[grimer]

Seems there's a bit of a push on with doing grit routes in good style thanks to Ryan, Pete, Ben etc. I once compiled a list on the BMC website of routes i was aware of that had, and was thinking about updating it. Just got me thinking about routes that seem like likely contenders that hadn't yet got the treatment.

What about:

B4XS
Living in Oxford
Scritto's (did Honnold OS this?)
Flight of Ideas
Black Car Burning
Groove is in the Heart
Grace and Danger (snowless)
Beau Geste (flashed)
Spanish Fly
Never Never land
Master of Reality

[Tom de Gay]

Fat Slapper
Earth Boots
Do the Rock Steady
Black Mountain College
Speak the Truth (not sure what state it's in now)
Gecko Blaster
Appointment with fear (already done?)
Dana Awen (already done?)
Wristcutter's
Mind Bomb
Pigeon...

[TommyG]

What about:

Never Never land?

Andy Reeve flashed this one on 2008.
I imagine that it has been done a few times and I belive Pete Whittaker may have.

Must be very flashable this one. F7a climbing

[Bonjoy]

Seems there's a bit of a push on with doing grit routes in good style thanks to Ryan, Pete, Ben etc. I once compiled a list on the BMC website of routes i was aware of that had, and was thinking about updating it. Just got me thinking about routes that seem like likely contenders that hadn't yet got the treatment.
...Spanish Fly
...

I think Spanish Fly would be E7 if climbed ground up. Think I argued that it should have been given E7 in the guide for this reason. John Allen used a preplaced RP on the FA, this is unplaceable on lead(v fiddly and out of reach from any position you can take a hand off in). Without the RP you only have the gear under the roof, this will only stop a deckout if you have a very fast belayer. I know this from scoping it out on an ab rope. From playing on a rope it seemed a solid boulder prob, maybe 7a+/7b. You’d also need someone to clean it for you first as it’s currently very green.
I belayed Zaff yonks ago when he tried to headpoint it without the RP. He fell off about ¾ of the way through the hard climbing, tipped upside down and missed headplanting the boulders by inches!
Wouldn’t be surprised if it hasn’t had a second ascent, never mind a flash.

[Tom de Gay]

Did Spanish Fly years ago ('98?). Can't remember anything about an RP, but found the route fine. It's on a long lost video somewhere.

[Bonjoy]

Effort to you sir! The RP is in a crack on the left over the roof, it's bomber. I dare say the route is not too bad as a headpoint, but would be very ballsy flash at E6 without the RP!

[Tom de Gay]

I dare say the route is not too bad as a headpoint

Indeed, but aren't they all!
I'd be surprised if Grace and Danger hasn't been flashed. Tried this ground up back in the day but got a bit gripped around the pocket and jumped off (injuring spotter...)
Would Lip of Fools be a good addition to the list?

[Bonjoy]

Don't get me wrong, it's fine effort whichever way you do it. Just seemed harsh at E6 compared to other E6 at Gardom's given that grades are supposedly for the onsight. But then I've only had damp day tinker on an ab rope....
LoF is an ideal candidate for a flash being totally safe. Two of the top contenders have already blown their onsight attempts already mind  .

[grimer]

I'd be surprised if Grace and Danger hasn't been flashed. Tried this ground up back in the day but got a bit gripped around the pocket and jumped off (injuring spotter...)

Sorry Tom, I know that this has (JD second ascent, and others), I meant Boys will be Boys. I know this has been done above a snow drift (Steve Adams, maybe Tom Briggs, I think). Therefore, by definition, it can't be a ground-up, as you can't start from the ground. (Clever, aren't I?)

Quote: "I think Spanish Fly would be E7 if climbed ground up. Think I argued that it should have been given E7 in the guide for this reason."

It does explain all that in the guide and says E7 without preplacing.

[nik at work]

Would this be this list:
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/bmcnews/media/u_content/file/guidebooks/information/gritstone%20onsights%201.pdf

When did you compile that list? It went with an article in a mag (High?) didn't it? Be interesting to see how it's developed over the intervening however many years. The very top-end has moved on a bit, but will be interesting to see how much broader the E7 (or 6) base has become. Of course getting definitive information will be the best part of impossible, have fun compiling

[grimer]

Yes, that's it.

I bet that while the cutting edge has moved on things just behind haven't. there was a think on UKC about flashing E6 and a guy showed up called Terry Hirst who talked about onsight soloing stuff like Old Friends and Moonwalk back in the late 70s. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of guys in the Lakes/ North Yorks / North wales capable of that really bold, gnarly sort of stuff, regularly doing lots.

There a thing in the Froggatt guide where gabe Regan says he spent the morning 'soloing every extreme on Froggatt apart from Strapadictomy and the Gully Joke'. That was in 1977. That would make the mags today, never mind the increase in standards.

I forget what my point is...

[Will Hunt]

That Terry Hirst fella seems to be a man born out of his time! Onsight solo of Giggling Crack in 1977 

[Jaspersharpe]

Who the fuck is Rob Cook?

[Andy F]

What about some of the Lancs E6/7's:
King of Kings (E6 on 30 year old pegs, which apparently weren't that good to begin with  ), The Midas Touch (Possible E7 without side runners), both Anglezarke
Chocolate Girl and Vortex, Wilton 1
S-groove, and Pigs Direct, Wilton 3

[grimer]

I presume Vickers onsighted everything in the quarries, and Gaz, and Jordan, and Ryan, and Pete.

What is it about Lancashire?

[nik at work]

Isn't Vortex at Egerton? Maybe you mean Perimeter Walk, I'm amzed that this hasn't been flashed/on-sighted. In fact I'll go and clean it in the next week or so and post on the routes cleaned thread (I stupidly headpointed it years ago, my biggest head-point regret by a mile). It's not E7 though IMHO.

I've just properly read through the list Grimer and I'm a little hurt...

I'm pretty sure Vickers took a fall off Pigs Direct (although I dunno why I think this).

[Andy F]

To my knowldege (but I could be wrong), KOK hasn't yet seen an onsight. I'm pretty sure Perimeter Walk has, so I didn't include it in the list. Vortex may be at Egerton (so what am I thinking of in Wilton 1, that E8 of Gaz's), I thought Ian had fallen off Pigs direct as well, could be wrong.

[nik at work]

Toxic Billberries?

Who's done Perimeter Walk? About time.

[Andy F]

Toxic Billberries?

Who's done Perimeter Walk? About time.

That's the one. Wasn't PW flashed by Adam Dewhurst back in the day (well, about 10 years ago...)

[nik at work]

That's a new bit of knowledge on me. Tanners?

[Andy F]

Vague memories of an OTE article

[lagerstarfish]

Has New Statesman had an onsight, flash or ground up thingamy ?

[shark]

Yes, that's it.

I bet that while the cutting edge has moved on things just behind haven't. there was a think on UKC about flashing E6 and a guy showed up called Terry Hirst who talked about onsight soloing stuff like Old Friends and Moonwalk back in the late 70s. I wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of guys in the Lakes/ North Yorks / North wales capable of that really bold, gnarly sort of stuff, regularly doing lots.

You probably shoud add Karl Telfer to the Narcissus list. He says he soloed it ground-up in 79. I dont know if any chicanery was involved. I know he sometimes got his brother Graeme to top rope the routes first for the beta.

[grimer]

I've just properly read through the list Grimer and I'm a little hurt...

what about?

[Bonjoy]

Quote: "I think Spanish Fly would be E7 if climbed ground up. Think I argued that it should have been given E7 in the guide for this reason."

It does explain all that in the guide and says E7 without preplacing.

In that case ignore everything I said. Move along, nothing to see here.