UKC

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Great effort all round.

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

An E8 6c onsight - particularly fine effort by James Pearson.

Has there ever been a 7a trad onsight?

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: i love the Grit and everything about it-even the cold fingers. but does anyone else get the impression that firstly with the yanks pissing up everything- and yes, on the whole they did- and now Pete Robbins, Pearson and Pasquill (sp?) that it isn't the fabled arena/ godhead of British climbing that its made out to be? or am i just bored and being controversial. be gentle.

In reply to James B:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=338820

In reply to thomasfoote:

I agree, 100%!

In reply to James B:

I don't know. On-sight isn't a significantly better style than a flash. The odd bit of beta doesn't make that much difference.

In reply to Richard Hall: Shhh, you will star another grade/style debate.

In reply to Richard Hall: beta can make a huge amount of difference!!! and as the previous poster said it is a fine effort!! really is no need to belitle other peoples achievements!

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Great achievements - all the hard work paid off.

In reply to sihills: Who is "belitle other peoples achievements" ?

I just said that it was not significantly better than the other efforts mentioned.

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Great effort guys - the 'grit season' is lasting well this year!


Chris

In reply to thomasfoote:

I think it's more to do with the first dry winter without a great deal of wind for a few years combined with a shift toward a ground up ethic that we're seeing these repeats....

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Bon effort fellas!

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Well done guys!

J

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
Good effort guys!!

In reply to james oswald:

...we would have an up to date guide as well if it wasn't for those pesky kids!

;0)

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
"Pete slipped off the very top on an early attempt, taking the full height fall and landing on the ground, missing his bouldering mats."

How high is it!? Looks lik it's quite high but the picture might be deceptive. Is Pete made out of foam or is it really not that high?

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC and others: We've been waiting a LONG, LONG time for a convincing step forward in standards of 'onsight' climbing on Grit, from the era of Fawcett, Dawes and Dunne etc..

It is now clear that this increase in standards has now well and truly arrived with superb ascents from variety of climbers.

The last decade or so of rising bouldering standards has finally started to deliver in terms of climbers' performance on routes.

Great efforts all round!

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Why are there always whiners and moaners around. I say great effort by all those involved. The recent events in no way affect the 'rep' of gritstone as 'gods own rock'. All I can say to the dissenters is go and try it and when you are shitting your pants on some crazy and committing rock over on smears above some ankle snapping boulders 25 ft below you, I doubt you would be making some negative blog about anything. Definitely the rise in bouldering has contributed to the general overall ability of climbers on the whole. I remember when I used to climb, seems like a hundred years ago now, I managed a 6c and a 6b at Cressbrook after many hours of working them and pursued bouldering for months after that, when I returned to the crags to do routes my grade had jumped from E2 to E5! Gritstone will always be the most inspiring of rock to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: yeh but what have they done on limestone

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Firstly, good on the guys for the onsights, inspiring stuff

Secondly, imho TEOTA has never seen 6c, it's more like steady 6b, the crux of Gaia is way harder than that of TEOTA, and even the climbing up the groove to the traverse is more dificult than anything on TEOTA.
I think the true crux is looking at a deck out if you don't have a quick enough belayer. As for Gaia, i can see why people can lose the mind game a the top, not being able to see the last runner is so scary and wierd.

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
Great to see a new generation moving standards up! ( I do think there has been a long delay until now. But making up for that delay in style!)
Please will someone repeat Happyhart on Curbar. It is an excellent technical climb and I think it will be enjoyed.
Start is left of Scroach and it moves right to use the wall of Scroach for feet until almost immediately moving back left to the thin crack. I had a preplaced wire in Scroach with a long sling on the first ascent.
Perhaps it should have been given E8 rather than E7 but it was all a bit vague back then.

In reply to John Hart: Hi John, been trying to find any info on repeats of Happy hart. It's way beyond me unfortunately, but I'm involved in the production of new BMC Froggatt guide. The peole I've asked (including, I think, Pete Robins) have failed to top rope it. How did it end up as bottom of the E7 list in the old guide. Mathematically at least, it seems like very hard E8 at least?

In reply to John Hart:

I didn't know about the use of the Scroach side-wall (its not mentioned in EG) maybe that is foxing folks?


Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs: No, i never knew about that either, Chris. That's why we can't do it

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I have updated the database

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/r.php?i=1603

Chris

In reply to Niall Grimes:

That wasn't why I couldn't do it!


Chris

In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
The side runners were clearly stated in Peak Rock Climbs Fifth series Vol 3..
20 years ago and for several years after I gave the beta to lots of people including the information of the foot on the side wall. Can't remember all the beta in detail now but can remember one or two bits of it.
I did hear of a top rope ascent -- can't remember who it was.
I was climbing a lot on limestone at the time and reasonably fit. It was practiced on top rope a fair bit.
Last week I top roped End of the Affair on third go -- hadn't been on grit for ages and am getting old and unfit -- I don't think I would have had a chance on HH last week. -- maybe I ought to try and do it again -- only kidding!
Seriously the new kids on the block will find it straightforward and, I hope, enjoy it.

In reply to Niall Grimes:
Re the E7 grade -- simple -- I thought if I had done it it couldn't be harder. Not trying to be modest it is just what I thought. And there weren't many routes of those grades around to compare and these had been done by people who were superhuman.

In reply to John Hart:



Hard E6.

In reply to John Hart: Cheers John,

tried once to get info here:

http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,9783.0.html

so would be good to get as much info off you as poss

In reply to pauldr:

haha :P

In reply to Niall Grimes:
Sorry I hadn't seen your blog on UK bouldering. I don't look at these sites very often I'm afraid -- too busy usually.
I will go and look at Happy Hart as soon as I can but it might be a couple of weeks.
In the meantime ... (don't hold me to this as I can forget the beta on my own stairs) I seem to remember an undercut start to ledges then move to a side pull for some layback moves with feet on side wall of Scroach. This enables a smaller side pull over to the left to be reached I think. There are small pebbles at the bottom of the thin crack - one is split in half and used to cut my finger. I seem to remember a bit of fancy foot work to get the pebble. and another ledge? Small wire in thin crack. Lay away to left and throw right foot high and rock over and its virtually all over.
I saw the pebble when I walked past it the other week. Hope this is of use and reasonably accurate.
I noticed that someone on the rockfax site had top roped it and I am fairly sure someone top roped it years ago as well.