James McHaffie

James went back a few days later for some pictures and threw down a quick lap!

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/08/james_mchaffie_repeats_the_big_bang_-_9a-63370

[2] https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4217119138388286&set=pcb.4217120798388120

[3] https://vimeo.com/28107941

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLz56lDzjAg

[5] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg325555.html#msg325555

[6] https://www.instagram.com/p/C6tZjCcNus4/

Guessed the date based on the blog post [1].

References

[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-meltdown

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

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/CnCiuV_Dy-x/

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/04/megalopa_8c+_for_james_mchaffie-69637.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muSoaZCkN-0

In a day and same day as Predator!

One of the best routes of it's type in Britain; an awesome line with some awesome climbing, and as hard as Bungles Arete. [2]

References

[1] Slate Historical Section

[2] Llanberis Slate. United Kingdom: Ground Up, 2011.

Initially Caff thought it was going to be ~7b+, but fortunately he was going well at the time and still managed to finish it off quickly.

References

[1] Llanberis Slate. United Kingdom: Ground Up, 2011.

In a day and same day as Unjustified!

This ascent marked the end of James' challenge to climb every route in Ken Wilson's book Extreme Rock making him the first person to complete the challenge.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/05/james_mchaffie_becomes_first_extreme_rock_completionist-72402

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Bfk24GbHYwq/

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1332069473507499

The hard version was a rollercoaster and also sometimes felt hard to imagine, just incredibly pumpy. In July I crept higher and higher and it looked like it could go any session, we used tin foil over the 'always' wet hold but it would often become damp so it was far from a perfect solution.

I was living on mackerel and salmon salads all July; totally hate the stuff now. At first, I was only fit enough for one go, then eventually two good goes. July left, then August and I started to accept I might not do it this year and perhaps not at all, but I looked on the bright side of it getting me in the best shape I'd been in since 2011, the year I did Big Bang.

I eventually managed three good goes doing about an F8c three times, trained afterwards and felt steely, but the one good go eluded me for a few more sessions, partly due to shit conditions and I became uncertain if I'd do it. I always hit such a wall a bit beyond the flat hold on Mission right beneath the crux. As it was when I latched the crimp which had eluded me on my three best attempts I was super close to dropping the next two moves too. It felt f**king desperate. [4]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C_3MO16NfL1/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/C_3gvY7NULN/?img_index=1

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/C_7m8CWtcPk/

[4] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/mchaffie-makes-first-ascent-of-yma-o-hyd-e10-7a-north-wales-hardest-trad-route/

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me6MvieBAF0

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfk7FSOKipI

I was struggling with the key wire placement – I reckon I only had ten seconds to place it and clip it before I would fall. But then I sussed a more comfortable body position and knew it was on. As for the grade, well, I think with the pecker hook it doesn't warrant E9. E8 7a seems a more accurate appraisal.

James got on the route again some years later and revised his grade suggestion to E9:

The downgrading game is bollox a lot of the time. Me n Robins said trauma was e8, I got back on it years later n it's definitely e9. I thought Longhope was e8 7a when I did main pitch in 2012 as was sport fit but its safe e9. [2]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/06/james_mchaffie_downgrades_trauma_to_e8-37873

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHXDtQIJic/

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/4925236

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/06/james_mchaffie_tom_cruises_mission_impossible-47686

[3] https://www.8a.nu/news/james-mchaffie-43-does-yma-o-hyd-8c%2B-trad

Swapping leads with Ben Bransby. James led the crucial crux pitch.

References

[1] https://vimeo.com/67457960

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/05/long_hope_repeated_-_mchaffie_and_bransby-68088

References

[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-indian-face

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/07/indian_face_e9_for_james_mchaffie-68205

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/CoMouAtN-GE/

Without doubt it’s one of the best single pitch routes, sport or trad, that I’ve ever done. It’s physically around 8a+, safe and straight-forward to get the gear in. The rock is immaculate and the moves are great. The climbing was a lot better than I expected with a lot of cool and varied moves. A great route with a great name.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/06/divided_years_e89_ground_up_-_mchaffie+pasquill-69801

[2] https://vimeo.com/187316913

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/04/new_12-skyhook_e9_by_james_mchaffie_house_of_talons-70418

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn6aWHqNKqz/

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/new_e9_7a_for_mchaffie_on_dinas_mot_-_dark_religion-70461

It's a fantastic bit of climbing, very Nick Dixon, I used about five thumb spraggs on it and it has quite knacky manoeuvres. Glad I never tried to onsight it as I wouldn't have got very far and the finish would be gnarly if you didn't know it as the peg and rurp would rip in a fall which would give a very big fall.

