Immortal | E11 Trad climb at Maidens Bluff

First ascent.

Featured in the Brit Rock film tour 2021 http://www.britrockfilmtour.com/.

The new line at Maiden's Bluff and the North York Moors' new hardest route. It's a fabulously aggressive micro route, with the difficulties being fairly short lived, all hinging on a handful of desperate micro crimps, super sketchy feet, exact body position, as well as timing for the lateral lunge. The penalty for failure is a fall onto some rubbish skyhooks on soft sandstone, with a large drop below. Right up to the point of commitment, I had no idea whether I'd summon up the required cocktail of courage and madness to actually go into the one-way tunnel. It was one of those life-defining moments. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CX0zC6YNuAv/

[2] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=420964812936944&set=a.229693922064035

[3] https://francocookson.wordpress.com/2021/12/23/the-immortal/

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9JkT0MiuM0

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKDw0EoBPMU

2 sessions.

Despite the difficult weather conditions, I had a wonderful day up there. The situation of Maidens Bluff, high up on the bank overlooking the North Sea is pretty spectacular, but what made the day really special was everybody rallying together and having a good time. As a teenager, I had a poster of Neil Gresham, climbing Equilibrium in my bedroom, and Steve McClure is, well, he is Steve McClure. It’s obviously pretty cool to get to climb with some of your childhood heroes, but more importantly than that just like Chris Hudgins, they are simply really great people. That makes all the difference on the day. [1]

James suggested it was easier than E11 without proposing a specific grade. [3]

References

[1] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/james-pearson-makes-second-ascent-of-immortal-north-york-moors/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/C2XjOK-NPCS/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/C2abcTWtoJz/?img_index=1

[4] https://www.instagram.com/p/C2cvx-lNEqZ/