T_B
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
- Messages
- 3,126
Tony S said:Steve Crowe said:Mike Owen climbed Hollow Man in 1990 on sight. All his ascents are visible on UKC
Mike was undoubtedly one of the best trad climbers around. However I don't think "onsight" is an accurate reflection of that ascent (but I can completely understand why one might choose to record it that way in a personal record.)
Mike had climbed The Bells, The Bells before (an ascent not without interest) - which he states clearly in his UKC log and in his blog. The "The Bells, The Bells" section encompasses all the risky hard climbing on the Hollow Man.
I remember going up to Dave Birkett at Kendal and pretty much accusing him of not doing a ‘proper on-sight’ of Caff’s E8 at Dove ‘Fear of Failure’ as surely he had done Vlad first, so had knowledge of the bottom bit. To which he replied he did Vlad afterwards. Oops. Ethics Police 0, Sheep Rescuer 1.