trad paradise Owey Island’s Adventure Irish of a big bold lead of abig bold On therewards McHaffie James public face ofsoloing Alex Honnoldandthetricky Business Risky THE FULLSTORY OFBRITAIN’S HARDESTROUTE Limits Re-defining return to theHimalaya Mick Fowler andVictor Saunders Reunited Legends

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2 | Climb

Chimera Ad_FEB 2017_CLIMB.indd 1 27/03/2017 16:30 EDITOR’S NOTE

Changing Times

When Shauna Coxsey pulled on for her fourth late 70s, High and On the Edge in the 80s and attempt at the last problem in the finals of the 90s through to Climb Magazine today. As one Mumbai World Cup one minute of the editors of those publications - alongside remained on the clock. In previous years, as long David Pickford, Gill Kent and Neil Pearsons, and as a competitor had started their last attempt Geoff Birtles - I have had the privilege to work when the countdown timer read zero, they could with some of the most talented people in the continue for as long as they were able to hold on. climbing community. Whilst there is inevitably Now a new rule change meant a strict time limit a sadness that I won’t be able to turn the pages of attempts – once four minutes were up, it was of a freshly printed copy of our latest edition, I game over. feel very proud of how Climb has contributed The change in the timing rules animated the to that long tradition of high quality, insightful competition climbing community. Many lamented magazines at the heart of British climbing culture. what they felt was an unnecessary change to The good news is that the edition you now hold tradition forced by climbing’s inclusion in the won’t be the last issue of Climb. Our November / Olympics and the need to tighten up schedules to December edition will come out on October 1st as suit TV requirements. At that moment, all that a digital magazine, and will be completely free of Shauna was thinking about was how to get her charge. Yes, you read that right: you won’t have right foot, stretched up at shoulder height, to to pay for the magazine. The same high quality ISSUE 140 stick on to one of the five grey and back blobs writing and photography will be available with that the route setters had fiendishly arranged on just two clicks on your desktop, laptop, tablet EDITORIAL the overhanging wall. or mobile device. The first click will download EDITOR Her first three attempts had met the same fate the Climb Magazine app, and the second will Ian Parnell as the other five finalists so far – back on the download the latest issue. [email protected] crash mats below. If she could reach the bonus CONSULTING EDITOR hold halfway up the problem she’d win the gold David Pickford medal. If she could then top out the problem, [email protected] “It’s a risk, but as climbers she’d send the Mumbai crowd wild. But the clock GEAR EDITOR was ticking down unrelentingly. we aren’t afraid of risk. As on Kevin Avery [email protected] Leaping upwards and outwards Shauna the biggest leads, you have grasped the bonus hold with first one and then DESIGN to embrace the challenge to Joe Walczak two hands as her feet swung in the air behind her. [email protected] The clock now read ten seconds to go and still she achieve success” had four hand and foot moves left. As the crowd ADVERTISING got on their feet the timer seemed to be racing towards zero. As the clock read 0.01 Shauna The Climb editorial team and publishers have PUBLISHING MANAGER reached towards the last hold. The finishing thought long and hard about this fundamental Karen Dench [email protected] buzzer sounded, the crowd roared, and she swung change to the business model of the magazine. 0116 202 2727 from the final hold. For it to work, we need as many people to read ADVERTISING MANAGER Shauna’s 11th career win meant she’d the new, digital Climb - which in turn will attract Lisa Schulze successfully defended her overall World Cup more advertising revenue to pay for the finest [email protected] title but also the manner of her victory had been content. It’s a risk, but as climbers we aren’t 0776 458 4412 a triumph for the new timing rules. Despite afraid of risk. As on the biggest leads, you have SUBSCRIPTIONS & ADMIN competition traditionalists’ complaints, the to embrace the challenge to achieve success. Or [email protected] 0116 202 2732 ‘closed clock’ rule provided the ‘X factor’ that as Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s co-founder puts every sport craves – tension and drama to the last it, “In a world that’s changing really fast, the only Printed in the UK. second of the event. strategy guaranteed to fail is not taking any risks.” All rights reserved. Copyright © Change is one of the very few things the We’d like to thank all our readers who’ve stood 2017 Greenshires Publishing Ltd. Reproduction without permission is modern world can guarantee – our environment, firm with us over the years, and we’d like to invite prohibited. Photographs copyrighted our political and civic institutions, and the you on this next phase of our adventure. Spread by photographer. technology with which we live are constantly the word to anyone you think would be interested evolving. But few of us welcome change. It tends in the new, free, digital edition of Climb. We look to be seen as a threat - a disruption to the familiar forward to seeing you all back on the sharp end and the comfortable. But it’s worth considering in October. that each of those changes is an opportunity for Climb Magazine something new, different, and potentially better To Find out more about how to download Greenshires Publishing than that which went before. Climb’s digital edition turn to page 70. 160-164 Barkby Road, Climb magazine now faces a big change. This Leicester, LE4 9LF September / October issue that you are reading Email: [email protected] Website: www.climbmagazine.com now will be our final paper edition. Greenshires Publishing, our owners, have been involved

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Climb | 3 COVER

Steve McClure on Rainman at Malham Cove. Steve recently made the first ascent of what for him was a ‘lifetime project’ to give the hardest sports route in the UK at 9b. Turn to page 36 to read Steve’s remarkable account of his seven year obsession to explore the absolute limits of his climbing ability.

PHOTOGRAPH BY IAN PARNELL

CONTRIBUTORS

Bernd Zeugswetter Hjördis Rickert Mike Hutton Neil Gresham Kevin Avery Steve McClure Mick Fowler Victor Saunders Eleanor Fuller John McCune James McHaffie Dr Richard Sly Pat Nolan Craig Hiller Noel Dawson Jacopo Larcher Jimmy Chin David Mason Steven Gordon

THIS PAGE: Majka Burhardt on Atlantis (5.11c) on The Sorcerer, one of the superb granite towers in the California Needles. ZEUGSWETTER / RICKERT CONTENTS

Features 18 Regulars

12 | 6 | HOT LINES David Pickford takes his climbing shoes and camera Barbara Zangerl and a crack German speaking into the rural hinterland of the French southwest to team impress on Pembroke’s trad testpieces, find one of Europe’s finest unknown climbing areas - Frenchman Charles Albert boulders 8C barefoot, the Gorges de l’Averyron makes his biggest deep water solo yet and Shauna Coxsey becomes double 18 | WILD ATLANTIC WAYS World Cup champion. Following Alex Honnold’s Leading activist John McCune, celebrates the trad remarkable solo of El Cap we take a look at the climbing paradise of Ireland’s Owey Island 30 changing place of soloing in climbing 24 | ETERNAL MAGIC 42 | THE CLIMB INTERVIEW: Bernd Zeugswetter and Hjördis Rickert take JAMES MCHAFFIE us on a tour of the world class granite climbing at Climb talks to the understated Lakelander on his California’s Needles biggest day climbing, the empowerment of risky leads and his recent avalanche of new routes at 30 | FRIENDS REUNITED the cutting edge of trad climbing After a 29 year break Mick Fowler and Victor Saunders resume their climbing partnership 46 | GEAR LAB and head to to tackle the first ascent of the Kevin Avery reviews the finest climbing harnesses impressive Sersank on the market

36 | RE-DEFINING LIMITS 36 56 | MY CLIMBING LIFE Steve McClure reflects on his seven year journey to Eleanor Fuller talks to mountain instructor Rachael climb Britain’s hardest sport route - Rainman (9b) Crewesmith about rain, tea, biking and her love of mountain multi-pitches 48 | STRENGTH FROM SOFTNESS Dr Richard Sly looks at the ancient martial art of Tai 58 | GEARING UP Chi and the cross training benefits it holds for climbers Kevin Avery takes a look at the latest developments in textile technologies talking to designers and fabric 50 | TRAINING ROOM developers, as well as looking at the most innovative Climb’s training editor Neil Gresham looks at garments on the market contemporary best practice to avoid injury and complement your climbing training 64 | INSIDE STORY 42 We review a with a difference - The Boardroom in Queensferry

66 | REVIEW Noel Dawson reads Himalaya - the tribulations of Mick and Vic, the French compilation of the adventures of Mick Fowler and Victor Saunders, we review Caroline Ciavaldini and James Pearson’s Climbing Beyond. Plus an exclusive excerpt from The Magician’s Glass Ed Douglas’s exceptional collection of essays on the climbing life

50 75 | POSTCARD FROM THE EDGE Mike Hutton captures Tom Randall searching out a different view from Millstone’s London Wall

Climb | 5 Vertical World In Brief

Euro Power What do you get if you take two Germans (Lara Neumeier & Roland Hemetzberger), an Italian (Jacopo Larcher) and an Austrian (Barbara Zangerl) throw them at Pembroke’s world-class seacliffs and sprinkle them with a bit of rain? One of the most impressive bouts of climbing seen on British cliffs. Both Zangerl and Larcher managed flash ascents of Point Blanc (E8 6c) and headpoints of Chupacabra (E8 6c), Do you know where your children are? (E8 6c), and the contrasting E9s of the very bold Muy Caliente and the super steep Big Issue. The couple are reasonably au fait with British trad having climbed E9 and E11 respectively at Dumbarton on a previous visit. The German pair were much less experienced with Neumeier having only spent 2 days previously trad . The 19 year old seemed unfazed repeating both Point Blanc and Chupacabra following some monster falls. Hemetzberger also impressed repeating both routes as well as making his own ascent of The Big Issue despite almost falling from the last move.

THIS PAGE: Barbara Zangerl on her succesful lead of the Big Issue (E9 6c) at Bosherston Head in Pembroke. JACOPO LARCHER

6 | Climb HOT LINES Strongest toes in the west Back from the brink Fontainebleau expert Charles Albert visited South Africa’s Rocklands At the beginning of 2016 the Austrian bouldering pioneer Bernd Zangerl recently, coming away with a repeat of Monkey Wedding (8C), This slipped off a project in Cresciano. Initially the awkward fall gave him minor overhanging testpiece at the Roadside boulders was originally established neck pain but gradually he found he couldn’t feel his thumb or index by Fred Nicole in 2002 and graded 8B+, however ascents by several finger and several muscles in his back stopped working. An MRI showed leading boulderers have seen the rise a notch. Albert’s ascent is damage to two of his vertebrate and a long rehab followed. Starting to impressive enough until you realise that he always climbs barefoot, in climb again this April Zangerl headed straight to the huge boulders of Murg fact it’s his third 8C climbed without shoes. Originally Albert chose to in Switzerland to a highball / trad project. With just one possibility to place climb without shoes as a playful way to make the climbing at his local gear up high on the 15m bloc Zangerl describes Into the Sun (8c+) as Fontainebleau more challenging. Albert also extends his purist approach to “the crux is a little dyno to a good hold 7m above the crashpad.... the real bouldering mats, “I like to climb with that fear of the fall,’ he says, “so I only crux is up much higher” Afterwards he shared his joy at his recovery “it’s use a crashpad when it’s really necessary”. like I can start climbing a 2nd time.”

PHOTO | HELLIKER COLLECTION Ramp it up The late Jonathon ‘Woody’ Woods was an expert in finding fun in climbing, as part of that he devised the ‘Ramp Challenge’ - all the starred routes above the ramp on Avon Gorge’s Upper Wall in a day. This year’s new guidebook brought new routes and the ‘Super Ramp Challenge’ was born - 15 routes and 60 E points. Matt Helliker and Rhoslyn Frugtniet stepped up on one of the hottest days of the year in mid June, just scraping through for the first complete ascent. Now based in Chaonix, Helliker is an ex Bristol local and knew many of the routes previously, nevertheless he found himself with a real battle mid challenge needing four goes to cleanly climb the E6 Low Profile Police. For Frugtniet this was her first Ramp visit but thankfully her 8b ability saw her to success.

The pursuit of happiness PHOTO | DAVID MASON Despite both of them being dogged by illness David Mason and Mina Leslie-Wujastyk came away from a trip to South Africa at the beginning of the summer with a slew of ascents of 8th grade problems. Suspicions point towards contaminated tap water that left the pair under-power for a fair proportion of their trip. Nevertheless amongst 18 grade 8s (3 of them flashed) Mason pulled off a repeat of A Simple Knowing at Topside, an area just outside Cape Town. Originally given 8C by first ascensionist Paul Robinson the problem has settled to 8B+. Leslie-Wujastyk also impressed making the most of a recent intensive spell of strength training to climb her first 8BThe Pursuit of Happiness a long upside down rounded prow at Redhill an area close to Cape Town.

Shauna World Cup Champ Sharma goes big At the final round of the 2016 Bouldering World Cup Shauna Coxsey faced American Chris Sharma is well known for his pioneering deep water conflicting emotions – she’d just completed the best season of her life solos, with his Es Pontas in Majorca widely regarded as the most difficult securing the overall World Cup title yet she’d torn her Labrum and would need DWS to date. In terms of outrageous lines his latest might trump even shoulder surgery. Many athletes never return to full strength after invasive that. The Pont d’Arc arch in ’s Ardèche has long been gawped at surgery and Shauna admitted to being “apprehensive and a little nervous” by visiting climbers but at over 30m above the river no-one had seriously about how she might recover. The answer was very well indeed, achieving contemplated an ascent. Sharma seemingly unfazed by the height tried two golds and a silver in the first three rounds of the 2017 series. Initially it the route ground up over 4 days taking full height falls before he was able looked like this season would be a two way battle with lead world champion to link the route across the whole arch. Remarking on the difficulty of the Janja Garnbret. However when the Slovenian opted to concentrate on the line, thought to be about 8b+, Sharma wrote on his Instagram page, “It’s lead series Shauna raced to this years overall World Cup title thanking those interesting how a grade is only a small part of what defines the whole who “never let me stop believing I could come back stronger”. challenge or the value of our climbing experience.”

Climb | 7 RISKY BUSINESS vertical world in depth The tricky public face of climbing’s most private act -

he five climbers awoken from their sleep at Heart Ledges on didn’t say anything as Alex Honnold slipped past them T at dawn. What could they say? Honnold was climbing without a , ‘free soloing’ up Yosemite’s greatest granite wall. Wishing him good luck didn’t feel quite right, Honnold was in a world far beyond luck. He’d started up the climb Freerider at 5.32am to avoid other climbers and the sun’s heat that could so easily make the slick granite crystals feel like polished glass. Just under 4 hours later he stood on the summit joking with the film crew who’d followed response reflected the uneasy role soloing has has endured over the ages but there have been him up the climb. As El Cap’s ‘easiest’ free wall the played within climbing – often painted as the purest many other motivations. Famously in 1969 unable 33 5.13a was the logical route for Honnold to form of ascent, yet resulting in the loss of so many to find himself a partner Reinhold Messner soloed make the first ever solo of El Capitan’s main face, but significant figures within our activity. And then a direct version of the Vinatzer-Castiglioni on the it was far from a simple choice. Despite Freerider there has been the discrepancy that this most private 500m south face of the Marmolada, at grade VI+ having been climbed by many of the world’s finest of disciplines is often misused by the mainstream a cutting edge level for the Dolomites at the time. climbers no one has yet managed a full onsight media as the sensationalist face of climbing. For American there was an element no falls ascent. The V7 ‘Boulder Problem’ crux is of competition; notoriously posting a note in 1981 climbed by many as a dyno for example, whilst other Honnold described the routes on Yosemite’s noticeboard promising a teams have failed in the long ‘Monster Offwidths’. “$10,000 reward for anyone who can follow me For Honnold one of the least secure sections was the handholds as ‘like old friends’ for one full day”. There were no takers. Then of 5.11 friction slab crux of the initial Freeblast pitches. course there have been the natural performers such To overcome these areas of doubt Honnold The practice of soloing has been around as as Frenchman Alain Robert who after a series of had climbed the route over a dozen times, finding long as humans have climbed rocks, in fact until extraordinary solos of test-piece sport routes up alternative solutions to several key passages. His the advent of soft iron pegs for protection at the to 8b, broke into mainstream celebrity, in the mid preparation was so methodical that Honnold start of the 20th century, most climbers were in 90s, by soloing the world’s highest skyscrapers – described the routes handholds as ‘like old friends’ effect soloing anyway. Climbing’s first soloing something he still makes a career of today. in an interview with National Geographic, “There star came about in opposition to the overuse of The role of soloing in climbing has changed was no uncertainty on this. I knew exactly what to these new . Austrian Paul Preuss wrote a as much as why climbers might do it. In Britain do the whole way.” polemic in the Deutsche Alpenzeitung in 1911 during the 70s and early 80s soloing was widely Whilst the notoriously laid back Honnold’s entitled Artificial aids on alpine routes suggesting practiced at both grassroots and elite levels. The responses typically downplayed the danger that pegs had “transformed the mountains into a big players like Pete Livesey or Ron Fawcett involved, the stature of his ascent was recognized mechanical plaything”. Preuss felt that not only were as respected for their soloing as their roped by climbers around the world. , should pegs not be used for aid, they shouldn’t climbing. Jerry Moffatt cemented his place at the a close friend of Honnolds and someone who has be used for protection except in real emergencies, top of the pecking order in 1983 by soloing in an free climbed El Capitan by multiple routes likened Preuss even felt abseil descents to be cheating. afternoon Right Wall, Left Wall, Foil, Memory Honnold’s solo to the moon landings saying “it’s a As a result he repeated many of the days hardest Lane, Cenotaph Corner and down Ivy Sepulchre, generation defining climb”. However in a piece for climbs and established plenty himself solo without cheekily commenting that Dinas Cromlech was Outside magazine titled Why Alex Honnold’s free a rope. Interestingly Preuss was one of the earliest now “an easy and outdated crag”. solo scared me, amongst his praise for his friend’s professional climbers (as opposed to guides), 80s and 90s activist Andy Popp recalls “soloing achievement Caldwell raised a moment of caution, making a living by lecturing about his ethical ideas. was certainly integral to my understanding and “I hope others are inspired by Alex’s dedication When he died in 1913, attempting to make the first experience of climbing, really from the outset. Part to excellence and ability to live without fear, and ascent of the North Ridge of the Mandlkoge, he of it must have been that climbing of any kind was less by his willingness to accept risk. We have lost had over 50 lecture dates booked for that year. inherently risky. Soloing represented an extension far too many in our world already.” Caldwell’s That sense of soloing as a pure form of climbing of that rather than a step change. Almost every day

8 | Climb HOT LINES vertical world in depth

out included some soloing.” Stevie Haston, perhaps soloing, or even consider soloing to be in someway climbing bubble to National Geographic’s coverage Britain’s finest alpine soloist with unroped ascents ‘wrong,’ because they don’t really associate climbing of Honnold is the 1987 film Seo of Catherine of close to 90 routes at TD and above, feels that with risk. Very occasionally, perhaps on a forum, Destivelle soloing in Mali. soloing’s status has been lost in the UK “soloing you’ll seem to notice someone who seems to view Despite those films differing in subject matter was much more of a general thing, and it was a soloing as almost morally suspect. If I were to get its notable that all of them featured highly edited respected skill”. When Haston soloed Gogarth’s all old skool, I wouldn’t really consider someone re-enactments, a strategy that previous films of 3 pitch E5 Positron it was a natural part of his holding such a view as properly a climber.” Honnolds solo ascents of the NW face of Half climbing “when I was climbing really well I would One of the most striking things about Alex Dome (5.12) and El Sendero Luminoso (5.12c) at solo. I knew the first ascentionists Rouse and Honnold’s recent El Cap solo was that whilst very Mexico’s Potrero Chico had also followed. Minks and all the people involved in freeing it. The few people knew that he would be attempting the On his El Cap solo there was no faking it route was part of my social upbringing.” route, he was accompanied by a film crew (led by and no cheeky rests on belays - something that John Arran, whose soloing career spans the first friend Jimmy Chin) who captured his every step for knowledgable observers remarked made soloing solo ascent in 1985 of Jules Verne, Colorado’s National Geographic. the crux pitches of Freerider so much tougher classic 6 pitch 5.11 frightener through to his solo Honnold isn’t the first to perform in front of the than redpointing, where one can recover between of 536 routes in a single day in 2003 at Stanage, cameras - there are films of Messner soloing on pitches at the hanging belays. There was also the reckons that “climbing and climbers have definitely the Marmolada for example. With the advent of added pressure for Honnold knowing a full film changed. What used to be largely anarchic is now lightweight ‘video’, as opposed to far less portable crew surrounded him expecting him to deliver. undeniably much more mainstream. Most of the film cameras, there was a rush of climbing films That expectation affects climbers differently change is really positive, but there’s a conservatism with soloists often playing a lead role. Les Drus but British filmmaker Paul Diffley from HotAches that’s gradually become much more common, and en solo saw Christophe Profit swagger through productions describes a story told to him by James I personally value endeavour and good judgement the Chamonix crowds to climb unroped up the Pearson when he climbed the super bold grit much higher than what often appears to be American Direct before returning to a party via route Equilibrium (E10) aged 19. “He said after, unthinking risk-aversion.” the top floor window of a Chamonix apartment that he didn’t think he could do it, but all these Whilst there are undoubtedly still high profile block. La Vie Au Bout Des Doigts followed photographers and filmmakers had turned up so climbers who solo such as Julian Lines, Tom Randall Patrick Edlinger soloing at Buoux and elevated he thought he best at least try it and ‘give them a and this months Climb interviewee James McHaffie, the Frenchman to international prominence. Most show’. I guess he was very young when he did that, Andy Popp feels that “there are probably many famously of all, and perhaps the only equivilence I think he is a lot more media savy now!” more climbers now who would never consider in terms of its mainstream impact outside the Kevin Shields is one climber who can perhaps give some insight into this pressure. Despite suffering from epilepsy and having no fingers on his mis-shapen left hand (something he was born FACING PAGE: A happy Alex Honold on top of El Cap after his solo of Freerider on El Capitan in Yosemite. JIMMY CHIN THIS PAGE: Kevin Shields in 2008 at the height of his soloing. Now sponsored by Kevin’s solos but with more control. STEVEN GORDON with) Shields is known for soloing as hard, or

