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Pete Bridgwood and Andi Turner have just managed to successfully complete the Staffordshire Grit Challenge; 'Brown-Whillans Day Out'. In doing so they also broke the record set by Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker... Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68230
In reply to UKC News:
he would have stayed for another pint but his bee's had swarmed! WTF!
Ohh, good effort
JJ
he would have stayed for another pint but his bee's had swarmed! WTF!
Ohh, good effort
JJ
In reply to UKC News: Could the grades of the routes be included in the article?
In reply to JimboWizbo:
I can help you with that - they're all gritstone HVS, except Ramshaw crack, which is a bit harder.
It'd be more interested in knowing which routes required a rope. RC, by the look of it.
Certainly sounds like a fun day out. I'd be guessing TR and PW could make mincemeat of that time if this gets competitive, but perhaps time will tell.
jcm
I can help you with that - they're all gritstone HVS, except Ramshaw crack, which is a bit harder.
It'd be more interested in knowing which routes required a rope. RC, by the look of it.
Certainly sounds like a fun day out. I'd be guessing TR and PW could make mincemeat of that time if this gets competitive, but perhaps time will tell.
jcm
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
Yes, I'm sure these routes are - individually - a bit of a cakewalk for these boys, still must be more than a bit scary soloing stuff like Matinee & Bachelor's Left Hand, especially when tired?
> (In reply to JimboWizbo)
>
> It'd be more interested in knowing which routes required a rope. RC, by the look of it.
>
>> It'd be more interested in knowing which routes required a rope. RC, by the look of it.
>
Yes, I'm sure these routes are - individually - a bit of a cakewalk for these boys, still must be more than a bit scary soloing stuff like Matinee & Bachelor's Left Hand, especially when tired?
In reply to johncoxmysteriously: Bar a couple of VS's and E1's (was HVS in my day!) that's pretty much the flavour of the grades. Crack of Gloom is a hard E2 though, and the crux of the non Ramshaw Crack day.
We didn't solo many, at least not ones which would be normal solos on any other day. But we still soloed Aqua, Lightning Crack, The Bulger, Rhodren and The Crank. I've never soloed the likes of Matinee, Crack of Gloom or Delstree. It's not always a lot quicker, you still need space between you and can be a little more hesitant I find.
To make the time quicker, you'd need to run/abseil between routes or go gung-ho soloing. We averaged 15 minutes per route for the first 30 routes, which includes both of us climbing, getting between routes/crags/ hydrating etc. and so were probably only spending 3-4 minutes each per route.
We didn't solo many, at least not ones which would be normal solos on any other day. But we still soloed Aqua, Lightning Crack, The Bulger, Rhodren and The Crank. I've never soloed the likes of Matinee, Crack of Gloom or Delstree. It's not always a lot quicker, you still need space between you and can be a little more hesitant I find.
To make the time quicker, you'd need to run/abseil between routes or go gung-ho soloing. We averaged 15 minutes per route for the first 30 routes, which includes both of us climbing, getting between routes/crags/ hydrating etc. and so were probably only spending 3-4 minutes each per route.
In reply to andi turner:
Tremendous, Andi. Just the Allen/Bancroft staffordshire challenge to do now, eh?
Tremendous, Andi. Just the Allen/Bancroft staffordshire challenge to do now, eh?
In reply to andi turner:
Ah yes, forgot Crack of Gloom. Though I bet that was gritstone HVS once upon a time.
>But we still soloed Aqua, Lightning Crack, The Bulger, Rhodren and The Crank
Wot, no Masochism?!
I wouldn't have fancied the likes of Matinee or Delstree much myself (though didn't Hugh Banner once cause a stir by soloing down the latter?). But Masochism, Don's Crack, Prostration and Great Zawn are all reasonable enough above flattish landings. Perhaps as you say it doesn't save that much time.
What would big Ron have done?!
jcm
Ah yes, forgot Crack of Gloom. Though I bet that was gritstone HVS once upon a time.
