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the shizzle => news => Topic started by: slackline on March 25, 2015, 11:44:35 am

Title: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: slackline on March 25, 2015, 11:44:35 am: Pretty impressive...

Quote
STARLIGHT AND STORM - THE ROUTES

Cima Grande di Lavaredo, North Face, Dolomites
Via Comici - Dimai
First ascent: Emilio Comici, Angelo Dimai, Giovanni Dimai, 13 - 14 August 1933
Tom Ballard: 21 - 22 December 2014. 1 bivouac.

Pizzo Badile, NE Face
Via Cassin
First ascent: Riccardo Cassin, Gino Esposito, Mario Molteni, Vittorio Ratti, Giuseppe Valsecchi, 14 - 16 July 1937
Tom Ballard: 6 - 7 January 2015. 1 bivouac.

Matterhorn, North Face
Schmidt route
First ascent: Franz and Toni Schmid, 31/07 - 01/08/1931
Tom Ballard: 10 February 2015. 2 hours 59 minutes

Grandes Jorasses, North Face
Colton - Macintyre route
First ascent: Nick Colton, Alex Macintyre 6 - 7 August 1976
Tom Ballard: 08/03/2015. 3 hours 20 minutes

Petit Dru, North Face
Allain - Leininger route
First ascent: Pierre Allain and Raymond Leininger, 1935
Tom Ballard: 14/03/2015. 8 hours

Eiger, North Face
Via Heckmair
Heinrich Harrer, Anderl Heckmair, Fritz Kasparek and Wiggerl Vörg, 07/1938
Tom Ballard: 19/03/2015

Sauce (http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=42591)
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Sloper on March 25, 2015, 07:03:34 pm: I've never been to the Alps but from what I've read that's outrageous and rather him than me.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: petejh on March 25, 2015, 07:06:49 pm: Not even Davos? You surprise me.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Jerry Morefat on March 25, 2015, 07:40:25 pm: Very impressive. Doubly so given the size of his sack before setting out on the Eiger! Is there any information on what style the routes were climbed in? I'm guessing the Comici and Cassin involved a bit of aiding and some mixed climbing?
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Fultonius on March 26, 2015, 03:09:21 am: Very impressed. After hearing that he was planning to solo K2 in winter a few years back I was quit relieved he thought better of it. He might have been fine but it sounded a bit of a suicide mission, especially with the media involvement.

I think this project, with it's lack of media hype, it's speed and audacity is really impressive. Chapeau indeed. Colton-Mac solo onsight in 3~ hours is seriously impressive.

How did he get up the Eiger with a sack that big ;)
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: mindfull on March 26, 2015, 04:36:35 am: Big sacks are needed for big balls!
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: slackline on March 26, 2015, 07:07:46 am: Quote from: Jerry Morefat on March 25, 2015, 07:40:25 pm
Is there any information on what style the routes were climbed in?

Yes, if you follow this...

Quote from: slackline on March 25, 2015, 11:44:35 am
Sauce (http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=42591)

...there are links to PlanetMountain's report of each of the ascents.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Jaspersharpe on March 26, 2015, 09:46:46 am: Very impressive.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: mindfull on March 26, 2015, 06:19:09 pm: So cool! Cristophe Profit shit, but then a lot better style ... and I'm a fanboy for Profit.
:punk:
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Falling Down on March 26, 2015, 09:06:19 pm: Really impressive and very low-key... I like.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: lagerstarfish on March 27, 2015, 06:28:01 am: Quote from: mindfull on March 26, 2015, 06:19:09 pm
So cool! Cristophe Profit shit, but then a lot better style ... and I'm a fanboy for Profit.
:punk:

I know it's ever so slightly off topic, but you just reminded me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzkgUbqWHo0 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzkgUbqWHo0)

classic Profit
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Jerry Morefat on March 27, 2015, 10:03:46 am: Quote from: slackline on March 26, 2015, 07:07:46 am
...there are links to PlanetMountain's report of each of the ascents.

Brilliant, thanks.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Johnny Brown on March 27, 2015, 10:16:29 am: Great stuff. I get the impression it's about to get a lot less low-key mind.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: slackline on March 27, 2015, 10:33:33 am: Quote from: Jerry Morefat on March 27, 2015, 10:03:46 am
Brilliant, thanks.

Eiger report posted today (http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=42610)

Quote from: Johnny Brown on March 27, 2015, 10:16:29 am
I get the impression it's about to get a lot less low-key mind.

@UKClimbing Stay tuned over the next few hours for our first digital feature, it's UKClimbing like you've never seen it before...
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CBF7WrFXEAEWkIo.jpg:large) (https://twitter.com/UKClimbing/status/581381457488269312)
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Wood FT on March 27, 2015, 10:42:20 am: Quote from: slackline on March 27, 2015, 10:33:33 am
Quote from: Jerry Morefat on March 27, 2015, 10:03:46 am
Brilliant, thanks.

Eiger report posted today (http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=42610)

what a way to end "The West Flank is a dangerous place. This we are all reminded of when, tragically, a skier just in front of me falls and dies. He and his friend I have just met on the summit"
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: kelvin on March 28, 2015, 08:49:15 am: That really is a tragic note to the end of the tale. That West Flank is a proper grim place even in summer :(
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Jaspersharpe on March 28, 2015, 03:08:15 pm: Interesting discussion of UKC under that tweet you linked to slackers!
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Fultonius on March 28, 2015, 05:30:57 pm: Quote from: Johnny Brown on March 27, 2015, 10:16:29 am
Great stuff. I get the impression it's about to get a lot less low-key mind.

Yeah, there was a hint of that in the Eiger post - it sounds like he was maybe keeping it low key until the last route was in the bag, considering he's had a film maker following him round.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: slackline on March 28, 2015, 09:11:28 pm: Quote from: Jaspersharpe on March 28, 2015, 03:08:15 pm
Interesting discussion of UKC under that tweet you linked to slackers!

Can't say I noticed it, but perhaps a good example of why linking to what is being cited/quoted can be of some use.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: T_B on March 30, 2015, 04:55:30 pm: Thought provoking, particularly the interview with Tom

http://www.ukclimbing.com/digital-features/?p=9
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Muenchener on March 30, 2015, 05:41:26 pm: :agree:

I know it's fashionable to bash ukc around here, but that is a seriously impressive piece of work.
Title: Re: Tom Ballard completes six North Faces in the Alps solo in one winter
Post by: Sloper on March 30, 2015, 08:01:00 pm: Now there's only the 6c/7a at the Roaches!

I can't believe 20 years has passed since the tragic death of Julie and the others.