Jerry Moffatt

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References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkj3Buhfi2k&t=3224s

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/641168632615982

[3] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/402010799865101

Jerry nearly made the first ascent in 2 days but fell off the top roof due to not knowing the sequence well enough. Jerry initially suggested 8c+ but revised this to 8c after Nic Sellars made a fast repeat of Jerry's route Evolution at Raven Tor and downgraded it to 8c:

The only grade I got wrong [in 1995] was Progress at Kilnsey. When I first worked the route I thought definitely not 8c+. I spoke to three others who had all been on the route who all thought it probably 8c+. In the end I gave it 8c+ thinking that perhaps I was climbing better than I thought. The bummer was that I was originally right about the 8c grade and wrong to think I was climbing so great. [2]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33869.msg697764.html#msg697764

[2] On The Edge Issue 53, page 48.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/411589388907242

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/288817811184401

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/2482152265184267

References

[1] The Power of Climbing (1991) by David Jones, page 192

Completing the trilogy of 8b+'s at Smith within a 1 month trip. (Source: Revelations)

References

[1] The Power of Climbing (1991) by David Jones, page 192

Pre-1991. [1]

References

[1] The Power of Climbing (1991) by David Jones, page 192

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CQq-cfXjVKB/

The start has gotten harder over time. Originally 8a+.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/2416302841769210

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/1444484248951079

Jerry recounts that a will to impress a passing Dougie Hall and Kim Carrigan provided the extra motivation he needed to climb the route.

Jerry had previously climbed the first pitch in 1981. He then completed the second pitch in 1982.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116578176465735/116578389799047

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3kuxcMcqhNtNWWrfXXkGDL

First free ascent. In it's incarnation as an aid route it was known as The Cambridge Bolt Route.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/1470798709652966

[2]https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/4612848935447912/

On his 21st birthday.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmgmLyVeX5E

Firstly on Superman, the foothold that broke wasn't used on the first and second ascent and really doesn't make a difference to the grade. It does feel more greasy than it used to. [2]

References

[1] On The Edge issue 114, page 44

[2] Letter to On The Edge, issue 104, page 8

Various dates between 2000 and 2002 have been reported for the first ascent. It was reported in On The Edge #105 (March 2001 edition) which suggests it was done around January 2001 [4].

If the truth be known, it had been my goal for the last three years; either I'd just not been in good enough shape to try it, or the conditions were not right. As soon as I started trying The Ace everybody who had done The Joker was attempting it this way, which added to the pressure. My advantage was that I felt good on The Joker. If I could just get in to the top moves feeling strong, I knew i could do it. My sequence didn't feel right though and I was intrigued to find out about an alternative sequence Ben Moon had been trying. First chance I had I went straight back to the crag and tried his method. I hit the top second go but couldn't hold it. The friction wasn't good that day, but I returned in better conditions and for it done. [5]

References

[1] Revelations by Jerry Moffatt and Niall Grimes, 2009. Page 225.

[2] Peak Rock by Phil Kelly, Graham Hoey and Giles Barker, 2013. Page 310.

[3] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/dave-mason-repeats-the-ace/

[4] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,33255.msg666546.html#msg666546

[5] Climber magazine

I went on a strict diet for about a week. Salads only. As a pure power problem, I didn’t need any stamina, so didn’t need any carbohydrates in my body at all. I could do it if I felt dizzy, so I cut out almost all food. This wasn’t hard. I was keen to lose the weight to give me the edge on that first move and I was so excited about doing it that I could hardly eat anyway. [1]

References

[1] Revelations (2010)

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/421353737930807

References

[1] On The Edge 122, page 14.

The same day Jerry made the first ascent of The Force.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 73, page 25

Climbed on top rope as pads were yet to be invented.

References

[1] Letter to On The Edge, issue 104, page 8

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/964820103584165

[2] Revelations (2010)

The problem, like Thriller, was high and hard all the way. We had a short ladder, so I would lean this against the wall and step off onto the problem to try the upper section. The landing was very rocky, and since this was in the days before bouldering pads, I spent some time burying wooden pallets to flatten out the ground. I soon started to get the moves sorted. When we tried it we would bring a cassette player along. At the time, we were listening to Michael Jackson’s album Thriller. There was one song in particular I would listen to while I looked at the problem, visualising the moves before an attempt. It started off:

‘The Force. It’s got a lot of power.’

It was a great line. Later, when I did the problem, I called it The Force.

...

Later that year, my old friend John Bachar went to The Force, got a crow bar and levered off the formerly loose flake that Mark Chapman had reinforced. He claimed the glue was unethical, and for that, he destroyed the problem. Left behind, in place of a tiny hold that gave a desperate move, there was a large flat ledge which allowed an easy reach high into the problem. The Force was changed utterly, nowhere near the problem it once was. Originally Bachar denied it, but Mark Chapman had seen him at the boulders, so he admitted it later. I was angry, frustrated and disappointed. The glue was invisible and made no difference, serving only to protect the problem. Bachar had been going through a bad time back then. The nature of climbing, always so precious to him, was changing. In Yosemite and other crags, the use of bolts was becoming widespread, threatening the traditional values of boldness and commitment that he had always championed and excelled at. He became entrenched, began to lose friendships and, perhaps, perspective. [1]

References

[1] Revelations (2010)

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/2691794597553365

The first ascent in a day.

References

[1] On The Edge 119, page 71.

With pre-placed gear so that it could be clipped more easily on the lead.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/4537003366365803/

Shortly after Andy Pollitt's second ascent making use of the fact that the route was cleaned and chalked. Nonetheless a very impressive flash.

In that photo [see [2]] 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.

...

You get to some footholds where you can stand and get some RPs behind these little flakes...all I was thinking was "I need to get rescued, I need to get rescued". The I got there, got the wires in, settled down...I just told myself "I never want to climb that bottom bit again, I'm here now and I've got these wires in". The crux was above here but I'd sussed those moves on abseil...so I stood there for a while and thought "let's just go for it".

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/3446194975446653

[2] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116371059819780/116371949819691

[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

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/462380993828081

Nobody else can hang those holds. [1]

References

[1] Peak Limestone North, First Ascents Supplement /file/bc3fd0e4-a3ee-a736-1cbf-d68af9f0910e/peak_lime_north_first_ascents.pdf

Belayer Alan Carne after Jerry decked out after taking a huge fall while trying to make the first ascent:

Fucking 'ell Jerry, I thought I 'ad a stiff on me 'ands.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.115298749927011/115300749926811

Solo after top rope practice.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/1557591667640336

Japan's hardest route at the time.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/2679994322066726

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5QUkcaDeBg

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM-zsZM_VwM

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/2656362574429901

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/430864846979696

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwr78H2NECe/=

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/278657725533743

An early flash ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 107, page 47.