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UK News
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Contributions gratefully accepted via
News archive:
Aug '99 to Aug '00
Jul '99
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Thanks to:
Biffa, Tom Briggs, John Cox, Justin Critchlow, Adam Lincoln, Adam Long, Tim Lowe, Andi Turner.
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Body-bag Bullock bags big bugger
6 Aug 01
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Nick Bullock and Al Powell have just return from Peru, after completing a new route on the
South Face of Quitaraju. Their line, Central Buttress Directissima forces a way through
the steep ice field to gain and climb the eponymous buttress.
Having subjected Powell to the Bullock aclimatisation routine (ie. knock off some 6000m peaks
within 4 days of arriving in the country), the pair set off to attempt the route, travelling very
light, with only enough food for 1.5 days and no bivvy kit save a pertex bivvi bag. The grade
ED2 grade climbing (mainly Scottish V and VI) forced them to spend a bit longer than they imagined
with one bivvi on the face, and one on the way down after summiting.
"It was quite cold without a down jacket", commented Bullock, who is currently nursing his toes.
The hardest pitch proved to be about Scottish VII, 7; vertical hollow ice with a lot of air spaces.
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Hardest natural grit female ascent?
1 Aug 01
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Tanya Holdsworth has recently made a brilliant lead of Barriers In Time E6 6b, on the Roaches lower tier.
This is probably the hardest natural grit lead by a woman, only bettered by Airlie Anderson's
lead of Master's Edge E7 6c, Millstone. Holdsworth has also soloed the nearby Fist
Full of Crystals E6 6b.
Not to be outdone, Tom Briggs (him again!) has made a cool on-sight of Barriers, probably the second true on-sight after Ben Tetler's ascent.
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Yet more repeats
19 Jun 01
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Blessed with a somewhat extended grit season, Tom Briggs has made the third (?) ascent of
Clipperty Clop ... at Ramshaw, following on from Neil Bentley's ascent a few weeks
previously. Tom also led Dangerous Crocodile Snogging, the E7 6c to the left, the
same morning which he thought "felt harder as there are more moves ... still, just boulder
problems that you can't off aren't they really?"
And word reaches me that Adam Lincoln has also made an ascent of Clipperty Clop ... Blooming trade route!
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Roaches Action
12 Jun 01
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Andi Turner has re-led Simon Nadin's testpiece Thing On A Spring (originally given E6 7a), on the lower tier.
Since the loss of a pebble this route has lain dormant. Andi's new sequence involved dynoing from
relatively low handholds, and he took 3 good falls before latching the hold and finishing.
Meanwhile, Catastrophe Internationale, Nick Dixon's gem to the left of Ascent of Man
recieved a number of ground-up repeats at the weekend, including ascents from John Cox and Tom Briggs.
Consensus grade E5 6b (with a mat though boys, to be fair!).
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Ultimate Sculpture re-led
1 Jun 01
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Justin Critchlow has re-led his own route Ultimate Sculpture at Ramshaw (the arete right of The Crank)
which had lain unrepeated since the loss pebbles a few years back.
New grade? E8 7b, "top end 7b, deff" according to Justin.
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On Peak Rock ... at last
23 Apr 01
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With the foot and mouth restrictions severly limiting access to crags, some more 'esoteric' crags have been
getting a hammering from the masses, and scoured for new route potential. There have been ascents of the E5s
and E6s around Hells Gate at Wharncliffe, though noone seems to have repeated Simon Jones' E7 there.
Ramshaw mustn't know what's hit it. Wick Slip, a Nick Dixon E5 that has long laid forgotten, has seen
several ascents most in ground-up style (well, it is a SAFE route). Never Never Land E6 6b has at least
a few ascent, and one dramatic fall from above the dyno by someone who should know better and shall remain nameless
(ok Nick?), which
proved conclusively that the flake holds gear but doesn't hold a fall. Projects seeing attention (or optimistic
chalk marks; take your pick) are the thin crack right of Ramshaw Crack (even this has chalk on it!),
and the prow on the LH end of Alcatraz buttress.
However, a strong team from Leeds, were repelled by Jonny Woodward's National Acrobat E4 6c, proving that
it really was ahead of its time, only having one repeat ascent (by Chris Plant), to my knowledge.
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Bransby still on form
19 Feb 01
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On Saturday 17 Feb '01, Ben Bransby made a cool on-sight ascent of Painted Rumour E6 6a, the roof to the left of The Sloth at the Roaches.
Bransby found the route slightly "green" and endured a 15 minute battle to secure a sling on a flake just under the lip (the
only gear once on the roof), with his legs stuck in the pothole, before cranking it to the top.
Meanwhile, not too far away, Ou Est Le Spit E6 6b, had a couple of ascents within the space of 10 minutes
courtesy of my crag spies Tim Lowe and Julian Webb.
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Ilkley's hardest?
23 Aug 00
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The 'last great problem' up the wall left of New Statesman had a liberal covering in chalk last night.
Is it possible it's been done? It's certainly received attention from someone (I think we can probably guess
who!). This must be the last best line left on grit?
Update
Contrary to the rumours going around, this line hasn't been led. Sorry about that, John!
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© J. Read 2001
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