UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => bouldering => Topic started by: shark on January 12, 2021, 12:33:27 pm
-
Whilst trying to get to sleep last night I was thinking through the climbing that had impressed me most over the years.
The most impressive was the only time I saw Malc on the Wave. At the time Mike Lea who was on the GB Team was down there constantly projecting the hardest set problem and dynoing all over the place. Fortunately Mike wasn’t there when Malc did all the hard problems effortlessly and statically like they were easy 6’s and then he started just using features only.
I think it was having the context of being able to compare the two performances which made it obvious how bionic Malc was.
-
Tricky one! Ben making the first ascent of Maginot Line was pretty impressive. He seemed to be hanging, horizontally, off atoms.
-
Stu doing Evolution was brilliant to watch. Looked totally at the limit the whole way.
-
Honestly and only really on aesthetic grounds.
The Rose and the Vampire.
Edit:
The Gullich shot, specifically:
(https://i.ibb.co/YfvzyFQ/AACB1830-0281-464-C-9674-E162-D34-F42-AF.jpg)
-
Honestly and only really on aesthetic grounds.
The Rose and the Vampire.
Edit:
The Gullich shot, specifically:
(https://i.ibb.co/YfvzyFQ/AACB1830-0281-464-C-9674-E162-D34-F42-AF.jpg)
Yes doesn’t have to be the hardest - but the most impressive - but I was meaning witnessed in person
-
Stu doing Evolution was brilliant to watch. Looked totally at the limit the whole way.
At the limit is usually the most impressive - someone giving it all they’ve got. Bizarrely Malc being so below his limit was what impressed me so much.
-
Belaying a bloke as he cruised up an indian creek "5.10" offwidth. Only impressive once I had a go...
He also had a number 9 valley giant (this should have been the warning sign) which is the most impressive cam I've witnessed.
-
Megos on Perfecto Mundo.
I hadn't seen anyone close to that level in the flesh before. He wasn't climbing, he was floating.
-
Pete Dawson doing Vitruvian Man at Trowbarrow. Never seen someone try so hard, and it was great to see how completely lacking in ego he was. It didn't matter that at 7C grade wise the problem was way beneath him, he gave it absolutely everything.
Actually another time I saw Pete climb was at the Bowderstone. He did Grand Opera Sit, and I've never seen anyone simultaneously look like they'll be off on every move, yet able to rest on every hold.
Saw Jimmy Webb trying Monkey Wedding. Bugger me he's strong, just looked in such complete control, it was really weird when he fell off!
-
I watched Jon Cardwell do Southern Smoke in the Red River Gorge. This was about a week into my first trip there and I had very much underestimated the fitness:technicality ratio of the climbing and was having a hard time on everything despite being able to do the moves individually quite easily so it was amazing to watch someone continually shovel up something that steep and relentless (it’s 8c+ I think without a real crux) with seemingly no problem. I was eating gummy worm type sweets afterwards and he declined when I offered but I insisted he had one on the grounds that he deserved it. :lol:
The most impressive trad ascents I’ve seen I’ve also captured on video. Possibly some of them I wouldn’t have been so impressed if I’d have been stood at the bottom of the cliff but when you’re looking right at someone through a long lens and you can hear their mic in your headphones you really get an idea of what they’re going through. Not necessarily hard grades in absolute terms but I generally find trad onsights at someone’s limit more impressive than the “I saw Rich Simpson one-arm a lolly stick” type thing myself.
-
Chris says Hi!
(Before anyone else does.... :) )
-
Watching Ondra attempting to flash Biographie. He flashed the 8c+ part. I think everyone was most nervous of him fluffing the font 8a start.. Filmed it on my phone.
Dave Almond on any of many of his dangerous winter ledge shuffles. On our failed FA attempt of the huge face of Breitind in Senja he led a pitch that would get VIII 6 in Scotland, was 25-30m runout on insecure tech 6 climbing. Perfect man for the job.
Watching Chris Webb Parsons flash The Brute at the Diamond. After watching many wads rp it, WP pissed it and showed he was world class.
-
Watching Jim Pope flash Jason's Roof at Crookrise before my very eyes, stopping to chalk up half way through. An incredible display of skill and strength (and bravery up the massive dirty slab!).
-
Watching Jack Pal make Superman look about 6B after he'd climbed at griffs for like 5 hours beforehand
Watching Aidan at Lad Stones on various things was just mind blowing
-
Watching Ondra attempting to flash Biographie. He flashed the 8c+ part. I think everyone was most nervous of him fluffing the font 8a start.. Filmed it on my phone.
I was there for this too, was brilliant to watch and the atmosphere at the crag was amazing. We were over at Berlin and the news he was about to attempt it spread like wildfire, it reminded me of this scene from The Matrix https://youtu.be/ECZP2IceKiA
-
Belaying Bosi when he was trying Mutation a year or two ago was very impressive. He made the start up Evolution look completely piss, like he could do laps on it any day of the week. From what I remember conditions were pretty shit too, I was fumbling around ineffectually on Call of Nature thinking the crux on that was desperate and moaning about my skin.
At a more normal level, I had a friend in uni who could seemingly climb a boulder problem out of nowhere. I particularly remember a trip to font where he he seemed to go from 7A to 7B+ over the course of a week. It was like he developed an uncanny ability to lash for holds and stick them where others would just fall off.
ed: and obligatory Ondra story. I remember watching him trying Neanderthal. After watching him have a few attempts I assumed the first half (i.e. getting up to the dyno section) was ~8a or so, kinda hard but obvs not much for a climber of his level. Turns out it's 8c+/9a just to get to the dyno! I just couldn't get over how relaxed he looked on it.
-
I was there for this too, was brilliant to watch and the atmosphere at the crag was amazing. We were over at Berlin and the news he was about to attempt it spread like wildfire, it reminded me of this scene from The Matrix https://youtu.be/ECZP2IceKiA
:lol:
Incredible wasn't it! The only time that being at the crag has felt like a spectacular sporting event.
-
I might be the only person on this site not to know any wads, so all of my more impressive memories are of my friends trying dead hard.
One of my mates, who was trying to break into the 7A range (and used to get very nervous at height) cruising up Tempest (7A at Tan y Grisiau) third attempt. It's a bit high, with a bad landing, and quite frightening at the top so that definitely sticks out.
-
I'm gonna nominate UKB's Plattsy... for a dyno at Conies Dale (think Shark had it on film)
On one of the 7A+'s that had a big move left we were all stuck on. Up steps the big man - presses launch and flies across to grab the jug. Superb - and totally unexpected (to the rest of us at least!)
-
It's not the most impressive, but if definitely sticks out as a recent memory. Watching my friend Penny slap deeper and deeper into the run out on Overhanging Groove, seemingly unaware that she was about to plummet at any moment. She was going the wrong way and desperately grabbing at holds that were offering her less and less, but at no point did she look like she might back down, reverse, or try and take a controlled fall. She was a muerte. I shouted at her to look left to where a jug beckoned and she hit it. I thought she must be so pumped that she'd struggle to hold it but she climbed up to the gear and topped out seemingly without a care. It was so gutsy. Total commitment.
-
On my first ever Uni club trip day out we went to Froggatt on a baltic, crisp day.
