Western Front | E3 Trad climb at Almscliff

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First ascent.

Dennis Gray:

I was with him when he first tried to lead Western Front. He struggled over the overhang, tried to reach the crack which splits the face but took a terrible ground fall. I jumped off the boulder I was belayed on at the foot of Crack of Doom, ran round and he was laid unconscious in a heap. "Allan, Allan speak to me" At which he slowly opened his eyes and opined "I'll lead it next time!" [2]

References

[1] Wells, Colin. Who's who in British Climbing: Bite-sized Biographies of Dead Climbers - and Some that are Still Alive. United Kingdom: Climbing Company, 2008.

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/allan_austin_obituary__a_prophet_of_purism-777737?v=1#x9999967