James McHaffie

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/

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://vimeo.com/28107941

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

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

Third ascent.

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

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

In a day and same day as Predator!

References

[1] Slate Historical Section

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 and the first person to complete the challenge.

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

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

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

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

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn6aWHqNKqz/

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

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

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.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeRgzyBt6gE/

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

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/

Second ascent.

https://vimeo.com/4925236

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

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

https://vimeo.com/67457960

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

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

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

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.

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

https://vimeo.com/187316913

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

...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

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

https://www.instagram.com/p/CaDPqsDNpO1/

Second ascent.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRwGjwMFS5t/

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]

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

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]

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