out there people...

In reply to UKC News: Groan to the usual UKC irrelevant comments. Top effort, top climber. Done! Its only climbing.

In reply to Adam Lincoln:


My tongue-in-cheek comment earlier about that being the point of UKC was deleted, so this time I will just say that I think the majority of those debating the grade are having a laugh. I don't think that anyone is denigrating James - it looks like a great day out and it's great to see someone moving so well.

And surely UKC exists to fill the gaps between getting "out there"?

In reply to Monk:

Speak for yourself. My armchair comment was deadly serious; these things matter.

In reply to UKC News:
Charlottes Dream original route is E6 6b and pretty serious. It only waited 20 years for an onsight repeat - by Dave Mc.
The Direct is much harder and even more serious (more so than On the Rocks/Off the Rocks) - the gear/rock will probably not hold a fall.
(Neither the original nor the direct stepped in from the diagonal crack however !!)
To onsight this route is an outstanding achievement. Well done James.

In reply to TobyA:


I know one talented local that used to be able to down climb Charlottes Dream Direct as part of his training circuit before going on to lead Off the Rocks!

Beta Alert: The static sequence which was used on the second ascent involves the use of awesome technique rather than incredible dynamic power and the third ascentionist was a 5 foot 2 and a half local girl so the short answer to your question is... Yes.

Oh and the grade in the NMC guide is right because I checked it pesonally!

Hey James, awesome onsight.

In reply to Steve Crowe:

>so the short answer to your question is... Yes.

I'm confused - presumably the answer to one of his questions is yes and to the other no, but which is which?!

Very nice film and I'm sure an excellent effort. Interesting comments from JP as well.

Curious to moderate given that the grade isn't even JP's! Wonder if the moderator knew that.

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Is the lunge that James did the normal way?
No

Or is there some arty static sequence?
Yes

...used by lanky locals with all the beta?
It is not necessary to be lanky, Karin claims to be quite short

As Geordie states neither version of CD starts the way James did. They follow a much more tenuous line of small crimps up the middle of the wall. The gear is dubious. (We didn't place the runner on the left as we felt that was off route.) It is obviously escapable along the line that James took but that is the nature of eliminate routes.

Hey, what James did - on sight - is awesome (and the crux of CDC) just not the easiest sequence that's all. That's what I was ansewring.

If you really want all the beta PM me, as this is not really the place for beta.

In reply to Steve Crowe:



So he didn't do it then?

In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Bloody hell. He started at the bottom, finished at the top and did an amazing onsight, displaying superb technical prowess and undoubted coolness. He had a great day out and we can get inspired from the safety of our armchairs. I'd say that's quite a result.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:

Exactly!!!

Great climber, Great ascent, Great film.

All the rest is just UKC bollacks.

Have a nice day

In reply to Mick Ward:

A good fun day out and a good effort for sure but certainly NOT Charlottes Dream Direct I'm afraid, that's all. Sorry.

In reply to Geordie:


I'm afrid I need to point out an innacuracy in the above statement. I onsighted Charlotte's Dream original in 1990, and I'm pretty sure Ian Cummings also did it the same year. The way we both climbed the route was as per guidebook - up the wall to the right of the wide crack on poor holds and without gear to the left at half height. I can't comment on CDD but watching the film it must be very close to the original. Question for Steve Crow - How far to the right is it?

Hugh Harris

In reply to UKC News: The question that occurs to me, with the talk of the eliminate nature of the route, is whether it's even possible to onsight. As without being told where to go (beta) you'd take the line James took and then be said to have gone off route.

In reply to Hugh Harris:

Hi Hugh

You are right Charlottes Dream Direct Variation it is close to the original hence the name! At most it is only 6ft further right.

There is a full page picture of Mark Savage making the first ascent of CDD on page 45 of the NMC definative guide. You can see he is moving to the "good" hold from the right.

Charlottes Dream Direct Variation E7 6b is slightly straighter a little harder but quite a bit more serious than the original line.

Charlottes Dream Direct Variation follows the line that Karl Telfer had originally wanted to climb.

Steve Crowe

In reply to @ndyM@rsh@ll:
Hi Andy

I think that from the diagram in the guide, it is clear that both lines start up the centre of the wall as Hugh described.

The photo on page 45 is a big clue as to what you are expected to do on the crux of Charlottes Dream Direct Variation.

I only was concerned that the line climbed by James in the video became the acceptable way to climb Charlottes Dream and Charlottes Dream Direct Variation. It is not. What he has done is started up The Tube and traversed across to the crux of CDDV on which he used all the right holds but not necessarily in the right order!!!

But you are right, eliminate routes by there nature can be a pain to onsight.

In reply to Steve Crowe: Do you happen to know what the name is about Steve? Nothing to do with Karl's Daughter? Seemed rather a coincidence...

In reply to Jurgen A:

Yes it is named after Karl's daughter Charlotte, in much the same way as First Born and Second Born was after the arrival of Bob Smith's childern.

Karl did tell me the story of Charlotte's actual dream but I can't remember it exactly now. Sorry.

In reply to Mick Ward: Well, not really?