[duncan]

Great thread. Talk amongst yourself if you’ve heard this one before...

Corniceman and I spent fall 1981 in Camp 4, mostly on a site adjacent to the Columbia boulder. Only two people had climbed Midnight Lightning at that point, Ron Kauk and John Bachar, but it attracted daily attention from strong people of all nationalities. I can remember a group of Yorkshiremen including, if memory serves, Andy Brown (back like the proverbial condom stuffed with wallnuts, webbo?). A few people could hold the lightning bolt for a second or two but I never saw anyone get any further.

Every day, shortly before 5pm, a crowd would gather in anticipation of what was to follow. Bachar would appear, like clockwork, having nearly completed his camp four bouldering circuit. A brief chalk-up then he’d fire it,  seemingly effortlessly, first go every time. He’d saunter off letting the rest of the mortals to resume their futile efforts.


 

[Stabbsy]

The one that sticks in my mind would be ‘93/‘94, bunking off 6th form on a Wednesday morning so we had a full day out. Got the train to Grindleford and walked up to Froggatt. We stopped under Diamond Cracks, which I reckoned was doable with my meagre rack of 5 wires, 1 hex, 3 quickdraws and a sling.

We had two climbing books in the school library - Bill Birkett’s classic climbs of Northern England and Fawcett on Rock. Who should arrive and put his beer towel down - none other than Big Ron himself. He sets off along Oedipus (as I now know it to be), disappears round the arête then a few minutes later reappears and reverses back to the rest at the start. He gets a piece of chalk out of his chalk bag, puts a mark on the rock and then repeats the process I can’t remember how many times. When he got to the allotted number (or got bored), he stepped off, brushed off his chalk tally, wished us a good day and wandered off. In that time, I’d made it about three quarters of the way up Diamond Cracks.

Not the hardest piece of climbing I’ve seen, but it was just the effortlessness of it all.

[jwi]

...
But that’s not the most incredible piece of climbing I’ve ever seen. That honour goes to Edu Marin at Santa Linya, on a RP burn of some 9a - I forget which one.
...

Great story! Made me remember something similar in Hourai in Japan, when I gave advice that could have killed a man.

I was hanging at the anchor on the lip of the route in the Haikara iwa sector. Haikara iwa is very steep and the routes stay quite close to the ground. A guy was trying an 8b+ to the right of me. He skipped a draw everyone skips, and couldn't clip the next because of pump. Decides to do another move to the jugs on the lip and clip the next draw from there. Despite him hanging from real jugs on the lip of the roof with what looked like a good heal hook, he couldn't let go of any of the hands. Looking increasingly desperate, a fall at this point would surely have been a ground fall, most likely terminal. Everyone at the crag had gone silent. I looked over and decided that the climbing up to the anchor looked trivial so after a while I told him in low voice: "keep climbing!". He shakily soloed the rest and managed to clip the anchor. Lowered to the ground and started crying.

[webbo]

Great thread. Talk amongst yourself if you’ve heard this one before...

Corniceman and I spent fall 1981 in Camp 4, mostly on a site adjacent to the Columbia boulder. Only two people had climbed Midnight Lightning at that point, Ron Kauk and John Bachar, but it attracted daily attention from strong people of all nationalities. I can remember a group of Yorkshiremen including, if memory serves, Andy Brown (back like the proverbial condom stuffed with wallnuts, webbo?). A few people could hold the lightning bolt for a second or two but I never saw anyone get any further.

Every day, shortly before 5pm, a crowd would gather in anticipation of what was to follow. Bachar would appear, like clockwork, having nearly completed his camp four bouldering circuit. A brief chalk-up then he’d fire it,  seemingly effortlessly, first go every time. He’d saunter off letting the rest of the mortals to resume their futile efforts.

Yep I was there. I remember one of the scousers putting in to perspective though as Bacher rode off on his BMX. Saying “ What the riding round on a little kids bike about”

[mark s]

Jesse Dufton climbing teck crack at the roaches . Then he did an hvs, not hard but when you consider he can't see and he was trusting what I was telling him. Amazing!!!

[mrjonathanr]

Teck Crack is nails when you see it!

[Andy F]

One thing that sticks in my mind is in 94/5 watching Nick Sellers run up Cry Freedom. I was at the belay of New Dawn and watched the whole thing, it seemed to take him about 3 minutes, he didn't seem to stop moving from the ground to the belay. It was more like flowing over the rock than actual pulling on holds. Proper liquid movement.

[spidermonkey09]

One thing that sticks in my mind is in 94/5 watching Nick Sellers run up Cry Freedom. I was at the belay of New Dawn and watched the whole thing, it seemed to take him about 3 minutes, he didn't seem to stop moving from the ground to the belay. It was more like flowing over the rock than actual pulling on holds. Proper liquid movement.

Nic is an amazing climber isn't he. The guidebook to Arapiles refers to his exploits there in almost religious tones.

[Fiend]

Jesse Dufton climbing teck crack at the roaches . Then he did an hvs, not hard but when you consider he can't see and he was trusting what I was telling him. Amazing!!!

