Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
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Indian Face | E9 Trad climb on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu
Perhaps the most celebrated and revered route in the UK, Johnny Dawes' ascent in 1986 gave the country its first E9. Although only around 7b/+ to top rope, the route is exceptionally bold, running it out way above bodyweight-only RPs in suspect placements. A fall from the precarious crux at around 40m would likely end on the ground.
A narrow resting foothold before the crux sequence allows the leader a moment's respite and an opportunity to contemplate their fate. Neil Gresham remarked that without this 'ledge' the route might only be E8.
Memorably described in Paul Williams' 1989 guidebook as follows:
It has been said that up the face to the right of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a pitch of such appalling difficulty as to be almost beyond the realms of human comprehension has been ascended without mechanical machinations or other insidious practices normally associated with a route of this calibre...
Protection is at best illusory; the whole sweep of rock affords not so much as a single nubbin on which the thinnest line may be secured, nor a single crack in which the most vestigal of chockstones could hope to gain lodgement. Should the leader fail to negotiate the crux, or be seized by a palsy high on the pitch, disaster must be imminent...
The successful leader, even though he be of a modest disposition, may relax, and justifiably award himself a 'pat on the back'. [1]
After the first ascent there was some controversy, with a flake parting company with the route and John Redhead painting a picture in the scar left behind. This was subsequently removed and became a further source of prime beef between the pair. In 1980, John had made some extraordinary efforts to climb the line, resulting in The Tormented Ejaculation and he took umbrage with Dawes top-roping the line of Indian Face before leading it.
The real shame is that John [Redhead] can't accept that other people are special too. John thinks he's special. Well a lot of other people are special too John. [2]
At some point a mystery chipped nut placement appeared which would have made the route substantially safer. This was filled in with epoxy resin by Johnny Dawes in 1990. [3]
The route was repeated in 1994 by Neil Gresham and Nick Dixon. In 1996 following Leo Houlding's onsight ascent of Master's Wall, up which the route starts, there was speculation about the possibility of an onsight of Indian Face. However, once Leo discovered Yosemite, Welsh death routes no longer seemed so appealing [4] and James McHaffie's epic on Master's Wall in 2000 quenched the onsight dream, seemingly for good.
The route was then neglected for some time, its aura growing. Dave MacLeod backed off it in 2007, before returning better-prepared in 2010 to make a flawless headpoint. A relative flood of repeats in a similar style followed in the dry summer 2013, with McHaffie dispatching the route in a day. Morus Sanderson unintentionally channeled some of the spirit of earlier adventures on the wall with a harrowing repeat on wet holds in 2023.
References
[1] Paul Williams. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. United Kingdom: Climbers' Club, 1989.
[2] E9 6c
[3] Mountain Issue 134 (1990), page 14 /library/11317/mountain-134
Perhaps the most celebrated and revered route in the UK, Johnny Dawes' ascent in 1986 gave the country its first E9. Although only around 7b/+ to top rope, the route is exceptionally bold, running it out way above bodyweight-only RPs in suspect placements. A fall from the precarious crux at around 40m would likely end on the ground.
A narrow resting foothold before the crux sequence allows the leader a moment's respite and an opportunity to contemplate their fate. Neil Gresham remarked that without this 'ledge' the route might only be E8.
Memorably described in Paul Williams' 1989 guidebook as follows:
It has been said that up the face to the right of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a pitch of such appalling difficulty as to be almost beyond the realms of human comprehension has been ascended without mechanical machinations or other insidious practices normally associated with a route of this calibre...
Protection is at best illusory; the whole sweep of rock affords not so much as a single nubbin on which the thinnest line may be secured, nor a single crack in which the most vestigal of chockstones could hope to gain lodgement. Should the leader fail to negotiate the crux, or be seized by a palsy high on the pitch, disaster must be imminent...
The successful leader, even though he be of a modest disposition, may relax, and justifiably award himself a 'pat on the back'. [1]
After the first ascent there was some controversy, with a flake parting company with the route and John Redhead painting a picture in the scar left behind. This was subsequently removed and became a further source of prime beef between the pair. In 1980, John had made some extraordinary efforts to climb the line, resulting in The Tormented Ejaculation and he took umbrage with Dawes top-roping the line of Indian Face before leading it.
The real shame is that John [Redhead] can't accept that other people are special too. John thinks he's special. Well a lot of other people are special too John. [2]
At some point a mystery chipped nut placement appeared which would have made the route substantially safer. This was filled in with epoxy resin by Johnny Dawes in 1990. [3]
The route was repeated in 1994 by Neil Gresham and Nick Dixon. In 1996 following Leo Houlding's onsight ascent of Master's Wall, up which the route starts, there was speculation about the possibility of an onsight of Indian Face. However, once Leo discovered Yosemite, Welsh death routes no longer seemed so appealing [4] and James McHaffie's epic on Master's Wall in 2000 quenched the onsight dream, seemingly for good.
The route was then neglected for some time, its aura growing. Dave MacLeod backed off it in 2007, before returning better-prepared in 2010 to make a flawless headpoint. A relative flood of repeats in a similar style followed in the dry summer 2013, with McHaffie dispatching the route in a day. Morus Sanderson unintentionally channeled some of the spirit of earlier adventures on the wall with a harrowing repeat on wet holds in 2023.
References
[1] Paul Williams. Clogwyn Du'r Arddu. United Kingdom: Climbers' Club, 1989.
[2] E9 6c
[3] Mountain Issue 134 (1990), page 14 /library/11317/mountain-134
Pics + Vids
Featuring 10118 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Janja Garnbret on Hide and Sick 8B+
Kai Lightner on Death of Villains 9a+
Lucas Uchida on The Deep End 8B
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Podcasts
Featuring 4021 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Anna Hazlett on The Enormocast (2022)
- Jerry Moffatt on The Nugget (2022)
- Tom Livingstone on The Cutting Edge (2019)
- Matt Samet, Ben Moon and Erwan Legrand on The Cutting Edge (2026)
Library
Featuring 15056 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Masters of Stone II (1993) Film
- Alpine Journal 1867 Vol 3 1-18 Ormsby Sierra Nevada (1867) Journal
- Guernsey: Not-so-New Climbs Guidebook
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