What I now realise was a fair few wads were there, but I got to watch The Dawes do Downhill Racer one-handed.
-
I might be the only person on this site not to know any wads, so all of my more impressive memories are of my friends trying dead hard.
One of my mates, who was trying to break into the 7A range (and used to get very nervous at height) cruising up Tempest (7A at Tan y Grisiau) third attempt. It's a bit high, with a bad landing, and quite frightening at the top so that definitely sticks out.
Ah yes, on this sort of level, my friend Emma doing The Storm at Ash Head was an amazing moment. 6C is towards the top of her grade range, especially on small holds, and with a dyno, and she hadn't looked all that close but out of absolutely nowhere she just blasted up it, full sideways cut loose and everything. One of those moments that I just wish we'd set the camera up for!
-
Great thread, thanks everyone.
-
I'm struggling to think of something particular. No doubt it'll be some 80s sketching when I do decide.
-
Jan 89, having become frustrated relying on mate to be able to use his dad's scout gear, we bought a small rack between us and headed off to Froggatt to lead climb for the first time.
As we walked along looking for routes in our library copy of Paul Nunn's select guide we watched a guy in just a tee shirt (and I'm sure he just had his kit in a plastic bag that he once returned to) soloing up and down, up and down, moving so fast and fluid and so confidently.
As were under Green Gut about to do my first lead he came up to us and asked in a highish voice if we had any chalk he could "borrow". We offered him chalk and coffee, if he was cold, but he said he'd been drinking coffee all morning, took a handful of chalk and disppeared up Brown's Eliminate.
Only found out when we saw a picture in a mag or on a poster who it was.
-
Only found out when we saw a picture in a mag or on a poster who it was.
And....who was it?
-
Only found out when we saw a picture in a mag or on a poster who it was.
And....who was it?
Oh yeah... Jerry
-
One of = Jerry in the Office early 90's when he was going strong.
(Upstairs bit at the Foundry, not just sat on a computer having a cup of tea)
-
Ah yes, on this sort of level, my friend Emma doing The Storm at Ash Head
Harris? :strongbench:
-
I'm gonna nominate UKB's Plattsy... for a dyno at Conies Dale (think Shark had it on film)
On one of the 7A+'s that had a big move left we were all stuck on. Up steps the big man - presses launch and flies across to grab the jug. Superb - and totally unexpected (to the rest of us at least!)
Here you go
https://youtu.be/R2u1rslQEoQ
-
I was hanging out with a mate at Area 51 at Joe's Valley punting our way up the V3s and failing on other stuff and some random bloke turned up, looking like a dirty broom, heavily suntanned, filthy, mop of messy hair and as much meat on him as a greyhound. One finger so strapped up it could barely bend. Got straight on (like to think he'd been somewhere earlier and not got on it cold) Resident Evil, did it in about 3 goes, then started trying the bottom bit of Black Lung, and managing the first few moves to hitting but not holding the big pocket, before asking us if we had any beta on the move! No idea if he did it or not.
Climbed once or twice with a guy called Paul Every in SA. Never seen such a natural climber, was doing the hardest routes in SA before he left school. He did the first South African one day ascent of The Nose, basically existing on a diet of porridge and pancake mix before an untimely death in the Alps. Just made everything look effortless.
-
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!
Since then I've been lucky enough to be in the cave when Jack Pal has been on fire, I saw him do a new v14 link and I wasn't even giving him my full attention as he had looked so solid for the several hours earlier I didn't realise it was a "real" burn
-
I'm gonna nominate UKB's Plattsy... for a dyno at Conies Dale (think Shark had it on film)
On one of the 7A+'s that had a big move left we were all stuck on. Up steps the big man - presses launch and flies across to grab the jug. Superb - and totally unexpected (to the rest of us at least!)
Here you go
https://youtu.be/R2u1rslQEoQ
I mean maybe if he engaged his shoulder upon catching it...
-
At Almscliff one evening back in the day. Stood under the Virgin Boulder, when up walks Ken Wood. He puts his towel on the ground under Opus and just glides up it for the second ascent. As he pulls over the top he says” That will piss the thug off”
-
Menestrel onsighting Deliverance high foot method with the direct start. We gave him all the beta for the traverse and the dyno, but having watched me fail he said 'I think like you I am too small' and proceeded to waltz up direct. Not wanting to look like a groupie I didn't follow him over to Brad Pit, doh.
-
Ah yes, on this sort of level, my friend Emma doing The Storm at Ash Head
Harris? :strongbench:
Aye
-
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.
-
As a teen, we would stop in Boux on the way back from a summer trip, for a few days before going to Font for the last week before school started.
Watching the Wads there, working this, that and the other was pretty cool, but nothing stands out these many years later.
But, there was a stupid incident and my mate Mike Halsey (just incase others know him), climbed The Runnel in Cairngorm, half blind, missing teeth and severely concussed; in a white out, in complete darkness.
Long story short, we’d driven up from Cornwall and arrived in the carpark at 14:30 ish. Young and dumb, we raced over to check the connies, for tomorrow and decided we had a half hour of light to race up The Runnel (it’s only a II or III iirc, with a long easy snow gully and a short mixed or ice pitch to the top). So we soled quickly up to the last but one pitch, then it started to snow, so we roped up and he went to lead up to the foot of the crux. There had been a couple ahead of us, on the last crux pitch, and in the snow, we’d assumed they’d finished and gone. They hadn’t, in the white out we got too close, they dislodged a hefty dinner plate of ice, Mike copped it in the mush at a serious rate of knots.
Anyway, by the time I got to him, made safe and did the first aid thing; it was almost dark. He was slipping in and out of consciousness and I figured trying to lower him multiple pitches wasn’t going to fly, because he wasn’t going to be able to make himself safe etc. So I lead out to the top with some half baked plan to haul him out, or tie off, making him safe, and running like a twat to get help (no mobile phones in those days).
Anyway, luck was in, the guys ahead had dropped a camera and were waiting to see if we’d picked it up. Mike responded to rope signals and he climbed most of the way, never completely lost it and we were only half hauling for the last ten feet.
We had to carry him down, mostly unconscious, and that was an epic, but a whole other story.
-
Megos onsighting 9a, Estado Critico in Siurana, it felt like the whole valley stopped to watch and clapped him as he lowered off. Suddenly realised it was the milky bar kid who was camped next to us.
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.
Mark Rankine on White Water. Everyone was udging out the mantle, cheeks to grit, and Mark just flicked through with confidence and momentum. Later at a film night, Dawes told Mark that’s how he’d done it.
-
Watching Jim Pope flash RnP this summer is right up there for me. I'm sure Wood FT, filming, remembers my awestruck face. I'd been flailing on the bottom all day and he just casually minced it. The 'good' hold at the end of the roof is a one pad, slightly slopey crimp and as Jim inched onto it (its really reachy and requires a pull on a dire sloper) his whole body relaxed- it was like he knew he was back on casual ground for him. Sadly the vid below doesnt have the bottom but you can still hear me and WFT vocalising amazement in the background as he hangs on the holds for ages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiVI9IYP77E&ab_channel=MakingOtherPlans
Pete Dawson doing Rainshadow in greenhouse conditions also a contender. It was so utterly appalling it hadn't even occurred to me that redpointing would be possible. I glanced up to see him above the bulge and presumed he had just pulled on. It was only as he began to make noises on the last bolt or two I realised he was on the link and that he had climbed through the bulge without so much as a sound!