Good call. Jesse doing Blizzard Ridge at Rivelin with his partner who hadn't climbed it either guiding him fron the ground on a walkie-talkie. An awkward and precarious route with crucial and specific gear....

[Andy F]

Jesse Dufton climbing teck crack at the roaches . Then he did an hvs, not hard but when you consider he can't see and he was trusting what I was telling him. Amazing!!!

Good call. Jesse doing Blizzard Ridge at Rivelin with his partner who hadn't climbed it either guiding him fron the ground on a walkie-talkie. An awkward and precarious route with crucial and specific gear....

Actually Jesse cruising Forked Lightning (on video) was pretty darn impressive. He made it look pish. Which it's obviously not.

[36chambers]

I saw Mark Katz do the first ascent of the caseg sit, (2000 ish?) me and my mate had managed to do the stand and were feeling very pleased with ourselves. I clearly remember him matching on the slopiest bit of slopey hold and just reaching up into the stand. My memory is generally pretty bad but this has stuck with me!

Have a memory long ago of seeing Katzy campussing up and down the small rungs on the campus board at the Pudsey Depot. This was before Instagram made that sort of thing very common to see. Just remember being completely awestruck that someone could do that.

I hope he doesn't see this... but when I first climbed alongside Palmstrong on the Pudsey 50 (back when I could barely make it to the top) was, and probably still is, the most impressive bit of climbing I've seen.

At the time, the strongest person I'd ever climbed with was doing 7Cs, so obviously watching a mid-8 climber float up their hard board circuit was just something else. "It was inspiring but dismaying in equal measures really."

[Bonjoy]

Nige on Dynamics of Change. I couldn’t touch the camera as I was shaking too much but he slinked his way through the moves and a spell was broken.

I was down in the boulder field piddling around on Little Pig. Was surreal to watch the ascent at such a distance. Don't think I'd have been able to watch if I was much closer though.

[Will Hunt]

I saw Mark Katz do the first ascent of the caseg sit, (2000 ish?) me and my mate had managed to do the stand and were feeling very pleased with ourselves. I clearly remember him matching on the slopiest bit of slopey hold and just reaching up into the stand. My memory is generally pretty bad but this has stuck with me!

Have a memory long ago of seeing Katzy campussing up and down the small rungs on the campus board at the Pudsey Depot. This was before Instagram made that sort of thing very common to see. Just remember being completely awestruck that someone could do that.

I hope he doesn't see this... but when I first climbed alongside Palmstrong on the Pudsey 50 (back when I could barely make it to the top) was, and probably still is, the most impressive bit of climbing I've seen.

At the time, the strongest person I'd ever climbed with was doing 7Cs, so obviously watching a mid-8 climber float up their hard board circuit was just something else. "It was inspiring but dismaying in equal measures really."

I've been wondering about this and I'm slightly disappointed that I don't think I've ever personally watched anything on rock that's really blown me away. But watching Tim float up the 50 board on the most disgusting of edges is probably the starkest display of finger strength I've ever seen. I assumed that Tim must find outdoor climbing boring because surely everything would be piss. To think that Tim climbs something like 8c routes (I think?) brought it home to me just how strong people like Megos etc are.

[ferret]

A few that stand out,
Various accents from Tony Lamiche during his Bishop rampage, just so incredibly good in that style. Made most problems there look effortless.
Daniel Woods at Lower Chaos 15+ years ago so 6 or 7 problems V11-13 all first try in about 10 minutes. World class display of strength and body tension.
The one that stands out the most was watching Seb Frigault, Lauren Avare and Jacky Godoffe climb everything 7c-8a/+ at Cuvier Rempart. One of those perfect evenings, the sun was setting giving the rock a pink glow and they were the only other climbers there. Not big numbers but they all climbed everything first try one after the other, laughing and joking. Such a display of precision and perfect movement in rock. Absolute masters of their craft!

[Bradders]

I saw Mark Katz do the first ascent of the caseg sit, (2000 ish?) me and my mate had managed to do the stand and were feeling very pleased with ourselves. I clearly remember him matching on the slopiest bit of slopey hold and just reaching up into the stand. My memory is generally pretty bad but this has stuck with me!

Have a memory long ago of seeing Katzy campussing up and down the small rungs on the campus board at the Pudsey Depot. This was before Instagram made that sort of thing very common to see. Just remember being completely awestruck that someone could do that.

I hope he doesn't see this... but when I first climbed alongside Palmstrong on the Pudsey 50 (back when I could barely make it to the top) was, and probably still is, the most impressive bit of climbing I've seen.

At the time, the strongest person I'd ever climbed with was doing 7Cs, so obviously watching a mid-8 climber float up their hard board circuit was just something else. "It was inspiring but dismaying in equal measures really."

I've been wondering about this and I'm slightly disappointed that I don't think I've ever personally watched anything on rock that's really blown me away. But watching Tim float up the 50 board on the most disgusting of edges is probably the starkest display of finger strength I've ever seen. I assumed that Tim must find outdoor climbing boring because surely everything would be piss. To think that Tim climbs something like 8c routes (I think?) brought it home to me just how strong people like Megos etc are.