Climb | 9 HOT LINES

even harder, than he can lead, and often with a camera rolling. Shields says the camera’s presence “never affected me as I am always focused on the route and nothing else. The only time it ever crosses my mind is if I happen to notice the photographer and it can be strange seeing this person who is relatively comfortable and safe and close enough to film but not to help you so you’re both in completely different worlds. I am lucky to have only worked with very good, patient and understanding film makers and photographers. They are all climbers themselves so they understand the mind games and if it’s not right it’s not right. If you climb only to be filmed then it’s no longer about climbing.” I hope others are inspired by Alex’s dedication to excellence and ability to live without fear, and less by his willingness to accept risk

One of those photographers who has worked with Kevin is Steven Gordon. “Photographing Kev was always a bit of a moral dilemma; I often worried that my presence with the camera somehow pushed him further. It essentially turns a photoshoot into an ethical minefield, leaving the photographer weighing up responsibilities more associated with war zones than cliff faces. The whole idea of being a sponsored climber and the need to fill pages, the need to build interest and push harder does tend to isolate the individual in question and push them to go harder. But soloing is rather obviously a solitary game. Kev has backed off projects with me as often as he has went for it. When you solo, even if I am a metre away I may as well be a mile away. The war is in the individuals’ head, and Kev once committed was always a long way away, there was no eye contact, no talking. He was truly alone, once he committed.” It is something that rings true with Honnolds own preparations for his climb of Freerider this June, as during an earlier attempt last November, despite being surrounded by the full film crew, Honnold backed off after an hour of climbing because conditions didn’t feel right. “The things that drive soloing are less the media,” says Haston. “The real drive behind soloing was your peers, it wasn’t peer pressure it was peer respect, climbing was about respect, respecting the gravity of certain routes and the cool of certain climbers.” For Andy Popp soloing has never been “complicated and I’ve never thought there was any need to look for a deep psychological explanation for why I soloed a lot. It was just something I enjoyed. It gave me a great deal of pleasure.” That’s something Honnold echoes, talking to Outside Magazine he said straight after “Honestly, I think this is the most satisfied I’ve ever been. It was exactly what I hoped for. I felt so good.” Adding, “even now I feel like I could go do another lap”. After Honnold’s remarkable solo of El Capitan it is hard to see where solo climbing standards go from here; as American soloing legend said “It was always the obvious next step. But after this, I really don’t see what’s next. This was the big classic jump.” But if climbing history has taught us anything it’s that new generations will find previously unimagined ways of playing our game and whether they do so privately or under the spotlight, some will choose to explore those boundaries without a rope. As Geoffrey Winthrop Young wrote in the Alpine Journal’s obituary for the 27 year old Paul Preuss “Solitary climbing will always have its critics as well as its devotees. But with the feeling of regret for the premature death of a great climber and a fine personality comes also the feeling of pride that there are still men of the highest intellect in our generation who, with the full knowledge of all the easier and more profitable alternatives that life has to offer, continue to match their skill as it increases against increasing difficulty, and accept the issue with calm courage.”

THIS PAGE: Alex Honnold solo on the Regular Northwest Route on (5.12) a route he first soloed in 2008. JIMMY CHIN

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Climb | 13 THIS SPREAD: Murray Dale high above the road on the imposing and shady sweep of steep limestone at La Croix: the route is the super-classic endurance pitch Out of Africa (7c). DAVID PICKFORD PHOTO LIBRARY

12 | Climb SECRET SPORT CLIMBS IN THE GORGES DE L’AVERYRON

ALL IMAGES | DAVID PICKFORD

Lost in the deep rural hinterland of the French southwest, the Gorges de l’Averyron has always lurked in the shadows of the European climbing map. Yet for those prepared to leave the beaten track, this seductive region will reveal world class limestone sport climbs to rival anything you’ll find elsewhere

Climb | 13 “There is not a particle of life which does not bear poetry withi n it.” - Gust ave Flaubert

THIS PAGE TOP: Paul Riley on the blunt arete of Episode (7b) at Manjo-Carn, one of the classic sectors in the Gorges de l’Averyron. THIS PAGE LOWER: Lisa Riley enjoying the technicalities of Les Meme Restant en Bas (6b) at Falaise de Couyrac. FACING PAGE: Devonian legend Ken Palmer on the initial wall of the awesome 45 metre pitch Via del Cipollini (8a), the best of a host of outstanding endurance lines at sector Des Colonnes at La Croix. ALL DAVID PICKFORD PHOTO LIBRARY

14 | Climb Climb | 15 “The real voyage of discovery consists not i n seeki ng new landscapes, but i n havi ng new eyes” - Marcel Proust

THIS PAGE TOP: An isolated house deep in the woods of the Gorges de l’Averyron. LOWER LEFT: The sweep of orange limestone that defines le Capucin, one of the most historic crags of the Averyron, stands proudly above the river. Unlike many of the shady cliffs hereabouts, the Capucin is an ideal winter crag, receiving lots of sun. LOWER RIGHT: A church built from local limestone in the Averyron shows the traditional vernacular architecture of the region. ALL DAVID PICKFORD PHOTO LIBRARY

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STORY | JOHN MCCUNE

18 | Climb s a climber I search for adventures. For as long as I have been climbing I have been intrigued by the notion of Aexploring and climbing new routes. I started climbing in Scotland ten years ago and when I came back to Ireland I discovered a wealth of exploring to do with vast possibilities for new routing and discovering new crags. To rediscover County Donegal as a climber was a wonderful experience. I spent many a summer holiday there as a child, dodging rain showers, exploring vast empty stretches of coastline, and messing about on beautiful secluded beaches. Returning to spend time there over the last few years as a climber, with an immense rugged coastline to explore has been just fantastic.

I told them that this little island had some of the best climbing in Ireland and they were going to be seeing a lot more climbers in the coming years.

I had heard rumours about Owey’s climbing potential, some good and some bad. Apparently the rock quality wasn’t as good as its neighbour Gola Island. Gola has always been one of the most popular climbing spots in Donegal, but I was sure that Owey had something better. There was a good deal of recorded routes, up to E1, which sounded interesting, but I was under the impression that it had some wonderful potential to be developed. I had seen a little thumbnail picture on the Irish Climbers website which read “Holy Jaysus wall, No takers yet”. It looked like a weird chasm with a steep wall with some cracks that might be E2. But the fact that someone had described it as the “Holy Jaysus wall”, must have meant it was gobsmacking. With this in mind I persuaded my friend Kevin Kilroy to come out for an adventure. Our first outing was in July 2013. Not sure about the situation regarding the boat crossing and a little timid about talking to the local islanders we settled on bringing kayaks and paddling ourselves out. This would also give us the option of circumnavigating the Island and spying out the biggest crags and the best lines.

THIS PAGE: Jon Winter and on an un-named and possibly previously unclimbed V-Diff line near the Fluted Zawn with the remarkable Holy Jaysus Wall in the back ground. IAN PARNELL

Climb | 19 climbers on seriously overhanging terrain above the Atlantic, on a remote island. With no phone signal should we get into difficulty we would be dealing with it ourselves. When we topped out at about 11pm, giddy with excitement that we pulled it off, we were met by some of the local island dwellers, who were having a classic piss up by the small lake. We drank beers with them, comically trying to describe the climb we had just completed. They weren’t overly impressed or interested by the climbing, but they were good craic. I told them that this little island had some of the best climbing in Ireland and they were going to be seeing a lot more climbers in the coming years.

My forearms were exploding and I had to fight to stay on. I hadn’t climbed anything like it in my life

For the rest of that summer Kevin and I returned a number of times, and we brought along friends to share the plunder. From this point on we took the boat with Dan Gallagher and were happy to pay him a small fee for his service. With a cowboy hat and his trusty dog Darcey never far away he reminisced stories of growing up on the Island. A toiler on the sea, he is happy spending his summer holidays ferrying visitors out to his beloved Owey. We opened some routes on an area of crags that have now become known as the Wild Atlantic Walls. Two excellent additions were Pride of Kincasslough, a clean aesthetic corner at a reasonable E2, and an exciting pumpy E4 called Lumpy Space. Through the summer we continued the spree of new routes, enjoying the island vibes and getting to know some of the Islanders. The following summer development started with Paul Swail, Kris McCoey, Ronnie Smith and team opening a number of routes up to E6 on The Wild Atlantic Walls. This beautiful area on the Atlantic side of the Island has the greatest concentration of routes covering all the grades. It is also one of the nicest crag tops for chilling out between climbs and catching some rays. Plus there is a good selection of easier cracks and grooves from severe to VS. In July 2014 Paul and Kris climbed two very impressive and committing looking E5s on the big overhanging buttress capped by Megatron’s profile. The Wild Atlantic Way (E6), and Journey into the Unknown (E5) are outrageous looking routes on one of the most improbable looking bits of crag on the Island. Access to the base of this cliff involved logistically difficult adventure , but they were rewarded with immaculate rock and good cracks and gear. A few other obvious lines of weakness were climbed, for example Ronnies Corner, a spectacularly obvious and delightful E2. It was a spectacle. Kevin and I, sat on top of kayaks bobbing around in the I saw the photographs from their productive weekend, and felt a little Atlantic swell, neither of us paddlers, gawking at gargantuan lumps of granite bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) or worse FOHMO (fear of having overhanging the deep blue ocean. We took photographs of the crags from missed out). I was surprised, and slightly relieved that they hadn’t climbed the sea, and picked out a few things that we were really excited about. That on the Holy Jaysus wall. The following weekend my friend Rory Brown weekend we opened two new routes. The first was a pleasant two pitch HVS came from Scotland to visit and to climb in Ireland. I suggested we drive which we named the Donkeys Pelvis after the islands rudimentary drinking straight to Owey to make sure I got to climb the lines I had my eye on. We den. The other was a superb three pitch E5 which we named the An Srón did a number of abseils and discovered that whilst the Holy Jaysus Wall Tochasach (The Itchy Nose). There was no wind and the midges made their was far too steep for the E2s I had originally imagined it was actually quite presence known. This is still one of my proudest first ascents to date. I don’t climbable. I inspected the quality of the rock down a few lines and discovered think it has had many repeats. It was a feature we had spied from our kayaks it wasn’t actually that bad. I wire brushed off some scrittle, pulled off a few that had a huge overhanging block that jutted out like a nose. I was fixed on dubious blocks, and chalked up some holds. The angle was impressive, gently the idea of climbing this feature. overhanging throughout the walls 70m height. Fortunately the wall was The crag was about 80m high and in an impressive square-cut zawn. The covered with incredible features - a hard smooth surface, with cracks and crux pitch was an alarmingly steep splitter finger crack and layback. It took fissures eroded into the hard exterior shell. To my delight I noticed there was me three attempts to lead the pitch in clean good style, placing all the gear a ledge hanging down to the left hand side of the face, which would make on lead, and continually scared of falling off into the void of space below. an obvious place to start. Rory set off on the first pitch. I had brushed and We were very aware that nobody else knew our whereabouts. We were two cleaned a few holds and told him where to go. I was happy that there was

20 | Climb enough gear so that he wouldn’t hurt himself if he came off. It’s a punchy little 6a pitch, and soon enough he was flying. After another go he was up on the belay and I followed him up, slightly shocked by the difficulty myself. I left the belay and climbed straight up into lactic land. I followed the features I had cleaned and chalked up. This was really to deal with the smeggy sea grease, which can be a problem in the mornings. But it also allowed me to move fast knowing which of the many features to hold on to. It was a logical line on perfect features right up the very centre of the wall. A forty meter pitch of rustic orange cracks, crimping placettes and pinching baguettes. This became Immaculata, the Virgin Birth on the Holy Jaysus wall. My forearms were exploding and I had to fight to stay on. I hadn’t climbed anything like it in my life. Rory giggled his way up on second and then we just sat looking out at the Atlantic trying to decide if we needed to do anything else with the rest of the day. We didn’t feel we did so we joined Dan and the Islanders who were having a big bonfire and drank lots of beer. The following weekend I went back out with the biggest team yet. Maybe a grand total of six climbers, and Paul’s enthusiastic labrador. This time I climbed the next logical line on Holy Jaysus wall - an aesthetic black streak towards the left hand side. This was an excellent feature to follow with bullet-proof rock and a bit of mischief right at the top, where the holds become rounded and flared. This was obviously The Second Coming. I fell on my first lead attempt and it took a return visit the next day in perfect late afternoon conditions to complete the send. I thought it was a little harder than Immaculata, but definitely as good if not better. It was great to have Pat Nolan and Craig Hiller about to get some photographs that did the wall justice. The following year saw the Holy Jaysus wall routes getting repeated and duly down graded with Immaculata settling from E6 to E5, and the Second Coming E7 from E6. I guess it was inexperience or over enthusiasm on my part but my initial mentality was that I’d onsighted a number of E6’s across Britain and none of them had felt as hard as an onsight of Immaculata would be. That is without abseil inspection, gear beta and no chalk on holds. Indeed when I belayed the strong Welsh climber Ioan Doyle on the second ascent I sent him straight up in this style and he got pumped out fairly quickly, and dogged his way to the top. He climbed it the following day, after chalking up a few good pinches at the top, just to have something to gun for when the lactic reached critical levels. The important thing was, if repeaters weren’t getting the E7 that they were after, they were not disappointed by the routes quality. I was psyched to see climbers coming over from Britain to try these routes, and smiling at the thought of Dan the boat man ferrying them over to climb on the Holy Jaysus Wall. Throughout 2015 visiting climbers added their own lines. Oli Grounsel, Nathan Lee, and Liam Postlethwaite added The Three Wise Men (E5), another curving crack line to the right of Immaculata. Sion Brocklehurst and Brian Mcalinden discovered a perfect little hidden wall boasting a number of overhanging cracks. They named this The Crows Nest and climbed a super steep E4 called A Race Against Time. Other areas were developed with lots of new routes and enthusiastic reports. Ricky Bell climbed the ludicrously steep arete on the Wild Atlantic Walls. When I saw Pat Nolan’s photograph of Ricky hanging, legs dangling, by one arm on a turbo jug, above a frothing swell, I almost drove back to Ireland from the to join the fun, but I had other commitments. This arete is Tiger Gorm (E7) and the angle is very impressive. Michelle O’Louglin climbed Giorraíonn beirt bóthar which looked similarly wild and follows a incomprehensibly steep awkward corner on a crag locally known as the Black Spink. That summer I never made it to Owey but lots of things were getting done.

THIS PAGE: John McCune and Paul Swail on the first ascent ofSecond Coming (E6 6a, 6b) on the aptly named Holy Jaysus Wall. FACING PAGE: Ricky Bell repeating Fat Arse Crack (E3/4) at An Srón. BOTH CRAIG HILLER

Climb | 21 In May last year a few of us went out and it was great to revisit, and see some good friends getting stuck into the action. Nick Bullock and Kris McCoey went straight onto Immaculata and The Second Coming. “Big” Tim Neil and John Orr climbed lots of other things and I pointed out a few things to try. It was nice to see my route Lumpy Space get climbed and get high praise from Tim and Nick, who have both climbed a lot of rock all over the world. I went on a little mission and opened two new routes. New Dimensions (E6), which is an incredible steep crack climbing test piece on The Crows Nest. Paul Swail climbed the crack on the left of this which gave an amazing E5. After a bit of abseiling I discovered a line of weakness up the wall on the left of Zawn and climbed Arandora Star which gives two superb pitches of immense wall climbing around E5 or E6. This wall is 80m high and gently overhanging. While Eamon and I climbed this Big Tim and John Orr were within haggling distance on the second ascent of Rainshadow an epic E4 I had pointed them at. Negotiating the roofs and overlaps all I could hear was mutterings of “sandbagger” and “its sooo greasy”. It was good craic and a real pleasure to be down there climbing in that big spooky zawn with good mates watching them on their own adventure.

When I saw the photograph of Ricky hanging, by one arm on a turbo jug, above a frothing swell, I almost drove back to Ireland from the Alps

Development on Owey will continue sporadically and I’m sure people who make the effort to explore will continue to be rewarded with very fine new routes. It’s mega to see Owey Island on the Irish Climbing map as an integral part of the Irish climbing tour. The people you will meet on Owey are there for leisure, staying in renovated cottages in the summer time. They are friendly and warm. There is a good relationship between the climbers and locals. They share the folklore and stories of days gone by, and there is an interesting history of island life in a rugged hostile environment. Everyone enjoys the charm of this little island.

B e ta

GETTING THERE GEAR Cruit Island is about a 3 hour drive from Belfast. On Cruit you can park A full trad rack with a generous amount of cams is recommended. An abseil at the golf course and take the short ferry crossing to Owey. Phone Dan rope is essential. 100m is useful, but a 60m rope will do for most routes. As most of the routes are fresh a helmet is a good idea. if planning a trip. His number can be found in the local guidebooks. Alternatively you can paddle across on kayaks. GUIDEBOOKS WHEN TO VISIT Owey is covered in the new in Ireland Guidebook 2014 and Dan usually operates from June through to August. These are usually the the excellent new comprehensive Rock Climbing in Donegal Guidebook most reliable months for Irish climbing. 2016. Updates and new routes are recorded on Iain Millers online climbing guide available on his website. www.uniqueascent.ie WHERE TO STAY Wild camping on Cruit is lush. Enjoy and respect. On Owey there are 2 options. Wild camping anywhere, or wherever Dan points you to. Pauline and Niall both offer hostel accommodation in beautifully restored traditional cottages. Owey Island Cottage Hostel - Facebook page, +353 87 712 9343. www.oweyhomestay.com - [email protected]

22 | Climb FACING PAGE: Ricky Bell getting cheeky during the first ascent ofTiger Gorm (E7) on the Wild Atlantic Wall. PAT NOLAN THIS PAGE TOP LEFT: John McCune 1st ascent of Pride of Kincasslagh (E2 5c) on the Wild Atlantic Wall. CRAIG HILLER TOP CENTRE: Ferrying loads down to the harbour at the end of another perfect Owey day. PAT NOLAN TOP RIGHT: Michelle O’Loughlin on Giorraíonn beirt bóthar (E4). PAT NOLAN CENTRE LEFT: Loading ferryman Dan Gallagher’s boat ready for the short approach journey. PAT NOLAN CENTRE RIGHT: Author John McCune admiring orchids on the island. PAT NOLAN LOWER LEFT: The Owey weather stone. PAT NOLAN

Climb | 23 2 24 | Climb Joshua Tree and Yosemite Valley are well known around the vertical world but California is home to another spell-binding climbing venue. Bernd Zeugswetter and Hjördis Rickert take us on a personal tour of the striking granite towers of The Needles and describe the area’s importance for their family

WORDS AND IMAGES | BERND ZEUGSWETTER & HJÖRDIS RICKERT

ome places stir your being. They are wild and spooky and precious. Without question, the Needles have long been such a place for Sclimbers. Their air is inherently mysterious, secretive, even hallowed, and few places compare for the feeling of remoteness in contrast to the relative ease of access. All-Hallows-Eve 2015 was sort of a way-marker for our boy, Finn. By default, through his parents’ interests, the Needles had already become an integral part of his young life. A few years earlier, also on Halloween, we’d plowed through roads white from an early snow storm, pumpkin pie and grandma in tow, to spend a few more days in this fittingly bewitched place. The granite world map which he’d built on his first visit - when his Mum and Dad were hell-bent on fitting in a late-season climb - still existed along the trail, though some continents had shifted and one had drifted off the slab-map entirely. What set this particular Halloween apart for the boy, however, was that he made his own first climbs in the towers, scampered up the bright granite faces, through the sea of lichen with his own hands and feet. And the magic overtook him like it does every climber who makes the pilgrimage to these spires. By the time he’d made his way through a swarm of bees at the base of Fancy Free and up the Charlatan, gaped at the Warlock from the top of Igor Unchained on the Witch, and basked in the late-season sunshine all the way up the Imaginary Voyage to the summit of the Warlock on Halloween, a self-proclaimed goal had emerged to climb a route on each of the ten major characters in the Needles: Witches and Warlocks, Wizards, Magicians, Necromancers, Apprentices and Sorcerers..., the stuff that kids’ and eternal kids’ imaginations are made of. On the summit of the Warlock, he flashed his 8-year old grin, unfurled a magic cloak and raised his pointy black hat to the north.

