UKC

Scottish climber Robbie Phillips has made the second British ascent of the 240m 6-pitch 8b+ Silbergeier in the Ratikon, Switzerland with climbing partner Willis Morris. Silbergeier is one of the most famous hard multipitch climbs in the Alps, and was first climbed by Beat Kammerlander back in the early 1990's.

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In reply to UKC News:

Fantastic effort.

However the description is misleading:


He didn't free the route since the route was already free. To free a route means to dispense with existing aid points: in other words make the first free ascent. Once a route is freed it can't be freed again though if it was still aided by some parties you might say 'free-climbed' to clarify the fact.

In this case it's clearer and more succinct to simply say: "Robbie redpointed the route on his first try".

Top effort. First British ascent of one of the Trilogy?

In reply to stp:

Pedantic but true.

In reply to stp:

since when? I've never heard that before. I would take "he freed it" as he free climbed it, and "he made the first free ascent" as having made the first free ascent. Phenomenally, and unnecessarily pedantic comment. Where's this official dictionary of climbing terminology that makes you so sure of this definition?

Well done Robbie, looks great!

In reply to GDes:

I still agree with stp, although I wouldn't have bothered to point it out my self.

But, er, first Brit ascent* of one of the alpine hard rock Big Three? And almost nobody seems to care. Am I missing something?

* afaik. I may be wrong.

In reply to AlanLittle:
Second. Wiz Fineron did it last year, no?

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=69005

But yes, very impressive, particular the quick turnaround from his former life as an out and out sport climber

In reply to GDes:


Since about when people started to focus on free climbing instead of just climbing. Didn't the headlines go "Lynn Hill Freed the Nose on El Cap"... And yes, she was the 1st. After a year or two, she was in the news agains "Lynn Hill free climbed the Nose in a day".

Notice the difference.

In reply to UKC News:

Noticed that Robbie and Willis also made the second of Dave Mac's Project Fear (8c+) .

http://www.robbiephillips.co.uk/blogs/entry/rock-climbing/project-fear.html

surely this is also newsworthy?