-
Great thread.
Watching Andy Earl on the old berghaus wall in Newcastle in the early 00's. Had just moved up for uni having so far thought that hard climbing was e1. Watching him was like watching a different sport.
One of the Dawson brothers, after absolutely thrashing himself on various sections of Brian all day long, again and again, then doing a casual lap on tuppence and making it look piss. Having spent the afternoon flailing on it, I have never fekt like such a punter.
My mate Nic doing hitchhikers sit start. Levitated up it with ruthless strength. Dawning realisation that we weren't on the same level.
-
Watching Jim Pope flash RnP this summer is right up there for me. I'm sure Wood FT, filming, remembers my awestruck face. I'd been flailing on the bottom all day and he just casually minced it. The 'good' hold at the end of the roof is a one pad, slightly slopey crimp and as Jim inched onto it (its really reachy and requires a pull on a dire sloper) his whole body relaxed- it was like he knew he was back on casual ground for him. Sadly the vid below doesnt have the bottom but you can still hear me and WFT vocalising amazement in the background as he hangs on the holds for ages.
I forgot about that, very impressive display.
-
Technically I assume it was Alex Megos attempt on Bibliographie, when he fell off 4 moves before the top. But it was from far away, so he was just one stick insect among many on the biographie sector.
I always find it more impressive to watch great feats when I have direct knowledge of the holds. Like when hanging on a photographers rope above the crux of a hard route, or whenever other climbers onsights my projects.
That said, I saw Igor Koller well into his sixties climbing on his stomping grounds on the sandstone in Adrspach. True mastery.
-
I was there to see Marc do Brad Pit. It was pretty incredible. These days a high foot seems obvious but it was so visionary then, and he knew he was going to do it that way from the photos of Jason on it.
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.
At about half height he’s in trouble, so skips a clip. And another, and another, and just keeps on going, ignoring each clip as he goes. At about 2/3rds the full height of the cave and in a definite deck out position, he lets out an almighty power scream and jumps to a mono for the right hand.
He stuck the jump. With a finger that had undergone surgery a month earlier.
His belayer flat out refused to let him have another go that day.
-
Here is a good one.
In Rocklands, roadside, just wrapping up one of my 1000's of Monkey wedding sessions. Out from the bushes, Barefoot Charles appears, wearing what I can only describe as a towel around his waist, some fucked tracksuit bottoms, a chalk bag and a book. Nothing else, no pad, no fan, no ladder, no Bluetooth speakers.
He has come to repeat Monkey Wedding for the camera. He proceeds to lay down his towel thing, I ask if he wants to borrow my pad, and he just looks at me, then sets off like some kind of lizard and climbs MW. Turns out he did it a further two times that day.
It also transpires, he couldn't afford to camp, so he slept under his towel, in the caves above the campground. Bonkers.
I have also seen him in font, got to say in terms of pure talent and movement, he is hands down the most impressive person I have ever seen.
-
Cool thread. Disappointingly, most of the things that spring to mind are watching people like Buster and Bosi indoors on a board...
As an honourable mention, the most simultaneously impressive/disappointing was probably giving Kai Lightner the beta as he went up Era Vella. Incredibly strong, fit and flexible, but bewilderingly bad at understanding beta and moves!
-
Smally on Nerve Damage at Ardmair - https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/ardmair_crags-298/nerve_damage-345339 the updated descriptions is mine from abbing and cleaning it for an onsight attempt that rapidly ground to a halt. I'm quite good at seeing the potential in stuff that is many grades beyond me, but this seemed really properly hard and he let out a rare power scream on a subsequent headpoint (which was the next day after I'd had an ace morning at Reiff and Smally seemed to mostly want to chill out and drink tea but I was quite keen to trot back to Ardmair and repay belaying, also had a great day at Mungasdale the next day with him onsighting an E6 and me finally doing Thelonious (http://fiendophobia.blogspot.com/2014/10/6th-time-lucky.html)).
-
My mate Nic doing hitchhikers sit start. Levitated up it with ruthless strength. Dawning realisation that we weren't on the same level.
Nic the dentist? He was alarmingly strong - climbed with him a fair few times, mostly at Kilnsey. Is he still climbing? Haven’t seen him for years, but spotted his name appearing on Lakes fell race results a couple of years ago.
-
Maybe watching Johnny on the 1st ascent of Indian Face should feature. I didn't fully grasp the level at the time, but did get the seriousness and moved off to the side so he wouldn't land on me if he fell off the top.
-
My mate Nic doing hitchhikers sit start. Levitated up it with ruthless strength. Dawning realisation that we weren't on the same level.
Nic the dentist? He was alarmingly strong - climbed with him a fair few times, mostly at Kilnsey. Is he still climbing? Haven’t seen him for years, but spotted his name appearing on Lakes fell race results a couple of years ago.
Yes. He mainly runs these days, but when he came down to see me last year he very nearly did cider soak in a session.
-
Great thread. Talk amongst yourself if you’ve heard this one before...
Corniceman and I (https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,12063.msg208764.html#msg208764) 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.
-
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.
-
...
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.
-
Great thread. Talk amongst yourself if you’ve heard this one before...
Corniceman and I (https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,12063.msg208764.html#msg208764) 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”
-
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!!!
-
Teck Crack is nails when you see it!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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....
-
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.
-
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."
-
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.
-
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.
-
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!
-
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.
-
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.
-
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 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
... and Malc doing Karma. Can’t remember the exact details but Sean Miles was open mouthed in shock.
-
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.
Might have been the same day - watching McClure trying to link Rockatrocity into Trigger Cut via a hideous hand swap in the final 4-finger pocket. Bonkers finger strength.
-
I spent the summer of ’93 in Llanberis whilst doing my ‘A’ Levels. Hung out, went climbing, was generally star struck meeting all the characters you might imagine.
One evening I’m up at Jerry’s Roof in the Pass. Big George is trying it. Adam Wainwright and a few others turn up with a quiet, slim chap who was dressed sorta ‘smart-casual’ in jeans and a shirt. He puts on a pair of Kendos, but doesn’t bother lacing them up and with no warm up floats across the problem with Adam pointing out the holds as he goes. I mean, it was totally smooth and effortless.
A 20-year old Elie Chevieux. About to become the best on-sight climber in the world, braving the Welsh sheep poo.
-
Other instances on my list in approximate chronological order:
Seeing a chubby teenager shoot up Menopause. John Dunne before he got famous
Dougie Hall racing up three E5’s in the Leap. So unassuming, so good. Later on Steve Mayers similarly.
At Buoux in 88 sampling sport climbing for the first time and one evening seeing Anthoine Le Menestral doing the second ascent of Rage de Vivre. Suave Frenchmen turned to screaming lunatic when he got to the belay
Ed Morgan flashing the right arête at Broughton footless when I pointed it out as a LGP
Noted short arse Nic Kidd who normally not brave soloing Edge Lane. What if he got up there and found the crux was too reachy?
