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 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] https://dmmwales.com/journal/may-2021/mchaffie-completes-extreme-rock
[2] https://chalkbloc.com/climbing-interviews/james-mchaffie-the-dark-lord-climber-interview
33 recorded ascents.
Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
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2000 | Master's Wall | E7 (Lead Did not finish) | 01 Jan 2000 (approx) | |
James had an epic whilst trying to onsight the route:
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
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2001 | ||||
2002 | Fear Of Failure | E8 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) |
2003 | ||||
2004 | ||||
2005 | ||||
2006 | ||||
2007 | Trauma | E9 (Lead) | 17 Jun 2007 | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/06/james_mchaffie_downgrades_trauma_to_e8-37873 |
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2008 | ||||
2009 | Mission Impossible | E9 (Lead) | 01 Jun 2009 (approx) | |
Second ascent. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/06/james_mchaffie_tom_cruises_mission_impossible-47686 |
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2010 | ||||
2011 | Big Bang | 9a (Lead) | 30 Jul 2011 (approx) | |
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 |
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Dawes Rides a Shovelhead | E8 (Lead Onsight) | 01 Aug 2011 (approx) | ||
Predator | 8b (Lead) | 06 Aug 2011 | ||
In a day and same day as Unjustified! |
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Unjustified | 8b+ (Lead) | 06 Aug 2011 | ||
In a day and same day as Predator! |
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2012 | Bat Route | 8c (Lead) | 06 Apr 2012 | |
The Meltdown | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2012 (approx) | |
http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-meltdown Guessed the date based on the blog post. |
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2013 | Longhope Route Direct | E9 (Alternate Leads) | 25 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 |
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Indian Face | E9 (Lead) | 09 Jul 2013 (approx) | ||
http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-indian-face https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/07/indian_face_e9_for_james_mchaffie-68205 |
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2014 | ||||
2015 | The Beast | 8c (Lead) | 01 Jan 2015 (approx) | |
Supercool | 8a+ (Lead Onsight) | 01 Jan 2015 (approx) | ||
Coeur de Lion | E8 (Lead) | 01 Apr 2015 (approx) | ||
Megalopa | 8c+ (Lead) | 01 Apr 2015 (approx) | ||
Third ascent. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/04/megalopa_8c+_for_james_mchaffie-69637. |
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Divided Years | E9 (Lead Ground up) | 22 Jun 2015 (approx) | ||
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/06/divided_years_e89_ground_up_-_mchaffie+pasquill-69801 |
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2016 | Sea of Tranquility | 8c+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 2016 (approx) | |
Gravity Wave | E8 (Lead) | ✓ | 14 Feb 2016 | |
House of Talons | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Apr 2016 (approx) | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/04/new_12-skyhook_e9_by_james_mchaffie_house_of_talons-70418 |
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Dark Religion | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2016 (approx) | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/new_e9_7a_for_mchaffie_on_dinas_mot_-_dark_religion-70461 |
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Face Mecca | E9 (Lead) | 06 Jun 2016 (approx) | ||
https://www.climber.co.uk/news/news/james-mchaffie-repeats-face-mecca-e9/ |
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2017 | Moonrise Kingdom | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2017 (approx) |
2018 | The Walk of Life | E9 (Lead) | 01 May 2018 (approx) | |
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest | E9 (Lead) | 01 May 2018 (approx) | ||
Master's Wall | E7 (Lead) | 28 Jun 2018 | ||
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
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2019 | ||||
2020 | ||||
2021 | Revelations | 8b (Lead) | 26 May 2021 | |
This ascent marked the end of James' challenge to climb every route in Ken Wilson's book Extreme Rock and the first person to complete the challenge. |
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The Tesseract | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 24 Jul 2021 (approx) | |
Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Meltdown | 9a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2012 (approx) | 9a |
http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-meltdown Guessed the date based on the blog post. |
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Big Bang | 9a (Lead) | 30 Jul 2011 (approx) | ||
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 |
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Megalopa | 8c+ (Lead) | 01 Apr 2015 (approx) | ||
Third ascent. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/04/megalopa_8c+_for_james_mchaffie-69637. |
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Sea of Tranquility | 8c+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 2016 (approx) | ||
Bat Route | 8c (Lead) | 06 Apr 2012 | ||
The Beast | 8c (Lead) | 01 Jan 2015 (approx) | ||
Unjustified | 8b+ (Lead) | 06 Aug 2011 | ||
In a day and same day as Predator! |
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Predator | 8b (Lead) | 06 Aug 2011 | ||
In a day and same day as Unjustified! |
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Revelations | 8b (Lead) | 26 May 2021 | ||
This ascent marked the end of James' challenge to climb every route in Ken Wilson's book Extreme Rock and the first person to complete the challenge. |
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Supercool | 8a+ (Lead Onsight) | 01 Jan 2015 (approx) |
Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
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Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
GreatNess Wall | E10 (Lead Did not finish) | |||
House of Talons | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Apr 2016 (approx) | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/04/new_12-skyhook_e9_by_james_mchaffie_house_of_talons-70418 |
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Dark Religion | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2016 (approx) | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/new_e9_7a_for_mchaffie_on_dinas_mot_-_dark_religion-70461 |
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Moonrise Kingdom | E9 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 2017 (approx) | |
Trauma | E9 (Lead) | 17 Jun 2007 | E8 | |
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/06/james_mchaffie_downgrades_trauma_to_e8-37873 |
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Mission Impossible | E9 (Lead) | 01 Jun 2009 (approx) | ||
Second ascent. https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2009/06/james_mchaffie_tom_cruises_mission_impossible-47686 |
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Longhope Route Direct | E9 (Alternate Leads) | 25 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 |
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Indian Face | E9 (Lead) | 09 Jul 2013 (approx) | ||
http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/the-indian-face https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2013/07/indian_face_e9_for_james_mchaffie-68205 |
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Divided Years | E9 (Lead Ground up) | 22 Jun 2015 (approx) | ||
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/06/divided_years_e89_ground_up_-_mchaffie+pasquill-69801 |
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Face Mecca | E9 (Lead) | 06 Jun 2016 (approx) | ||
https://www.climber.co.uk/news/news/james-mchaffie-repeats-face-mecca-e9/ |
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The Walk of Life | E9 (Lead) | 01 May 2018 (approx) | ||
Once Upon a Time in the Southwest | E9 (Lead) | 01 May 2018 (approx) | ||
Gribin Wall Climb | E9 (Lead) | |||
Rare Lichen | E9 (Lead) | |||
The Big Issue | E9 (Lead Ground up) | |||
The Rathlin Effect | E9 (Lead) | |||
Fear Of Failure | E8 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 2002 (approx) | |
Gravity Wave | E8 (Lead) | ✓ | 14 Feb 2016 | |
Dawes Rides a Shovelhead | E8 (Lead Onsight) | 01 Aug 2011 (approx) | ||
Coeur de Lion | E8 (Lead) | 01 Apr 2015 (approx) | ||
The Tesseract | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 24 Jul 2021 (approx) | |
Master's Wall | E7 (Lead Did not finish) | 01 Jan 2000 (approx) | ||
James had an epic whilst trying to onsight the route:
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
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Master's Wall | E7 (Lead) | 28 Jun 2018 | E9 | |
[1] http://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/masters-wall-extreme-rock |
Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
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