And next up a question: is there a vid of Chris Sharma on Just Do It? I'm sure I've heard of something but can't remember what it is. One of Mike Call's ones from that kinda time perhaps?
To whet the whistle, Gordon Jenkin recently donated the diaries of Arnis Strapcans to the Mountain Heritage Trust, and I was able to have a browse through them, scan a few pics and take a few notes. He was a prolific climber in the south west throughout the 1970s before he sadly died in the alps in 1980. If you've spent any time trad climbing down there you'll likely be familiar with some of his routes: Main Wall Eliminate at Avon, The Exorcist on Lundy, Heart of the Sun, Atmosfears etc.
To whet the whistle, Gordon Jenkin recently donated the diaries of Arnis Strapcans to the Mountain Heritage Trust, and I was able to have a browse through them, scan a few pics and take a few notes. He was a prolific climber in the south west throughout the 1970s before he sadly died in the alps in 1980. If you've spent any time trad climbing down there you'll likely be familiar with some of his routes: Main Wall Eliminate at Avon, The Exorcist on Lundy, Heart of the Sun, Atmosfears etc.His diaries and first ascent write ups are amazingly well written and well worth a browse (click 'more' under pics and vids): https://climbing-history.org/climber/1808/arnis-strapcans
I seconded Atmosfears in the 90s when I was going well: it was bold, a bit loose, steep for Avon, and would have been hard even with two rest points.
Just to highlight that Arnis, alongside Mick Fowler, also contributed some impressive routes to the Outer Hebrides, e.g. Panting Dog Climb on the seldom visited but extremely impressive Creag Dubh Dibidale, https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/tamnasbhal-10837/panting_dog_climb-139450
Good timing on this thread as this video just came out https://youtu.be/V8-nrzA_3KQ?si=Q3bZ9mq03R23cf_H
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2aWynONt7z/?igsh=dnFhZ21oY3BtcWk5Nice little nugget re the FA of Biceps Mou
Quote from: Dingdong on January 15, 2024, 08:02:21 amGood timing on this thread as this video just came out https://youtu.be/V8-nrzA_3KQ?si=Q3bZ9mq03R23cf_HThats really good. Well done Stan!
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2024/jan/21/john-bulmer-cambridge-night-climbers
Bit of a niche one, but don't suppose anyone has a copy of Pat Aments 2009 film 'The Disciples of Gill'?
I thought I saw a reference somewhere to Burn Out at Apremont being the first 7B+ in the forest, did I imagine this or is it true?
Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?
A very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.
Bit of an open offer based on some conversations elsewhere, but if anyone has any digital material you think is of interest (pics of a cool FA, vids of interesting repeats, guidebook draft material etc.) I'd be happy to sort out some long term storage via climbing-history.org.If you'd be happy making it public that'd obviously be cool, but if you just want somewhere safe for it and want to keep it private I'd be happy to help with that too.Just drop me a DM.
Quote from: Tom de Gay on April 24, 2024, 05:30:14 pmSurely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s? Of only tangential relevance, but people obsessing over weird bits of rock is older than you might think.Gremlin's Wall, E4 6b, Ilkley Rocky Valley, unstarred. Climb Flake Climb but boldly venture up the wall (about 3m tall) right of the final flake. FA Roy Heilds 1953.QuoteA very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.Maybe Heilds was the Gaskins of his day? I've gone up to lead it and been pretty sure I'd do it but didn't think the risk of hitting my ankles on the ledge you climb above was worth the 0-star reward. Did it with a rope above after and it's very obvious what you have to do and not massively hard, so could be top end 6a/low end 6b. Regardless, very impressive for the early 1950s! It's really uninspiring but obviously Heilds could see that it would go and couldn't get the idea out of his head.
I think this is pure bollocks given the guy was using aid on VS’s I spent time belaying Al Manson when he was trying this and it took him numerous sessions to do it. He was absolutely staggered when he heard the retro claim. If some one like Austin, Jimmy Fullalove or Eric Lilley had claimed it maybe but Ron Hields was a VS punter.
Quote from: remus on February 22, 2024, 09:51:32 pmBit of a niche one, but don't suppose anyone has a copy of Pat Aments 2009 film 'The Disciples of Gill'?Yes, I do! Delayed reply because I had to locate it and retrieve it -- didn't want to make any promises until I knew I could actually lay hands on it. Do you want to borrow/copy it?
Anyone know if Steve Dunning's dyno Super Furry Animal at Slipstones has had a repeat?