>But we still soloed Aqua, Lightning Crack, The Bulger, Rhodren and The Crank
Wot, no Masochism?!
I wouldn't have fancied the likes of Matinee or Delstree much myself (though didn't Hugh Banner once cause a stir by soloing down the latter?). But Masochism, Don's Crack, Prostration and Great Zawn are all reasonable enough above flattish landings. Perhaps as you say it doesn't save that much time.
What would big Ron have done?!
jcm
In reply to UKC News: Good effort Andi and Pete. Very pleased for you
For others: it's one of those challenges that looks simple on paper, but is quite hard in reality. It's no wonder there's few people who have completed this over the years. I hope others get psyched for bringing that time down further....
Who said trad climbing wasn't competitive?!
Oli Grounsell, if you're reading this, pull yer finger out.
For others: it's one of those challenges that looks simple on paper, but is quite hard in reality. It's no wonder there's few people who have completed this over the years. I hope others get psyched for bringing that time down further....
Who said trad climbing wasn't competitive?!
Oli Grounsell, if you're reading this, pull yer finger out.
In reply to UKC News: I cant help but laugh when someone actually wears a buff!
In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:
'Others'?! C'mon, Tom, entertain us! Or do you mean you hope the thing becomes a three-way contest?!
I don't doubt it's hard, but I still doubt whether that time represents anything like the achieving of maturity.
jcm
> I hope others get psyched for bringing that time down further....
'Others'?! C'mon, Tom, entertain us! Or do you mean you hope the thing becomes a three-way contest?!
I don't doubt it's hard, but I still doubt whether that time represents anything like the achieving of maturity.
jcm
In reply to El3ctroFuzz:
Impressive climbing but sartorially a disappointment. The pose-off traditionally requires paisley shirts or no shirts. Must Try Harder.
Impressive climbing but sartorially a disappointment. The pose-off traditionally requires paisley shirts or no shirts. Must Try Harder.
In reply to UKC News: cheers anyone for the thanks and support we've had. Its a quailty day out that any keen folk should try. Apart from Crack of gloom and ram crack, all the routes are steady, but as the day goes by you slow down from tiredness, so the easy ones become harder.
Like tom and pete, we've set a time, and more than happy to let some willing suitors cut it down again.
Happy climbing
Like tom and pete, we've set a time, and more than happy to let some willing suitors cut it down again.
Happy climbing
In reply to johncoxmysteriously: Hey John, a three-way contest is always better than a one-way eh? I'm sure that time will mature this one and it only takes a little momentum before it's established.
Just look at the Valley Nose records. People thought it was a ridiculous idea in the early days. I'm looking forward to trying it again and I hope others are as it's a nice concept that it's not just about E10/E-very hard that no one has a chance on. At least 100+ people in the UK could break that record.
Just look at the Valley Nose records. People thought it was a ridiculous idea in the early days. I'm looking forward to trying it again and I hope others are as it's a nice concept that it's not just about E10/E-very hard that no one has a chance on. At least 100+ people in the UK could break that record.
In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training: Don't be daft, no-one will break that record As you say, the concept is easier than the reality, bit like when you used to read about people getting to within a few hundred feet of a summit and then turning back.
I wondered how long it would take for Jon Cox to bring up his proudest achievement - his on-sight solo of Masochism LOL
My personal take on it is that Ramshaw Crack shouldn't be included, it's too anomalous, it makes it "31" routes and Joe publicly admitted he aided it (I think a few points of aid might have been used on CoG too). When a route's that short and you use a sling to bypass 2/3 of it, you've not really done it, right?
This was one of the reasons we did the routes in this order, in order to establish a 30 route benchmark, but with several hours remaining on the clock (and the pub wasn't open til 4) Ramshaw Crack had to be on the cards.
I wondered how long it would take for Jon Cox to bring up his proudest achievement - his on-sight solo of Masochism LOL
My personal take on it is that Ramshaw Crack shouldn't be included, it's too anomalous, it makes it "31" routes and Joe publicly admitted he aided it (I think a few points of aid might have been used on CoG too). When a route's that short and you use a sling to bypass 2/3 of it, you've not really done it, right?