THIS PAGE: Bernd Zeugswetter on The Titanic (5.12c), on the Warlock. HJÖRDIS RICKERT

3 Climb | 25 Climbing magazines in 1980’s began to bring images of the Needles to the The position of the Needles, perched along a ridgeline that juts out into wider climbing world. For many a young climber - myself included, growing the Upper Kern River Basin from the west, adds significantly to their sense of up far away in Austria in the 80’s and 90’s - these towers and the men that exposure and wildness. The drainage drops away steeply to the south into a forged bold lines on their walls became iconic. sweep of round layered ridges and to the north the forested slope descends My first glimpse of the Needles, I found in a climbing rag of my parents’ into a wide vista of wooded expanse that gently rises to the High Sierra in collection stacked under the attic woodie of my childhood home. It featured the distance. photos of Tony Yaniro and Randy Leavitt climbing the unlikely granite Arriving at , little of this is revealed. But at daybreak, the hike out formations. Before long, the spires and men took on mythic proportions in the Needles Lookout Trail begins to unfurl the magic. It’s a 3 mile walk my mind. The rocks could have been on another planet, and the men weren’t through the crisp, calm air of morning, accompanied by scents of cool merely idols, they were beings you would have to look for farther up in the sky. granite dust, pines, and pungent Mountain Misery. Through the woods, When decades later, the turns of fate had transplanted me to California, the looking to the northeast, the first views appear, opening to the highest Needles were suddenly at the front door and though the interim had evolved skills peaks of the Sierra, the rounded backsides of the Whitney Crest and and strength, I felt more humbled than ever to finally stand among the towers. Mount Langley beyond an expanse of arid forest. A small citadel sits much As if tiptoeing into a holy place, we ventured out to sample our first routes, closer, the Hermit Spire, emerging from the trees of the next ridge to the and were greeted by immaculate granite and precarious, wind-swept walls north. And then comes a wide saddle and rise past elegant Sugar Pines and that drew us back in quick succession. There was something astounding to Ponderosa to the first of the granite towers, the Magician. Remnants of the finding just how magnificent the lines and their granite truly were. old burned-down fire-lookout still remain at the top of a precariously placed Familiarity grown from seasons spent on and amongst the towers, may set of stairs. But here, at the base of the stairs, a climber’s trail instead skirts make them feel less forbidding, but the sense of reverence that they inspire down the north slope over slabs and chinquapin-lined boulders. The needle- remains just as strong. strewn paths eventually pop out at the main notch between the Witch and the Sorcerer. Many climbing days start by racking-up at this notch. Often, when the morning sun simmers unrest into the air, the wind picks up, and soon gains The Sorcerer’s face catches the reflected speed up the gullies, funneled by the walls. The clear, wild sound rushes gold and lights into a spellbinding glow through the trees. Then, late in the day, it often calms again, and the softening sun of bright granite and brilliant lichen. reflecting off the western aspect of the Witch makes for one of the most

26 | Climb luminous scenes: The Sorcerer’s face catches the reflected gold and lights into a spellbinding glow of bright granite and brilliant lichen. This face holds an especially high count of 5-star classics: Scirocco, Don Juan Wall, Thin Ice, and Atlantis on the face proper, with Pyromaniac arcing up the apron below it. Seen from the notch, long and feathered Sugar Pine boughs frame the view and give the air a rich aroma of sun-baked bark. Most visually staggering and imposing of the spires on its own is the Warlock, made up of three striking towers, stepping down in succession. Seen at the close of a day from the top of the Witch, the clean shape of the west face is lit in warmth, intensified by the yellow-green glow of the lichen. This, if any single view, is iconic of the Needles. Yaniro and Carson’s The Titanic floats up the highest face. To its right, in the dark chimney, rises The Spell. The Warlock is also warden of the prized Romantic Warrior, which begins far below at a toe and climbs a line of superb pitches to finish over the spine of the three spires to the top. On a hot summery morning, Finn scampered down the main gully with us, headed for the Necromancer. Two climbers scanned the Sorcerer for the start of their route and found themselves taking beta from a 9-year old quipping about how much fun they were about to have on their chosen line. Astonished but cheered, the climbers turned back to their objective as the boy skipped on down the gully. Nimbly balancing his way up the gritty and fragile flakes of Silver Threads, Finn was unfazed even by the midway , where old button-heads (since replaced) provided little confidence. Gingerly, we stood, unweighting the anchor to the extent possible. Once over the wafer-pulling last pitch, the boy scarfed down a snack while everyone sat taking in the view of the towers from the Necromancer’s low position. Finn’s greatest delight burst out when I, readying to put on my climbing shoes that had been airing out, erupted in yelps as an army of ants engulfed my foot. Returning in the autumn of 2016, our family made another little detour to the Needles, hoping to complete Finn’s goal before winter. Four towers remained to be climbed and the day had a special treat in store with a continuous and enjoyable link-up of three. Up the Sorcerer’s Apprentice’s Love Potion No.9, Finn had great fun inventing new names for the varying sizes of chicken heads: “ostrich” and “turkey heads” and smaller, sloping “quail breasts”. A quick, airy balance across the first knife-edged apex and on to the sun-warmed west of the Wizard. Then following the Yellow Brick Road of widening cracks, stems, a small overhang, and face moves to the next little summit. All that remained to top off the day was an airy rappel off the Wizard to a notch and a last scramble over the backside of the Sorcerer. Quite abruptly, an icy wind came up and brought in the chill of an early impending snow storm. His spirits soaring despite the sudden freeze, Finn was chipper as ever. “That’s where we came up Thin Ice,” he piped, pointing to the

THIS PAGE: Bernd Zeugswetter on Pyromaniac (5.13a/b), on the Sorcerer. HJÖRDIS RICKERT FACING PAGE: Hjördis Rickert on Thin Ice (5.10b), on the Sorcerer. BERND ZEUGSWETTER

Climb | 27 distinguished Ponderosa atop the Sorcerer. On the rappel, a fighter jet making its rounds from Edward’s Airforce Base, flashed over at deafening speed and proximity - as they frequently do - and Finn threw himself against the wall, covering one ear with his free hand. Hiking out, a cheerful pace was set by the thrill of palpably wintery gusts and temperatures steadily dropping. With muscles thrumming from the day, the walk back to camp always comes as a welcome rounding-out to full tiredness, and many autumn visits find little camp time spent in daylight. Days are often pre-dawn to dark, meals eaten and prepared by headlamp. The nights, themselves, can hold a thick stillness. Often the quiet is so dense that a pine needle dropping strikes loud. Just less than a year after Finn set his goal to climb the ten main characters of the Needles, and a few months before his 10th birthday, he completed his intent as he stood on top of Voodoo Dome, accompanied by us, his parents, equally pleased by the pitches shared. His enthusiasm and tenacity had given us all the unique opportunity to experience the Needles through young eyes and lightness - reflecting a child’s trust - but with the same wonder that remains in each of us in this place. Many years ago, in my far-away fascination with the Needles, I couldn’t have imagined that someday this would become a place that I would regularly visit, let alone that, one day, the Needles would also be the most fitting site for our son Finn’s own first climbing dreams, the magic towers that put a great spark in his eyes. Postscript If climbing with a child can fill you with joy, what then could make a parent’s heart beat even happier? In our backyard stands a 84 foot tall coastal Redwood, and beside it a leaning Coast Live Oak, some of our trustiest old friends. A few days ago, we climbed all the way to the top of the Redwood. And on this little excursion, I asked Finn if he wanted to think of another climbing goal for this year. To my surprise and joy he said: “Oh papa, I really want to spend a lot of time in our Redwood this summer and draw the branches and study the birds we can see from here.” We’ll pitch the portaledge soon and get to work!

THIS PAGE: Hjördis Rickert climbing The Raven (5.11b) on The Sorcerer. FACING PAGE TOP: Will Leith climbing The Living Corner on Romantic Warrior. LOWER (L-R): Bernd Zeugswetter on Scirocco (5.12) | Finn on the Charlatan on Halloween | Majka Burhardt in the October sun on Imaginary Voyage (5.9), on The Warlock, | Majka Burhardt on Atlantis (5.11c) on The Sorcerer. ALL RICKERT / ZEUGSWETTER

28 | Climb Beta

The Needles are a sacred place to many, and any climber visiting the area is For other camping, Quaking Aspen Campground, 1/2 mile north of Forest sure to feel some sense of reverence in their presence. To that effect, it is our Route 21S05 on the Western Divide Highway has pay sites, water, and vault hope that visitors take great care to treat the area with utmost respect. toilets. Ponderosa Lodge, 1/2 mile south of the turnoff, offers cooked meals and a small store with basic supplies. For bigger re-supply, supermarkets, When to go dining choices and WiFi options, Porterville is 41 miles away to the West and May to November, depending on snow pack. During Winter and early Spring, Lake Isabella is 58 miles to the South. The nearest gas station is about 25 the 3 mile unpaved road leading to the Needles Lookout trailhead and miles west down the steep and winding CA-190 in Springville. Note - there is camping is closed. Summer months can be very hot, late Spring and Autumn no cell phone reception in the Needles. are preferred times for climbing. Guidebook How to get there For years, the only guidebook that included the region of the Needles was The Needles are located in the Southern Sierra, California in the Sequoia out of print and nearly impossible to obtain. Climbers relied on the web and National Forest. There is no public transportation, so a private vehicle is topos of a very helpful printable mini-guide compiled by Clint Cummins. required. Keep in mind that the road to the campground is an unpaved, As of 2016, there is a new guidebook written by Kristian Solem, published infrequently maintained forest service track, and can vary from reasonably by K. Daniels Associates, dealing specifically with the Needles. easy to negotiate in a small passenger car, to requiring 4 wheel-drive and high clearance after wash-outs and deterioration. Please call the Western Divide Rest day activities Ranger District (559-539-2607) to inquire about current conditions and road The nearby Kern and Tule Rivers offer great swimming holes for rest day closures. The cliffs are a 3 mile hike from the trailhead. recovery. Both require some driving (30-45min). Ask locals to point out poison oak to avoid this prevalent noxious, rash-causing plant. California Where to stay Hot Springs Resort (30-mile drive to the southwest) offers pool and spa day A small campground with approx 7 sites is located at the end of the unpaved passes every day except Thursday. A visit to see the big trees at either The Forest Route 21S05 just before the Lookout Trailhead parking lot. Please, be Trail of 100 Giants or the Freeman Creek Grove (the largest unlogged grove extremely vigilant with campfires. There is no running water and only one pit of Giant Sequoias outside of a National Park) is highly recommended. toilet. In the Needles proper, WAG Bags should be used to pack out human waste.

Climb | 29 Friends Reunited

Almost three decades ago Mick Fowler and Victor Saunders were one of the most impressive partnerships in Himalayan . After 29 years without climbing together the pair reunited for an attempt on the unclimbed peak of Sersank in the Indian Himalaya. Here Mick tells the story of the climb, a very determined partner and the changing Himalaya.

STORY | MICK FOWLER

‘Blurghhh!’ We contacted him, confirmed our suspicions and It was the middle of the night and Victor found our 2016 objective. awoke with a start. He knew immediately what Vic and I had not climbed together since we did was wrong. the Golden Pillar of Spantik in Pakistan in 1987. ‘I’m so sorry……’ he began. But it was too late. Over the intervening years we had a boxing match The liquid in our water bottle was most definitely in a seedy East London pub and intermittently not the refreshing water that I had expected. kept in touch but essentially we went our separate Up until this point I had been snoozing ways; Victor became a mountain guide based in contentedly in our little tent at 5,200m sucking in Chamonix and I stayed with my tax office job in as much thin air as possible ahead of our attempt England. And then, in 2015, a joint selection of on the unclimbed north face of Sersank (c6,050m) our memoirs was published in France [Ed - Turn in the Pangi Valley area of the Indian Himalaya. to page 66 for Climb’s review of the recently As I fumbled around to melt water to wash my published English translation], a literary award mouth out and ignore the unappetising taste of was won and talk of a fresh trip together was Victor’s urine I noticed that the stars were out. born. And so it ended up that Vic and I, at 66 and This at least was a positive development that 60, were back together in the mountains - allowed my mind to move in a different direction. 29 years after our Spantik experience. It had been snowing non-stop for several hours Himalayan trips have changed a lot in 29 years. but now an improvement in the weather looked to Back in the 1980s we freighted gas cartridges, be on the cards and that would greatly ease access spent hours in customs sheds, negotiated with to our planned climb. porters and generally did everything ourselves. It was the British mountaineer Martin Moran Now though gas cartridges can be bought in who prompted our interest in Sersank. He led India, bigger baggage allowances to Delhi mean a trek across the Sersank La in 2011 and wrote there is no need to freight kit and a plethora of in- that the north side presented a ‘tremendous north country agents means that mountaineers can lay face of linked white spiders.’ Victor and I knew back and let others take the strain. We embraced Martin well enough to read between the lines. the new world. Simplicity is all.

THIS PAGE: Mick Fowler on the third pitch on the team’s fifth day on of Sersank. VICTOR SAUNDERS

30 | Climb Climb | 31 ‘...the Saunders body was surging forward. Where he found the energy from I do not know. At the age of 66 he is a truly remarkable man.’

From here mules were hired (and never turned points over rugosities in the rock and teetering up) porters were engaged and after a halting two upwards. It was not until early on our second day days of slow walk and negotiation base camp was that the ground changed as we reached the knife established in sight of the Sersank La pass and at edge crest of the buttress. The pitch that Victor led an altitude of about 4,400m. to get us to this point was a heroic performance And then, after a day of rest and sorting, two that left me in no doubt that years of commercial days of getting us and our heavy sacks up the expeditions have not dented the Saunders ability. energy sapping screes to the col and a further day The way forward now was to traverse the of descending the far side and traversing to a high sharp crest towards the face. It wasn’t the kind vantage point, Victor and I were able to lie in the of ground that was condusive to abseiling and if tent staring at the face we had come to climb and we should fail higher on the face it was clear that With logistics all arranged through Kaushal, enjoy a robust discussion about differentiating we would have to reverse these pitches followed our ever reliable agent in Manali, our first job between our pee bottle and our water bottle. and climb back over the Sersank La. That would was a quick drop in to the Indian Mountaineering Our initial plan of accessing the face via a very be horrendous. I very much hoped we were good Foundation in Delhi. Here we met Sanju, our steep chute was soon dismissed as too exposed enough to get up. Liaison Officer, and were subject to a mandatory to anything falling down the face. But like minds ‘My stomach is not feeling too good’ briefing exercise. Mainly this involved officials spied a single safe line accessing the face via a It was at the end of our second day on the face. staring intently at Victor and asking if we had a buttress to the left. It would add a few hundred By the end of day 3, as we were being buffeted satellite phone. (Victor having been arrested and metres to the climbing and no doubt increase the by spindrift in our precariously positioned tent, it fined for using one a couple of years ago.) Denials time we would spend on the climb but the fact was clear that it had worsened. complete, an air conditioned 16 hour Volvo bus that we both homed in on it was refreshing. Like ‘Got to get out’ came urgently from the far end. ride to the honeymoon town of Manali followed. minded thinking in the mountains is important Being of slight build and with minimal blubber Here we met Kaushal and Devraj our cook before and we had both wondered whether we would Victor likes to wear a lot of clothes both in his boarding a mean vehicle called a Force Traveller still feel the same way after so many years sleeping bag and whilst climbing. We were testing for crossing the Rhotang Pass into the heart of apart. Our personalities have always been very various items of Berghaus clothing and Victor was the Himalaya. different but by the time we were settled into our wearing them all together. This meant that he was The Rhotang Pass is just under 4,000m and acclimatisation routine the banter was flowing wearing five layers and a harness. Sadly there was enjoying a ‘snow experience’ on the pass has as freely as it did in the 80s (albeit with old man not enough time become outrageously popular for Indian tourists. subject matter) and our mountain judgement ‘Agh! Agh! Agh! Oh no! Oh no!’ came from Even out of season the traffic queues were looked as if it was in tune too. Already we were above my head as he scrabbled for the door. memorable. In spring Sanju told us that there is agreeing that it was great to be back in the A full assessment revealed that Vic’s favourite now a restriction of 800 taxis per day ferrying mountains together. Calvin Klein pants were full and over-flowing. people to the snowline but before this limit was Photographs gleaned from the internet ‘What shall I do?’ he asked no-one in introduced the numbers reached 6,000 per day. suggested that the face can be very dry and particular. What with all the other layers, his Judging by the congestion with a lot less than 800 dangerous in the summer and it was a relief to harness and the need to be tied on at all times, per day we could hardly imagine what 6,000 per see that it appeared quiet and well frozen for us. simply taking them off was not easily possible day would look like. It did though look distressingly steep. Albeit with without serious spillage. The roadsigns on Indian Himalayan roads some trepidation we couldn’t wait to get going. ‘Cut them off’ I announced unhelpfully being never cease to amuse me. As we zig zagged up the First though we had to re-cross the Sersank La, keen to both stem the flow of spindrift into the tent pass we passed signs urging us to ‘Keep Nerves drop down to base camp, sort ourselves out, fill our and generally see a quick resolution to the odorous on Sharp Curves’ and pointing out that ‘Safety stomachs and then re-cross the Sersank La again to problem that was playing out above my head. on Road (leads to) Safe Tea at Home.’ On the the foot of the face. I could see that I was going to ‘Great idea’ said Vic producing an Opinel knife far side of the Rhotang the atmosphere changes be quite weary of the steep, energy sapping screes of the kind that I thought were only used for abruptly. A sign saying ‘last fuel for 365km’ sums of the pass by the time we had finished. peeling vegetables. up the new remote feel. Downstream from here By the time we were at the foot of the face I For the rest of the night we lay with our in, the Chenab gorge, the tarmac runs out and had been reminded of Victor’s wiry strength and own thoughts. The accumulation of spindrift the road deteriorates fast. Victor later said this enviable ability to plod through deep snow and was pushing the tent off the ledge but Vic’s was the most worrying part of the expedition carry huge loads at great speed. I had hoped that predicament was a more serious problem for us for him; watching the balding tyres spit small my fell racing efforts might have levelled us out in both. Four days out from base camp and three stones hundreds of metres down into the gorge. this respect but that appeared not to be the case. days into the face it was not the best position to It took 12 hours or so from Manali before we The buttress was steep with powdery snow have this kind of difficulty. turned away from the Chenab river into the Sural stuck to all but the very steepest rock. What Come the morning there was no improvement valley where, in line with so many of the valleys looked to be straightforward from a distance was but Victor was irrepressibly positive. hereabouts, the road head has now been extended terribly precarious and painfully slow, involving ‘Looks brilliant ahead’ he enthused – ‘but can you to the last village, Sural Butori. clearing perhaps 15cm of snow, hooking crampon lead the first pitch while I get myself sorted out’.

