UKC

Is anyone able to tell me what the hardest trad route in the Peak was around 86/87/88? Or point me towards a resource where I can look up something like a timeline of this kind of stuff?

Many thanks!

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:

I'd ask Graham Hoey...

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:

Do you have a copy of "Peak Rock" ? although I guess there is no single answer - most technically difficult, the highest E grade or some combination?

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:

Hi Tom,
It depends whether you mean at the time or now, as routes have lost holds/changed lines. There's also that element as Doug says of defining the most difficult- serious/technical etc

Contenders are:
Doug E8 6c still had few ascents but has been flashed almost o/s.
Gaia E8 6c - lots of repeats
End of the Affair E8 6b - lots of repeats
Thing on a Spring Originally E6 7a but pebble used to dyno off now gone, safe enough but now E6 7a/b? Unrepeated since pebble gone?
The Children's House E6 7a - safe enough short sequence but yet to be repeated despite attempts by good climbers
The Screaming Dream 1987 E7 7a - safe but hard, repeats.
Happy Hart E7/8 7a/b - see below
Lots of E7 6c's all of which have had repeats
If you go into 1989 - Parthian Shot E9 6c at the time. KP Nuts E6 7a - few repeats.

One that stands out is Happy Hart at Curbar although its only over the past 10(?) years or so that people have began to realise how hard it was. One suggestion was that maybe pebbles had come off since John Hart did it or that his exact sequence wasn't known and that his foot/feet may have used (a) hold(s) in Scroach. The grade I came up with after talking to people when researching for Peak Rock was E7/8 7a/b nowadays. There's an account by John in Peak Rock.

Food for thought. I've probably missed a few!

Cheers Graham

In reply to Graham Hoey:


If this is the one at Cratcliffe there's repeat logged on ukc

The Children's House (E5 6c)

In reply to Graham Hoey:

Have any of those had ascents by someone dressed as a banana or minion ?

Hi Graham,

I took the photos the day JH climbed Happy Hart and he was miles away from using any holds in Scroach.

Just to throw a curveball ball in on hard bold routes routes in the Peak, what about White Fright on Central Buttress? Not many repeats if any and certainly none on sight.

Cheers

In reply to Graham Hoey:

Great stuff as ever Graham. Some absolute cracker routes in there - vintage years!

Thanks for the info

In reply to Stoney Boy:

Hi Simon,
I'm trying to remember where the Scroach holds thing came from. I know John sent details to us for Peak Rock and can't think where else I would have got that from if not those. The photo in Peak Rock shows a chalked layaway low down, left of the groove that Scoach moves into but below the level at which you enter it when doing Scroach which is where I think the confusion arises. The chalked layaway looks like it is used in combination with foot/feet on the right wall of the groove (which actually isn't used on Scroach so aren't really Scroach holds!). In any case, I think the section causing difficulties is higher up.

Be really keen to see the whole sequence for the route if you can send them to me.

Best wishes

Graham

In reply to AlanLittle:

Thanks Alan, good to know.

cheers

Graham

In reply to Stoney Boy:

Oh, and about White Fright - I know Neil Foster repeated it.
cheers

Graham

In reply to Graham Hoey:

I know Beau Geste was earlier (1982) but I think it was still considered a bit of a tussle in 1986.

In reply to Dave Garnett:
Definitely Dave, Johnny Dawes and Mark Leach eventually managed the first repeats (by someone other than Jonny Woodward) in 1986. It took them a considerable effort spread over two days with several falls. Both of them were climbing very well at the time.

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training:

Ninth Life?!

jcm

Fairly sure Neil hasn't

In reply to Stoney Boy:

Bloody certain Neil hasn't....

In reply to Graham Hoey:

Mark could well have got it on the first day of trying but he fell and Johnny mistimed the belay and he twisted his ankle on the ledge. Nevertheless the record stands at 2 days to repeat in 1986.

Phil

In reply to Neil Foster:
That's funny, I recall hearing you had done all the routes on Central Buttress WCJ just after you'd done War?

Graham

In reply to AlanLittle:



Interesting to see how the grade has changed with only 1 repeat!