This was one of the reasons we did the routes in this order, in order to establish a 30 route benchmark, but with several hours remaining on the clock (and the pub wasn't open til 4) Ramshaw Crack had to be on the cards.
In reply to chris fox: So is Aqua, Bachelor's Climb and The Crank. Slimline, Brown's Crack and Choka are E1. But generally, they're all HVS
In reply to andi turner:
I like to think I never miss a chance! I would have been quicker, but I was in a meeting.
jcm
I like to think I never miss a chance! I would have been quicker, but I was in a meeting.
jcm
In reply to andi turner:
It would open it up a bit more for punters too! How long do you get for the challenge, 24hrs? I'd be happy enough to climb all this in a lifetime's visits to Staffordshire gritstone - great effort.
>
> My personal take on it is that Ramshaw Crack shouldn't be included,
> My personal take on it is that Ramshaw Crack shouldn't be included,
It would open it up a bit more for punters too! How long do you get for the challenge, 24hrs? I'd be happy enough to climb all this in a lifetime's visits to Staffordshire gritstone - great effort.
In reply to johncoxmysteriously: Do you not internet on your phone?
In reply to Tom Last:
You could always do it with the original sling for aid. Though I'm not sure how much I'd fancy that - you definitely risk ending up dangling by one foot from the sling and your belayer taking photographs of you.
jcm
You could always do it with the original sling for aid. Though I'm not sure how much I'd fancy that - you definitely risk ending up dangling by one foot from the sling and your belayer taking photographs of you.
jcm
In reply to andi turner:
I do but my clients don't like me posting on here while I'm talking to them.
jcm
I do but my clients don't like me posting on here while I'm talking to them.
jcm
In reply to Tom Last: Depends what you class as punters! All these routes are pretty stiff, but perhaps within lots of climber's ability. It's stringing them together that's mentally and physically the challenge. Even the Roaches day alone is really good! In fact any of them is really good!
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
And I think in my case that would definitely happen.
Isn't the upside down look de rigueur on stuff like Ramshaw Crack anyway?
> (In reply to Tom Last)
>
> you definitely risk ending up dangling by one foot from the sling and your belayer taking photographs of you.
>
>
>
> you definitely risk ending up dangling by one foot from the sling and your belayer taking photographs of you.
>
>
And I think in my case that would definitely happen.
Isn't the upside down look de rigueur on stuff like Ramshaw Crack anyway?
In reply to andi turner:
Absolutely. I've only done a handful of them and tried and failed on a few others - they all live long in my memory.
Just a few of these routes in a day would put a smile on/take the smile off your face
Absolutely. I've only done a handful of them and tried and failed on a few others - they all live long in my memory.
Just a few of these routes in a day would put a smile on/take the smile off your face
In reply to andi turner:
>It's stringing them together that's mentally and physically the challenge.
I can just imagine it - a bit like doing any route at Indian Creek - you start off cruising up and thinking you're a stud, you end up hanging on the gear whimpering.
jcm
>It's stringing them together that's mentally and physically the challenge.
I can just imagine it - a bit like doing any route at Indian Creek - you start off cruising up and thinking you're a stud, you end up hanging on the gear whimpering.
jcm
In reply to Tom Last:
And I think in my case that would definitely happen.
Sounds like a giggle, last time we went to Ramshaw it was me that got stuck upside down so I think it is your turn! Fancy a trip?
And I think in my case that would definitely happen.
Sounds like a giggle, last time we went to Ramshaw it was me that got stuck upside down so I think it is your turn! Fancy a trip?
In reply to andi turner: I think Ramshaw Crack definitely should be included. After all it's one grade easier than Masochism and CoG, so no excuse in grade terms.
In fact, I can't believe JCM didn't solo that one as well.
In fact, I can't believe JCM didn't solo that one as well.