32 | Climb One of the great things about Himalayan pre-climb blubber comparison had suggested that Hopes of being able to pitch the tent were north faces is that the temperature is always I had more reserves. As I boosted my calorific quashed by hard ice but a clear and cold night below freezing. The product of the previous intake by polishing off his food I couldn’t help on nose to tail ledges saw us through to a perfect night’s accident was well frozen but the in but comment that even Victor wouldn’t be able dawn and a lazy start. Unknown to us Sanju and particular had suffered. I did not envy Vic as he to run on empty forever. The man himself though Devraj had their binoculars trained on us and fought to remove bits of frozen poo and feed them appeared not to be concerned. wondered why we were starting so late. In fact through his belay plate. ‘Not a problem. Perhaps it’s just the evening though there was no need to rush; ahead was just He was right that the climbing was becoming meals and the porridge for breakfast will the 150m summit pyramid and what we hoped brilliant. The conditions on this upper part of the stay down.’ would be a leisurely descent. face were much better than lower down. It felt Whatever the situation we were high on the The summit pyramid itself had not been as if every pitch looked uncertain to begin with face and it was clear that finishing the climb and climbed. In 2008 a team of Japanese climbers and but turned out to be just about within our limits. descending the far side would be considerably high altitude porters had reached its foot via the Progress was slow but steady. On this difficult easier than retreating and re-crossing the glacier systems to the south west but they did not ground it was interesting to note that I readily Sersank La. proceed further as local people had apparently recognized Victor’s distinctive way of moving The porridge only partially stayed down and asked them to leave the summit untouched. from 29 years before. He too commented that day 5 on the face proved both challenging and Knowing this beforehand we had quizzed locals he instantly recalled my habit of resting my head memorably fine. By the time we had solved the at Sural Batori who assured us that they had no against the slope when tired. difficulties of the headwall and had the cornice objection to us climbing to the highest point. A fantastic day ended with us at a little snow in sight the Saunders body was surging forward. From the side we approached the pyramid it crest where we were able to cut two small sleeping Where he found the energy from I do not know. was not particularly difficult and by 12.30 on our ledges, one above the other. Victor was still not Despite numerous trouser dropping stops not once seventh day out from base camp we stood on the feeling well. did he complain about a situation that would have top and built a little cairn to mark our passing. ‘I think perhaps it is the dehydrated food’ he ended the climb for lesser beings. At the age of 66 The panorama of the Kishtwar, Pangi valley and announced leaving most of his portion. he is a truly remarkable man. Lahaul peaks was inspirational. Every time I stand This was unfortunate as, aside from boiled The cornice provided an acrobatic finale before, on a summit in this area I seem to see exciting sweets, we didn’t have anything else to eat. It also at 18.30 on our fifth day, we flopped out to a new new objectives. It was a first for Victor in this area struck me that Victor had told me that his usual panorama and the relatively amenable slopes of and he was like a playful puppy faced with an weight is 59Kg (compared to my 70Kg) and our the south west side of the mountain. array of new chews.

FACING PAGE: Near the end of their journey on the eighth day of their ascent Victor and Mick enjoy tea and nibbles brought by Devraj and Sanju - 15 mins above base camp. THIS PAGE: Looking down the route at the start of day 4 with Victor belayed above the narrow crest climbed the previous day. BOTH MICK FOWLER

Climb | 33 that wheezing asthmatically up and down wet ‘The accumulation of spindrift was pushing hills while covered in mud hadn’t previously the tent off the ledge but Vic’s predicament appealed to me, but in that bubble of happiness I had temporarily forgotten that, and I said ... yes was a more serious problem for us both’ of course! “ Three days later our porters had ferried our It was left just to descend the glacier systems of sizeable length, sufficiently challenging, previously kit down to Sural Batori and we were ensconced the south west side. Martin Moran had suggested unclimbed summit and descent by a different in a local house watching satellite television. It the descent would be easy. Let’s just say on that route. Meanwhile I was in my own bubble, happy seemed somehow fitting that Bear Grylls was on front he was wrong. After a day and a half of to have discovered that, having passed the test of the screen eating a variety of insects and drinking complex glacier travel, including several forced my incompetent stomach, and my unforgivable his own urine. abseils through icefalls, we eventually escaped misuse of the water bottle, quite amazingly, the ‘Appears to be more refreshing than onto rocky ground and descended to a welcome old friendship was still intact. Little was I to mine’ commented Vic as Bear licked his lips tea meeting with Sanju and Devraj. realise Mick would exact his revenge by enticing enthusiastically. Back home Victor wrote; “On return to base me to join him in a fell race after the expedition. I All we have to do now is agree a follow up there was pleasant recovery haze as we ate our had never done one of those for the good reason reunion climb. There’s a lot to be said for them. first real cooked food for nine days; dozed in comfort on flat ground without being tied into the mountain; and generally enjoyed the warmth of the lower altitude. Mick was content to lie THIS PAGE TOP: Victor on the complex glacier descent on day 8. LOWER LEFT: The north face of Sersank. in his tent in a bubble of happiness; having LOWER CENTRE: Victor warming duct-tape repaired fingers at the bivouac on day 5. ticked the adventure climbing boxes: new route, LOWER RIGHT: Victor greets his dinner at base camp. ALL MICK FOWLER

34 | Climb Edelweiss_Unicore_Climb PRINT.indd 1 10/04/2014 14:51 Re-deFIning Limits

At 24 minutes past 8 on the evening of Sunday 4th June Steve McClure finally clipped the chains at the top of his ‘Easy-Easy’ project to create Britain’s hardest sport route. Here Steve reflects on his extraordinary seven year journey to explore the limits of climbing performance

STORY | STEVE MCCLURE

Rainman I can do whatever I’m trying, then it probably The very first time I visited Malham Cove I isn’t hard enough to be really important”. stood underneath Raindogs and stared up And Hazel Findlay: “It’s easier to always beyond the finishing chains into the future. try routes within your grade because you can A line of immeasurable difficulty, right in the protect yourself from failure. But if you want centre of the Cove, soared directly towards the to grow you don’t just have to accept failure, finishing ledge 40 meters above. It crossed the you have to seek it out. Then when you meet most difficult terrain and the blankest of rock; ‘failure’ enough you start to call it by another impossible to comprehend. Twenty years later I name”. Well, it seemed I had sought it out tied in ready for an attempt on this line. Twenty and met it head on, but hadn’t come up with a years of experience, training, blood, sweat and better name quite yet. tears all led up to that moment. It would be the hardest route of my life, by far, should I succeed. The ultimate route But I didn’t. And I knew I wouldn’t. The Well, my ultimate route anyway. For a start route was beyond me. That was back in 2015, it’s on the greatest sport cliff in the UK; great on already in my fifth year of effort. I was trying a world scale. The rock at Malham is solid and the route, but knew my place in its ranking. I’d compact, the climbing technical and intricate, the fallen into the process, accepting failure as part scenery quiet and beautiful. There are few finer of the deal. My own words hung in my mind; places to be, regardless of who you are and what “It’s all about the journey”. Too true, I would you want to do. And there are few finer places to learn from this route, get fit, get strong, have find your ultimate route. My first visit way back fun days out in one of the most beautiful places in 1995 was to climb Raindogs, the undisputed in the world. I didn’t have to actually complete classic 8a. I remember thinking Raindogs looked it. And the words of Dave MacLeod seemed like a piece of cake, with big holds everywhere. particularly relevant: “If you’re not trying And so I set off on what I excitedly thought something where you could fail then it isn’t could be my first 8a on-sight, only to instantly hard. And I almost know in my mind if I’m sure fall off after all the holds had disappeared.

THIS PAGE: Steve utilising one of several, essential drop knee moves on the 10m, 4 (only 2 are actually clipped) section that forms the heart of Rainman’s most difficult climbing. IAN PARNELL “The absolute hardest route up a rockface you are physically and mentally capable of climbing, ever. I’d say hardly anyone ever finds this. Rainman has been a gift” “The definition of insanity is doing something may help for a few seconds recovery, but then it’s all about power endurance. This next section is over and over again and expecting different results.” the new section, four bolts long, maybe 10 meters - Albert Einstein. of super intense crimpy technical stuff; probably F8c+ by itself. Individually this would be an awesome route. At last join Batroute at a decent The problem with Malham is most holds are guessed this ascent of Rainshadow (9a), would be rest where it’s possible to go into complete panic upside down, which explains why everything my personal high point. But the good thing about mode, before the final and very droppable 8a looks so easy as you peer up at an apparently climbing, or bad thing depending on which way section of nasty vertical climbing to the top. hold covered wall! After my failed on-sight you’re looking at it, is that the challenges just Raindogs took four days of effort including two never end! In 2007, also at Malham, I made the The journey close calls where I fell off actually hanging from first ascent of Overshadow, at 9a+ the hardest It’s all about the journey. “If climbing is only the belay. Perhaps the only route in the world sport route in the UK. Surely that was as hard as I about reaching the top you need to reconsider where the last move is a wild slap to the chain! could ever climb. But again I was already looking why you do it”….that’s what the wise man said. So I should have spotted a trend, which similar to for the next challenge. In 2010 I bolted a new Don’t focus on the tick, and don’t have a tantrum the DIY rule states; ‘However long you thought it section of climbing, the direct on Rainshadow. when you fluff the last move. “It’s all part of the would take should be multiplied by at least three’. THE line, the line I’d spied years ago, the line of process, man”. The journey is often the good bit. I I found the style tough, not the classic Peak the future. pretended I hadn’t started but I’d began a journey limestone ‘get a tiny crimp and pull down hard’ without really realizing I was even setting off; I style. But slowly it grew on me, how could it not? The route was boarding the train without knowing where it The routes are brilliant and the concentration About 40m long in total. Raindogs first. But was going or how long it would take to get there. of hard routes is about as good as anywhere in don’t grab the chain! Now that really would be I didn’t know if I even wanted to get on, stepping the world. In 2003 I got stuck into an unclimbed cheating! Instead move right to a frustrating rest back off again as I passed various stations, not route above Raindogs. Almost my dream line, which is nearly quite good but actually isn’t. It really sure I wanted to head in that direction. The this old Mark Leach project escaped left where is however, good enough to stay a minute and further I travelled the more it became clear that it got hard, but it was one of the hardest and psyche yourself out for the coming climbing. Once maybe there wasn’t actually even an end, and most amazing climbs I’d ever been on. When I psyched out, attack the Font 8A bulge section to perhaps just a continuous state of travel. But as finally clipped the belay after about 21 days of ‘the junction’. Its 8c+ to that point. Rainshadow I moved along I began to settle in and enjoy the effort I was well and truly in love with the place. I goes left, Rainman goes right. A poor knee-bar ride, it didn’t seem to need an ending. How far is too far? clip and go (the only bolt clipped, skipping two I guess it’s never too far as long as you are enjoying others). If this hold was upside down (or the right the journey, but just how long can the journey be? way up?) the route would be entirely different. Ultimately it has to have an end, which is either That’s the beauty of it, there is just enough. More the end, or somewhere before the end where you small edges and tiny footholds lead to another decided to get off. But if the actual end is the razor, imaginatively named ‘Razor 2’. Left hand target, then the skill is in knowing you can make to a crimp undercut edge, then a massive reach the distance, knowing if the end is really within to an old peg pocket. This is the ‘Stab Move’. A reach. I figured I’d never actually played this long hard move; the pocket is just a thin vertical slot, game. I thought I had when I climbed Overshadow. I could only hold it with a vague finger jam. If That was the first route requiring ‘extra’ effort. it sticks reach left to ‘Razor 3’ (common theme Everything else I knew I’d eventually climb; it was here), switch the right hand in the peg pocket from just a matter of banging my head against it for a a jam to a sidepull. Sort feet, intermediate for left while. Some routes took 10 days, some more, but hand, then the ‘Heartbreaker Move’, an all-out I knew they’d go, most likely in a season, maybe slap for a distant sloping edge, too sloping to hang the next if I was unlucky. I was already capable. on its own but usable with a miraculous thumb Overshadow though was too hard; I needed to catch in a perfect position. This move on its own is raise my game physically. I needed to do some incredible, for me impossible static, and requiring serious work. I knew it was too hard… but then I a subtle balance of power and timing and a very also knew it wasn’t too hard, because eventually I specific trajectory of my centre of gravity. Close to would be capable. I guess in knowing this, it wasn’t the ground it would be awesome, but 25 meters the limit. The end was in sight right from the start. up, after all that climbing…It felt like perfection. Rainman was completely different! That should be it. In the bag. But the next moves are not easy, UK 6b; sort feet, stretch to an Too hard? awkward undercut with fingers all in their own Six days in 2010, ten in 2011, just three in 2012 spaces, build feet, then windmill over to the glory due to injury, and then 23 in 2013. It wasn’t of the good holds on Batroute. going to happen and I knew it. So I opted for a It was just too good! And I put myself back on ‘training link’ with an easier start up Batroute. the journey, well aware that the end could well be At the time it made complete sense; a build up to in failure. the main event, a way to get a feel for the new upper section when fatigued from lower climbing. The Limit But it was also a chance to climb a new route up There are different limits in climbing; your on- technically I was sure I had the most efficient that wall. Having put in a lot of effort I guess I sight limit, in-a-day limit, project limit. But where sequence. Surely, after that long I’d have the best wanted to make a claim on the line. I suppose I is that real limit? The absolute hardest route up a sequence. But something had to give. And it was wanted some kind of closure thinking the main rockface you are physically and mentally capable the tiniest of ‘beta’ changes; the ‘micro-beta’, event would never happen. This link was Batman of climbing, ever. I’d say hardly anyone ever that would make the difference. It was ironic (9a/+), and I could draw a line under it all, walk finds this. Rainman has been a gift. It feels like that I had to be almost redpointing the route to away from it happily. In reality starting up either my limit. OK, so I succeeded, so maybe I could actually find the changes; what felt certainly the Batroute or Rainshadow makes sense, they are manage harder, but I don’t think so. To operate so best method on shorter links just wasn’t right on both just as valid. close to the edge has been an incredible journey. a real attempt. A sag of the body due to a tired But Rainman is far superior, I couldn’t walk 2014 had 14 days, 2015; twenty six and 2016; calf muscle from a poor rest already tired from away, not yet. It had to be worth another shot; twenty one. That’s 103 days, even before this year. Raindogs meant a long reach was too far. Another the climbing was just too good! Straight away I Perhaps I knew the end could be reached to invest method, harder on short links was easier from realized I’d found something pretty special, relative so much. 2016 was the first year I thought I really the ground. It took being that close to a to me of course. The style of movement, the type might be capable, but not then. Just that it ‘could’ to find the best way. Only after years of effort, of holds, the intricate footwork; exactly what I’d be possible. I’d hit the peg pocket a few times and getting close, did I finally optimize it. A build in my perfect route. The new section begins from the ground. I just needed to hold it. If I held clock move hand change on the undercut meant at a wide pinch and a long reach to a total razor it I figured I may get to the Heartbreaker… a higher clip; the weight of the rope off me for a blade, I’m talking 5mm on really steep ground, 2017 was the same. I needed something. But second longer, making the next move a fraction and a long pull off this, only possible for me with there was nothing. Four hand movements away easier. And a new foothold, smaller and in a worse a ridiculously deep knee-drop. Another few small from the Heartbreaker but it felt like a mile. place made the Stab Move smoother. A twist of edges and tenuous moves leads to an undercut, Physically I’d given everything, mentally I couldn’t the knee here, a shake of a hand there. Each made but there are no footholds, so all you can do is try harder, tactically I felt 100% efficient and the route perhaps only 0.3% easier, but they all added up. Finally I reached the absolute most distilled down efficient sequence for my body. But it was just enough. Combined with the maximum THIS PAGE: With the ‘Stab Move’, a “massive reach to an old peg pocket”, completed Steve twists the “vague finger jam” needed to of my performance in all other areas it suddenly hold the slot, before preparing to snatch with his left hand to a razor crimp, and then make the “heartbreaker move” - an all-out effort to a barely holdable sloper at the limit of Steve’s reach. appeared that, theoretically, and by total fluke, it FACING PAGE: Steve grasping the first of three ‘razor’ edges that mark the central desperate section ofRainman . BOTH IAN PARNELL matched exactly the standard required! Breakthrough “Everything had been perfect, and yet still, there had Suddenly it was on. Breakthrough day. Pocket held and a move further. The next few days I been absolutely no margin for error. I was right all along. inched towards the Heartbreaker. On each visit This was the limit! the excitement was almost overwhelming. And then I was up there, a third go of the day, a ‘no pressure, you’ll most likely do terrible’ go, got me of midges. Absolutely undoubtedly I would not threatened to scatter it all so I hid from the target, way up. Like in some kind of trance I latched the have succeeded if it had not been for Paul Reeve reverse psychology; ‘I feel tired this go, I’ll just see Heartbreaker. ‘What, this can’t be happening… and Simon Lee who, though both had similarly what happens’. But the crag was buzzing, good Oh My God, I’ve done it…Just keep it together, absurdly hard projects, stuck with me all the way, friends offering support. I could feel the energy. you’ve never fallen off these next moves before… even offering 5am starts if conditions got hot. And then I was at the Heartbreaker. It looked too reach for the undercut and….NO…….’. I didn’t But I was running out of time, summer was far, my arms tired, but somehow I had it; thumb have it. On the rope I could barely believe it. I felt here. My entire life revolved around re-arranging in its place, and was moving into the undercut as if my entire person just drained out, like pulling the diary; ditching work, persuading family that where I’d fallen before. I caught it OK, settling my the valve from an airbed. Flat and empty. But I camping trips were a bad idea, swerving social fingers and making sure, but I was just so out of pulled myself together and left the crag knowing it engagements. Perhaps I wasn’t out of time; this is juice. Moving feet and windmilling for good holds could be done. The journey was over. Now I just the UK, it must get cold. I was doing everything used the final scraps of energy and my whole body had to get off, finish the task. To finally reach the to be there, but I couldn’t quite get back to my sagged where normally it cruises. Wide eyed and end. I knew I could do it. That’s when the hard high point. I’d had my chance, and now I couldn’t almost in panic, even the next easy moves were on work began! coordinate all the ingredients; a little warm one the line, like a car running out of fuel stuttering day, a little tired the next. Day after day I was almost to a stop. I made it to the rest, almost in Out of time there but it wouldn’t give in. I had to accept that disbelief at what had just happened, not in that I’d I thought it was my limit, but as success inched most likely I’d missed it. made it, but in how close it had been, in how close closer I realized just how much comes into play I’d been to the limit. Everything had been perfect, when you are close to the limit: conditions, diet, A window of opportunity and yet still, there had been absolutely no margin finding partners, planning work, illness, physical My window was running out, that’s the BIG for error. I was right all along. This was the limit! peak. The limit becomes far more than how you window, life’s window. At 46, how many seasons can perform physically. This is ‘limit redpointing’, can I expect to be climbing at my best? This route Congratulations where by definition success is not guaranteed, or required my best; my lifetimes best. I can’t expect The last section is 8a. It’s still hard. I stayed at perhaps even likely, for success is only possible to make big gains, only to make big losses! And the rest forever, it had to be now, this was my when everything comes together at the same whole seasons can be lost just like that. I missed only chance. And it flowed like a dream, easier moment. For a few months I gave up wheat, a two through bad fingers, one with a knackered than ever before. With each move I knew it was big deal for a pizza lover. Alcohol was an enemy knee and one with a bad shoulder. Last year it was happening, the end was about to arrive. I said avoided. My diary was aligned entirely around the cut short because a bird built a nest on one of the goodbye to each hold and hello to a new place I’d route; work was avoided and family frustrated. holds! An injury may mean never getting back not been before. And then at last the ledge. I’ve I was skint and in the bad books. Planning the up there. It weighed on my mind. But it couldn’t sat there before, but this time it was different. The trip and finding partners was a constant battle. weigh on my mind. Each effort had to be perfect, beautiful Yorkshire Dales stretched out before Not many people want to keep the faith. Not no mistakes through pressure. me on a perfect crystal clear evening. Taking in when the faith involves 4.5 hours of driving, an And then everything was there. The window the view I knew it would be different from now hour of walking and not getting home till after cracked open. I could see it, all the ingredients laid on. The place I’d always been heading; I’d finally 11pm, plus oncoming sweatfests and swarms out before me. Cool, fresh, I felt good. Pressure made it.

Steve is sponsored by , Beal, THIS PAGE LEFT: The ‘Heartbreaker Move’. 5.10, Marmot and Rock City. CENTRE: Lowering off wrapped in Malham Cove’s natural ampitheatre. RIGHT: A happy Steve McClure in his second home - Malham’s catwalk. ALL IAN PARNELL He is also a BMC Ambassador www.marmot.eu | facebook.com/marmot.mountain.europe Location: Steve McClure on “Rainman” (9b) at Malham Cove, UK | Tim Glasby

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Ad_Climb_230x300+3mm.indd 1 14.07.17 08:19 Ian Parnell talks to JAMES MCHAFFIE

PORTRAIT | IAN PARNELL Climb INTERVIEW

Brought up in Keswick, James ‘Caff’ McHaffie has an approach to climbing typical of many Lake District legends - understated, no nonsense, but exceptionally impressive. How impressive? - well his UK trad ticklist includes onsights of over 80 routes of E7 or harder, plus ascents of ten different E9s. Amongst those are a single day repeat of the iconic Indian Face , his new Llanberis Pass additions House of Talons (protected by 12 skyhooks) and Dark Religion (felt by his second Calum Muskett to be E10) and his recent multi-pitch on Skye, Moonrise Kingdom, which includes the potential of a 30m fall from the crux run out. But James is no one trick pony, having twice redpointed sport 9as and climbed some of the UK’s most testing highball boulders. His overseas ticklist is equally gobsmacking with major big wall free climbs to his name in Yosemite, Madagascar and the Alps. But perhaps his most impressive achievements have been in the unforgiving arena of soloing - with his ascent of 100 Lake District extremes in a single day felt by many as one the finest achievements in British climbing history. We caught up with James to find out more about his Lakes upbringing and his recent new routes.

