John Gaskins
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | GB |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8C |
| Hardest Sport (Worked): | 9a+ |
| Hardest Trad (Worked): | E10 |
John Gaskins is a controversial figure in British climbing. As well as an early repeat of Hubble he has claimed many ascents of hard routes and boulder problems. However for some of his hardest ascents it is unclear whether they happened. In particular he has been unable to describe the holds or sequences on his problem Shadowplay, and shortly after claiming the first ascent was unable to pull on to the problem to get photographs for his sponsors.
Similar inconsistencies exist on several other routes and problems he has claimed including Violent New Breed (9a+), Tranquilitas (8C) which John originally claimed as Karma of the Trees at 8A and Little Women Right Hand.
Despite the above John was a capable climber and almost certainly climbed several hard problems, such as Anaesthesia (8A+) at Woodwell.
References
[1] Interview with Simon Lee from UKBouldering.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbZALxPdjZg
[2] From the same interview as [1], footage of John climbing on his board https://vimeo.com/82936059.
Excluded
Several of John's hardest claimed ascents have been disputed, though there are some examples of him climbing hard-ish (for example Anaesthesia is on video).
Dan Varian has tried many of John's harder problems and attempted to clarify where the lines go several times with minimal success. He goes in to detail here https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=30355.0
Pics + Vids
Hubble (9a)
Isla de Encanta (8B, FA)
Gaskins' Problem (8B, FA)
At the Heart of It All (8B+, FA)
Hugh (9a)
Anaesthesia (8A+, FA)
Brandenburg Gate (9a+)
Violent New Breed (9a+, FA)
Kaizen (8B+, FA)
Ascents
24 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Hubble | 9a (Lead) | 1st January 1994 (approx) | |
| 1995 | ||||
| 1996 | ||||
| 1997 | ||||
| 1998 | Isla de Encanta | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 1998 (approx) |
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | ||||
| 2001 | Walk Away | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 2001 (approx) |
| 2002 | Walk Away SDS | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st September 2002 (approx) |
| 2003 | Brandenburg Gate | 9a+ (Lead Did not finish) | 1st January 2003 (approx) | |
|
In interviews John has stated he got relatively close to climbing this line [2].
Paul Reeve also witnessed an attempt where John nearly made it in to Make it Funky. [1] [1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg647558.html#msg647558 [2] Interview with Simon Lee https://youtu.be/RbZALxPdjZg?t=1950 |
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| At the Heart of It All | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2003 (approx) | |
| 2004 | Gossip | 8C (Boulder) | 1st January 2004 (approx) | |
|
At the time of the ascent Markus Bock publically disputed it. There was a lot of back and forth with no resolution. |
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| Il Pirata | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st February 2004 (approx) | |
| Violent New Breed | 9a+ (Lead) | ✓ | 21st June 2004 | |
|
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2004/06/john_gaskins_new_9a+_-_the_hardest_in_the_world-11117 https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/gaskins_climbs_long-standing_project_to_give_a_new_9a+-90333 ExcludedThere is a picture of John on this, however Dan Varian has spoken to the photographer, Ray Wood, who said that John was unable to repeat any of the hard moves. |
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| Head Like a Hole | 8b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 7th August 2004 | |
| Shadowplay | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2004 (approx) | |
ExcludedWhen asked directly about it, John has been unable to describe the holds on the problem or the sequence he used on it despite supposedly spending tens of sessions over multiple years on it. Other capable climbers, notably Dan Varian, have been unable to find any meaningful holds. References[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30355.msg594312.html#msg594312 |
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| 2005 | Endless Nameless | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2005 (approx) |
| Gaskins' Problem | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 5th October 2005 | |
| 2006 | Information Highway Revisited | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 2006 (approx) |
| A Moment of Clarity | E10 (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st February 2006 (approx) | |
|
One of the last hard lines John climbed. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent New Breed | 9a+ (Lead) | ✓ | 21st June 2004 | |
|
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2004/06/john_gaskins_new_9a+_-_the_hardest_in_the_world-11117 https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/gaskins_climbs_long-standing_project_to_give_a_new_9a+-90333 ExcludedThere is a picture of John on this, however Dan Varian has spoken to the photographer, Ray Wood, who said that John was unable to repeat any of the hard moves. |
||||
| Brandenburg Gate | 9a+ (Lead Did not finish) | 1st January 2003 (approx) | ||
|
In interviews John has stated he got relatively close to climbing this line [2].
Paul Reeve also witnessed an attempt where John nearly made it in to Make it Funky. [1] [1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg647558.html#msg647558 [2] Interview with Simon Lee https://youtu.be/RbZALxPdjZg?t=1950 |
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| Hubble | 9a (Lead) | 1st January 1994 (approx) | ||
| Hugh | 9a (Lead Did not finish) | |||
| Head Like a Hole | 8b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 7th August 2004 | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk Away SDS | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st September 2002 (approx) | |
| Il Pirata | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st February 2004 (approx) | |
| Shadowplay | 8C (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2004 (approx) | |
ExcludedWhen asked directly about it, John has been unable to describe the holds on the problem or the sequence he used on it despite supposedly spending tens of sessions over multiple years on it. Other capable climbers, notably Dan Varian, have been unable to find any meaningful holds. References[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,30355.msg594312.html#msg594312 |
||||
| Gossip | 8C (Boulder) | 1st January 2004 (approx) | ||
|
At the time of the ascent Markus Bock publically disputed it. There was a lot of back and forth with no resolution. |
||||
| At the Heart of It All | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2003 (approx) | |
| Kaizen | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Traci Lords SDS | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Asphyxia | 8B+ (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Isla de Encanta | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 1998 (approx) | |
| Walk Away | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 2001 (approx) | |
| Endless Nameless | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st October 2005 (approx) | |
| Gaskins' Problem | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | 5th October 2005 | |
| Shallow Groove | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
Excluded
[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg609908.html#msg609908 |
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| Little Women | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
ExcludedJohn originally claimed at 8A+. |
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| Impossible Slab | 8B (Boulder) | ✓ | ||
| Anaesthesia | 8A+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 8B | |
|
Climbed with feet on the back and given 8B. New beta using heels on the lip has taken the grade to 8A+. |
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| Information Highway Revisited | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st January 2006 (approx) | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Moment of Clarity | E10 (Boulder) | ✓ | 1st February 2006 (approx) | |
|
One of the last hard lines John climbed. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pump up the Stamina | 8c+ (Boulder) | ✓ |