Nationality: | GB |
Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8A |
Hardest Sport (Worked): | 9a |
Hardest Sport (Onsight): | 8a+ |
Hardest Trad (Worked): | E9 |
Hardest Trad (Onsight): | E8 |
James McHaffie is a prolific North Wales based trad climber who's also a very capable sport climber. He is one of the best trad onsight climbers in the UK (and potentially the world) with over a hundred E7 onsights to his name. He's also completed some impressive challenges, such as the 100 lakes extremes in a day.
On the 26th May 2021 James climbed Revelations at Raven Tor, the last route of 180 on his way to ticking every route in the book Extreme Rock. This incredible effort demonstrates a huge breadth and depth of experience, from relatively pedestrian climbs such as The Strand at Gogarth (North Stack And Main Cliff) to bold and intimidating leads such as Johnny Dawes' Indian Face and Jerry Moffatt's Master's Wall.
[1] Interview with DMM, September 2021 https://dmmwales.com/journal/may-2021/mchaffie-completes-extreme-rock
[2] Interview with RockClimbingUK, 2011 https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23709.0
[3] Interview with March Langley for UKClimbing.com, September 2020 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/james_mchaffie_-_the_cumbrian-13045
51 recorded ascents.
Year | Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | The Ego Has Landed | E8 | Lead | worked | 2000 |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Master's Wall | E7 | Lead | did not finish | 2000 | |
James had an epic whilst trying to onsight the route:
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
||||
2001 | ||||
2002 | Fear of Failure | E8 | Lead | worked | 2002 |
First ascent.
|
||||
Disorderly Conduct | E8 | Lead | worked | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Hellish | E8 | Lead | worked | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
Second ascent.
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
The Spirit Level | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Satan's Little Helper | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Camouflage | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Zero | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
Described as Zero Direct [1], perhaps took a slightly different line? References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
De Quincy | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Flattery | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Geronimo | E7 | Lead | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
2003 | ||||
2004 | ||||
2005 | ||||
2006 | ||||
2007 | The Serpent Vein | 8b | Lead | worked | Apr 2007 |
First ascent.
References[2] Llanberis Slate. United Kingdom: Ground Up, 2011. |
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Trauma | E9 | Lead | worked | 17th Jun 2007 | |
James got on the route again some years later and revised his grade suggestion to E9:
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/06/james_mchaffie_downgrades_trauma_to_e8-37873 |
||||
2008 | Sauron | 8b | Lead | worked | 3rd Mar 2008 |
First ascent. 2 sessions.
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. |
||||
2009 | Mission Impossible | E9 | Lead | worked | Jun 2009 |
Second ascent.
References[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/06/james_mchaffie_tom_cruises_mission_impossible-47686 |
||||
2010 | ||||
2011 | Big Bang | 9a | Lead | worked | Jul 2011 |
He went back a few days later for some pictures and threw down a quick lap! https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/08/james_mchaffie_repeats_the_big_bang_-_9a-63370 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4217119138388286&set=pcb.4217120798388120 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLz56lDzjAg https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg325555.html#msg325555 |
||||
Dawes Rides a Shovelhead | E8 | Lead | onsight | Aug 2011 | |
Unjustified | 8b+ | Lead | worked | 6th Aug 2011 | |
In a day and same day as Predator! |
||||
Predator | 8b | Lead | worked | 6th Aug 2011 | |
In a day and same day as Unjustified! |
||||
2012 | Bat Route | 8c | Lead | worked | 6th Apr 2012 |
The Meltdown | 9a | Lead | worked | May 2012 | |
First ascent.
Guessed the date based on the blog post [1]. References[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-meltdown |
||||
2013 | Gribin Wall Climb | E9 | Lead | worked | 2013 |
Longhope Route Direct | E9 | Alternate Leads | worked | 25th May 2013 | |
Swapping leads with Ben Bransby. James led the crucial crux pitch. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/05/long_hope_repeated_-_mchaffie_and_bransby-68088 |
||||
Indian Face | E9 | Lead | worked | Jul 2013 | |
2014 | ||||
2015 | The Beast | 8c | Lead | worked | 2015 |
Supercool | 8a+ | Lead | onsight | 2015 | |
Coeur de Lion | E8 | Lead | worked | Apr 2015 | |
Megalopa | 8c+ | Lead | worked | Apr 2015 | |
Third ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/04/megalopa_8c+_for_james_mchaffie-69637. |
||||
Divided Years | E9 | Lead | ground up | Jun 2015 | |
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/06/divided_years_e89_ground_up_-_mchaffie+pasquill-69801 |
||||
2016 | Sea of Tranquility | 8c+ | Lead | worked | 2016 |
Gravity Wave | E8 | Lead | worked | 14th Feb 2016 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/02/new_e8_for_james_mchaffie_on_anglesey-70261 |
||||
House of Talons | E9 | Lead | worked | Apr 2016 | |
Dark Religion | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2016 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/new_e9_7a_for_mchaffie_on_dinas_mot_-_dark_religion-70461 |
||||
Face Mecca | E9 | Lead | worked | Jun 2016 | |
Third ascent.
