Climbing History

Jerry Moffatt's solution to the Last Great Problem on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu's Great Wall. It has been the scene of some the most stomach-turning epics in British climbing.

The line had been attempted by John Redhead in 1980, pre-sticky rubber. After taking a massive fall he placed a bolt at his high point, recording the route as The Tormented Ejaculation.

Jerry moved right from around this point, into the neighbouring E4 Spreadeagle. Although some of the climbing had been rehearsed, much had not, and Jerry had a traumatic experience:

In that photo I am absolutely climbing to save my life. I'm out of control, it's way harder than I thought, I didn't want to be there and I'm absolutely terrified. [3]

Leo Houlding made an audacious and terrifying onsight ascent of the route in 1996, climbing in boots two sizes too big, he narrowly made it through.

James McHaffie attempted the same in 2000 but got into serious trouble high on the wall, resulting in one of the most extraordinary and chilling rescues on record. In extremis on crimps and small footholds, he untied from his lead ropes whilst his belayer, over two agonising hours, tried to find the top of the crag to throw an abseil line down to him. McHaffie returned to the route in 2018, climbing it on his second attempt after practising the moves on abseil. The verdict:

I’ll just throw it out there and say I think [Jerry] did an E9 in 1983 and I don’t feel too bad for having a total fucking epic on it as a teenager. (1)

There has been some debate about the line taken on the first ascent.

Nick Dixon, 2004 guidebook:

The route has now had several ascents, some on-sight, though the exact position at which climbers have moved right has varied. The higher, the harder - the first ascensionist moved up and right from position just right of the old Tormented Ejaculation bolt stud, which is 3 metres below and just right of the overhang.(2)

However, based on photographs and Jerry's account, Caff believes Jerry took a high traverse line:

There is a lower weakness beneath the line of Masters Wall leaving the Indian Face 5 metres above the overlap which would be soft E7. It isn't that surprising with the form Jerry had at the time, few climbers in the UK have ever been onsight soloing E4s on mountain cliffs and if you are adept a climber as Jerry obviously was then onsighting many E7s wouldn't feel too hard and after multiple abseils I'd go so far as to say he'd find E7s piss. Listen to his account of his ascent. (1)

The full direct line was climbed in 1986 by Johnny Dawes: Indian Face (E9).

References

[1] https://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock

[2] Clogwyn Du’r Arddu Climber’s Club guidebook by Nick Dixon

[3] Interview with Niall Grimes on Jam Crack Podcast, March 2022 http://www.niallgrimes.com/jam-crack-climbing-podcast/2022/3/17/jcpc-113-jerry-moffatt