Steve McClure has made the first onsight ascent of Steve Mayer's Nightmayer E8 6c on Dinas Cromlech in the Llanberis Pass. The route features sustained technical climbing, long run-outs, some iffy gear and a tricky high crux. It was made famous by a video of Belgian climber Nico Favresse taking a huge lob from the top crux, which was also written about by Nick Bullock (UKC article).
The technical climbing is around 8a in difficulty and involves the use of a skyhook to protect the crux. Steve had had the route stored in the back of his mind for many years, but it wasn't until last week that fitness, opportunity and partners aligned. He led the route placing all gear on lead. A film of the ascent by Keith Sharples will be released shortly.
Steve's ascent is one of only a handful of E8 onsights and his third onsight of the grade, having onsighted Point Blank E8 6c and Dawes Rides a Shovelhead E8 6c in 2011 (UKC news report). Steve has been on a trad mission lately, with his recent first ascent of GreatNess Wall E10 7a at Nesscliffe (UKC news report).
More information and footage to follow.
Watch Nico take the Nightmayer whipper:
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Comments
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/08/pembroke_and_lakes_e8_onsights_for_mcclure-63670
Did Steve use a skyhook? I'm sure he doesn't care (and I certainly don't) but does it count as an on-sight if you know you need a specialist piece of kit prior?
Yes
In this case, many people take a sky hook to onsight lord of the flies so I think it would be more surprising if someone didn’t take at least one hook with them on this. Steve planned to take a hook . Also the main hook placement is pretty obvious, and the sequences of climbing are way harder to spot and he read the moves so well.
Also he missed a fairly crucial (obviously not that crucial for him!!) nut 1 in the headwall. This meant that apart from a sky hook, the only gear he had between him girdle ledge was a small nut. And it stays hard to the very top.
Ed
Thanks for clarifying. Also thanks everyone for all the dislikes to a genuine question.
Isn't there a quote from James McHaffie along the lines that gathering good beta is one of the essential skills of the trad on-sighter?