UKC

NEWS: PHOTOS: McClure Climbs The Great Arch With 1 Fall

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 UKC News 07 Jun 2010
[Lucy Creamer climbing onsight on one of the lower pitches of 'To Be Continued', Pabbay., 3 kb]Steve McClure gives us a full first hand account of his efforts on the Great Arch - Pabbay.

"I'm trying as hard as I can, it could be the crux of an 8b sport route. Then I'm facing an all out slap for what looks like a hold..."

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=55296

 Jonny2vests 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

Sounds like a brilliant adventure, and a nice bit of writing Steve.
 Franco Cookson 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

Truly inspiring. I'm so excited for pabay next week and the pictures, writing and climbing has made me even more excited. Thanks. Is the point of aid just in reference to them each having a 'rest'?
In reply to Franco C: You could say that but my understanding is both fell and pulled back up to the fall point (on said piece of gear - now an aid point) and so weighting the gear.
 Franco Cookson 07 Jun 2010
In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

OK. I was wondering whether there was another section they used an aid point on. So they both did all the moves? Excellent effort. The pictures of that roof make it look incredible.
In reply to Franco C: This section - McClure came close to climbing the route on his first go after a brief abseil inspection, but he fell at the final hard bit. He pulled back on and climbed the rest of the route in one go - essentially repeating the previous efforts - climbing the route with one 'aid point'.

Is talking about cubby and Ste - dunno about Lucy's attempt though.
 BelleVedere 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

I really liked the article.

this made me chortle though: "There is no time for another go as I'm already watching the sun set over the sea and the wind is whipping over the arch and making me glad to be wearing performance kit."

Why what performance kit would that be - and pray tell where might we purchase some?
In reply to Franco C: her style was combination of climbing, prusiking and fear (good effort though).
 royal 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:
Awesome, real adventure inspiring stuff.
 Smelly Fox 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:
A quality read!

Glad you enjoyed the adventure folks! Sounds and looks and amazing route!

Who's next for a go?

Trist
 HP 07 Jun 2010
In reply to es:

Indeed. What could the gear be? No wait - on the bottom left photo - I think I can see a sponsor logo - if only I could make it out?.....
In reply to Franco C: Are you going to have a shot?
 ste mac 07 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

just for the record

entire route climbed with one fall, not with a point of aid. Quite a different thing really. Not perfect by a long way, but on routes like this, on a personal level, it doesn't seem to really matter that much.
In reply to ste mac: UKC might want to correct the article and whip out my comments too.

Well done btw.
 gary lewin 07 Jun 2010
In reply to ste mac:
Good going Ste, scared the doo dahs out of me reading your article.
I know your roots are in trad but are we gonna see you doing a few more adventure roots now??
 220bpm 08 Jun 2010
In reply to ste mac:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> Quite a different thing really.

Indeed!

Great effort by you both, gerrinthere!
 Jack Geldard 08 Jun 2010
In reply to ste mac: Hello Steve,

I have now changed the wording of the news item, to be more clear.

Hanging on/falling on to a piece of gear is essentially an aid point, which is what I meant, but I have now made it very clear exactly what happened by stating:

"McClure came close to climbing the route on his first go after a brief abseil inspection, but he fell at the final hard bit. He pulled back on and climbed the rest of the route in one go - climbing the route with one fall."

I hope that clears this up.

To see the change you will have to refresh your browser.

Many large routes throughout the world have been climbed with a fall and these are usually recorded as having an 'aid point', with additional notes describing that the aid point was a fall, as I did here, but I certainly didn't set out to confuse anyone.

Great effort on the route and gripping report.

Best,

Jack
 Tyler 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

So did Cubby use a direct aid point or did he just rest as well?
 Mike Stretford 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:
> (In reply to ste mac) Hello Steve,

> Hanging on/falling on to a piece of gear is essentially an aid point, which is what I meant, but I have now made it very clear exactly what happened by stating:
>

I thought a fall and aid were 2 different things? A fall is were you fall, then proceed to free climb the section you fell off. An aid point is were you pull on gear to get through a section you cannot free climb. Quite a distinction IMO.

 thommi 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Papillon: I also thought this. im confused
 Jack Geldard 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Papillon: Yes, there is quite a distinction.

I was under the impression that they were reported in the way I explained above, but I am quite prepared to be completely wrong. It has been known!