Andy Mitchell running it out for 40 feet on Skinhead Moonstromp
Bruno Clement at Fraguel up, down, up, down, up, down. Never seen endurance like it.
Thomas Huber who Id only met briefly stopping his car a few days later when I was walking along and jumped out to find out whether I’d done Astroman or not. How psyched must he be to that excited for me who he scarcely knew?
Tim Emmett laughing his head off each time he falls off on redpoint on the Oak. What a great attitude. Obviously never got the memo that climbing is a serious business
Megos onsight on the Oak - misses the crucial undercut and shakes out off the intermediate and gets the horn from it
Steve Mac. Privilege to climb with him regularly. Many examples of wadness but I’m so used to it that it’s “just Steve” and not as impressive as it should be any more
-
Many examples of wadness but I’m so used to it that it’s “just Steve” and not as impressive as it should be any more
This kind of sums up the scene in the late 80s/90s. The climbing world was very small and mainly happening at a few crags so if you spent any time at Buoux, Malham or the Tor you will see the worlds best doing what they do and you get used to it. Just redpointing an 8c or 8c+ at the time wasnt impressive as you saw it happening regularly.
I saw Ondra do a 9b in Flatanger and whilst it looks a great route it was a pretty underwhelming experience.
-
Thomas Huber who I'd only met briefly stopping his car a few days later when I was walking along and jumped out to find out whether I’d done Astroman or not.
Please tell us you didn't disappoint him?
-
Thomas Huber who I'd only met briefly stopping his car a few days later when I was walking along and jumped out to find out whether I’d done Astroman or not.
Please tell us you didn't disappoint him?
Unfortunately bailed at the base of the Harding slot. Did it clean a few days later though ;D
-
Sharik Walker climbing the Staminaband/PUTP full link in the late 00s. Made Staminaband look about 1A. Remember he had to tether down his pile of pads as it was so windy. Still impressed thinking about it to this day.
-
I once saw saltbeef do an entire boulder problem.
Seeing Monolith pulling onto a board crimping on some footholds (but not moving anywhere).
-
I saw with my own two eyes Dense, formerly of this parish, mono 1 to 4 on the small rungs on the works campus board.
-
Watching 36C gracefully dance his way up The Hulk, flashing everything but the first move, was easily the most impressive bit of climbing I've ever witness. So much power, so much control. What a hunk.
Aw cheers Will
-
I once saw saltbeef do an entire boulder problem.
If it was on the Depot 50 it doesn't count though...
-
No, I should have added the qualifier "outside"
-
I think we have a winner :lol:
-
Simpson flashing loads in the School first time I took him.
I've seen others suggest Rich wasn't all that strong on a board which is just utter nonsense. I can remember him cruising what was a project at a time when I was going fairly well, him muttering something about it not being all that hard, yet I was unable to move between the positions and TBH could barely hold them.
Ian Cummins (RIP) BITD being able to static almost everything. It's worth noting that Ian put a fair bit of time into Cypher before the first ascent and got a bit fed up when it was 'nicked by a Peakie'. He had a bit of a thing against Sheffield as someone had nicked a brand new pair of Pink Anasazi's from him at the Foundry.
Mark Katz not doing True North. I'm not taking delight in him not doing it I was just totally mesmerised by how well he climbed it. It looked as if he was using his power efficiently, bouncing between holds.
I arrived at a crag in Margalef (2007 ish) and was using the terrible topo of the day to try and work out exactly where I was. There was a really young girl climbing (I'm not good with age but perhaps 14 or so). I looked at my guide and worked out she was on an 8c but it didn't seem right as she just looked effortless. It was right. I later learnt that her surname had a certain pedigree attached (but I'm equally bad with names).
-
Simpson flashing loads in the School first time I took him.
I've seen others suggest Rich wasn't all that strong on a board which is just utter nonsense. I can remember him cruising what was a project at a time when I was going fairly well, him muttering something about it not being all that hard, yet I was unable to move between the positions and TBH could barely hold them.
Ye. Thinking about it though Noble is the biggest beast I’ve seen on a board at the Nu School. He was absolutely obscene just doing tons of 8s.
-
Great thread and really enjoyed reading some of the stories. Weirdly I cant think of that many outdoor.
Ones that spring to mind though are of Malc indoors. I often went to the wall during the day due to night shifts and trained at the same time as him. His strength and style on the board was amazing. A funny memory though was when he came into the 45/ campus training area with old school leather walking boots on. After some surprised looks it became apparent he was using them for bat hangs from underside of campus - training for his 8B+ at dumby, gutbuster.
Another Glasgow based climber I loved to watch when I was starting out was Craig Parnaby. Amazing finger strength and ridiculous endurance. Only person similar I have watched climb is Iain Small.
-
Watching Gérôme Pouvreau flash the first ascent of an open project i'd bolted on Tung Lung Chau that the strong boys in HK hadn't even managed to do all the moves on yet (La Revanche des Chico's - F8b).
-
On a slightly different tack, possibly the most impressed that I have been was on a Font trip around ´85. Joe Healey managed la Beresina with a bit of a tussle. Mind-bogglingly difficult to me at the time. Back on the ground he declared that it hadn’t been in good in style and immediately reclimbed it, as smooth as you like. Class.
Belaying Bruno Clément trying Moutchiki extension at le Supermarché shrieking ‘I’m so pumped!´ whilst doing move after move up that overhanging prow. Stamina, redefined.
-
Here is a good one.
In Rocklands, roadside, just wrapping up one of my 1000's of Monkey wedding sessions. Out from the bushes, Barefoot Charles appears, wearing what I can only describe as a towel around his waist, some fucked tracksuit bottoms, a chalk bag and a book. Nothing else, no pad, no fan, no ladder, no Bluetooth speakers.
He has come to repeat Monkey Wedding for the camera. He proceeds to lay down his towel thing, I ask if he wants to borrow my pad, and he just looks at me, then sets off like some kind of lizard and climbs MW. Turns out he did it a further two times that day.
It also transpires, he couldn't afford to camp, so he slept under his towel, in the caves above the campground. Bonkers.
This is my favourite so far. Truly excellent.
-
Watching Solly Kemball-Dorey make a new 7C of mine look about 6A as he casually flashed it, and then watching him proceed to easily break down and almost do what became the 8A+ extension. I've never seen anyone so light and floaty on rancidly small holds. His first proper try is the third video along in this post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CGZz5tHj8_p/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link (https://www.instagram.com/p/CGZz5tHj8_p/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)
As someone already said, when you know the moves and holds it's easier to understand what's happening.
-
Here is a good one.
In Rocklands, roadside, just wrapping up one of my 1000's of Monkey wedding sessions. Out from the bushes, Barefoot Charles appears, wearing what I can only describe as a towel around his waist, some fucked tracksuit bottoms, a chalk bag and a book. Nothing else, no pad, no fan, no ladder, no Bluetooth speakers.
He has come to repeat Monkey Wedding for the camera. He proceeds to lay down his towel thing, I ask if he wants to borrow my pad, and he just looks at me, then sets off like some kind of lizard and climbs MW. Turns out he did it a further two times that day.
It also transpires, he couldn't afford to camp, so he slept under his towel, in the caves above the campground. Bonkers.