Your dad was a big character in the Lakes climbing scene, was climbing You’ve spent a large part of the last decade or so living in North Wales, a natural part of your upbringing? and many people associate you with the North Wales scene. Do you think He was a big character. He really liked talking to people, telling stories about the Lakes scene is very different and how do you think it shaped climbing and adventures in the 1960s and 70s, he used to give slide shows in you as a climber and a person? the Moot Hall in Keswick on walking and climbing in the Lakes. He really The Lakes scene is out on its own, it has a hell of a landscape and a lot of loved the Lakes. He took me on some easier routes and scrambles when I history around many of the routes. There was a good scene in the mid to was younger, but climbing just didn’t interest me when I was younger, I used late 90s. I climbed a lot with Adam Wilde, Wez, Hock, Emma Twyford, Al to think dad was weird for going down Borrowdale all the time. It was great Wilson, Rob Cheetham and anyone who was keen, as well as spending a having a parent who climbed when I got into it when I was 15. He couldn’t lot of time out on my own. Birkett was putting up a lot of new routes. The drive but we used to bike out everywhere and do routes in Borrowdale and routes are usually greener, often damper and the grades could be quite stiff, Thirlmere, looking back he was pretty nails as his body was pretty fucked. mainly from the Carlisle lot, Pete Whillance, Dave Armstrong, Pete Botteril He’d always done physical work, building footpaths, walling as well as and such gave routes E4 which may now get E6. The cliffs often involve a bit climbing on his days off, he needed a hip replacement for quite a while and of hiking about to get to them which I enjoyed as part of the outing. When I had developed a bit of Parkinson’s down an arm, he would struggle to walk go back to the Lakes it feels like going home. in 2003 but would still bike down the valley to solo Troutdale Pinnacle. We’d go out whatever the weather. It was mainly over a period of 2 years or In 2012 you climbed Johnny Dawes slate project The Meltdown and the so in 1996-7 then we climbed less together. I regret not seeing more of him following year you made a very rapid ascent of Indian Face. Has Johnny in the last few years, I was living in Wales and to be honest a bit on my arse been an important figure in the development of your climbing? financially which limited getting back to the Lakes as much as I would have Exceedingly large I would say. The Stone Monkey video is still my favourite liked. I expected him to be around for a lot longer as well. He always liked to climbing film. What he was up to in the 1980s with his contemporaries was hear about what I’d been up to. We went up Hedera (Ivy) Grooves on Lower really pushing it at the time and produced a slew of varied, historic climbs. Most Falcon with my sister Jennifer on a nice evening and mum must have come of his routes have been highly coveted by me over the years to repeat them. out to get pictures, it was good crack and was one of my last times with him. You’ve put emphasis in the past on the importance of performing on all rock In your teenage years soloing was a very big part of your climbing – types – noting how few modern climbers can still onsight trad E6s why was that do you think? on multiple rock types – was there a little bit of that behind your ascent I’d agreed to meet Adam Hocking at Lower Falcon and he must have forgotten. of The Meltdown, a completely different style of 9a to Big Bang that I was really keen to climb, so slowly went up a VS called Spin Up. It felt weird, you climbed the year before? climbing without a rope, at first but after a few routes I loved it. You could do I’ve always loved the slate, both in the Lakes and Wales; an atmospheric so many routes so fast and it necessarily made you develop good technique, and unique place to climb. Dries quick too. Pushing yourself on trad fitness and confidence. It’s a rural area and was before mobiles so finding definitely gets you good on technical terrain. I went back on The Meltdown partners wasn’t always easy either. the other day with a Spanish wad, Ignacio Mulero and it is tough, so It gave me a great grounding for serious leads as the dangerous bits on E5s different from limestone stuff. By doing Big Bang I learned a lot about didn’t feel too bad when compared even to soloing E2s like Saxon and Vertigo. training and resting and had a ‘purple patch’ which lasted into 2012. I I was quite a bit of a loner when I was younger so it seemed to suit me, I’m a bit really wanted to do it, it was the main thing in my mind to do. Shame I more sociable nowadays. threw the critical ‘sport’ rules out of the window in the years following.

What was your mindset then and has it changed since? On Indian Face you inspected and climbed the route in a single day. Everyone changes! My mindset when younger was pretty out there. I told Was there perhaps a little bit of a desire to put the ‘myth’ of the route into myself that if I could physically do something I should do it. In the 90s in the perspective – the average British climber at the time still held the Indian Lakes any route I’d not soloed was a candidate to do as when soloing it felt Face as the pinnacle of climbing? like doing a completely different climb. That was the potential plan! I’d harboured desires for an onsight go when I was younger but my epic onsight attempt on Masters Wall (when stuck high on the wall I had to drop my ropes to my partner for rescue) had put ‘I struggled to justify the risk of losing it on the pitch paid to that. I thought I was dead for half an hour - all my fingers were bleeding, I couldn’t feel my toes for a few weeks. Doing it with minimum and that is what supplied the reason and the reward... preparation and in a day was the best ascent I could give it and I also went deciding to control your fear and carrying on’ there to check out my highpoint from years prior.

Climb | 43 You’ve referred to your 100 Lakes extremes climbed in a day in 2014 as the biggest thing you’ve done in climbing. What where the hardest parts of the challenge for you? Setting off was the hardest part and justifying it.

…and what were the best bits about that day? There were a lot of good parts, topping out on Central Buttress to the sunrise, seeing the same 2 red deer above Pavey as I’d seen days prior, having a pint afterwards in the Oddfellows Arms with Nigel who I’d last seen 20 years prior, when we used to go and watch live music with mum and dad.

Did you go through special preparations for that day. And can you train for solo climbing in the same way you can for hard roped climbing? I’d done a few solo missions in Wales, 10-15 Gogarth extremes, did some I used to do when I was younger and did one reccy from Flat Crags, Gimmer, Pavey and Langstrath to see how I felt after 20/30 routes and work out where to go. You can train for soloing, with it you should keep it well within your comfort zone at first and always remember there are no 2nd chances with errors. For me it was about feeling positive and calm, these can be hard to find in modern life sometimes.

Do you think that certain really bold ascents might need that ‘youthful invincibility’? I know Leo Houlding was really keen on an onsight attempt on Indian Face, but after his nasty fall on Cerro Torre he’d lost something (or alternatively gained some perspective)? A lot of climbing, especially on bold trad is about confidence, it makes everything so much easier. When younger, soloing near my limit felt exhilarating, nowadays I can still solo if I have the urge but there is no way I’d contemplate doing routes near my limit, even 6 levels beneath feel a big deal! Power drops off as you age, but I can tell you I think boldness may drop off faster, apart from in Nick Bullock!

Having climbed much of the route, I wonder what your thoughts are on Alex Honnold’s recent solo of El Cap via Freerider? It was very impressive. It must be a heinous solo as it took him longer than I would have expected. You’ve got the most experienced big wall solo climber in the world taking it super professionally and putting a lot of time into the ‘ultimate headpoint’. The most mind boggling bit - linking the Enduro Corners into the traverse bit, not sure about how hard the link is but it will be slippery. He had to do it fast as well as once the sun comes onto those pitches it would make them much harder, another factor to account for. Bet it felt good.

In the past you were perhaps best known for your repeats in good style of other people’s testpieces, but in the last couple of years, particularly in North Wales you’ve climbing a lot of very classy looking big grade new lines. What brought on the change? I’ve done a lot of the classic trad routes in North Wales, a ton. After climbing Gravity Wave I just got a bug or ‘my eyes opened’. I’d been looking at these bits of rock for years and I felt fit, I knew I could probably climb them and went with that intent in mind. The new ones at Gogarth were exceptional of that genre.

Which of those North Wales routes of the last few years stand out to you personally? Doing Combined Energy with Dan Mcmanus was brilliant I thought, Dan’s a great friend and we did it in the best style we could have. I wanted to do a good new one in most of the main venues, Ogwen, The Pass, Tremadog, Gogarth, the Lleyn and finally Cloggy. El Commandante was a great route and what stands THIS PAGE: James deep into the runout of out funnily is the 2 highballs I did, Mur Gwyn and especially Devils Blade, Moonrise Kingdom (E9) on Skye Wall high above the dubious protection arranged on which is the best and hardest bloc I’d climbed for many years and in a hell of a the ‘skyhook ledge’. RAY WOOD vantage point.

44 | Climb Climb INTERVIEW

Of your new routes – is Moonrise Kingdom, yours and Dan Varian’s new THIS PAGE: James unlocking multi-pitch on Skye, the most rewarding you’ve done? the technical intricacies I don’t know if I’d call it the most rewarding. It was just totally out there. I felt I of Meltdown, his 9a slate testpiece in Twll Mawr, was climbing as well as I ever had, that go for it attitude and pretty sport fit. It Llanberis Quarries. is an amazing climb, taking the easiest way up the biggest bit of the face with no IAN PARNELL other routes near it. I found it totally terrifying as a proposition, I struggled to justify the risk of losing it on the pitch and that is what supplied the reason and the reward I suppose, deciding to control your fear and carrying on. The runout above the skyhook ledge is big, I felt it was E9 to the offset, then it steepens and becomes a bit pumpy. It can be quite empowering doing these risky routes, a form of mental discipline. The climbing was varied and on immaculate gabbro and we’d done it in the best style we were capable of doing it in. We are both from the Lakes as well.

“It used every ounce of mental energy I had left that week to get up it and like after Indian Face your food tastes great afterwards.”

You initially tried it onsight ground up, was it scary to realize how bold it was and did you question whether you’d be able to get out of that predicament? It was fantastic to the ‘hook ledge’ where it became a nightmare. It’s easy to be bold when there is plenty of energy in the tank but I was cooked and totally out of my depth.

When it came to the lead several days later how far were you pushed, and how would you compare it to leading Indian Face? The main pitch was a push, almost the perfect level for me, I was tired at the end of it and had a slight pump going from 2/3rds height, to actually be pumped on it would not be good at all. It was warm and I had slept shit the days prior so hard to tell the difficulty but it felt a harder lead than Indian Face for me, partly it is harder physically, and the weather was moody. It used every ounce of mental energy I had left that week to get up it and like after Indian Face your food tastes great afterwards.

For much of your climbing life you’ve held down a job and have never been a ‘professional climber’. What advice would you give to a youngster perhaps looking to get sponsorship to help their climbing ambitions? I don’t think I’d offer advice to be honest. The landscape of climbing and some sponsorship has changed so much I don’t feel I have a good grasp of it nowadays and find some elements of it rather ugly. What I’d tell youngsters is to definitely educate themselves to the best of their efforts and think about what work they might find fulfilling. If they do get sponsored, keep in communication with the brand.

You’re one of the few to try to onsight E9, and have come pretty close - most notably on Divided Years in Ireland. Do you still think that might be possible? I’ve not a particular desire to onsight E9 as such, in fact I’m quite happy chumming along at around the level I’ve been at for the last decade or so, there are so many good routes to go at, I’m very fond of UK trading at every level. I am keen to do Big Issue though and will try it from the deck. I’ll try and get myself into similar level as the trip for Divided Years. Ryan, Maddy and Bransby are keen so it should be a fun weekend. Great footage of Ali Kennedy doing it recently.

James is sponsored by Boreal, DMM and Sterling Rope.

Climb | 45 HARNESSES

GEAR EDITOR | KEVIN AVERY

Mammut Ophir 3 Slide The Ophir 3 Slide offers comfort, all-round performance and decent value for money. Adjustable leg loops accommodate changing seasons and layering systems whilst 4 well positioned gear loops mean you can carry even the biggest winter rack. A patented tie-in protector prevents the harness from abrasion damage and a 2 part webbing construction means that the harness is both comfortable and breathable. A well made harness at a good price. 420 GRAMS £50 MAMMUT.CH

Edelrid Gambit I’ll come straight out and say it, Edelrid’s Gambit was my favourite harness in this test. Why? Because straight out of the bag, it oozes quality. A harness that is light and simple enough for , has enough gear racking for the biggest trad racks, features ice clipper slots, a great fit regardless of clothing system, is super comfortable and looks the part. On top of this, the buckles feel high quality, whilst being low profile and easy to adjust. A key selling point and one which really appeals to me (having mountaineer’s quads but a relatively small waist) is that being made in Germany, allows an individual fit because you can combine different waist belt and leg loop sizes. Any downsides? Well at £130 it’s not cheap but with this, you get what you pay for. 320 GRAMS £130 EDELRID.DE

Petzl Sitta Petzl’s Sitta is the lightest harness in this test. At 240g for a size small it is unlikely to weigh you down. A fixed leg loop harness, it is fully featured with a host of innovations including Wireframe technology (Spectra® strands in the waist belt and leg loops to ensure optimal load distribution and excellent comfort, replacing the traditional webbing and foam). The fit is quite small but with a tiny pack size and full set of features including 4 gear loops with movable dividers, ice clipper slots and Bluesign fabric, the Sitta is definitely a contender at the top end of the market for the weight conscious all-rounder. 240 GRAMS £125 PETZL.COM

46 | Climb GEAR LAB

Black Diamond Zone First of all the Zone is a brilliant harness, lightweight (307g) and well thought out with gear loops positioned where you need them, ice clipper slots and easy to adjust buckle. It features Fusion Comfort Technology which provides comfort with low weight. It is a high quality harness at a great price. I tested size small (my usual size) and whilst the waist was perfect there certainly wasn’t much room in the leg loops compared to many other fixed leg loop harnesses I have worn, so unless you’re a skinny legged sport climber, this may be a consideration. 307 GRAMS £75 BLACKDIAMONDEQUIPMENT.COM

Edelweiss Scorpion Edelweiss market the Scorpion as a very lightweight sport . However, whilst it is reasonably light, it is not the lightest and whilst it is suitable for sport climbing, it is also suitable for trad climbing and mountaineering too. At £55 it is great value for money. The sizing is unusual as it is basically available in 2 sizes (1 and 2). This means that it doesn’t offer as many fit options as other harnesses. It features 4 buckles, one either side of the belay loop on the waist for extra adjustability and also so you can keep everything centralised. The leg loops, whilst not being fully adjustable, do also have a degree of adjustability, however you can’t put it on whilst wearing skis. Four gear loops complete the package, although it does not have ice clipper slots. 390 GRAMS £55 EDELWEISS-ROPES.COM

DMM Mithril A well thought out and high quality all-rounder. As you’d expect from DMM, this harness looks well made and tough, but that doesn’t mean it will weigh you down. At 350g it’s not the lightest harness in it’s class but it is certainly not heavy. It’s flexible, lightweight construction and ventilated padding make for a comfortable harness whatever the temperature or layering choice. Four monster gear loops, ice clipper slots, high quality speed adjust buckles and an “essentials loop” at the rear make the Mithril a top contender for all seasons. 350 GRAMS £65 DMMCLIMBING.COM

Climb | 47 Strength from softness Cross training for climbers - the Tai Chi way

STORY AND IMAGE | DR RICHARD SLY

limbers - like most athletes - have open to them a plethora of options when it comes to cross training. The sheer volume of exercises, Cactivities, and plans that are open to us when we’re not at the wall or crag can be overwhelming. Each one seemingly promises the marginal gains we feel we need to send the next project on our hitlist. For the most part, whatever form of cross-training we choose to add to our repertoire is typically focussed on solely physical gains, with a no pain, no gain philosophy coming as standard. This can, for some, lead to overuse injuries, fatigue, and a subsequent lack of real, evidential progress. What though, if there was another way? A means of cross training that you can do anywhere, anytime, that addresses and improves both physical and psychological performance on the wall? One that helps you emulate a hoard of pensioners in a Beijing park, or that allows you to shoot high- intensity life force through your palms at a moments notice? OK - scratch the last sentence, these misunderstandings and myths will be addressed later. In all seriousness, read on, and you’ll see why adding Tai Chi to your training schedule could be a game changer for your climbing performance. At first glance, you’d be forgiven for wondering what such a slow, seemingly serene ‘martial art’ could offer athletes that rely on strength, stamina, and explosive power. Surely an exercise beloved by the elderly is not going to help us negotiate a daunting crux move mid way up an already taxing route? But first glances can be deceptive. There is growing scientific evidence to suggest that regular practice of Tai Chi - this slow, graceful and flowing dance of interlinked martial moves - can lead to tangible gains both physically and psychologically, gains that athletes are beginning to sit up and take note of. A growing number of sports science and medical studies are now pointing to Tai Chi being effective in increasing physical and psychological parameters associated with sporting achievement.

If Tai Chi is so effective, why aren't we all throwing these shapes? of all its benefits. This potentially puts up a huge barrier for those interested Having a regular yoga practice - or at the very least having a few yoga in learning to move with the ease of a Tai Chi master, but who didn’t want to stretches in your repertoire - has long been an accepted means of increasing submit or commit to ideas of realigning their chakras along the way. flexibility, balance, and strength for athletes from a variety of sporting Thankfully, things are changing. We can now access the benefits of this backgrounds. Tai Chi too can provide these benefits - and then some. There’s beneficial movement-based system without having to nod along to outdated also the added bonus of there being an almost zero chance of injuring assertions that most of us don’t want to sign up to. Thanks to work from yourself whilst doing Tai Chi, whilst yoga has been linked to a plethora of the likes of Harvard Medical School, who have produced a compilation of joint and muscle injuries for those that push too far or too hard. scientific explanations for Tai Chi’s benefits, the art is at last catching up with Yoga is now - and has been for some time - a mainstream exercise, and the twenty-first century. For those that embrace Tai Chi as a cross training is immensely popular. Tai Chi, for all its benefits, and for all the similarities tool, the science is clear: the psychological and physical benefits are marked, with yoga, is still pretty niche. The likely reason behind this? Yoga, for the real, and for climbers, potentially revolutionary. These benefits can be loosely most part has successfully managed to ditch the mystical mumbo-jumbo categorised as physical, technical, and psychological - which makes Tai Chi a that accompanied it prior to becoming mainstream. The number of modern- unique proposition for cross training to improve climbing performance. day yogis who believe their practice will lead them to enlightenment and the resultant feats of self-levitation are comparatively few. The dogma and mysticism that accompanied yoga has made way, yet the benefits from the exercise are just as tangible. For those that embrace Tai Chi as a cross training Tai Chi and its sister art Qigong, has had more trouble shaking off their tool, the science is clear: the psychological and mystical accompaniments - or to be more precise, its teachers and gatekeepers to the art are hanging on to ideas of ‘chi’, life-force, meridians and chakras for physical benefits are marked, real, and for climbers, dear life, as if to question these outdated notions would be to empty the art potentially revolutionary

