Pete Whittaker


Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E11
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E8
Hardest Trad (Flash): E10
Notable Partnerships
Tom Randall
Mari Augusta Salvesen
Family
Jill Whittaker (parent)
Katy Whittaker (sibling)

One half of the WideBoyz.

References

[1] Features in Without a Partner: Rope Solo of El Cap in Under 24rhs

Contributors
279 contributions since 13th January 2021.
TdG
45 contributions since 1st September 2025.
1 contribution since 24th January 2025.

Quick Info

From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Gender: Male
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E11
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E8
Hardest Trad (Flash): E10
Notable Partnerships
Tom Randall
Mari Augusta Salvesen
Family
Jill Whittaker (parent)
Katy Whittaker (sibling)

One half of the WideBoyz.

References

[1] Features in Without a Partner: Rope Solo of El Cap in Under 24rhs

Contributors
279 contributions since 13th January 2021.
TdG
45 contributions since 1st September 2025.
1 contribution since 24th January 2025.

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No pics or vids yet.


Ascents

63 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown.
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Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Pete had a little play on the crack section to see if he could work out a sequence.

References

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

Kaa'bah 8c+ Lead | worked 2nd Jun 2015
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade

Will it see repeats?

Pete: No. I would absolutely love it if someone did. Honestly I would love it! But it's a fairly short list of candidates, and even then, they'd still need to put some training time in, and they'd need a partner of a same standard. And then to go through the whole recce, access, police thing again.

References

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

As it's not had many ascents I'll give my thoughts on the grade to add to the general consensus over time. For me it felt tough 8c, harder than Cobra [Crack], easier than Recovery [Drink]. With pure cracks like this hand and finger size does always play a part though. This crack does take in a range of bad sizes so the cruxes are likely to be slightly different for everyone.

However, what can be said is it's such a classic for the hard global crack circuit, and you really need to know your pure jamming techniques for this one. Thanks Mason Earle for the vision and the fight right to the anchor. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Cl6HrvwK-/

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/19Qi2hObiFY843FSwzN0vp?4v-Ppg

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGQfQpjpq8I

Greenspit E9 Lead | worked Aug 2010

I was pleased with our successes on this one. When one person gets it it's great, but it always feels like a job half-done, so it was good that we both did it one after the other on the same day. It felt like a little inner personal achievement to me. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/04/roof_crack_repeat_by_randall_and_whittaker_-_necronomicon_513d14a-71912

Black Mamba First ascent. With Tom Randall. E9 Lead | worked Apr 2019

Pete fell of high on the onsight, spent a little time working it and then did it next go. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C6eHLCttTxv/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIh4pBvnzu0

Grandad's Slab First ascent. E8 Lead | worked 5th Jan 2008 E7
Inspiration Dedication First ascent. E8 Lead | worked 13th Sep 2009
Pieces of Eight First ascent. E8 Lead | worked 22nd Dec 2010
Belly Full of Bad Berries E8 Lead | flash Oct 2011
Selladore First ascent. E8 Lead | worked 15th Jun 2012
The Complete Scream E8 Lead | onsight Jun 2015
Jon Bønner First ascent. E8 Lead | worked 16th Sep 2019

On trying to find a partner for the line:

He [George Smith] kept giving me phone numbers of other climbers. Calum [Muskett] managed to bring in the excuse that he was becoming a Dad. However, I eventually managed to rope Zippy [Mark Pretty] into a trip down there. Fortunately for him, the swell was way too big and we couldn't even make it to the base of the first pitch.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci8JBrcMzVt/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/09/massive_new_gogarth_e8_roof_crack_by_pete_whittaker_-_bar_wars-73154

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFDrzUL8srU

Climbing The Cleaver a few weeks back i went wayyyy over maximum. After I passed the crux lip turn I was hazing in and out vision and could barely do the few simple moves to the anchor. Proper over the red line and beyond moment! 😅 I enjoyed it. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C1BeVVpOF_7/?img_index=1

The Price of Evil E8 Lead | worked
Captain Calamity First ascent. E7 Lead | worked 1st Mar 2008

Pete's ascent was partially aided by a gardening glove taped to his under-sized fist.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/06/rays_roof__-_dispatched_by_tom_randall_and_pete_whittaker-44807

Silent Scream First ascent. E7 Lead | worked 7th Mar 2009
Gobbler's Roof First ascent. E7 Lead | worked 22nd Apr 2009

Probably the first ground-up post-peg

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/11/jordan_and_pete_tearing_up_the_grit-58926

Thai Boxing E7 Lead | worked 25th Oct 2010
Ray's Roof E7 Solo | repeat Nov 2010
De Nada First ascent. E7 Lead | worked 2012
Ugly Second ascent. E7 Lead | worked Before 1st Jan 2014

By some definitions Pete flashed the entire route. However it is not clear cut:

  • After completing the first 7 pitches Pete rappelled to the ground for logisitical reasons
  • Pete fell on the boulder problem pitch, lowered to the belay and then climbed the teflon corner first go

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/10/freerider_flashed_by_pete_whittaker-69244

Re-Mastered Edge First ascent. E7 Lead | worked
Norwegian Crown First ascent. E7 Lead | worked
Fast Forward E6 Lead | ground up 2010
The Soft Parade Second ascent. E6 Lead | worked 2013
Our Forte First ascent. E5 Lead Sep 2011
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
The Crackhouse 7c+ Boulder | worked