I was out in rocklands at the time and there were rumours of slack jawed mega wads (jweb, dwoods and co.) who couldn't believe he'd done MW. Some of their crew had seen him working it, which consisted of him looking at it contemplatively and feeling the occasional hold before pulling on and smashing it in.
I have also seen him in font, got to say in terms of pure talent and movement, he is hands down the most impressive person I have ever seen.
Im a total fanboy :wub: Vids of him climbing in font are just ace, he's got such a smooth, effortless style.
-
I guess many of us here might have experienced wads floating up our hard worked projects. It is impressive, but let's be honest, it's also a bit fucking dismaying :lol:
-
I forgot another. When I was younger (~16), a friend and I went to Font. Having flown there on a budget airline we'd taken the bare minimum which included a bivvy bag ea., one pad ea., and food in the form of boil in the bag meals and power bars. We slept in the Cuvier campsite and I can remember waking up one morning with an outline for frost around me on the pad. Later that week we were accused of stealing someone else's pad which was amusing given everything we had was pretty obvious. Anyhow, we mostly climbed at Cuvier and Rempart for obvious reasons. A few strong people passed through that week including a young Markus Midtbo and a Keen Yoof. However, the main event was one day Steven Jeffrey arrived with a couple of Frenchmen. They were all pretty stoned I think and it was somebody's birthday (they were wearing little party hat/cones). SJ then proceeded to basically tick Cuvier's classics, one after the other. We were trying La Balance (which was completely fanciful at the time as we just weren't strong enough) and persuaded him to show us how it was done. He was unwilling to do so as he basically admitted to mauling it, which he then did. There wasn't any grace like the other ascents, it was just pure power.
-
However, the main event was one day Steven Jeffrey arrived with a couple of Frenchmen. They were all pretty stoned I think and it was somebody's birthday (they were wearing little party hat/cones). SJ then proceeded to basically tick Cuvier's classics, one after the other. We were trying La Balance (which was completely fanciful at the time as we just weren't strong enough) and persuaded him to show us how it was done. He was unwilling to do so as he basically admitted to mauling it, which he then did. There wasn't any grace like the other ascents, it was just pure power.
Timely reminder of this vid:
http://vimeo.com/36967905
-
A couple of honourable mentions to Mrs Shark who climbed for a short while after we started going out.
On one of the very first trips out we went to LPT. She had learnt to belay with the OTC using a stitch plate or similar. I wanted to try La Boheme which I knew from a previous attempt could involve a big fall. Looking for some thing to tether her down the only suitable boulder was some way out from the base of the crag and quite a way out from the base of the crag and quite rounded. I took the big fall from high up and the sling slipped off and she shot up and toward crag about 15 feet but clung on to the rope throughout. :wub: I immediately asked her to marry me and she said no.
She liked Castle Inn Quarry and did a few of the easier routes and worked Route 3 (6c). On redpoint she got through the hard bit at the start to a decent rest. A nasty sea squall came in that had me vainly trying to shelter at the base of the crag but she refused to come down and stayed at the rest till the squall past and then carried on waiting till the rest of the route dried and finished the route which remains her hardest redpoint.
-
Not in the same vein, but we were doing Cioch Direct on Skye, coming to the end if the third to last pitch it started to rain, I racked up and proceeded to lead the last two pitches together, some of which was in a sheltered corner, until I an out of rope about 10m from the top and hastily set up a half hanging belay on a slab, and brought her up. By now the entire slab was running with water, a complete west coast downpour. She got to the belay, and we had the choice of swapping at the belay and feeding ropes through, so she cursed loudly, grabbed a few bits of gear off me, climbed up, placed one cam in the only placement we could see getting soaked up sleeves etc in the process, and basically swam the rest of the way up this crappy crack, violently cursing the rock, the weather and me as she went.
Possibly one for the epics thread...
-
I immediately asked her to marry me and she said no.
:D
Did this turn into a siege? ;)
-
I immediately asked her to marry me and she said no.
:D
Did this turn into a siege? ;)
Yep. Used all my sales training and played the numbers game. Figured she only had to say yes once.
-
Not in the same vein, but we were doing Cioch Direct on Skye, coming to the end if the third to last pitch it started to rain, I racked up and proceeded to lead the last two pitches together, some of which was in a sheltered corner, until I an out of rope about 10m from the top and hastily set up a half hanging belay on a slab, and brought her up. By now the entire slab was running with water, a complete west coast downpour. She got to the belay, and we had the choice of swapping at the belay and feeding ropes through, so she cursed loudly, grabbed a few bits of gear off me, climbed up, placed one cam in the only placement we could see getting soaked up sleeves etc in the process, and basically swam the rest of the way up this crappy crack, violently cursing the rock, the weather and me as she went.
Possibly one for the epics thread...
Is this still Mrs Shark?
-
No, my wife, not Sharks. Well as far as I know anyway, mine does disappear for days on end...
(sorry made that bit unclear, deleted the preamble)
-
Yes Gav, one more for Nick flashing Nemesis - he always had the coolest looking Egyptians
Matt Birch climbing anything
DT topping out Sardine - solo
-
I immediately asked her to marry me and she said no.
:D
Did this turn into a siege? ;)
Yep. Used all my sales training and played the numbers game. Figured she only had to say yes once.
Like timeshare sales?
Whisk the client off to a nice location, treat Em to a nice slap up lunch - lots of free booze etc... then don’t let them go until they’ve signed on the line?
😁
-
DT topping out Sardine - solo
Paul Pritchard and I watched Dave solo Lord. We were walking along the flat bed of the valley toward Scimitar Ridge when we noticed him on it and stopped to watch for a few minutes; but it was all a long way away and everything looked fine so we wandered on.
-
Matt Birch climbing anything
This has been the best thread on this board for some time, but has also caused me to reflect that in over 35 yrs of climbing, I've seen relatively few jaw dropping moments in person - but I climbed quite a bit with Matt in 89/90 and I still haven't seen anyone as strong - him doing the press at Rubicon and low variants as his warm ups, totally static, still makes me shake my head (as well as his problems at the Armitage Centre board).
-
I remember an early trip to Font, heading round trying everything, failing on most stuff from 5b to 6c, but getting the odd 7a...
Anyway, this old guy, tanned like a chestnut, in tiny little shorts, you know, the running ones with big slits up the sides. We'll, he wandered over to some impossible looking thing, stopped a tiny beer mat, pulled on, put a foot high and, shit, I've never need muscles like it, it was like his quad was ripped in half! With exacting precision, power but poise he just cruised up it. Think it was in the 7s, and he must have been 60+. It was really mind blowing at the time.
I'm struggling to remember any real wads. Well, honnold did the complete scream but meh, it wasn't actually that interesting.
I belayed Iain Small on an E7 near ossian's cave. It was a cold day, and I'd had a bit of an epic on The Clearances (one totem away from a big smash when I got terminally pumped and frozen hands). Watching him it looked great, possibly E3/E4 I thought watching Iain on it.... Ha! Spent a lot of time hanging on the rope that day...