48 | Climb Physical benefits you move, and yes, perhaps how you climb. Tai Chi will reinforce economy There’s good evidence to suggest that Tai Chi practice is strongly related of movement, and a unified, full body approach to movement. Your brain’s to improved blood pressure, reduced heart rate, and improved muscle tone. neuromuscular pathways actually start to restructure themselves based upon But, we’re climbers, right? Our climbing alone should cover these bases. To the type of movement you engage in. More often than not, economy of work as a legitimate cross training activity, there needs to be more on offer. movement will help us send our favoured projects - make sure you brain and Thankfully there is, and the added physical benefits of a Tai Chi practice are body are working together on this! The second point to make follows on from pretty unique to this art form - and should be of real interest to anyone who this. Studies have shown a far greater level of proprioception - particularly either wants to prevent injuries, or rehab effectively from them. That should concerning knees and ankles - in those who practice Tai Chi. By practising this be of interest to pretty much everyone, then. art you open yourself up to improving your balance control and ability to shift The secret comes from the movement system itself. Tai Chi is composed of a weight effectively - again, technically, something of considerable worth. series of interlinked martial moves, which by and large are all circular, and are all performed ‘softly’ - that is, with the muscles relaxed, the joints loose. Unlike Psychological benefits yoga, stretches or extensions are never performed with straight arms or legs, Tai Chi has been described as meditation in motion - and it doesn’t take there is always a looseness to the joints. Coupled with the circular motions and long before the meditative qualities of Tai Chi start to have a positive effect. non-stop twisting and shifting of weight, the movements of the Tai Chi form Neuroimaging studies have shown that in as little as four weeks of engaging produce some unique benefits for our bodies. These slow, winding movements in meditation, the brain starts to rewire itself as to how it responds to stress. condition the fascia - the connective tissues that coat and stabilise our muscles Rather than our first response being the energy sapping ‘fight or flight’ and organs - in such a way that their elastic content exponentially increases. response (and we’ve all been there half way through a tricky crux), the Tai Chi If you visualise how you would wring out a wet towel, this is what Tai Chi brain creates quicker pathways to what’s known as the ‘relaxation repsonse’. movements do to the fascia protecting our muscles and stabilising our joints. This allows us to stay calm, focussed, and truly able to assess our situation. This wringing action actively creates a strength through softness. This ability to stay calm in the face of stressors not only allows us to think A good analogy as to why this is important lies in everyone’s favourite through our options and pick the one that is most likely to lead to success, childhood sweet - the Curly Wurly. If you pop one of these in the fridge it conserves vast swathes of energy too - energy we’re going to need later on overnight, it becomes hard and rigid. And easily snapped when undue pressure during that route perhaps! Whereas Tai Chi is not alone in providing this sort is applied. If you were instead to put the bar in the sun for ten minutes, it of benefit - you could find similar positive outcomes through seated meditation would get soft and flexible. Try breaking one of those bad boys in half now. or some yoga styles - it does have an added bonus to bring to the party. The It’s near impossible. And this is the beauty of the winding and twisting motions postures and moves that are inherent in Tai Chi all have some pretty out-there inherent in Tai Chi - they create a strength in your muscles and joints through names (‘The Spiritual Cat Catches the Mouse’ remains a firm favourite) from softness. They help resist breakage, resist injury. A recent sports science study whose image you can use to get a feel for the move. Tai Chi postures are based looked at injuries to gymnasts - who put their bodies through rigours similar upon martial arts sequences, which as you move through them, you visualise to those we do as climbers. They were ten times more likely to injury their being used as if for real. This aspect of visualisation is a key component of connective tissues (fascia) than they were to injure their actual muscles. When regular Tai Chi practice, a key aspect of the meditative qualities discussed you consider that connective tissues take on average ten times longer to heal above. It is also useful for us climbers - again, the way we do anything is the than muscular injuries, you can see why taking care of fascia should be at the way we do everything, right? We all know how important it is to visualise the top of your list for what a good cross training activity can do for you. moves we need to do to send a route or problem, and the more chances our brain is given to flex our imaginative and visualisation muscles, the better we get at it - and the more imaginative our solutions may become! Moves that are inherent in Tai Chi all have some pretty out-there names (‘The Spiritual Cat Catches Getting started with Tai Chi in your routine the Mouse’ remains a firm favourite) from whose So what next? You may still be sceptical about the training benefits of image you can use to get a feel for the move moving like a very slow Bruce Lee, or you may be keen to try and see if these benefits really are the real deal. Either way, what you need to do is see for yourself. Old school dogmatics will insist you can only learn this art via a Technical benefits class or private tuition. However, if we are using this for cross training, do we Just knowing about the benefits to increasing fascial elasticity may be have the time and money for this? Thankfully, the twenty-first century is here, enough to get you considering adding some Tai Chi to your weekly sessions. and there are a variety of ways to learn, from books, DVD’s, Youtube videos, But, there are some added benefits that translate well to improving your actual as well as the traditional routes of tuition. Use what suits you and if it works climbing technique. The Tai Chi postures encourage you to ground and root for you, keep using it. If it doesn’t suit you, try another medium which may your weight through your feet, to move from your core, and for the rest of the work better. If you’re not into the mystical side of things, try and find books, body to follow as a unified whole. The focus on relaxing your joints, to aim videos, or teachers that don’t place a high importance on these matters, or for a ‘release’ within them as you move, promotes a high level of movement simply tune out when they do. A good place to start would be to search for efficiency. You can see how all this relates to how you move on the wall. But the ‘8 pieces of brocade’ Qigong routine, which takes about 15 minutes to do again, perhaps we are already doing these things within our climbing, perhaps and has so much benefit wound up in its sequence. Whatever you do, keep we don’t need to make slow motion movements in silken Kung fu pyjamas your spine long, sink your weight through your feet, and move easy. There’s (please never wear these) to improve this aspect of our skill set? so much strength to be had through practising being soft. There are two responses to this. Firstly, a piece of wisdom that does not feel out of place in an article about Tai Chi: the way we do anything is the way we do everything. If your cross training focusses on segmenting areas of Dr Richard Sly is a health and fitness writer, your body to work on, if it involves forcing and pushing and straining, this keen climber, and Tai Chi instructor. will start to bleed through to other areas of how you relate to your body, how

Climb | 49 TRAINING EDITOR | NEIL GRESHAM

Neil is sponsored by , Petzl, and Osprey TRAINING ROOM TRAINING OILING the MACHINE

THIS PAGE: During the 80s and 90s John Dunne was one of the most impressive figures in British climbing. Establishing some of the countries hardest FIVE SIMPLE STRATEGIES sport routes on Yorkshire limestone and pulling off committing first ascents of some of the finest trad lines, several of them E9s, in England, Wales, for INJURY PREVENTION Scotland and Ireland. Like many stars from that era John suffered debilitating shoulder tendonitis from over-training which eventually required surgery. With today’s increased knowledge such over-training injuries might be avoidable. IAN PARNELL

2 | Climb SPONSORED BY www.sportiva.com e all love to scrutinise the fine details of softened your tendons, connective tissue and training – how much aero-cap work we cartilage plates and made everything more elastic. should do, whether to train our back-2 Many believe that this also improves your ability Wfingers separately and so on, but if we to recover during the session. Note that easy take a step back, the most important thing is climbing does not cut the mustard as a pulse-raiser simply not getting injured. The old cliché of ‘no substitute, as it doesn’t get you out of breath. pain no gain’ surely does not apply to this sport, which inflicts no end of strain on relatively fragile 1.2 MOBILITY muscles and tendons. I was climbing in an era in (BEFORE OR IN BETWEEN WARM-UP CLIMBS) the 80s when chronic injuries were accepted as If you’ve been climbing as long as me you’ll par for the course and top climbers frequently remember the static stretches that we used to do underwent surgery following major trauma. But for our forearms and shoulders in the warm-up. these days the picture is very different – training These are now universally proven to do more facilities and methods are more sophisticated harm than good if used pre-training, as they may and we understand the importance of a correct weaken the muscles and dull the reflex receptors warm-up and remedial supportive training. that detect harmful strains. The modern approach Nonetheless, it is a constant challenge to define is, having done your pulse raiser, to replace static the difference between safe, effective hard training Front Raise stretches with dynamic mobility exercises, such as and overdoing it. But if you’re passionate about finger clenches or squeeze balls for your forearms, pushing your climbing then you surely owe it to arm circles for your shoulders, spinal twists, hip yourself to take every precaution. circles and so on. A few static leg stretches should There are countless measures that can be be OK prior to sport climbing, as you’re less likely applied to every aspect of your game in order to to injure your legs and this may help you feel avoid injury. It’s impossible to say which are the supple. However, prior to bouldering, dynamic most effective, as we will all respond to them hamstring stretches and leg swings are preferable, slightly differently, but my years of coaching as the hamstrings need to be safeguarded from the experience has helped me to define a short-list of rigours of compression heel-hooks. Static stretches the ‘silver-bullets’. None of these methods require for the arms and upper-body still have a place much extra time or effort and they can simply but they should be saved for the warm down at be absorbed into your normal training routines. the end of sessions to help relax the muscles and If you don’t currently practice any of them then promote recovery. you can be sure that your susceptibility to injury is very high and if you haven’t been injured so far 1.3 STRETCH-BANDS then you’ve been lucky. If you do all of them, this (BEFORE OR IN BETWEEN WARM-UP CLIMBS) will give you the confidence to push hard and to If you’ve used a stretch-band to cure a shoulder know that if you do get hurt then you’ll have been injury before then you’ll know how effective they unlucky rather than lazy. If it’s anything to go by, can be. It makes sense to use them for prevention I haven’t had an injury in the last 5 years since Side Raise rather than cure and to keep one in the lid of your upping my level of discipline and making sure I climbing sack and use it before every session. deploy all these tricks and countless others are Warm-up by doing fig8 circles, or simple front and reporting the same. Clearly motivation is always side raises, keeping the band under mild tension at the biggest challenge and the key here is to keep all times. Most shoulder injuries in climbing can reminding yourself that many of these exercises be linked to a weak rotator cuff, so this proves and methods will actually make you a stronger to be the most important thing to strengthen. climber as well as helping you avoid injury. You could do this at home but you’re unlikely to remember so you may as well do it at the wall 1. Warm-up between your warm-up climbs to save time. For the external version (where your forearm rotates 1.1 PULSE RAISER outwards) you can simply pin the band to your It is frustrating how few climbers heed this basic opposite hip. For the internal version (where you advice, which has been around for over three rotate your forearm inwards), it’s easiest if you decades. Put simply, if you don’t get your pulse attach the band to a fixed point, but if you can’t up before you climb then you aren’t entitled to then hold it on your hip and pass it around your grumble if you get injured. Forget trying to look back. Keep your shoulders fairly level, your elbow cool – the joke’s on you if you pop a tendon. All tucked into your side and tense your shoulder it takes is 3 or 4 minutes of burpees, skipping or blades as you perform the movement. 3 sets of jogging on the spot. If you can get yourself to the 20 reps is a good starting point although also it’s point where you’re out of breath and you can feel External Rotator Cuff worth increasing the resistance and doing strength your heart pounding then you will have physically sets of 5 – 10 reps.

SPONSORED BY www.sportiva.com Suspension Training - Extreme Plank

2. Antagonist training Most climbers have heard of the importance of training the opposition muscles to prevent muscular imbalances and associated injuries, yet when time is precious, this type of training always seems to get shelved. The key is Suspension Training - Press Up to change your perspective and view yourself more as an athlete and once you start following a routine and seeing the results, the motivation will flow. 2.1 FOREARM EXTENSORS ‘Suspension straps are undoubtedly more Few coaches, physios or elite climbers would dispute that forearm extensions useful to climbers than an entire multi-gym are the single most important injury prevention exercise. Climbing works the forearm flexor tendons to excess, whilst the extensors, which open the grip full of weights’ are virtually redundant. The body will simply not allow massive imbalances in strength to develop, so the use of a forearm extensor trainer will facilitate further strengthening of your flexors. If you’ve been training hard for years and feel like your finger strength has plateaued, there is simply no better kick-start. In the past climbers have tended to use extensor trainers more for endurance conditioning by performing high rep sets of 30 – 80 reps, and whilst this will tick the box for injury avoidance, it won’t actually help you strengthen your grip. However, if you train with higher resistance and do sets of 5 – 8 reps to failure, then you’ll be training strength and will experience much greater benefits. 2.2 SUSPENSION TRAINING The main antagonist muscles for the upper body that climbers should train are the chest, shoulders and triceps. Press-ups have always been the go-to, and whilst better than doing nothing, you soon get to the point where you can do loads and the training becomes more conditioning based and very monotonous. But if you use suspension straps you can increase the intensity and versatility of the training and build a potent combination of strength and core stability, without necessarily causing your muscles to bulk up. Boulderers will also find that they are invaluable for building crusher compression strength. Suspension straps are undoubtedly more useful to climbers than an entire multi-gym full of weights, yet you can fit them in a laptop bag and set them up anywhere. The perfect time to do the training is either on rest days or at the end of a climbing session, which is why most decent climbing walls provide them. If you’re climbing 4 times a week then aim to train antagonists three times, or if you’re climbing three times then twice will suffice. If you go online you’ll see a daunting list of exercises, but it pays to cherry-pick the most relevant exercises to climbing. For all of the exercises the straps should be approximately shoulder width apart. There are several ways to increase Suspension Training - Pectoral Flye the overload, firstly lowering the straps will make most exercises harder or alternatively some exercises can be performed standing as opposed to

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kneeling. Other variables include doing exercises more slowly, holding static positions for longer or even placing your feet on a Swiss ball for maximum agro! Always make smooth movements with strictly controlled form and stop the exercise just before your form deteriorates. Start a training campaign with low-resistance / high-rep sets e.g. 3 sets of 15 - 20 reps, then cut the reps and increase the resistance so you’re doing 3 or 4 sets of 10, then continue the process until you’re ready to do 4 or 5 sets of 4 – 6 reps. i) Press-up A great all-rounder for the chest, shoulders and triceps, which can be performed THIS PAGE: , here climbing at Presles in France, has suffered several injuries in either with feet in the straps and hands on the floor, or feet on the floor and her career but has used cross training to make an hands in the straps. effective recovery and return to form pushing all aspects of British climbing. IAN PARNELL ii) Pectoral flye The one to pick for training compression strength, which really works the pecs and front shoulder. However it doesn’t work the triceps, so you’ll need 3. Hydration to train these separately. Most of us drink tea and coffee all day and a common ritual is to start climbing sessions with an espresso, so it’s no surprise that many climbers are iii) Over-head triceps extension permanently partially dehydrated. Not only will this impede performance but This exercise will build strength for mantleshelves and press-moves. Start it will increase the risk of injury too. Take a drink bottle to the wall and take standing or kneeling behind the straps. Hold them with palms down, lean it around with you so you can sip regularly in between climbs. in and take them out in front of you, then curl your arms back so that your hands touch the top of your head. Return to the starting position and repeat. 4. Follow a training programme iv) Dip A well crafted training plan will introduce overload gradually and prevent Another all-rounder, which places slightly less emphasis on the chest but you from going too fast too soon, it will also ensure that themes change to more on the shoulders and triceps. Start sitting on the floor with your legs out prevent things from becoming too repetitive and introduce rest at key times in front and hold the straps by your hips, just above floor level. Push yourself to stop you from going that little bit too far. up, lower down and repeat. v) Extreme plank 5. Massage A superb exercise for core and shoulder strength, which should be approached Few will have the time to visit a sports masseur regularly, so the use of a foam cautiously as it can place strain on the lower back. If in doubt, perform it on roller or tennis ball for self-massage is the next best thing when it comes to your knees and don’t stretch out too far. promoting recovery and keeping your body functioning to its maximum.

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243 BMC Insurance Print Adverts - FOR WHEN YOUR OFF - CLIMB 300x230mm V2.indd 1 16/05/2017 20:35 MY CLIMBING LIFE

RACHAEL CREWESMITH

PROFILE | ELEANOR FULLER

Rachael Crewesmith, 31, works as a full-time mountaineering instructor and mountain bike guide all over the UK. Passionate about her work, she is down-to-earth, infectiously optimistic and extremely knowledgeable. We talk about rain, tea, and biking; her love of mountain multi-pitches, and the full and varied life of a freelance outdoor instructor.

It’s awful living in a van though. It’s too wet still want to do them in my spare time too.’ and there’s nowhere to dry anything. It distracts When it comes to climbing Rachael is keen to you from your job; you’re too busy wondering challenge the perception that you must climb hard whether you’re going to get wet.’ to be a guide. ‘I climb E1 on a low gravity day. I’m Rain is her least favourite part of the job: not a ninja, I’m not a Jedi, but I’m still really good ‘I don’t like the really, really wet days…hmm, at climbing V Diff and imparting information. I maybe I do like them. It makes the tea taste better, don’t think it should be about your grade. It’s a doesn’t it? After a minging type-two day your shame; we lose a chunk of the population who dinner tastes amazing. That’s what I tell people could be really good instructors because they anyway. If you say something enough you believe don’t think they’re good enough climbers. As an it yourself: “This is so fun, ISN’T IT FUN!”...Ah I MIA, I spend a lot of time climbing V Diff to VS. ‘I’m off again tomorrow,’ Rachael tells me just I want to go home’ The truth is that you don’t have to climb really excitedly, ‘to Cape Wrath for five days with a group Her dislike of getting wet, no doubt makes hard to be a really good instructor.’ of thirteen-year-olds. They’re camping, carrying Rachael an excellent gear-tester, something she all their kit and food, exploring the Northwest does as part of the Rab and test tip of Scotland. It will be cool! It gets dark at half team. She nods: ‘I’m really passionate about good ‘I don’t like the really, really midnight and light at 2.30am. It’s beautiful, really kit. I’ve also really enjoyed adding a female input; wet days…hmm, maybe I do wild up there; no paths, no phone signal.’ sometimes we get missed because there aren’t as like them. It makes the tea On a rare day off Rachael is full of energy and many women buying kit.’ taste better’ enthusiasm, the kind that feels contagious: ‘I love it; However, jackets don’t pay the rent. ‘It would every new course or group is like starting a new job be good if they did’ she agrees, ‘people keep giving each week. I love doing so many different things.’ them to me!’ Rachael admits that being ‘a good Rachael herself isn’t just a mountaineering As a freelance MIA (Mountain Instructor businesswoman’ is a struggle: ‘I’m not very good at instructor; she also works as a mountain bike Award) Rachael doesn’t have a typical day. After saying “you have to pay me for this.” If I had loads guide, and recently became the first female tutor her usual three cups of tea in the morning she of money, I’d probably do this job for free, which is of the British Cycling Leadership Schemes tutor. guides clients in a variety of activities: ‘At the why I’m not very good at making any money.’ ‘It’s a bit bonkers really, but we’ve got to start moment, I’m doing summer things, taking people However, as an outdoor instructor of ten years, somewhere. The majority of instructors are of a rock climbing, scrambling, hillwalking, Munro five of which full-time, Rachael has begun to similar demographic across the outdoor industry. bagging, coasteering.’ These vary during the establish her name and find work more easily. This Although this is slowly changing.’ year, with Duke of Edinburgh work earlier in the is an on-going process: ‘it’s all about word-of- This is an aspect of the industry that Rachael season, as well as training Mountain Leaders. mouth, networking, and social media too. It takes is trying to improve: ‘There isn’t enough diversity Mountain Leader training is something Rachael ages to work up a reputation and minutes to lose it. in the outdoors. An easy way to change this is to finds particularly rewarding: ‘It’s my favourite You have to work hard, and there’s a lot of admin get more women involved. The only way this can I think, I really enjoy helping other people as a freelancer too. It’s pretty much every day.’ happen, I think, is to have more women teaching become good leaders.’ She is clearly passionate This does mean that time off comes in big them.’ Rachael strongly believes in the importance about passing on leadership skills, and when she chunks too, ideal for trips: ‘my last big trip was of ‘visible role models’ and works to be one turns up with the biggest smile and boundless a trip in the Himalaya, my next herself. She says she hasn’t yet found her outlet for enthusiasm, as she did every day of the course trip in October is climbing in Kalymnos. Then actively creating change. However, just by being I was on, you can’t help but catch it too. She next maybe to Canada climbing and biking.’ visible, dedicated and encouraging of others, on grins, ‘I also really like taking people multi-pitch Rachael climbs in her free time too: ‘I love social media as well as in her day-to-day work, climbing in the mountains, big V Diff link ups, going climbing. I still love multi-pitch days in the she hopes to motivate other women to work in Ben Nevis…long mountain days in Scotland.’ mountains with my friends.’ She does say that the outdoors. Indeed, as a hardworking, engaged Scotland is where Rachael is based, although climbing both as work and leisure has burnt out and passionate instructor, climber and biker, she works all over the UK: ‘I rent a room in the her interest in the past: ‘I’m now trying to balance who’s never without a smile (even in the rain!) she Cairngorms and stay in my van occasionally. rock climbing, mountain walking and biking, so I represents an excellent role model for anyone.

