Steve McClure has climbed the huge arete left of the upper section of Elder Crack at Curbar. He has called the route Elder Statesman and offered a grade of HXS 7a/b. The route is well protected by solid runners in Elder Crack but the moves to gain and establish yourself on the arete are desperate; which is probably why many top climbers had tried but failed to top-rope the route over the years.
I don't believe it. No way could he climb anything that hard with a cricket jumper slung all nonchalant over his shoulders and humming the final movement of Bruch's violin concerto. It might fool you punters, but no way is a hard and seasoned grit supremo like myself fooled for a second. Nice try whoever took the photo (bet you took the one of Kerry sitting next to Jsane Fonda at an anto-Vietnam War demo?)
Gordon, Dazman and I are not ones for self-publicizing - we let our achievements speak quietly. But that 'incredible arete at Burbage' went last Sunday (Daz did the first moves and I led through on the a cheval upper section) at about E11, 7c (not too hard - we didn't have to change out of our hush puppies into our rock boots).
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