-
One just came to mind. Holding the ropes for Mark Millar as he onsighted Menstrual Gossip (E6 6b, Dervish Slab) in 90/91. He made it look simple. I struggled to second, falling many times and the lack of gear, plus the fact almost nothing would hold anything more than body weight showed how cool a lead it was. A sub-zero level of focus.
-
Matt Birch climbing anything
I climbed with Matt a few times on his board. Impressive, he has a unique style.
Speaking of Yorkshire Legends, TC posted a video of Zoo York the other day which was pretty cool.
-
Watching Jvan flash Zoo York is up there too actually. By today's standards it was pretty much onsight. 2002 I think, way ahead.
-
Oh yeah, that reminds me of the time when 8c Jee did Zoo York in about 6 goes, barely looked like he was even trying!
-
Sound like there were five goes where he fell off though? Perhaps he should have tried.
Other Jvan waddage - flashing Brad Pit in 2002 - first time it had been flashed, just looked so solid. Even more impressive, came back about twelve years later, early summer, t-shirt weather, wife and kids in tow, did it again.
-
A lot to choose from but a personal favourite is watching Buster Martin do Riverbed 8B in Magic Wood.
He'd had a couple sessions trying it I think, eventually had it sussed and was on send burns. Was getting super close but basically made a tiny mistake or something most goes right where it counted. In the end he fell off on or just after the final "hard" bit and just looked a bit confused at it. He almost immediately walked back over to the start, barely as much as chalked up again. Pulled on and just waltzed the whole thing totally effortlessly. When he came back down he just declared it was all in his head all along as to why he was falling.
Was totally blown away by the whole thing. It isn't the hardest 8B in the world but its by no means easy, plus it's quite long so to almost climb the whole thing twice in a row was quite mind boggling to see.
Another favourite is some random dude in RMNP in 2015 saying all us youths need energy drinks and what not to get up hard stuff but he isn't like that, so he cracked open a can of beer, downed it and sent Don't Get Too Gready 8B
-
Oh yeah, that reminds me of the time when 8c Jee did Zoo York in about 6 goes, barely looked like he was even trying!
This reminds me of a session at Caley a couple of years ago, Dave Barrans comes up and does Secret Seventh, Ben's Sit, JuJu Club and Zoo York, each one first go and completely casual. What made it really impressive though was that he did them above one pad! I just couldn't comprehend how confident you'd have to be to do that, especially on Zoo where pinging off backwards is such a regular occurrence.
-
I've been following this thread with interest, and have been thinking. However, there really is nothing notable that sticks out. I've seen hard stuff done, fights to stay on, etc etc, but nothing seems to be really memorable.
Apart from one, and whilst its not particularly notable in terms if climbing difficulty, it taps in to what most people seem to agree is noteworthy and that's 'floatyness'. i.e. that impression that someone is just weightless, the climbing effortless.
I can still picture this now.. but not so long ago I was approaching the plantation from above the trees, from over by the unconquerables. As usual, a crowd was below Deliverance. One member of the crowd, (and I was at some distance), just fluidly floated up the left arete, (Pebble Arete RHS). Really really smooth and 'floaty', then reversed it in exactly the same way. No hesitation, no thought, as though simply strolling.
It really stuck in my mind. I got closer and noted it was a certain regular poster of this parish.
Lovely to watch people when they climb like that.
-
For me it was watching Megos in Kalymos levitate up an 8c second go. I think seeing it in person made it so much more apparent how easy he found it, but it included a boulder problem to a flying arête where he cut loose and swung on what looked like totally blank rock. Just seemed to disobey physics, all without breaking a sweat.
-
I'm beginning to think I've never really witnessed the kind of impressive that people are mostly talking about here - near super human physical strength or endurance. Never witnessed 8c or 8B being climbed (possibly not even 8b+ or 8A+). Even the one genuine foreign wad I've climbed with - Ellie Cheveux - was clearly quite human on the day I spent with him. I feel like I've missed out!
-
I got closer and noted it was a certain regular poster of this parish.
Sounds like a Showpony act. :)
-
I'm beginning to think I've never really witnessed the kind of impressive that people are mostly talking about here - near super human physical strength or endurance. Never witnessed 8c or 8B being climbed (possibly not even 8b+ or 8A+). Even the one genuine foreign wad I've climbed with - Ellie Cheveux - was clearly quite human on the day I spent with him. I feel like I've missed out!
I think the proliferation of videos of the hardest routes, and Instagram videos of people doing pinky one-armers on miniscule edges has made displays of strength quite passé. Watching a wad cruise an 8c is just another day in the office for them. For me, the climbing that impresses me most and that I love to watch falls under into a few categories: a fight where the climber is digging very deep and leaving nothing in reserve; or a display of exceptional boldness or commitment; or a demonstration of mastery - making the climbing seem effortless.
I do remember raising an eyebrow while watching Adam step onto the direct start of Deliverance and seemingly stroll up the problem, but I think that might have been the same day that I watched him fail on The Storm which I'd done in the morning, so it all cancelled out - the massive punter.
-
Hands down for me it was Dani Andrada. He was absolutely mad for it.
The weather was a bit grim so we went to this cave with a few routes. He was warming up on a 7c, got to the crux and started down climbing, I was a bit dissapointed that he didnt manage to do it, but he only down climbed to the last bolt then re-climbed the whole thing, he said he realised it was nearly over and needed more warming up!
Then he onsighted the 8a+ at the crag. Next up was a project, he bolt-to-bolted it getting rid of the ancient quickdraws as he went, came down and sent it, including doing a showpony one armer at the crux. 8b he said.
I was trying another 7c and he said he would strip it as a warm down. He climbed to the 2nd bolt, down climbed and unclipped the first, then climbed to the 3rd, and back down to unclip the 2nd, we asked him what he was doing and he said he couldnt be arsed to clean it on the way down cos it was so steep, so he cleaned it on the way up! Mental.
On the way home we drove past a bouldering spot and he was so keen he forced us to stop for a look, it was gale force winds and baltic, but he had tucked his shoes in his jacket and liked the look of a classic 7a so he bombed up that as well, no pads or chalk or anything. Really inspiring to see someone so damn keen!
-
Oh actually I have another...
I was at Carla Barques climbing with a French guy who had been trying Goldie Hawn (7b+) all day with no success. Then Chris Sharma comes along and unsurprisingly walks up it as part of his warm up, (‘beautiful climbing on perfect slots’ he described it, although I hadn’t spotted anything I’d call a slot). Right after him the French guy appears at the top; turns out all he needed was the inspiration of watching Sharma cruise his route to summon up the strength to get up it at the end of the day, which was awesome to watch.
-
I'm beginning to think I've never really witnessed the kind of impressive that people are mostly talking about here - near super human physical strength or endurance. Never witnessed 8c or 8B being climbed (possibly not even 8b+ or 8A+). Even the one genuine foreign wad I've climbed with - Ellie Cheveux - was clearly quite human on the day I spent with him. I feel like I've missed out!
I think the proliferation of videos of the hardest routes, and Instagram videos of people doing pinky one-armers on miniscule edges has made displays of strength quite passé. Watching a wad cruise an 8c is just another day in the office for them. For me, the climbing that impresses me most and that I love to watch falls under into a few categories: a fight where the climber is digging very deep and leaving nothing in reserve; or a display of exceptional boldness or commitment; or a demonstration of mastery - making the climbing seem effortless.