56 | Climb

58 58 GEARING UP | Climb OUTDOORS 2017 OUTDOORS THIS PAGE: the fabricspecialistssuch asGore. textiles designed tocompetewith fabric -oneofmanyownbrand their leadingbreathablewaterproof EDITOR FINDS OUT WHAT IS NEW IN THE COMPLEX WORLD OF FABRIC DEVELOPMENT OFFABRIC WORLD COMPLEX THE IN OUTWHAT NEW IS FINDS EDITOR WAY. ANENVIRONENTALLY IN FRIENDLY PRODUCED TOWANT GEAR FABRICS BE CLIMB’S WE INCREASINGLY BUT COMFORTABLE. DRY, AND WANT KEPT TOWE UNSWEATY WARM, BE - IMMENSE ARE EQUIPMENT OUTDOOR IN USED TECHNOLOGIES ONFABRIC DEMANDS THE AVERY IKEVIN EDITOR GEAR Patagonia’s h2no is

abric technology in the outdoor almost feeling like a soft-shell. It has larger pores than Gore Tex industry has certainly progressed meaning enhanced breathability although in my experience, it is over the years, but have we less waterproof in really wet weather. F reached a ceiling and where One of the more interesting developments I have seen next? For example, is it possible to make in the Hardshell market recently, is Gore-Tex Permanent a waterproof fabric more breathable, Beading Surface with Shake Dry Technology. I have been more flexible and more durable whilst lucky enough to test this out in the Norvan SL Hoody from still being kind to the environment, being Arc’teryx, a seriously minimalist running shell, weighing in commercially viable and affordable and at just over 100g and I have to say I’m mightily impressed. also meeting user demand in terms of Will this fabric be used in mountaineering hard-shells? features and styling? Well at the moment I doubt it, as I think durability is a key issue. But it certainly works. Columbia’s OutDry Extreme There are certainly lots of instances of [ABOVE] works in a similar way and products being designed for a specialist is also worth a look. And on the or niche use, however many of these subject of lightweight, have you never see the commercial light of day seen the Hyper 100 from Berghaus, as they aren’t commercially viable, not the world’s lightest 3 layer shell? durable enough or in the real world, [LOWER] Weighing only 97g for just don’t work. There may also be environmental a size medium and using an in house and sustainability issues which make a product exclusive fabric called 3L Hydroshell Elite environmentally and ethically unviable. One thing is for sure, outdoor Pro, it’s constructed out of a 6-denier face fabric, enthusiasts and particularly climbers and alpinists, are a demanding bunch. 7-denier waterproof membrane, and a 8-denier We want a product that does everything, weighs nothing, lasts forever and backer fabric. It has a full feature set too, doesn’t cost the earth. So what is the future of fabrics? Are we even close to despite its low weight. what is actually possible? Whilst the large fabric houses continue Starting with the question of user demand and waterproof fabrics, what to develop there own technologies, for do we actually need from a waterproof? OK, as climbers we operate in a example Gore have recently unveiled a new stop-start environment. We may be reasonably (more durable and breathable) version of high output on an approach or minimally Active Shell, as well as some interesting technical alpine ground, stood still for long Gore Tex Stretch Technology and Gore periods on belays, pummelled with spindrift Invisible Fit for footwear, both of which on the sharp end; it may be warm, cold, are designed to improve breathability, fit wet, dry and windy. We want a fabric and comfort; many brands are starting that stops moisture entering from the to move towards developing and outside, keeps the wind off us, but sourcing fabrics in house. Mammut’s also allows moisture to escape Masao Jacket [RIGHT] uses their from the inside so we are not own DryTech Premium fabric for soaked in sweat with the rapid example. This slightly elasticated cooling effect this will have premium DRYtech™ material when we stop. We want it to with 20,000 mm water column is also BlueSign approved. So why do be cut so we can move, maybe manufacturers go in house to meet their fabric needs? Well one school of stretchy and we want it to thought would suggest that they get better prices and therefore a better be tough. margin. Potentially this squeezes volumes for the big established fabric Gore Tex was said to houses of this world, who also have to invest in innovation. As a result it’s revolutionise waterproof probably no coincidence that Gore have just announced they’re going into fabrics in the outdoor industry partnership with several fashion houses. when it was released in 1969. Another reason for going in house is that at times some companies just A fabric that was waterproof, don’t feel that there is a fabric that meets their needs. Look at Arc’teryx windproof and breathable. But and their AC2 fabric used in their backpacks. AC2 stands for Advanced this idea and this need actually Composite Construction. The goals to create a lightweight, extremely stretches back much further. durable, weather resistant fabric. The fabric itself is not actually that light Inuits fashioned clothing from but the cumulative savings that it allows, such as micro seam allowances, the intestines of whales and laminated features etc., make it light. It’s incredible durability comes from seals for example. Hunting in the a TPU coating on the back, kiss coated urethane on the open oceans in foul weather necessitated finding a way of staying dry. The face (which locks up the yarns so the coating takes the intestines provided a waterproof yet air permeable material in which wear in abrasive situations) and seams constructed to dress. to be pressed flat and smooth so they are These days we have a plethora of waterproof and breathable less susceptible to wear. Also extremely fabrics - Polartec Neoshell, Gore-Tex, eVent, Outdry and weatherproof due to the same urethane Sympatex being some of the leading players. They probably on face, so it beads moisture, whilst all claim to be the best too and each reincarnation is the inner coating and seam tape take supposedly even better than the last! Most still use the this weatherproofing steps further. standard 3 layer model to get the best combination of AC2 is used in the excellent breathability and durability. Polartec Neoshell (as used Alpha FL packs as well as the by Jottnar in their waterproofs such as the Bergemir technology filled, new Bora Packs Jacket [CENTRE LEFT] is very breathable and one such as the AR 50 [OVERLEAF of the most comfortable hardshell fabrics I’ve worn, LOWER RIGHT].

Climb | 59 60 60 GEARING UP | Climb available withorwithout and Bluesigncompliant.Itisasoft-shellfabricwithwoolinterior and with thecurrentthemeofsustainabilityintextiles,beingPFCfree comes fromSchoeller.LocalWool Schoeller®-WB-400 fitsinbrilliantly lacks durabilitywhenwornasanouterlayer. Anotherinterestingfabric and definitelyofferscomfortinhotclammyconditionsalthoughweave a membrane.

natural cooling construction toprolongtheskin’s synthetics -knittedina‘radiator’ of cottonand and syntheticfibres-thecomfort It’s notallwaterproofsandpacks either. Baselayersareconstantly middle groundbetweennatural undergoing revamps.Ifyou ‘cooling fabric’thatadoptsthe thought itwasjustwoolor Beta fabric.It’s anext-to-skin synthetic thenyou’remost definitely wrongwitha [LEFT] usesPolartec’s new whole hostofhybridsnow Delta DryLongSleeveTee available onthemarket, too. TheSalewaPedroc own anti-odourfinish most containingtheir response.Itfeelsgreat fast drytimeof technologies. take thisfurtherusingsynthetic to seeifothercompaniestryand natural based.Itwillbeinteresting innovations andalsoonesthatare another thing,butitisgreattosee stand uptoaharshScottishwinteris is mainlyandwhetheritwould mainly weatherproof.How a singlelayergarmentwhichis but apparentlythismethodcreates through it.I’venottriedanyyet a waytoknittextile(namelywool) membrane, Voormi havedeveloped instead ofgluingpiecesfabrictoa Construction have developedwhattheycallCore small Coloradobasedstartup,Voormi a waterproofandbreathablejacket, 3 layersandwich,modelofconstructing 100% PFC free and 100% CO2-neutral. freeand100%CO2-neutral. 100% PFC RIGHT:: TOP PAGE THIS LEFT: TOP PAGE THIS Latok Jacket. Trying tostrayawayfromthetraditional, RAB [LOWER LEFT].Basically Sympatex launching theirJacket 4.0 which isrecycledandrecyclable, A closeupofthefinish3layereVentRAB fabricusedinthe OUTDOORS 2017 OUTDOORS THE DESIGNER - As a designer tell me about the most important factors when deciding on a fabric for a climbing trouser? TIM JASPER TJ: Durability obviously, but also stretch, breathability and protection. In (DESIGN DIRECTOR) AT RAB our technical range we mainly use “double weave” fabrics. Even as a single cloth the inner and outer sides are completely different. The inner is woven RAB started out as a brand specialising in to have a higher surface area and this will pick up perspiration and move down insulation. Tell me about the types of it away from the body. The outer is woven more tightly, so that it is robust fabrics needed to produce high quality down and durable. The whole thing has stretch yarns for freedom of movement, is goods and maybe a bit about how this has fast drying and comfortable in the widest range of conditions. Total weight changed over the years? of the fabric will vary according to the climate conditions it is designed TJ: Right from the early days RAB has had for. Good examples of this type of fabric appear in Vector, Sawtooth and a close relationship with Pertex, who supply Fulcrum Pants in the RAB range. For colder use we separate these two face very high quality downproof fabrics. There are functions into two different fabrics. The trick here is to bond them together a myriad fabrics available to us from many, so that they stretch and work as well as single layers. See Upslope and many mills but the partnership with Pertex Vantage Pants. After the materials selection, the vital element is the exact has remained intact as both businesses have way the bonding technology works: we “tune” ours to allow the right levels grown. One of the significant properties that of wind protection without the drop off in breathability you often get. Pertex can achieve is fabrics that are downproof by construction, due to their very specialised Where do you see the future of fabrics going? Have we hit the ceiling? weaving looms. Most fabrics are made TJ: Fibre innovation is probably the key to future progress. This is the downproof by additional coatings to seal the gaps between fibres - and these building block for all fabrics. There are plenty of research projects going on can vary in quality. A big change over the years has been the availability of around the world to develop new types of fibre, often quite blue sky ones finer and finer fibres to spin into yarn and then weave into cloth. We use right such as replicating spider silk etc. Graphene, nano technology - all of these down to 7 denier grade fibre, which requires high levels of skill to deliver. The newer innovations are being explored, often driven by major drivers behind this are to cut weight even further, while still keeping the right industries like automotive, military or other industrial levels of durability, abrasion resistance and tear strength. uses. Spinning, weaving and knitting technologies are also constantly evolving and improving, so no, there As a designer, what do you look for when selecting fabrics? isn’t a ceiling. There is also plenty of exploration of TJ: Quite a big question! Obviously different categories of clothing require completely different ways of making cloth. But it’s completely different performance characteristics and specification in fabric. worth saying that we operate at the relatively What it boils down to is having a very close understanding of what is small, “technical” end of the vast fabric world - actually needed by the wearer in the conditions they face when active. normal, conventional fabrics still dominate the We get this from our own long experience and that of our athletes and wear world’s clothing. It’s interesting to think how testers. Then this has to be combined with detailed technical knowledge of a wider use of “technical” fabrics might help what makes fabrics and technologies work and with the relationships we find the solution to growing environmental have with our partner mills. problems caused by over-supply and disposability. Cottons, for example, wear Climbers and mountaineers are a tough bunch to satisfy when it out faster than polyesters - and polyesters comes to clothing - tell me about the crucial qualities when choosing can be recycled “eternally” - they don’t waterproof fabrics? degrade as cottons do when recycled. And TJ: One of the key issues is to maximise comfort while making sure the if a garment lasts longer, is easier to wash waterproof technology is sound. Making a fabric waterproof is relatively and faster to dry the environmental loading simple. It’s making it comfortable when highly active that is the difficult bit! of this product is obviously lower than a There are many technologies on offer that claim “breathability” - the ability short lifecycle garment. The future solution to for moisture vapour to pass from the wearer to the outside world, to prevent environmentally friendly fabrics looks like it overheating and ensure the wearer stays tolerably comfortable. In truth there will probably be technical, not “natural”. is no single answer to your question as different technologies have different characteristics that benefit different situations. And it’s the combination Many brands seem to source in house now, of fabric choice, technology choice and the way the whole “package” is do you see this as a growing trend and why? constructed that will deliver the right results. TJ: It’s mainly down to choice and commercial factors. We’ve been able to use our knowledge of this to explore some of the With any innovation the market will respond and outer edges of what is possible. Flashpoint Jacket [LOWER RIGHT] for seek to do something similar or even better. example, was a RAB development and I think it’s true to say was the This gives us all more choice. Polartec though, lightest 3-layer waterproof/breathable fabric available when we launched. for example, have a deep well of experience It was pretty challenging: a 7D outer with a 7D knitted inner and a 7 and technical knowledge - they did invent micron film inside for the waterproofing. Breathability is extremely high, fleece, after all. This institutional knowledge largely because the materials used are so light and laminated so skilfully. is in many cases very hard for someone else Then Kinetic Plus [TOP RIGHT], just launched, is something we are really to replicate. As customers we are all exposed proud of. It uses an incredibly stretchy set of materials we’ve called Proflex. to many, many brands. The brand should be It delivers a soft (but strong) and super comfortable garment that doesn’t a guarantee of a certain set of properties that feel like any other waterproof on the market. I think this is something we want. At the end of the day for us, RAB genuinely new and will make you re-think the way you layer outdoors - is the important brand and we will always an outer shell that doesn’t feel like a shell and is as breathable as many do our hardest to deliver the best performing non-waterproof garments. gear we can.

Climb | 61 62 GEARING UP | Climb innovating. It’s whatwedo. performance fabrictechnologies.Fromthere,we’lljustkeep insulation thatroundsoutourrangeoftemperature–regulating We’ve justlaunchedourPowerFillinsulation,abest-in-classfill future? the for developments exciting Any having thefirsttrulybreathablewaterproofmaterialinNeoShell. we becameexpertsinmoisturemanagementforbaselayersaswell as wellexpandingintoallareasofclothingcomfort.With Power Dry there it’s beenapathofconstantimprovementstotheinsulationproducts industry. Fleecereallydidn’t existbeforethat,peopleforgetthat.From us onthepathtobeingoneofreferenceingredientbrandsfor but –asImentioneditwastheinventionoffleecein80’s thatset The companyhasbeenaroundinoneformorotherforover100years Tell me a bit about how far Polartec has developed over the years? the over developed has Polartec far how about Tell abit me normal, Polartecareproudlypremium. development teamstomakesomethingspecial,improveonthe opportunity tocreateandcollaboratewithourengineering reason… whenabrandcomestoPolartectheyaregettingthe to makethingsbetter. We talkaboutthescienceoffabricforgood improving. We wanttouseouryearsofknowledge andexpertise cheaper materials,butthereisadifferencebetweengrowingand Some peoplewillalwaysthinktheycangrowtheirbusinessbyusing Polartec? like acompany on have it does effect what and trend agrowing as this see you Do fabrics. sourced) house in least at (or house in of alot using be to seem brands big the of Many forget abouttheclothesandgetonwiththeiractivity. them uncomfortable,weaimtomakematerialsthatcantheuser are wearingwhentheynotworkingwell,making ways thatever. Peoplearemostconsciousaboutthegarmentsthey ever beforeandtheendusercanutilisegarmentinmanymore that ourcustomerscandesigngarmentswithmuchmorefreedomthan in thewidesetrangeofconditionspossible.Succeedingatthatmeans in fabrics.We aimtomakefabricsthatareusable–i.e.comfortable really seeasthenewfrontierisneedformoreandversatility is onethatwestilladheretoinmanythingscreatebutwhat optimum warmthwithoutweight.Theweightmantra indeed ourinventionoffleecebackinthe80’s setanewstandardfor mass andbulk.We’ve beenattheforefrontofthatformanyyears, heading tothemountains:maximizingprotectionwhilstminimizing The necessitieshavebeenthesameaslongpeople market? mountaineering and climbing the for fabrics in necessities the Tell about me in performance. – butmoreimportantlyasustainabilitystorywithnocompromise to that. celebrated onebillionPETbottlesrecycled,nocancomeclose happy aboutthat! the outdoorclothingmarket.Everyonealwayswantsmore,andwe’re Polartec arehappytobeknownasleadersinbringinginnovation fabrics? outdoor of future the in see you do developments What THE FABRIC HOUSE The futureofoutdoorfabricswillcertainlybeasustainabilitystory We’ve beenleadersinrecycledproductforyearsandwerecently -POLARTEC

One ofthekeyplayersherelookedtobeMarmotwiththeirEvoDry the membranewaterproofmarket,willseethatthissimplyisn’t true. hugely evidentandanybodywhothoughtthatthisisn’t possiblein company, HoudinihaslaunchedacompostableT-shirt! OutDoor showinFriedrichshafenwassustainability, forexampleone trends atthisyear’s jacket. Oneofthekey recyclable waterproof fully recycledand Jacket [RIGHT],a the CloudRidge Recently theyreleased keep gearforlonger. encourage peopleto “Worn Wear” to initiatives suchas also offeringgreat their garments,whilst recycled materialsin have usedmoreand now. Patagoniaforexample sustainability foralongtime been workinghardtodevelop truenorthalpine.com at UK the in climbing rock guided for him book You can climbinggearreviews.com site testing gear popular the co-runs and Guide, Mountain IFMGA a trainee is He years. 20 over for mountaineer and climber active an been has Kevin Bringing thetechnicalclothingmarketintoPFC-freeterrainwasalso Many majorbrandshave collection whilsttheSympatex4.0jacket [see page60]wasarealeyeopenerbeing recycled andrecyclable,100%PFC to offercompletefunctionalitytoo, free and100%CO2-neutral.Itlooks although I’veyettotestthisinthereal world. OtherbrandssuchasFjällräven, Haglöfs andVaude wereallshowing shells withPFCfreemembranes.The PFC freethemeisalsobeingappliedto soft-shells withSwissbrandMammut shell jacketandpantcombo[LEFT] unveiling theEisfieldLight,asoft- as wellseamless,andkindtothe which isincrediblyabrasionresistant environment. the heartofcurrentdevelopmentsas it becomesmoreandevident that weneedtolookafterour planet. Itwillbeinterestingtosee how thingsdevelop.Will weever go fullcircle?I’msurewewill It’s greattoseesustainabilityat continue topushtheenvelope in termsofweight,aswell breathability andfunctionality, hopefully allwithminimum

impact ontheenvironment. Climb | 73 Pertex® is a registered trademark of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. THE INSIDE STORY

ALL IMAGES CLIMB MAGAZINE

per line, a 40m long bouldering wall, a free standing boulder, a Lattice board, a Moon The Boardroom Review board, a systems board, hangboards, pegboards (well it is called the Boardroom!) Plus a slackline area, and a TRX, rings and multi gym section. as your visit to the climbing wall become routine - two evenings a week, to But I hadn’t travelled for any of those. In the centre of the space, rising above your local wall, spend an hour bouldering with Jess and then do 4 routes chest high pole vault mats lies the Psicobloc Wall, an 8m high radically overhanging Hwith Joe? One of the reasons we started doing these independent reviews boulder, designed to mimic deep water soloing - without getting wet of course. Yes at Climb was to show some of the variety of indoor climbing out there. Most people that’s 8m high and climbed without a rope. To use this you need a special induction have a choice of walls within an hours travel and some walls like the Boardroom at including disconcertingly learning how to fall on your back (it’s safer onto the super- Queensferry do things differently. squashy mats). Despite the steepness, routes have been set from 6a+ upwards, Those differences start on arrival. When I visited the two large entrances were wide and not having to stop to clip meant that I found myself taking on grades I wouldn’t open, not only allowing plenty of fresh air in on a warm summer evening but giving a normally try. The Psicobloc was not only great strength-endurance training but some relaxed feeling far from the officious receptions of some walls. One difference that of the best fun I’ve had at a wall. Next time your climbing weekend gets rained off didn’t go down so well, and perhaps my only criticism of the centre, was the £11 entry it’s worth considering an hour or twos drive to check out a wall with a difference. fee as a one off visitor. But you do get a lot of bang for your buck - a cafe, a shop, 11m high walls with 30 lead lines and over 20 top rope lines each with multiple routes theboardroomclimbing.com

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9341_Westway_Climb Magazine Half page advert_148x230.indd 1 12/07/2017 11:56 HIMALAYA 1984, Spantik in 1987 and Ultar in 1991. The lead climber and the belayer. There is a real insight The Tribulations accounts offer a reassuring balance of outstanding into the thought processes and the challenges faced of Mick & Vic achievement and frustrating failure. We also share by the lead climber while the belayer is left to reflect (lulu.com £15) remarkable weekends of climbing in Scotland during on life, wondering what is happening above and why the 1980s and a magnificent reunion of the two ‘old they are getting so cold and covered in loose snow. imalaya - The men’ to climb Sersank in 2016. We read of most Himalaya is a wonderful introduction to the Tribulations of of the adventures from the point of view of both expeditions of these two fascinating characters. H Mick & Vic is a climbers which inevitably means that the text is It presents a special invitation to a whole new compilation of expeditions sometimes repetitive. audience to enjoy these demanding, light-weight shared by Mick Fowler The two writers successfully carry the reader climbs on rarely visited mountains. Mick and Victor and Victor Saunders during the 1980s and early onto the mountain; you experience the chill and the travelled with good friends and always came back 1990s. Most are told in Vertical Pleasure by Mick anticipation, you share the banter and laughter and with remarkable stories to tell. The unknown was Fowler (Boardman Tasker shortlisted book 1995) you feel, in equal measure, the joy of success and the so attractive. It is very easy to empathise with their and Elusive Summits and No Place to Fall by Victor bitter disappointment of retreat. Victor tells his story thirst for adventure (and beer!) and their delight Saunders (BT prize winner 1990 and BT shortlisted through much use of direct speech really capturing in exploring varied landscapes and meeting new book 1994). The book was originally published in the interaction between the main characters while peoples. However, if you have already read the three French because none of the above titles have ever Mick presents a laidback and philosophical narrative original books then this book will hold less interest. been translated. It won the Grand Prix at the Passy to describe events during the climbs. You become Mick and Victor have achieved so much and Mountain Festival in 2015. just one of the lads joining in some of the greatest are rightly considered to be real mountaineers’ The text documents three outstanding expeditions boys’ adventures. The book offers quite a rare mountaineers. In Himalaya they overwhelmingly to the Karakoram Mountains: Bojohaghur in opportunity to view ascents through the eyes of the present so much that is positive about the world