I still think that about Tim, every time I see him there (less often recently for some reason). There are holds on the 50 that if I hadn't seen him use them with my own eyes I'd have sworn they were put on there as a joke.

That said, and I only saw it on an insta story, but Max Milne doing a problem on there called Leash was properly jaw dropping. The future indeed.

[Doylo]

Bernd Zangeryl on Never Ending Story in Magic Wood in 2003. It may have been flashed now but it hadn’t been done at the time and was probably first time I saw a world bouldering wad beasting along something.  Smooth floaty power. We watched from afar (see Stonedlove).

McClure on Trigger Cut. Not a big number but it was the manner in which he did it. Got the first shotgun crimp and just locked it down and twisted and reached up to the shothole. Ridiculously duff beta but incredible bony fingers to lock that down like that.

Christian Core in a boulder World Cup in France. Beast.

Simpson flashing loads in the School first time I took him.

Sharma trying the FA of Biographie, mind blowing for a young punter like me in 2001.

Megos in Parisellas pissing 8Bs that he’d hardly even worked. Was obvious he was one of best in world. Another level.

Ty Landman doing Conquistadors in Chironico. Not a top grade but did it a ridiculous way. Going off this absolutely terrible frictionless slopey crimp whilst toe hooking arête. Fairly sure from other vids it must have been two grades harder like that.

Micky Page doing The Dagger (wasn’t a trade route then).

Danny C doing the FA of Wedgie Wall in Pass. Linking those two moves and latching that last crimp. Been (secretly😉) tried by many of the UKs top wads since and only one has even managed to repeat the move.

Jim Pope popped into my board for 20 minutes on way to do trad on the Orme. Warmed up on some of my crimpy harder ones then did the hardest on board (one of Danny’s). Then went to do the Screw Machine.

[mark s]

Watching a 15 year old solo an e8, can't even remember what it's called,at millstone in hot weather was an eye opener

[SA Chris]

That said, and I only saw it on an insta story, but Max Milne doing a problem on there called Leash was properly jaw dropping. The future indeed.

He does have that ability to float now doesn't he? He used to be silly strong, but he was back up here just before Xmas and I saw him doing some mental stuff on the 45 using what I though were there as footholds.

[GazM]

Great thread.  For me it would probably be watching Iain Small onsight the FA of an E6 called Vital Spark, a very steep and wildly exposed arete at the top of the very intimidating Grey Wall Recess on Pabbay.

We were directly below him on the U-ie/U-th combo and he seemed to be velcroed to the rock shaking out in a ludicrous position, going up, going back down to rest, repeat for ages, then plugging on methodically. The ability to hold on on that ground was one thing, but the mental composure is such a position blew my mind.

[Wil]

Nige on Dynamics of Change. I couldn’t touch the camera as I was shaking too much but he slinked his way through the moves and a spell was broken.

I couldn't think what mine was, but this prompted me. I watched Pete W do Braille Trail when he was 16, with his mum belaying. By chance I was also there when he did the first ascent of Dynamics of Change. I love the footage you got of Nige.

[Ross Barker]

Watching a 15 year old solo an e8, can't even remember what it's called,at millstone in hot weather was an eye opener

That was Toru Nakajima on Elm Street if we're thinking of the same thing.

[gme]

One thing that sticks in my mind is in 94/5 watching Nick Sellers run up Cry Freedom. I was at the belay of New Dawn and watched the whole thing, it seemed to take him about 3 minutes, he didn't seem to stop moving from the ground to the belay. It was more like flowing over the rock than actual pulling on holds. Proper liquid movement.

Nic is an amazing climber isn't he. The guidebook to Arapiles refers to his exploits there in almost religious tones.

On routes Nic was up there with the best. Watching him easily flash Nemesis having only seen me dog up it once was up there with the most impressive things i have seen, and i am lucky enough to have seen a fair few. It was made even better as it was in front of keith Sharples who was still hoping it would hold onto its 8b grade at the time, he was wrong. Nic was on a tear that year with a ticklist that would be newsworthy now.

[steveri]

Day off work and a trip to Millstone late 80s. Watching some wiry nut brown old guy, looking well past retirement age, do London Wall in great style, whilst Andy Mitchell on sighted White Wall. Andy then did the same on London Wall. We adjourned to Stanage where I fell off The Tippler.

[gme]

I have so many. Lucky enough to have seen a lot of hard ascents but the most memorable are ones where you really thought what you saw was on another level to anything you have seen before.

Malc at the school doing everything with a 5KG belt on.

Stuart Cameron doing superman 1st go as a warm up. And i mean warm up, he had done nothing else, not even flap his arms about.

Bens mileage day at Buoux prior to heading up to Germany to try AD. trying the bomb bleu project, quick 1st ascent of Minimum after the foothold had come off in front of all the French Wads, and finishing by walking up the rose  5/6 times in a row. Likewise his training days doing circuits at cragx.

Any days climbing with mark le Menestrel but especially a weekend in the county including flashing sit starts to Yorkshireman and hitchhikers. This was 95/6 ish when they were still thought of as pretty hard.

[Falling Down]

... and Malc doing Karma. Can’t remember the exact details but Sean Miles was open mouthed in shock.