UKC

Scottish climber Ben Litster has repeated the classic crack climb Requiem at Dumbarton.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=47938

UPDATE:

More info for those who wanted to know:

Ben commented:

"I did it placing the gear on lead (minus 2 stuck nuts which just I fell on and now are pretty stuck!). I didn't clip the old preplaced wires at the top because I felt I couldn't stop to place them on lead so felt I couldn't clip them as I went up, which meant it was a bit more scary but still safe!

Not sure which ascent it was but the route has so much history it was a great experience!"

In reply to UKC News:

Good effort, one of the best lines around.

In reply to UKC News: Get on Rhapsody Mate!! Nice one!!

In reply to MorganPreecey:

Sounds like he's more focused on Achemine, which is great news. Repeats and grade consensus for MacLeod's big 3 E9s are long overdue.

In reply to UKC News:

Nice work Ben....good to see you getting into some trad, and no jamming must make it at least E9! Some good thoughts on your blog too.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Have you got a link?

Excellent effort, Requiem really has to be one of most impressive looking lines in the UK. No notes in the report on style - pre placed gear or not? Photos seem to suggest not.

In reply to TobyA:

someone else had posted it but that post is now gone??? here it is anyway:

http://www.ben-litster.blogspot.com/

In reply to Morgan Woods: my post got zapped, I'm not sure why.

In reply to Removed User:

not relevant once they'd cleared up the spelling i guess.

In reply to Morgan Woods: It wasn't spelling. I was just asking about the style and why this was particularly newsworthy unless it was onsight?

In reply to Removed User:

Hardonicus - you posted, THAT'S NOT NEWS, in the UKC Editorial Forum.

It is news.

UKC News not only reports on cutting edge ascents, repeats and firsts, but also on the diversity of what is happening in the UK climbing and mountaineering scene.

We are very proud of our news page, and not just because of its popularity and the positive feedback we get, but importantly for the first time we are getting a bigger picture (without regional bias) of what is happening out there.

Cheers,

Mick

In reply to UKC News:

What day did it go?

I saw his execellent attempt earlier in the week when he fell off the last move. After a bit of a fight to exit the big crack and reach the rest it looked like he'd got it back but obviously not quite. You could see he'd get it next time...

The attempt I saw was in good style placing all the gear on the lead I'd be surprised if the successful attempt was any different.

In reply to Jamie Bankhead:

>"Sounds like he's more focused on Achemine"

You'd have though that perhaps one of the E10 variations on Rhapsody (Cop-out or Direquiem) would actually be less work than Achemine give how much they have in common with Requiem. I guess there must be moves on the E10's that are just a bit harder and it isn't just the run-out on the RP that bumps then up to E10.

In reply to JLS:

Maybe he just thinks that Achemine is a better route (for him)?

Like I said, it will be very interesting to see how the Dumby E9s stack up against other routes of that grade/vintage.

In reply to UKC News:

Good skills, Ben!

More importantly!, Ben now needs to On-sight Cemen De Fer!!!

This will be much more impressive than headpointing Requiem or Achemine!

In reply to UKC News:

Cracking effort by Ben. Its good to see him going well.

In reply to TobyA:

Alan cassidy reported on SC that he palced all the gear on lead

http://scottishclimbs.com/wiki/Oversexed_trad

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Think Requiem has still had less than ten ascents? Fairly newsworthy for a 26 year old route.

Cubby
The Brat
Spider
Alan Cassidy
Dumby Dave
Sonny Trotter
John Dunne
?
Think there's a couple more but can't remember who...

In reply to whispering nic: The chap everyone called Stork - Paul Thorburn is it? I think he was third.

In reply to whispering nic:

You can add Steve Mac (not sure if Sharples did it as well during his tries).

Has it had the ground up treatment yet? I'd surprised if not as it's not actually that bad (i.e. it's not really 8a+ climbing) and also pretty well protected overall (just a bit spooky on the headwall).

Good effort Ben - good luck on Chemin!

In reply to Tom Randall - Lattice Training: Keith didnt do it. But I believe Malc did many years ago???

In reply to whispering nic:

Paul 'Frodo' Laughan did tan early ascent, not sure if Stork has done it or The Brat.

In reply to Tyler:
Think u right laughlan not the brat - not sure about stork, brat or malc s....

In reply to whispering nic:

It was very nearly onsighted too.

In reply to Tyler:

Way I heard it Frodo went for the second ascent only to find the initials JD scrawled in chalk near the top. Not that finding initials scrawled at Dumby is anything unusual.

In reply to UKC News: Hi Catt it was neatly written not scrawled.

In reply to UKC News: UPDATE:

More info for those who wanted to know:

Ben commented:

"I did it placing the gear on lead (minus 2 stuck nuts which just I fell on and now are pretty stuck!). I didn't clip the old preplaced wires at the top because I felt I couldn't stop to place them on lead so felt I couldn't clip them as I went up, which meant it was a bit more scary but still safe!

Not sure which ascent it was but the route has so much history it was a great experience!"

Good effort to Ben!

Cheers Jack

In reply to Tyler:


Pretty sure Storky has done it.

In reply to martin heywood:


So am I. Wasn't he third? It was when I was in Glasgow so mid-90s.

In reply to whispering nic: I was fairly sure that Paul Laughlan had made a very early repeat probably second,and this seems to be th concensus that has developed trhought the thread. TobyA may be able to confirm or refute that Craig Parnaby made an ascent in the early nineties ?

In reply to andrew ogilvie: I heard that Craig had done it in the 90's as well.

Andy F

In reply to andy farnell: I remember hearing that Craig was working on it and coming close, but I don't know if ever did it.

Do you know him? I guess he's a doctor now? Very nice guy as well as an amazingly talented climber. Say hello from me if you do - we were in the Glasgow Uni club together for a couple of years.

In reply to TobyA:

Yeah, from time to time I wonder what happened to Craig Parnaby, I didn't know him but would often be drawn in to watching him climb a hard route.

In reply to TobyA: I met him a few times at Malham in the late 90's. Nice bloke, I think he was coming to the end of his training then. I do remember him being very steely fingered with bags of stamina. Not seen him in a long while though.

Andy F

In reply to andrew ogilvie:


Craig fell on the onsight- it was a bit wet and he slapped the top and slid off. As far as I know he never tried it again.