UKC

Marmot Presents: The Slackers Guide to Climbing

Featuring: Lucy Creamer, Steve McClure and presented by John Horscoft

When Adam Ondra makes a special trip during a dismal summer to try your routes, you know your
reputation has transcended the tight-knit British climbing community. Equally, if your hardest ever
ice route has had to be bolted before anyone else will climb it, you know it has to be nails. Steve
McClure's routes at Malham and Kilnsey received the ultimate accolade this year when Ondra
confirmed the grades, even hinting that they were pretty stiff. Lucy Creamer's Mighty Aphrodite in
Colorado is still regarded as one of the hardest mixed routes ever climbed by a woman...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=3040

In reply to UKC Articles:

Hey guys,
just a small thing, the main picture has the event happening in October, yet its actually happening in November

In reply to UKC Articles:

Q. I once had a hamster that was amazing at climbing the cage I called her Lucy if Steve was a pet of mine what animal would he be?

In reply to UKC Articles:

Come now, UKCers, while I'm a great hamster fan, surely the well of wit and wisdom hasn't yet run dry?? With two great climbers at your mercy, surely there are a some incisive, penetrating questions out there? Don't be shy......

In reply to UKC Articles:

A question for Lucy & Steve .

Has there been a time in your climbing careers when you haven't been able to climb for prolonged periods ( injuries/other commitments) ? and if so what motivated & inspired you to get back to it ? (when did you know it was time ?)

Please forgive me if you have both answered similar questions many times before .

many thanks Leon

In reply to UKC Articles:

Question for Steve:
Dave Birkett has been quoted as saying that, in his opinion, E10 (and thus, by extension, E11 and E12) does not yet exist. What's your take on this?

In reply to UKC Articles: A question for both Steve and Lucy. Being at the top of any sport requires huge dedication, mental strength and also determination. In theory any person can have these attributes but what is it do you think that has allowed you both to remain at the forefront of world climbing for so long?

In reply to UKC Articles:

Good questions guys, keep 'em coming....

In reply to john horscroft:

I'd love to know more about how Steve balances being a dad with training for 9a-whatever climbs. Also, he seems to be doing more hard trad climbing now, why the change?

If you had never discovered climbing, what do you think you'd be doing right now?

Dear Lucy and Steve,

as you are two of the more focussed and dedicated climbers in the UK, can you tell us how you are qualified to give a Slackers Guide to Climbing?

In reply to john horscroft:

One for Steve:

Given that you seemed to do 'Rhapsody' in jig-time, could you be tempted to venture further north to try Dave Mac's 'Echo Wall'?


Okay, a second one for both Lucy and Steve:

Do you feel any pressure from others to try routes that you quite simply don't fancy, for whatever reason. (to Steve: my two questions aren't connected!)

Oh, and if you do, which routes are they and what determines which ones you aim for and which ones you just let pass?

In reply to UKC Articles: To Steve - are you related to that bloke off master chef, the one with the girly first name and the French surname?

Andy F

In reply to UKC Articles: Dear Steve and Lucy,

You have both been climbing for quite a while now.

Has your climbing focus changed? Do you feel you are still progressing? Alan Austin once said that in terms of boldness, by the time your 30 'job's knackered'. Any thoughts on this and on other aspects of climbing?

Cheers,

Jack

In reply to UKC Articles: I think you might have covered this question, but here goes, for both of you.

Who actually introduced you to climbing, and who (if any) saw potential in you both and actively and initally encouraged you to progress to the level of climbing you are today?

Second question. Do you still climb and enjoy easier routes such as VS's or do you not even go on them anymore?

In reply to UKC Articles:

Blatant discrimination to hamsters I tell thee!

Beats how much spinach do you need to eat to climb 9a.

I will await my prize

In reply to Simmy:

I'd like to point out that there will be NO discrimination against hamsters, not while I'm around and adhering to the UKC Equal Rights for all Small Furry Aminals policy......

In reply to UKC Articles:

Question for both Lucy and Steve:

What would be your five "Desert Island" climbs? This desert island is so special that it contains any rock type you can imagine, and ice lines too!

Nonetheless, you are to be marooned on it, so what are the five climbs that you could happily climb over and over again, and what makes them so special?

In reply to UKC Articles:
I'd like to know if they would be interested in carrying on climbing if they were no longer improving.