Knockin' on Heaven's Door | E9 Trad climb at Curbar Edge

UKClimbing.com

See also Born Slippy.

The route was first climbed on the 2nd of March 1988 by Andy Pollitt and graded E9. The pre-clipped 'hand-held' peg used on the first ascent was later discovered to have actually been placed with a 'hand-held' hammer. [1]

The grade of a given ascent depends quite a bit on the particular gear used.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/10/ryan_pasquill_flashes_knockin_on_heavens_door-58563

Contributors: remus

Pics + Vids

Andy Pollitt
Added at 08:02 on 26 February 2021
James Pearson
Added at 10:01 on 18 January 2021
James Pearson
Added at 23:02 on 23 February 2024
Neil Kershaw
Added at 22:01 on 10 January 2021
Ryan Pasquill
Added at 22:01 on 10 January 2021
Katy Whittaker
View this post on Instagram

Added at 09:12 on 01 December 2021
Dan Honeyman
Added at 09:01 on 11 January 2021
Dan Honeyman
Added at 09:01 on 11 January 2021
Dan Honeyman
Added at 22:01 on 10 January 2021
Dan Honeyman
Added at 22:01 on 10 January 2021

Ascents

13 recorded ascents.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Andy Pollitt Lead | worked 2nd Mar 1988 E9
First ascent.

Climbed from the right with a pre-placed peg.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3416013038464847

Ron Fawcett Lead | worked Between 2nd Mar 1988 and 20th Mar 1994 E7
Second ascent?

Ron climbed the route in a similar style to the FA and thought it was worth about E7 [1].

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt+big_ron_fawcett-9483

Seb Grieve Lead | worked 20th Mar 1994 E7
Third ascent?

From the right with the peg.

Richie Patterson Lead | worked 19th Oct 1996 E8

A variation on Pollitt's line which allowed some better gear to be placed. Claimed as a new route 'Born Slippy' E8. Later ascents have tended to climb Pollitt's line but have used an unobvious traverse to place the born slippy gear.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115415423248677

Ben Tetler Solo | worked 11th Nov 1998 E9

Tetler suggested E9 for a solo ascent.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115413049915581/115416829915203

Mike Weeks Lead | worked 2002

Following the line of Born Slippy.

References

[1] On The Edge 122, page 10.

[2] On The Edge 118, page 12

James Pearson Lead | worked 2003
Alex Honnold Lead | worked 12th Nov 2008

I climbed the easiest way up to the gear on Born Slippy, then finished up the slab. Don't know what this is supposed to be but it's the most natural way up the cool slab.

Aly Robertson Lead | worked 24th Jan 2009

Aly placed the peg on lead. He took a few falls and generally thought the gear was pretty good!

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/01/roaches_and_curbar_-_hard_grit_repeats-45807

Neil Kershaw Lead | worked Oct 2010 E8

Just to clarify, as the situation with this route is not cut and dried as with most routes. We started up Knockin', made a short traverse left to the bomber gear in a hole just beneath the lip (which Born Slippy climbs a variant start to reach, not really required), then came back along the traverse and finished as per usual, hand-placing a peg on the way (on lead). I believe Alex Honnold headpointed the route a similar way although without the hand-placed pegs and reckoned E8 6c. Both myself and Ryan [Pasquill] think that is about right. You could argue that should the hand-placed peg hold then its more like E7 6c, but its far from a certainty and its probably sensible to assume it will rip, hence the back-up plan of the Born Slippy gear, which would almost certainly prevent a groundfall with a decent belay.

Ryan Pasquill Lead | flash 22nd Oct 2010 E8

I was a lot more scared than on both End of the Affair and Gaia. I'd say it's definitely worth E8. Placing the pegs for the first time on lead wasn't ideal. I placed them slightly to the left of where they should have been. I didn't trust them at all.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/10/ryan_pasquill_flashes_knockin_on_heavens_door-58563

Katy Whittaker Lead | worked Nov 2013
Dan Honeyman Lead | worked