The one "act of impressiveness" I would add to that is where someone does something out of nowhere. As in, they've been trying something, don't look close at all or like it should be well beyond them and then suddenly pull it out of the bag.
Which immediately brings to mind Rob Lay doing Caroline in Rocklands last year. It was his 3rd or 4th session maybe and the problem totally suited his style, whilst still being hard for him. Either way, he was just going backwards, falling lower and lower and had ripped a massive chunk of skin off one of his fingers. Finally after God knows how many goes and looking completely shattered he pulls on for what must be a last go and it all came together. I remember just thinking how the hell did he do that :lol:
-
Oh I've thought of one. I'd not been climbing that long and was up at Stanage and watched someone effortlessly float up Crescent Arete, NTBTA, Archangel, Doug, White Wand (which I think he might have downclimbed) and Ulysses plus several other routes in the vicinity in about twenty minutes or less. It was John Allen not long after coming back from Australia or Yosemite. Incredible.
-
The one "act of impressiveness" I would add to that is where someone does something out of nowhere. As in, they've been trying something, don't look close at all or like it should be well beyond them and then suddenly pull it out of the bag.
Stu Littlefair has always been good at that. I remember doing Cross Therapy with him. I did Tusk, the exit problem pretty quick and then started to try and link from the start. Stu couldn't do Tusk, gave up, worked the start moves of Cross Therapy, then pulled on and did it, doing Tusk for the first time on the link.
-
Both Megos for me, he joined a group I was in Kalymnos with.
Firing up Los Revolucionarios (9a) as a repeat with scarcely perceptible effort was very impressive. Also I didn't see him do any warm up climbing for it either which seems nuts, I guess he just knew it was below his level.
But I was more impressed by him campussing Ivi, 20m of 7a+ in the Grande Grotte. Not really climbing I guess but a feat of climbing strength/fitness and coordination.
-
For me, the climbing that impresses me most and that I love to watch falls under into a few categories: a fight where the climber is digging very deep and leaving nothing in reserve; or a display of exceptional boldness or commitment; or a demonstration of mastery - making the climbing seem effortless.
Absolutely, couldn't agree more Will. I've certainly been witness to plenty of boldness but I can't think of one moment that really stands out.
-
I saw Hong Kong Stuey once walk all the way from the Car Park to Stanage without falling over. We climbed together quite a bit, only saw this happen once. It was impressive.
-
:popcorn: Great thread, have really enjoyed reading this.
Here's a few.
In the late 90s early 00s I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Font at least twice a year, on one occasion we came across JP Bouvier in Isatis climbing up and down various problems. At one point he transferred between boulders using full splits to bridge the gap before cruising on up some crimpy horror show or another. Like a little pixie with other worldly climbing skills just ghosting through.
Around 4 years ago, I spent a lot of time with Mikey Cleverdon on the 'Wave' boulder at Bonehill throughout the winter. Totally impressive to witness the tenacity, siege mentality and sheer ability to try hard whilst projecting the then unclimbed low start direct through the beginning of Tsunami. Great to be there to witness him establishing Nazare one freezing winters night, after a long battle and definitely inspired me to eventually get up Tsunami later that season.
More recently witnessed Alex Waterhouse climbing the FA of Merlin's Beard at Tintagel, followed up with him crushing all of the other established problems on the boulder. Next level stuff. (Him and Solly recently did a 100 V-points on the Superbloc in a session... missed that one but outrageous nonetheless).
An old friend on-siting a 7a+ sport route at Cheddar Gorge which was around his red-point level at the time. As he started up the route he noticed the open top double deckers coming past laden with tourists all pointing at him. They were coming past at regular intervals and he took it upon himself to turn towards each passing bus and point back in their direction until they were around the corner and out of view. Each time a bus came past he would stop climbing, turn and point becoming increasingly pumped before the crux. Suffice to say he scratched through the high crux including a pause mid crux for more pointing, he battled hard to the finish pumped out of his mind stopping for more pointing and completed his hardest on-site to date. Not a cutting edge ascent but impressive and very amusing all the same.
-
I was similarly impressed with Steven Jefferey in 2001; having just met him he invited us to stay in his woody a few nights gratis and of course played flat track bully on his own problems. However I know what the level is and he had it. Weird part was the next day I remarked about this to his friends and they all hung him out to dry; Yes he's as strong as Sharma but he is a liar, hadn't done this or that, no evidence of this or that etc. Very odd.
-
Nov 2012
rankine on trout at bamford onsight, think he’d only climbed e4 at the time.
There was a good story about a sketchy ascent of an e7/8 I think at burbage when neither belayer was that keen on him having another go after a slightly iffy fall first time, needless to say mark did it anyway.
Ondra at orpierre onsighting some 8c
Liam cruising supercool, he’d have done it as a warm up that day but let go. Cruised it second time.
-
As a weak youth and now weak adult its natural that what sticks out in my mind are feats of strength;
'93 the reebok comp at Birmingham. Fresh off the Hubble this Gaskins guy had been invited. Back stage antics on the warm up wall turned into a full on competition, people doing one armers on slopers etc, Malc and Gaskins both did this problem using one of those textured cowpats placed upside down so it was a sloper with a thumb sprag. I remember trying to hold it and just being confused about what had gone on. Despite having witnessed it close up there seemed no way it could be possible.
Year or so later, first time I went to Paul Higginsons garage with Sam. watching him shutter up and down the campus board doubles, body static in space, arms moving like locomotive pistons. One finger one armers in a sling with weight added. It really sticks in the mind that. Paul was strong but somehow never put together the CV that would get him revered like Malc.
Spanish guy in the aforementioned 'Office' at the foundry. Friend of Miles' and regular 8c climber which was still hard in 1993/4. I found him hanging one armed off the bottom small campus rung, feet tucked giving it death for what seemed like about 30 secs but was probably less. After he'd gone I had a go... I remember trying to hold it and just being confused about what had gone on. Despite having witnessed it close up there seemed no way it could be possible. That was the first time i saw anyone deadhanging and actually wouldn't see anyone doing it again for many years.
Conversely incidents like these above had a sort of negative impact on me; at fifteen having no knowledge of training progression, how long it might take to acquire these strengths I just thought; I can't do that, I am weak. Thats how it is. Slow learner, not naturally inquisitive, dickhead.
Ones from the modern era; People have mentioned that floatiness, a style; Tyler has that in spades and moves better than anyone. Couple of years ago Jim Pope doing a +62kg pull up. He weighs 58?
-
Outdoors:
As people have said, Steves is Steve etc but.
2009? From the belay of Mecca I watched him do Hubble on a dampish day; 'just a quick try to see how it feels'. It was a display of control and precision like no other. No slaps, no grunts, no thrutching, no knees; just poise.
Couple of years later? He sets off on Weedkiller trav, crosses that then new 8b of Kristians onsight, up Mecca extension and topped out the crag via the Prow. Not a small climb.
Equally impressive, sixteen year old Jim Pope going up Kaabah on his second try on a warm day. An untroubled execution.