In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training: Well, naturally, we NOW think it should be included. But after finishing the 30, when this picture was taken http://www.flickr.com/photos/twopocketslab/9347805054/in/photostream/ I most definitely thought it shouldn't be.
I love the acronym CoG, three star belter that one.
I love the acronym CoG, three star belter that one.
In reply to andi turner: Ha ha!! I bet. You get extra points for finishing on the hardest of the day. Although, when me and Pete did it it was running with water as it was raining. I must have fell off it at least 5 times before topping out.
In reply to andi turner: as grimer said,i was the weak link haha
didnt exactly do an alpine start when we tried though.
i dont think r.c should be in.brown didnt f.a the route and its nothing like the others.
didnt exactly do an alpine start when we tried though.
i dont think r.c should be in.brown didnt f.a the route and its nothing like the others.
In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:
>when me and Pete did it it was running with water as it was raining
Hah - "who said trad climbing's not competitive", indeed!
jcm
>when me and Pete did it it was running with water as it was raining
Hah - "who said trad climbing's not competitive", indeed!
jcm
In reply to andi turner:
Apart from Teck Crack, which is only "HVS" in the jcm-esque sense of "way too hard to be E1".
> But generally, they're all HVS
Apart from Teck Crack, which is only "HVS" in the jcm-esque sense of "way too hard to be E1".
In reply to UKC News:
congrats guys! cracking effort and great going! like you say, theyre all pretty stiff, physical routes and linking them all together is a pretty tall order, never mind trying to beat a previous time. anyone who thinks it would be easier to just solo all the routes is daft, it would take so much more mental energy you'd be too fried to complete the thing! well done guys.
congrats guys! cracking effort and great going! like you say, theyre all pretty stiff, physical routes and linking them all together is a pretty tall order, never mind trying to beat a previous time. anyone who thinks it would be easier to just solo all the routes is daft, it would take so much more mental energy you'd be too fried to complete the thing! well done guys.
In reply to PeteWilson:
How d'you reckon John Arran and Shane Ohly managed to solo 600 routes in a day, then, or Ron his hundred extremes?
jcm
How d'you reckon John Arran and Shane Ohly managed to solo 600 routes in a day, then, or Ron his hundred extremes?
jcm
In reply to Jon Read:
Maybe as a warm up to the Woodward challenge?
> (In reply to andi turner)
> Tremendous, Andi. Just the Allen/Bancroft staffordshire challenge to do now, eh?
> Tremendous, Andi. Just the Allen/Bancroft staffordshire challenge to do now, eh?
Maybe as a warm up to the Woodward challenge?
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
There are plenty of HVS's and below that are comfortable to solo on the eastern edges (where those challenges happened), I'd say that this isn't the case on the western grit!
> (In reply to PeteWilson)
>
> How d'you reckon John Arran and Shane Ohly managed to solo 600 routes in a day, then, or Ron his hundred extremes?
>
> How d'you reckon John Arran and Shane Ohly managed to solo 600 routes in a day, then, or Ron his hundred extremes?
There are plenty of HVS's and below that are comfortable to solo on the eastern edges (where those challenges happened), I'd say that this isn't the case on the western grit!
In reply to andi turner: Well good effort Andy and Pete, must have been baking!
In reply to Arms Cliff:
Several of Ron's 100 were E6. I think even Eastern grit E5s are more demanding to solo than western HVSses.
jcm
Several of Ron's 100 were E6. I think even Eastern grit E5s are more demanding to solo than western HVSses.
jcm
In reply to johncoxmysteriously: Hmm a choice between Matinee and The Knock? I know which i would choose!
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
You're memory is exaggerating - there were no E6s but several E5s - finishing with Ulysses or Bust being particularly impressive.
You're memory is exaggerating - there were no E6s but several E5s - finishing with Ulysses or Bust being particularly impressive.
In reply to paul_in_cumbria:
Then there's the Gibson challenge...
> Maybe as a warm up to the Woodward challenge?
