UKC

Birkett on-sights E8 in Lakes

Dave Birkett has on-sighted James McHaffie's 2002 E8 6c route Fear of Failure on Dove Crag, Lakes. The route was recently repeated by Chris Hope and the grade confirmed. It takes a steep (suprise, suprise) line just next to the old aid route Broken Arrow and features weird undercutting crux moves above a dodgy peg.

In a spell of what he calls his best on-sighting ever, Dave flashed Vlad (E7) and Fetish for Fear (E7) and on-sighted Dusk till Dawn (E7). On Fear of Failure, he discovered a knee-bar rest which allowed him to climb up and down, before committing to the bold crux. He'd seen Vlad climbed before, but flashed it putting all the gear in (Steve Crowe had previously flashed it with the gear in).

This year, Dave has added yet another E8 to Scafell - a direct line left of Berzin's Def Arete. His ascent of Fear of Failure may be one of the only true E8 on-sights ever.


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3 Sep, 2003
By eck! Has he just recovered from a broken ankle too?
3 Sep, 2003
He never actually broke it in the end.
3 Sep, 2003
I don't think Dave Birkett is really under rated - just under hyped.
3 Sep, 2003
Nice one!
3 Sep, 2003
I like it 2! Well done Dave (think its even better cos im from langdale 2 - bit of a local hero - if only i could climb 1/2 that well).
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