Jack
 Nic 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

>>> falling on to a piece of gear is essentially an aid point

Er, no it's not - that's just daft. In a purist sense, you haven't climbed the route (I stress without in any way detracting from Steve and Lucy's fantastic achievement), but to call it "with one point of aid" is actively misleading - it suggests Steve couldn't actually do the move, whereas in fact he could, just not all in one push.
 Dave Warburton 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Nic: Hanging on gear is A0 isn't it? I agree though, it's slightly misleading with regards to how he managed all the moves. Ultimately, an epic achievement regardless - very well done.
 Skyfall 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

As a relative layman in terms of hard climbing at least, I agree that I was confused by calling it one point of aid whereas the general impression was that he fell off and then simply climbed it with "no aid". Which I think is what Steve has confirmed and I can see why he wanted it clarified.
 catt 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Tyler:

In 'The Face' Cubby takes several falls (the first with some gear popping!) trying to turn the roof. I can't remember if they say they went back the next day and actually aided it, or left it at that. i.e. with a fall, and called it 'with aid', in the way Jack describes. I'll need to go and dust of my VCR later...
 mlmatt 08 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

Surely the "point point of aid" refered to in the grade is actually for where you need to tug on a sling or wire or stand on a peg to make a move.

Not for falling off and then climbing back up the ropes and trying again.

 Franco Cookson 08 Jun 2010
In reply to Dave Warburton:
> (In reply to Nic) Hanging on gear is A0 isn't it?

That's certainly what it means around the moors, not too sure about further affield. I suppose it's either a clean aid ascent or a free ascent with falls. Depends on what floats your boat.
 john arran 08 Jun 2010
In reply to UKC News:

In times gone by a point of aid was any piece you weighted between starting and topping out. Whether it was just a 'rest point' or needed to bypass a move you couldn't actually do wasn't important - what mattered is that you used it!

Confusingly, in the days of yoyoing (70's into 80's) it was common to refer to succeeding on a route with just one (or a small number of) fall(s), but this actually meant lowering to the ground between tries and trying again - albeit with your rope still through your highest gear. So whichever way you describe Steve's adventure it will always sound odd to some.

Sounded like a fantastic try though - good effort Steve.
 220bpm 10 Jun 2010
In reply to catt:
> (In reply to Tyler)
>
> In 'The Face' Cubby takes several falls (the first with some gear popping!) trying to turn the roof. I can't remember if they say they went back the next day and actually aided it, or left it at that. i.e. with a fall, and called it 'with aid', in the way Jack describes. I'll need to go and dust of my VCR later...

I'm sure your right. Although I'm sure I remember Cubby pulling round over the crux overlap being part of the filmed sequence? However maybe an element of cinematographic licence there...

WRT to the described original ascent being with a point of aid I have always assumed this meant pulling on gear, not dogging

Just great to see a route like that getting attention.

I'd always assumed

Cubby + Lynn Hill =
Location and weather =
No dice =
7a + aid =
Fancy a pop at that?....
Errr...lets go to Spain...

Got to love those sport climbers
 Karl Bromelow 10 Jun 2010
In reply to john arran:
> (In reply to UKC News)
>
> In times gone by a point of aid was any piece you weighted between starting and topping out. Whether it was just a 'rest point' or needed to bypass a move you couldn't actually do wasn't important - what mattered is that you used it!
>
I know this thread has gone quiet and I don't really want to keep flogging this one unnecessarily but it does seem that most people now believe a point of aid refers to bypassing a move by artificial means and that's maybe why a story on this same website (albeit by a different author but edited by Jack I should imagine) about Ueli Steck on El Cap wasn't reported as a great effort with one point of aid :

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=47580

"Swiss climber Ueli Steck free-climbed El Cap's Golden Gate (5.13b, 41 pitches) and fell on only a single pitch"

Is it because he onsighted the rest and it was 41 pitches long that we refer to it as a fall without anywhere suggesting it was a point of aid? Blurry definition isn't it. Well it is now.

Nicely done Steve and Lucy. Happy climbing.

Cheers, Karl
 Oliver Hill 10 Jun 2010
In reply to Karl Bromelow: Very good point. All human activities are full of double standards and inconsistencies. It must be a a big strain being a top climber and having to live up to the highest standards. There must be very few who do. their feeling of success must be that much greater. So congratulations to Steve. A flash with one fall is more natural/worthy than a redpoint with none.

To UKC, this article would be that more informative if authors could provide a topo, or just sketch in the line and key info on a photo. Possibly including short tips on unusual pro placements. That way top rope inspection would be less necessary. This seems to be common practise on many foreign websites.


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