Then there's the Gibson challenge...
In reply to Adam Long:
Not so much my memory as my typing, but yes, agreed.
I wonder how much effort it would take today's top guys to repeat the feat. Familiarity must have helped RF a lot, I'd have thought.
jcm
Not so much my memory as my typing, but yes, agreed.
I wonder how much effort it would take today's top guys to repeat the feat. Familiarity must have helped RF a lot, I'd have thought.
jcm
In reply to Arms Cliff:
Well yes, true, but as Adam says, how about Ulysses or Bust or Matinee?!
jcm
Well yes, true, but as Adam says, how about Ulysses or Bust or Matinee?!
jcm
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
What's the relevance of Harvest?
I have thought about trying to repeat Ron's 100, but I've probably missed my chance now. There are plenty of folk capable, but for me at least its a motivational thing - I'd prefer to tweak the list to include my own favourites and play to my strengths - as Ron would have done from his original loose plan.
What's the relevance of Harvest?
I have thought about trying to repeat Ron's 100, but I've probably missed my chance now. There are plenty of folk capable, but for me at least its a motivational thing - I'd prefer to tweak the list to include my own favourites and play to my strengths - as Ron would have done from his original loose plan.
In reply to Adam Long:
None, really. Just came to mind as probably the least soloable route of its grade on the eastern edges.
jcm
> What's the relevance of Harvest?
None, really. Just came to mind as probably the least soloable route of its grade on the eastern edges.
jcm
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
What's the obsession with Matinee, especially for a jammeister such as yourself? I can't imagine it would cause these guys to break sweat, solo or not. I wouldn't solo it, obviously, but it's only the last move that's a problem and only then if your arms are as short as mine. Andi was telling me how many times he had soloed the Fox, which must be about five grades harder.
> (In reply to Arms Cliff)
>
> Well yes, true, but as Adam says, how about Ulysses or Bust or Matinee?!
>
>
> Well yes, true, but as Adam says, how about Ulysses or Bust or Matinee?!
>
What's the obsession with Matinee, especially for a jammeister such as yourself? I can't imagine it would cause these guys to break sweat, solo or not. I wouldn't solo it, obviously, but it's only the last move that's a problem and only then if your arms are as short as mine. Andi was telling me how many times he had soloed the Fox, which must be about five grades harder.
In reply to Dave Garnett:
The Fox isn't so high up and has a better landing, though, doesn't it?
I'm just using Matinee 'cos the chap I'm replying to brought it up.
Dunno about that. I think the point is that these things are a lot more challenging all in a row.
jcm
The Fox isn't so high up and has a better landing, though, doesn't it?
I'm just using Matinee 'cos the chap I'm replying to brought it up.
> I can't imagine it would cause these guys to break sweat, solo or not.
Dunno about that. I think the point is that these things are a lot more challenging all in a row.
jcm
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
Oh, definitely. Still, it's not appealing to drop off in various stages of leg enjambment. I just think that anyone who can solo that would laugh in the face of Matinee, especially knowing the reach Andi has.
Was this a manly Western vs effete Eastern edges thing, or a manly jamming vs effete highball boulder thing?
> (In reply to Dave Garnett)
>
> The Fox isn't so high up and has a better landing, though, doesn't it?
>
>
> The Fox isn't so high up and has a better landing, though, doesn't it?
>
Oh, definitely. Still, it's not appealing to drop off in various stages of leg enjambment. I just think that anyone who can solo that would laugh in the face of Matinee, especially knowing the reach Andi has.
Was this a manly Western vs effete Eastern edges thing, or a manly jamming vs effete highball boulder thing?
In reply to Dave Garnett: in 30 years people will be doing the nadin day out
i spent 10 years going at it,and still suffer flash backs now
i spent 10 years going at it,and still suffer flash backs now
In reply to mark s:
50 years possibly and even then... What happened to you on the main challenge again?
PS Well done those men!
50 years possibly and even then... What happened to you on the main challenge again?
PS Well done those men!
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