THE MAGICIAN’S GLASS in his stamp-sized apartment and his studio, patiently following the ascetic by Ed Douglas (Vertebrate Publishing, £14.95) path he chose for himself two decades ago: climbing and creating without compromising his carefully thought-out vision. Interruptions by visiting ubtitled Character and fate: eight essays climbers are a distraction. In the winter he is planning to return to Tierra del on climbing and the mountain life this Fuego and he has a lot of work and preparation to get through first. He’s Scompilation of long form essays previously just completed filming for a documentary about his life. He’s had enough of published in US magazines is a tour de force talking about the past. by Britain’s leading climbing writer. Whether ‘I’m not normally in the front line trying to explain,’ he says. ‘Trying to he is investigating the life and death of French impress people. Why should they care? It’s way too personal for all that. climbing star Patrick Edlinger or the controversies There are enough people out there in climbing who want to talk. Let them. surrounding Ueli Steck, Douglas has a remarkable ability to peel back the The climbing’s for me. I don’t care what people think. My friends, people I layers of a story, to search beyond the headlines we think we know, and respect, I’d rather have their respect than not, but, y’know… ’ And he trails then share without judgement or pretence the flawed but truly human off. Talking about his life also requires him to revisit the accident that nearly world he finds. Beautifully paced and compelling to read we fully expect killed him in 1984, leaving him with injuries that would qualify him for a The Magician’s Glass to clean up at the next round of climbing literature disabled parking permit, should he ever buy a car. It’s an old story, and one awards. Here we are able to share an exclusive extract from the essay Lines that Parkin is done with. of Beauty: the Art of Climbing. His art is a different matter. He’s going to the gallery now for its regular Wednesday evening open house, organised by owner Johnny Reid. We chat Driving out of Les Praz towards Chamonix, I catch sight of an old man and drink wine. Parkin talks more freely now, as if he’s adjusted to the idea of in my rear-view mirror walking stiffly along the opposite side of the road, my being here. We arrange to go climbing the next day. People start arriving. hoisting his left leg in the air to move forward. I register the iron-hard An elderly couple drags Parkin away to explain a painting. As I leave, I Aiguilles looming over him and look ahead again. A heartbeat later, I realize catch sight of their faces turned towards his, their attention rapt. His hands I know this man. He is not some anonymous pensioner, but Andy Parkin, are pulling shapes from the air. In the warmth of the room, his shirt is open one of the best alpinists Britain has ever produced and a successful full-time a little at the neck, his face a little pinker – an unselfconscious display of artist. We are going to the same place, he and I, the gallery in Chamonix that passion. It’s hard to believe I’d mistaken him earlier for an old man. Parkin exhibits his work. In fact, I’ve spent the afternoon tracking Parkin down. So I now shines with the intensity of someone half his age. pull over and wait. It’s that intensity that I’ve travelled to Chamonix to find. Because while Two questioning blue eyes appear at the open door. A mane of blond hair, Parkin’s climbing is important, at least tangentially, to what I’m trying to dirtying to gray, falls forward a little as he leans down. It’s an experienced, find out, it’s his artist’s way of seeing that seems most essential. I can’t think sharp-nosed face, but not an old one. His jacket is a little ragged. His scarred of many climbers who have put more thought into what it means to be an left hand rests on the doorframe as he scans the interior of the preternaturally alpinist than he has, or applied such a creative imagination to the task of clean rental car, like an animal sniffing a new cage, and then levers himself climbing difficult routes. That’s what I want to capture, the art of climbing, into the passenger seat. the spark of creativity, the shift in perspective that changes the way you – and It’s fair to say he’s not wildly pleased to see me. In summer, when climbers others – view the world. and tourists choke the valley, Parkin tends to retreat a little, hunkering down Why now? I don’t honestly know. Maybe it’s my time of life putting all

66 | Climb Climb REVIEW of climbing while never forgetting the unforgiving Whilst many of their peers share their ambition few it was nice to see the Fontainebleau selection was nature of the mountain. Most of all, the book really have their imagination or originality. Ciavaldini the 6A slab Science Friction and equally nice to reminds us that it is the experience itself, the personal left a successful international competition climbing see by the shots that both authors were finding its growth and the friendships that are most important career to discover amongst other things British lowly graded climbing as challenging as most of us as we all continue to search for new and exciting trad climbing, whilst Pearson who by his late teens bumblies do. Many of the routes I’d never heard of challenges in the mountains of the world. led the British gritstone pack opted to move to the - Metéora’s slender tower The Spindle, a two pitch - Noel Dawson sport climbing melting pot of mainland Europe. 6a+, looks sensational. The result of the couples experimentation has been The venue selection is idiosyncratic but all a life of globe trotting adventure. Climbing Beyond the more intriguing for that and reflecting the is part visual chronicle of their adventures, part concentration of the authors’ travels. The Asian CLIMBING inspirational eye candy and part world guidebook. section is particularly strong with the limestone BEYOND 39 venues across 6 continents are detailed over the caves of Malaysia’s Bukit Ketri vying with the by Caroline Ciavaldini books 224 pages. Each venue is lavishly illustrated granite sea cliffs of Japan’s Kinkasan and Kinabalu’s & James Pearson with images from leading photographers such as granite walls as your next dream destination. (Aurum Press, £20 Jimmy Chin, Tim Kemple and Richard Felderer. If I had a criticism it’s that we don’t get to hear available from The text gives a flavour of the climbing experience the personal climbing accounts of Ciavaldini and 5th October) and usually a single route is illustrated with a Pearson, perhaps they are saving this for another topo. Many of these selected routes are firmly out book. As it is Climbing Beyond is like a global aroline Ciavaldini and James Pearson have of even the ‘aspirational’ category for most with Extreme Rock - sure to inspire any ambitious long been two of the more interesting Kinabalu represented by Southeast Asia’s first 9a climber. Cfigures in contemporary rock climbing. and Val di Mello by an 8b big wall. But elsewhere Ian Parnell

these questions and doubts in my head about climbing and what it means to think of anything else to do? Was I reading too much into an activity that had me. What it’s for. Twenty-five years ago, almost to the day, I first came to this shaped my life because, having invested so much in it, I needed it to be true? I valley as an overgrown boy, wearing ill-fitting boots that gave me blisters and could have done something more useful, or made money and bought my own an old rugby shirt that soaked up sweat as I laboured under a borrowed pack damn chalet. I couldn’t help feeling I liked the kid living in the trailer more in the August heat. Chamonix seemed like an existential kindergarten. Here than who he’d become. was a place I could find out who I was, invent myself – write myself a story. Andy Parkin still hangs on in his little apartment, a tenacious survivor of Unwashed and awkward in our filthy t-shirts, with our faces crisped by the Chamonix’s bohemian past. But since he moved here in 1983, consumerism sun at altitude, my teenage friends and I gorged on patisseries (but only after has grown like a fungus throughout the climbing world, spreading deep we’d done a route, not before). Beautiful girls turned their heads away as underground among the roots of our activities, fed by the compost of financial they passed us on the town’s main street. At that age, it still seems possible to interest. The emphasis on sponsorship and earning power becomes heavier grow up into the ideal version of yourself who stars in your daydreams. The with each passing year. With that change has come a need to differentiate version where the beautiful girls didn’t turn their heads away. between climbers. Overt competition and rankings are the business of sport: One season, I dossed in an abandoned trailer. Another year, I camped in the you’re not necessarily trying to be original; you’re trying to be better than woods behind a parking lot on the edge of town. The site was popular with the next guy. Climbers, and the industry that supports them, have come to flat-broke eastern European climbers and their strange, homemade gear. We’d emphasise grade, height and speed, all things that can be measured. sit around the campfire sharing beers as they sang their songs. One morning Imagination, creativity and thoughtfulness, the unquantifiable, have I woke at dawn to see a man prowling through the trees, his arms describing faded from view. I felt – feel – that these qualities ought to be part of arcs through the dew-heavy air. He was from northern California, which to mountaineering, or else the pursuit would be diminished. So should a feeling me seemed as distant and wondrous as Mars. I nudged the bloke sleeping for the mountains, a sense of place, an attentiveness to the world outside your next to me, and pointed at the strange vision. Any amazing thing, it seemed, own story. Somewhere other. Maybe talking to Parkin would help me see all could happen in this place. that clearly again. ‘Tai chi,’ he mumbled. ‘He’s doing tai chi. Chinese martial thingy. Now ‘The how is so important in climbing,’ Parkin tells me, drinking tea fuck off and let me sleep.’ outside his studio the next day. ‘It’s the reason we do it. It’s gratifying to be This was in 1986, the year of what became known in London’s financial successful, to have ambitions and all that. But the actual execution has got to district as the ‘Big Bang,’ essentially the starting-gun for the turbo-powered be as pure ethically as I can make it. Otherwise there’s no point. I’d rather not capitalism that would transform Chamonix, along with the rest of the world. go near it. I don’t ever want to become complacent about anything. For fear The trailer is long gone. Camping in the woods is now forbidden. The tai-chi of losing that edge. The creative edge, not the sporting one.’ man is probably twice divorced in LA, working at some banal job and failing to ‘I know a lot of climbers who don’t necessarily love the mountains,’ he meet his child-support payments. The last time I climbed in Chamonix, a couple continues. ‘They love the activity, they love the sport. But it’s not the same of years ago, I slept in a comfortable bed, in the chalet of a wealthy friend. I ate love of someone who really loves the mountains, every aspect from the in restaurants and talked about the price of real estate. I walked straight past moraine, from the brooks or streams at the bottom. Their moods.’ the patisserie shops. These days, I’m trying to cut back on cholesterol. What had happened to that naïve sense of possibility? Did I just get older? A special limited edition of 200, signed and numbered, clothbound, Or had I got it wrong? Had I wasted the last few years climbing through hardback editions of The Magician’s Glass is available from Vertebrate habit, trying to re-create some youthful enthusiasm, just because I couldn’t Publishing for £24 at www.v-publishing.co.uk

Climb | 67 Climb REVIEW MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

El Desfiladero de La Hermida – Perfect Technique for Climbers First Aid and Wilderness Medicine New Alpinists the definitive sport climbing guide by Paul Barr (Plastic Heroes, £12) by Jim Duff, Ross Anderson (BMC, £1.25 or 0.75 for BMC members) by Richie Patterson (Roca Verde, £20 A lot of climbers assume that to improve (Cicerone, £11.95) A 32-page booklet aimed at those starting www.rocaverdeclimbing.com) they need to get stronger. But the reality This pocket guide is aimed at anyone out in the mountains looking at the skills, This A5 sized 176 page guide covers is that for the majority of climbers much taking part in outdoor activities, offering knowledge and equipment required to the crags of El Desfiladero de La bigger gains can be made through focusing a comprehensive summary of wilderness become an alpinist. Beautifully illustrated Hermida, a area know for its brilliant tufa on technique. As such this 120 page first aid. A huge range of scenarios are with sound practical advice this slim book climbing bordering the Picos de Europa A4 sized book (a Kindle version is also covered from life-threatening emergencies, includes chapters on equipment, fitness in northwest Spain. With 32 crags, 24 available) offers a clearly laid out approach broken bones and sprains, infectious preparation, planning and acclimatisation, of them not covered, previously, in any to technique skills that would benefit many diseases, food poisoning, bites and stings glacier travel and hazards, huts and guidebook, and nearly 700 routes from beginner to intermediate climbers. There and respiratory problems. Suggestions for bivouacs, and emergency procedures. grade III+ to 8c+ this is a region for are also 21 accompanying demonstration first-aid kits and lists of medications and anyone interested in sports climbs away videos that can be accessed at the wall antibiotics are also included. A classic, in from the crowds. Donations from the book via QR codes on your phone or at home its 12th edition, this is an essential for all sales are also made to the local bolt fund. through Youtube. wilderness travellers.

THIS PAGE: Caroline Ciavaldini on the 40m ‘tram-line’ tufas of Dimensiones Paralelas (7c+), one of the most sought after ticks on the northwest Spanish crag Carcalosa, one of many new crags featured in the new guidebook El Desfiladero de La Hermida (see above). ROCA VERDE

68 | Climb WE’LL BRING THE OUTER STRENGTH Introducing the Fast Climb jacket. Kevlar forearms protect you from the rock face. And light, breathable stretch fabric frees you to tackle the climb your way. Reach further. Move faster. Don’t hold back. Get out more. berghaus.com New Free Digital Climb The advent of digitalisation has radically changed the way we choose to consume media today. So, after over 33 years of print production, we are now embarking on publishing a digital only version of Climb.

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Ueli Steck a very human superman True North Alpine Beyond the clouds UK Rock Climbing and Mountaineering, Guiding and Instruction Tales of exploration from the Southern Ocean to the edge of Europe Got a dream route in mind? Want to learn new skills? Kevin is available

Serra da Estrela Kenton Cool South Georgia Free A3 Poster Hazel Findlay Grit Bouldering UK Trad Iceland Granite climbs and blocs in On the summits of his life Stephen Venables explores Neil Gresham fires his Malham 30 On her 6 year battle with injury A Staffordshire celebration Inspiration for the summer Magical climbing on the Arctic’s edge Portugal’s highest mountains & the future beyond Everest the austral wilderness masterpiece, Sabotage WWW.CLIMBMAGAZINE.COM for private guiding and instruction across the UK. JANUARY 2014 Kevin is a trainee IFMGA Guide, qualified and insured through the BMG. Call: 00447590207604 Email: [email protected] Kevin Avery (CLIMB’s Gear Editor), Web: www.truenorthalpine.com Trainee IFMGA Guide DISCLAIMER: All contributions are welcome and will be deemed fit for publication unless otherwise stated. Except for letters for the letter column it is best to contact the editor initially. All unsolicited material should be sent with a SAE. Materials submitted are at the senders own risk and the publishers or Climb Magazine do not accept liability for the return of any photos or artwork or any loss or damage to photos or artwork submitted www.bmg.org.uk for possible publication. Individual items, including photographs, should be clearly marked with a name and address. Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of material in the publication, no responsibility can be accepted by either Climb Magazine or the publishers for inaccuracies or discrepancies, howsoever caused, in any material we accept for publication. Please be aware that you use and act on the information published in the classified advertisement pages entirely at your own risk. Climb Magazine and the publishers are not liable in contract, tort (including, without limitation, negligence) for any pre-contract or other representations or otherwise out of or in connection with the products or services advertised in the classified advertisements or for any economic losses (including, without limitation, loss of revenues, profits, contracts, business or anticipated savings) or any loss of goodwill or reputation or any special or indirect or consequential loss resulting from classified advertisements. Climb Magazine cannot be held responsible if any information provided in the classified advertisement is incorrect or misleading. The text of the adverts published on the classifieds pages has been provided by the advertisers. If their description is not accurate or you require further information then contact the advertisers and complain if necessary. The editor’s decision whether or not to include material in the publication is final and no correspondence will be entered into. No responsibility can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork, editorial or advertising material that breaches the copyright or any other intellectual property rights of third parties. The views expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the view’s of Climb Magazine, the editor or the publishers.

Climb | 73 Climb CLASSIFIED TOCKIST

Retailers and Climbing Walls where you can purchase a copy of Climb.

BERKSHIRE KENDAL WALL MANCHESTER WALES The Lakeland Climbing Centre, COLD MOUNTAIN KIT Lake District Business Park, MANCHESTER CLIMBING CENTRE SOUTH GLAMORGAN Reading Climbing Centre, Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NH St Benedict’s Church, Unit 33 Robert Cort Ind. Estate kendalwall.co.uk Bennett St, M12 5ND UP AND UNDER OUTDOOR GEAR manchesterclimbingcentre.com Britten Road, Reading, RG2 0AU 01539 721 766 490 Cowbridge Road East, coldmountainkit.com 0161 230 7006 Cardiff, CF5 1BL 01189 756 709 upandunder.co.uk ROCK OVER CLIMBING THE CLIMBERS SHOP 02920 578 579 Compston Corner, Ambleside, City Centre, M3 1LW BIRMINGHAM rockoverclimbing.co.uk Cumbria, LA22 9DS GWYNEDD ROCK ON climbers-shop.com 0161 288 1218 Redpoint Climbing Centre, 01539 430 122 INDY 77 Cecil St, Birmingham, B19 3ST NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Indy Climbing Wall, Indefatigable Plas rockonclimbing.co.uk Llanfair, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, LL61 6NT DERBYSHIRE NOTTINGHAM CLIMBING CENTRE 0121 359 8709 indyclimbingwall.co.uk The Old Pool, 212 Noel St, New OUTSIDE LTD 01248 716 058 BRISTOL Main Rd, Hathersage, S32 1BB Basford, Nottingham, NG7 6AT outside.co.uk nottingham-climbing.co.uk JOE BROWN DICK’S CLIMBING 01433 698199 0115 9988 233 Menai Hall, High St, Llanberis, LL55 4HA 7 Midland Road, Old Market, joe-brown.com Bristol, BS2 0JT HERTFORDSHIRE EAST SUSSEX 01286 870 327 dicksclimbing.com PLAS Y BRENIN 01179 555 243 THE XC BOULDER BRIGHTON The National Mountain Sports Centre, Jarman Park, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4JS Unit 7b-c Victoria Rd Trading Estate, Capel Curig, Conwy, LL24 0ET TCA thexc.co.uk Portslade, Brighton, BN41 1XQ boulderbrighton.com pyb.co.uk The Climbing Academy - Bristol 01442 507 186 Charlton Street, Bristol, BS5 0FD 01273 422 408 01690 720 214 theclimbingacademy.com LONDON V12 OUTDOOR 01179 072 956 SURREY The Old Baptist Chapel, High St, STANFORDS ROCK ON Llanberis, LL55 4EN 12-14 Long Acre, WC2E 9LP v12outdoor.com stanfords.co.uk Craggy Island, 9 Cobbert Park 01286 871 534 BIG ROCK CLIMBING CENTRE 0207 836 1321 Moorfield Rd, Guildford, GU1 1RU Mandeville Drive, Kingston, rockonclimbing.co.uk Milton Keynes, MK10 0AG COLD MOUNTAIN KIT 01483 565635 bigrockclimbing.com 44 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TR SCOTLAND 01908 583 128 coldmountainkit.com TYNE AND WEAR 0207 740 3393 CITY OF GLASGOW FOX’S NEWCASTLE CLIMBING CENTRE THE GLASGOW CLIMBING CENTRE 1 London Rd, Amersham, THE ARCH CLIMBING WALL 285 Shields Rd, 534 Paisley Rd West, Glasgow G51 1RN Buckinghamshire, HP7 0HE The Biscuit: 100 Clements Rd, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE6 2UQ glasgowclimbingcentre.co.uk foxsoutdoor.co.uk SE16 4DG newcastleclimbingcentre.co.uk 0141 427 9550 01494 431431 archclimbingwall.com 0191 265 6060 0207 252 1033 THE CLIMBERS SHOP THE CLIMBING ACADEMY 27-31 High Street, THE CASTLE CLIMBING CENTRE YORKSHIRE 124 Portman St, Glasgow, G41 1EJ Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, Green Lanes, Stoke Newington, N4 2HA theclimbingacademy.com HARROGATE CLIMBING CENTRE MK11 1AA castle-climbing.co.uk 0141 429 6331 Valley House, Hornbeam Park Avenue, climbers-shop.com 0208 211 7000 Hornbeam Park, HG2 8QT 01908 565 863 ROCK ON harrogateclimbingcentre.com 01423 815 024 CHESTER Mile End Climbing Wall, Haverfield Rd, E3 5BE THE BOARDROOM CLIMBING rockonclimbing.co.uk Rectors Lane, Queensferry, CH5 2DH 0208 981 5066 theboardroomclimbing.com PLASTIC HEROES C/O THE REACH 01244 537476 Unit 6 Mellish Ind. Estate, Harrington Way, Woolwich, SE18 5NU CUMBRIA plasticheroes.co.uk 07772 303 467 NEEDLE SPORTS 56 Main St, Keswick, CA12 5JS needlesports.com 01768 772 227

You can’t afford to miss it! It’s time to climb Climb | 79 IN ASSOCIATION WITH mountain-training.org

Tom Randall and I had headed to Millstone with a bunch of Spanish friends to give them the crack experience. Knowing Tom well I knew he had something up his sleeve! It was where we had first met. Then followed years of climbing Masters Edge in fancy dress London Wall and solos of London Wall. What would he pull out of the bag today? There was a glint in his eye as he Millstone Edge pulled onto London Wall. Bizarrely he rotated to a position where he was facing outwards with his back to the crack. Peak District, EU “I needed to keep an eye on my Spanish friends to check they weren’t getting into difficulties” Tom claimed. Really!! PHOTO | MIKE HUTTON

Climbing, walking and mountaineering qualifications for coaches, leaders and instructors. mountain-training.org GRIGRI® +

Standard features include assisted braking, anti-panic handle, and mode selector.

With the GRIGRI+, Petzl’s family of assisted-braking belay devices just expanded. Designed for all climbers, this new device can be used with 8.9mm to 10.5mm diameter single ropes. The belay mode selector (for top rope or ) and the anti-panic handle make this device extremely comfortable to use at both the gym and the crag.

Photo © www.kalice.fr Photo www.petzl.com

AD-GRIGRI+_orang amended.indd 1 24/04/2017 13:43:25