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 |
||||
Devil's Blade | 8A | Boulder | worked | Sep 2016 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
2017 | Mur Gwyn | 8A | Boulder | worked | Apr 2017 |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Moonrise Kingdom | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2017 | |
2018 | Once Upon a Time in the Southwest | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2018 |
The Walk of Life | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2018 | |
Master's Wall | E7 | Lead | worked | 28th Jun 2018 | |
References[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
||||
2019 | The Rising Son | E8 | Lead | worked | 2019 |
Second ascent.
|
||||
Requiem to the Cyber Wankers | E3 | Lead | 30th Apr 2019 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
2020 | ||||
2021 | Revelations | 8b | Lead | worked | 26th May 2021 |
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 |
||||
The Tesseract | E7 | Lead | worked | Jul 2021 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
2022 | Crac Yr Meistri | E9 | Lead | worked | 1st Jun 2022 |
First ascent.
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 |
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Meltdown | 9a | Lead | worked | May 2012 | 9a |
First ascent.
Guessed the date based on the blog post [1]. References[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-meltdown |
||||
Big Bang | 9a | Lead | worked | Jul 2011 | |
He went back a few days later for some pictures and threw down a quick lap! https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/08/james_mchaffie_repeats_the_big_bang_-_9a-63370 https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=4217119138388286&set=pcb.4217120798388120 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLz56lDzjAg https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg325555.html#msg325555 |
||||
Megalopa | 8c+ | Lead | worked | Apr 2015 | |
Third ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/04/megalopa_8c+_for_james_mchaffie-69637. |
||||
Sea of Tranquility | 8c+ | Lead | worked | 2016 | |
Bat Route | 8c | Lead | worked | 6th Apr 2012 | |
The Beast | 8c | Lead | worked | 2015 | |
Unjustified | 8b+ | Lead | worked | 6th Aug 2011 | |
In a day and same day as Predator! |
||||
The Serpent Vein | 8b | Lead | worked | Apr 2007 | |
First ascent.
References[2] Llanberis Slate. United Kingdom: Ground Up, 2011. |
||||
Sauron | 8b | Lead | worked | 3rd Mar 2008 | |
First ascent. 2 sessions.
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. |
||||
Predator | 8b | Lead | worked | 6th Aug 2011 | |
In a day and same day as Unjustified! |
||||
Revelations | 8b | Lead | worked | 26th May 2021 | |
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 |
||||
Supercool | 8a+ | Lead | onsight | 2015 |
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
Devil's Blade | 8A | Boulder | worked | Sep 2016 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Mur Gwyn | 8A | Boulder | worked | Apr 2017 | |
First ascent.
References |
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
GreatNess Wall | E10 | Lead | did not finish | ||
House of Talons | E9 | Lead | worked | Apr 2016 | |
Dark Religion | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2016 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/new_e9_7a_for_mchaffie_on_dinas_mot_-_dark_religion-70461 |
||||
Moonrise Kingdom | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2017 | |
Crac Yr Meistri | E9 | Lead | worked | 1st Jun 2022 | E9 |
First ascent.
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 |
||||
Trauma | E9 | Lead | worked | 17th Jun 2007 | E9 |
James got on the route again some years later and revised his grade suggestion to E9:
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/06/james_mchaffie_downgrades_trauma_to_e8-37873 |
||||
Mission Impossible | E9 | Lead | worked | Jun 2009 | |
Second ascent.
References[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/06/james_mchaffie_tom_cruises_mission_impossible-47686 |
||||
Gribin Wall Climb | E9 | Lead | worked | 2013 | |
Longhope Route Direct | E9 | Alternate Leads | worked | 25th May 2013 | |
Swapping leads with Ben Bransby. James led the crucial crux pitch. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/05/long_hope_repeated_-_mchaffie_and_bransby-68088 |
||||
Indian Face | E9 | Lead | worked | Jul 2013 | |
Divided Years | E9 | Lead | ground up | Jun 2015 | |
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/06/divided_years_e89_ground_up_-_mchaffie+pasquill-69801 |
||||
Face Mecca | E9 | Lead | worked | Jun 2016 | |
Third ascent.
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 |
||||
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2018 | |
The Walk of Life | E9 | Lead | worked | May 2018 | |
Rare Lichen | E9 | Lead | worked | ||
The Big Issue | E9 | Lead | ground up | ||
The Rathlin Effect | E9 | Lead | worked | ||
|
||||
The Ego Has Landed | E8 | Lead | worked | 2000 | |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Fear of Failure | E8 | Lead | worked | 2002 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Gravity Wave | E8 | Lead | worked | 14th Feb 2016 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/02/new_e8_for_james_mchaffie_on_anglesey-70261 |
||||
Disorderly Conduct | E8 | Lead | worked | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Hellish | E8 | Lead | worked | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
Second ascent.
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Dawes Rides a Shovelhead | E8 | Lead | onsight | Aug 2011 | |
Coeur de Lion | E8 | Lead | worked | Apr 2015 | |
The Rising Son | E8 | Lead | worked | 2019 | |
Second ascent.
|
||||
The Tesseract | E7 | Lead | worked | Jul 2021 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Master's Wall | E7 | Lead | did not finish | 2000 | |
James had an epic whilst trying to onsight the route:
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
||||
The Spirit Level | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Satan's Little Helper | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Camouflage | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Zero | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
Described as Zero Direct [1], perhaps took a slightly different line? References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
De Quincy | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Flattery | E7 | Lead | onsight | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Geronimo | E7 | Lead | Before 1st Jan 2002 | |
Master's Wall | E7 | Lead | worked | 28th Jun 2018 | E9 |
References[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
||||
The Bells! The Bells! | E7 | Lead | onsight | ||
References[1] On The Edge, Issue 113 page 53 |
||||
Requiem to the Cyber Wankers | E3 | Lead | 30th Apr 2019 | |
First ascent.
|
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|