In contrast to those; I was with Ben Tetler to witness most of his hard grit type ascents around 98/9. All followed a similar pattern; I would toprope route usually first go without drama. Ben would toprope route totally sketchy, likely fall off. He would then lead or solo the route in good style. Ben was very adept at getting into the mood and extracting the absolute best from himself, near to his physical limit. I get the impression not many 'hard' grit routes are done like that, near to the climbers limit. Have to say I never doubted him though, I wasn't thinking he shouldn't set off or of talking him out of it. He was never out of his depth like say, Mike Weeks on Harder Faster. I wouldn't have fancied that.
-
This is such a good thread, bringing back so many great memories.
I was lucky enough to climb with Micky Page a couple of times in Font and Albarracin a few years ago. Apparently he'd pretty much not climbed for about a year previous, but his off the couch level is just so high it doesn't seem to matter. He absolutely pissed some tricky Font aretes and made an 8A in Albarra look steady away. Not big numbers but it was great to watch. The man has the slinkiest hips I've ever seen.
-
'93 the reebok comp at Birmingham. Fresh off the Hubble this Gaskins guy had been invited. Back stage antics on the warm up wall turned into a full on competition, people doing one armers on slopers etc, Malc and Gaskins both did this problem using one of those textured cowpats placed upside down so it was a sloper with a thumb sprag. I remember trying to hold it and just being confused about what had gone on. Despite having witnessed it close up there seemed no way it could be possible.
GASKINS IN ‘KEEPING UP WITH MALC’ SHOCKER.
-
I've been lucky enough to watch/belay a few wads in action in the high grades, but the piece of climbing which will be etched most solidly in my memory is when I belayed a friend winter climbing on the Ben.
A week before, he'd been shut down on the crux pitch of Boomer's Requiem which was well out of condition, and had had an epic making a belay safe enough to retreat from. On the long drive south afterwards he was really stewing over it, and I knew if connies were half reasonable we'd have to go back up for another go.
Less than a week later we were making the 7hr drive up after work, bivving in the north face car park and getting up at 5am to be at the front of the queue. Except we both slept in. Only an hour, but alas, enough. Getting past the CIC hut and as we peer through the drifting cloud we see a pair in front of us in bright Goretex, at the start of the first pitch of Boomer's. Fuuuuck!!!!
We hastily look in the book for a consolation prize at a similar grade, and come up with Compression Crack. We're lured onwards by the enticing photo in the guidebook - a steep crux pitch of fat ice drooling down a corner crack feature. I start up the long first pitch which is relatively amenable, and find a good belay with tat in place, which is handy because the crux above isn't there at all. Mentally I prepare to bail. He arrives, looks up and uses some ungodly language before saying he's going up to take a look.
I say nothing. The trust and respect built up after years of pushing our limits together in the mountains kicks in. He knows what he's doing. He can be bold, but he's not reckless. That's what I told myself anyway. There's just enough ice stuck on the side walls in little blobs for him to hook delicately with his picks and make upward process, but no prospect of any gear. He finds some tat poking out of some ice in the crack and clips it, fails to place a thin bulldog higher up, and then, committed, quests upwards. Blobs of ice detach, but always just after he unweights them. He seems to float, between life and death, in a state of complete calm.
Down below, I'm trying not to puke. I'm watching my best friend doing by far the most outrageous bit of climbing I've ever seen him do. One mistake and death is almost certain. I've also never seen him climb so well, standing on matchstick ice edges, flowing upwards as the consequences darken. Surely this strange equilibrium cannot last? Belaying feels superfluous now. I've got my phone out and checked for enough signal for when the inevitable happens, and then just like that, he's stood on the ledge at the end of the hard climbing, 50m up with nothing between us except the frozen tat which turned out to be an old bootlace. Far enough that I only knew he was crying because he told me about it afterwards.
-
'93 the reebok comp at Birmingham. Fresh off the Hubble this Gaskins guy had been invited. Back stage antics on the warm up wall turned into a full on competition, people doing one armers on slopers etc, Malc and Gaskins both did this problem using one of those textured cowpats placed upside down so it was a sloper with a thumb sprag. I remember trying to hold it and just being confused about what had gone on. Despite having witnessed it close up there seemed no way it could be possible.
GASKINS IN ‘KEEPING UP WITH MALC’ SHOCKER.
Can someone check on Dan, make sure he's okay.
-
Stu Littlefair has always been good at that. I remember doing Cross Therapy with him. I did Tusk, the exit problem pretty quick and then started to try and link from the start. Stu couldn't do Tusk, gave up, worked the start moves of Cross Therapy, then pulled on and did it, doing Tusk for the first time on the link.
Is it just when he wears a poncho?
-
I don’t have to try hard when I put the poncho on
-
'93 the reebok comp at Birmingham. Fresh off the Hubble this Gaskins guy had been invited. Back stage antics on the warm up wall turned into a full on competition, people doing one armers on slopers etc, Malc and Gaskins both did this problem using one of those textured cowpats placed upside down so it was a sloper with a thumb sprag. I remember trying to hold it and just being confused about what had gone on. Despite having witnessed it close up there seemed no way it could be possible.
GASKINS IN ‘KEEPING UP WITH MALC’ SHOCKER.
Can someone check on Dan, make sure he's okay.
Uncontentious no contest: Ian Vickers won the comp.
-
Some of the older lads jumping from the top of problems up Bowden Doors, with no crash mats - bonkers
-
I don’t have to try hard when I put the poncho on
Just imagine what you could do in one of these Stu:
https://hebtro.co/product-category/action-blankets/?gclid=CjwKCAiAgJWABhArEiwAmNVTB6iR9S_g29I4Q03bX1Xz9iNmq1MfDp3eRBRH4QpV4AfLGikMpj1x8xoCvtsQAvD_BwE
-
I wonder why they’re shipped in plain packaging ?
-
I don’t have to try hard when I put the poncho on
(https://64.media.tumblr.com/5f3e2cd647abe9b5c8c2ec39eb3df403/tumblr_inline_p1ayo8u8341vnfryw_1280.jpg)
Pull. Or pull not. There is no try...
-
If Clint and Mark can rock a poncho, anyone can.
-
Possibly the most impressive climbing I've seen was on the Rostrum in 2007, this kid soloed up beside me while I was at the base of the offwidth pitch; we had a chat, as though we were in a cafe or something, and he asked politely if he could carry on, and continued to steadily mosey on upwards, looking as in control as one would walking down a flat pavement.
It was Alex Honnold, at no point did he mention that it was the first time he'd soloed it, or that he'd already soloed astroman that morning, cycled over to the Rostrum and breezed up that too.
-
Possibly the most impressive climbing I've seen was on the Rostrum in 2007, this kid soloed up beside me while I was at the base of the offwidth pitch; we had a chat, as though we were in a cafe or something, and he asked politely if he could carry on, and continued to steadily mosey on upwards, looking as in control as one would walking down a flat pavement.
It was Alex Honnold, at no point did he mention that it was the first time he'd soloed it, or that he'd already soloed astroman that morning, cycled over to the Rostrum and breezed up that too.
I think we have a winner.
-
Is this your pic Toby?
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/wfeature-solo-honnold
-
Is this your pic Toby?
http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/wfeature-solo-honnold
Sadly not but thanks for posting! That really brings it back.