I was happy to do it in a day. Pete Hurley had brought up a spare beer as well. [2]

References

[1] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/news/james-mchaffie-repeats-face-mecca-e9/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/06/face_mecca_e9_6c_for_james_mchaffie-70510

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/08/the_big_issue_e9_6c_for_mchaffie_and_pasquill-71234

References

[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/moonrise-kingdom

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/05/moonrise_kingdom_new_e9_multipitch_by_mchaffie_and_varian-71089

A North Wales version of The Walk of Life, technically harder but not quite as knarly a start.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CeRgzyBt6gE/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/06/james_mchaffie_climbs_new_e9_6c_in_llanberis_pass-73068

...best pitch of climbing I've ever done. Ricky Bells amazing Rathlin Effect at Fairhead. 70 metres long. ...big pumpy moves lead up to the roof and gear before crux moves left lead to a Dyno (I fell here on first effort!) Left for an arete and an amazing layback to a rest foot hold where you can shakeout. This is around 35 metres up and I thought it E8 to here. A little above lies ten metres of arete climbing of sustained 6b where a fall will be really big. The last 20 metres gives stunning E6 6b/c face climbing.

http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/fairhead

https://vimeo.com/386792141

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

[2] On The Edge Issue 100, page 10

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

References

[1] Llanberis - Sixth Edition 2009, by Iwan Arfon Jones, page 402

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CaDPqsDNpO1/

It’s probably a bit easier than Chicama and around 7c+ in technical difficulty. It’s great climbing on nice holds but it’d be a hard one to onsight. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/02/new_e8_for_james_mchaffie_on_anglesey-70261

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DB9YIrDuGal/?img_index=1

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

James had an epic whilst trying to onsight the route:

After a few tough sequences leading up right to get stood up in semi balance on crimps I thought I was ‘in’, a small amount of euphoria started to arrive. Unfortunately the handholds went dry, just having those ‘only for balance’ type hand holds. The move was obvious, put your left foot high onto a small edge and spring for what was hopefully an edge above. I was pretty baked from the effort so far and could see the feet went shit beyond. Half an hour of failing to progress via any possible option and the invincibility had worn off with the pain of reality soon to become the biggest epic I’d ever had in climbing dangerous routes. I think the sun had hit me before I’d realised I’d have to drop the ropes and it was 2 hours or so later before the ropes, 2* 9mm’s tied together got thrown blindly from Adam Wilde out over Cloggy to rescue my absolutely fucked body and mind from the clutches of the black cliff.

The situation had been horrendous for both of us, he was looking at having a teenage kid die on him and I had assumed for some length of time I was going to die as my tendons had been ebbing away in a really terrifying manner. I also knew my family would be devastated and I knew it was stupid. I remember thinking so fast about everything. Everything I wouldn’t ever be able to do. I was so sure I was a dead man. I’d pleaded with every god I could think of for a miracle and tbh when I sailed down to near the base of Vember on that line it did feel like I’d received one. [1]

References

[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock

[2] On The Edge Issue 101, page 11

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

Described as Zero Direct [1], perhaps took a slightly different line?

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53

I was drawn up there almost unconsciously. I’d justified it to myself, partly through listening to Jerrys take on the route. I’ve always loved treading in the footsteps of heros [sic] and this was another opportunity. It wasn’t about the quality of the route, it was about the experience it offered. It was also a mental block and I hate the thought of those, they just shouldn’t be allowed.

...

I’d done more than 200 routes of E7-9 and this bastard felt amongst the most serious few leads I’d ever done. It was more than just my history with it for sure, the way Jerry went was really dangerous and if Leo went that way as a 17 year old in shit shoes it’s just extraordinary and shows the mental audacity he had in the late 90s. From reading into Jerrys account of his ascent I’m pretty sure this is where he went and I’ll just throw it out there and say I think he did an E9 in 1983 and I don’t feel too bad for having a total fucking epic on it as a teenager. [1]

References

[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CRwGjwMFS5t/

References

[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53