Jim Pope

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Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Hardest Trad (Flash): E8
Notable Partnerships
Sam Lawson
Aidan Roberts

Peak district based climber's climber.

Author of the seminal Big Balls and Ground Falls.

Contributors: remus

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7
Hardest Trad (Flash): E8
Notable Partnerships
Sam Lawson
Aidan Roberts

Peak district based climber's climber.

Author of the seminal Big Balls and Ground Falls.

Contributors: remus

Lists


Podcasts


Pics + Vids

Added at 16:01 on 13 January 2021
Strawberries (E7)
Added at 07:08 on 09 August 2023
Samson (8A)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 17:10 on 26 October 2023
Balance It Is (E7)
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Added at 21:11 on 21 November 2023
The Zone (E9)
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Added at 17:12 on 08 December 2023
Blankety Blank (8A, FA)
Added at 18:12 on 13 December 2023
Hypergravity (8B)
Added at 20:01 on 01 January 2024
Burden of Seams (8B, FA)
Added at 20:01 on 01 January 2024
Kaa'bah (8c+)
Added at 12:12 on 22 December 2020
Eye of Odin (8c+)
Added at 13:12 on 22 December 2020
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
Added at 16:01 on 22 January 2023
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
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Added at 12:01 on 23 January 2023
The Brute (8b)
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Added at 08:03 on 19 March 2021
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
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Added at 20:12 on 23 December 2021
The Boss (8B+)
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Added at 06:04 on 15 April 2021
Simbas Pride (E8)
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Added at 18:03 on 28 March 2021
The Boss (8B+)
Added at 16:07 on 02 July 2021
Accelerator (8b+)
Added at 18:07 on 04 July 2021
Eye of the Tiger (E7)
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Added at 15:04 on 21 April 2022
Appointment with Death (E9)
Added at 09:05 on 20 May 2022
Nedlocks (8B)
Added at 07:10 on 04 October 2022
Sweet Track (8A+, FA)
Added at 07:10 on 04 October 2022
Strawberries (E7)
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Added at 05:08 on 09 August 2023

Ascents

36 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown. Use the other tabs to view these ascents.
Year Climb Grade Style Ascent Date
2012 Hot Fun Closing 8a Lead | worked 22nd Sep 2012
2013
2014 Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis 8b+ Lead | worked 26th Oct 2014
2015
2016 Kaa'bah 8c+ Lead | worked 16th Oct 2016
2017
2018 Kalea Borroka 8b+ Lead | onsight 10th Jan 2018
Mr. Hyde 8c+ Lead | worked 27th May 2018
Eye of Odin 8c+ Lead | worked 8th Aug 2018
Meshuga E9 Lead | worked 24th Oct 2018
2019 Appointment with Death E9 Lead | worked 24th Feb 2019

A very spicy ascent. Near the top of the route, well past the point where you'd consider falling off safely, a foothold broke and only Jim's ability to hold a one-arm lock off saved him.

https://youtu.be/sfDPJIbOk84?t=2516

The Brute 8b Lead | onsight 1st Sep 2019
Simbas Pride E8 Lead | worked 16th Sep 2019
2020 Accelerator 8b+ Lead | worked 10th Jul 2020
End Game 8B Boulder | worked 3rd Oct 2020
Nah'han E8 Lead | flash 15th Oct 2020
2021 Bloodhound 8B Boulder | worked 2021
The Boss 8B+ Boulder | worked 14th Apr 2021
Une Jeune Fille Quatre Vingt Dix Ans E8 Lead | flash 15th Apr 2021
Transform 8c Lead | worked 5th May 2021
Nedlocks 8B Boulder | worked 19th Aug 2021
Prisoners of the Sun E10 Lead | worked 23rd Sep 2021
Second ascent.

I had a short recce on top-rope while Ben got reacquainted with [Surreal Appeal] – so probably around 45 minutes including the warm-up - after the drive over from Sheffield. I then belayed Ben on his send and then I went straight after him. [1]

On the grade:

It's always hard to put a grade on something, and especially trad where the grade is even more subjective given you have to take into account how dangerous it felt for you. Personally, when comparing it to other routes I’ve done, I felt like I’d had an E8 6c experience. [1]

References

[1] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/pope-gets-second-ascent-of-prisoners-of-the-sun/

Balance It Is E7 Lead | flash 28th Oct 2021
Frowned Upon E8 Solo | worked 15th Dec 2021
2022 Heritage 8B Boulder | worked 7th Mar 2022
Eye of the Tiger E7 Lead | flash Apr 2022
Blankety Blank 8A Boulder | worked 14th May 2022
Applied Imagination 8A+ Boulder | worked 4th Nov 2022
First ascent.
2023 Olwen E9 Lead | worked 6th Aug 2023
Strawberries E7 Lead | onsight 7th Aug 2023
The Final Round E9 Lead | worked 27th Aug 2023

First go. Jim had previously flashed Eye of the Tiger which shares some climbing with The Final Round, so although he climbed both lines on the first attempt his ascent of The Final Round was not a proper flash.

Burden of Seams 8B Boulder | worked Oct 2023
Hypergravity 8B Boulder | worked 18th Oct 2023
Samson 8A Boulder | worked 25th Oct 2023
Partage 8A+ Boulder | flash 2nd Dec 2023
The Zone E9 Lead | worked 6th Dec 2023
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Kaa'bah 8c+ Lead | worked 16th Oct 2016
Mr. Hyde 8c+ Lead | worked 27th May 2018
Eye of Odin 8c+ Lead | worked 8th Aug 2018
Transform 8c Lead | worked 5th May 2021
Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis 8b+ Lead | worked 26th Oct 2014
Kalea Borroka 8b+ Lead | onsight 10th Jan 2018
Accelerator 8b+ Lead | worked 10th Jul 2020
The Brute 8b Lead | onsight 1st Sep 2019
Hot Fun Closing 8a Lead | worked 22nd Sep 2012
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
The Boss 8B+ Boulder | worked 14th Apr 2021
Bloodhound 8B Boulder | worked 2021
Burden of Seams 8B Boulder | worked Oct 2023
End Game 8B Boulder | worked 3rd Oct 2020
Nedlocks 8B Boulder | worked 19th Aug 2021
Heritage 8B Boulder | worked 7th Mar 2022
Hypergravity 8B Boulder | worked 18th Oct 2023
The last Dance 8B Boulder | worked
Antidiluvian 8B Boulder | worked
Applied Imagination 8A+ Boulder | worked 4th Nov 2022
First ascent.
Sweet Track 8A+ Boulder | worked
Partage 8A+ Boulder | flash 2nd Dec 2023
Blankety Blank 8A Boulder | worked 14th May 2022
Samson 8A Boulder | worked 25th Oct 2023
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Prisoners of the Sun E10 Lead | worked 23rd Sep 2021
Second ascent.

I had a short recce on top-rope while Ben got reacquainted with [Surreal Appeal] – so probably around 45 minutes including the warm-up - after the drive over from Sheffield. I then belayed Ben on his send and then I went straight after him. [1]

On the grade:

It's always hard to put a grade on something, and especially trad where the grade is even more subjective given you have to take into account how dangerous it felt for you. Personally, when comparing it to other routes I’ve done, I felt like I’d had an E8 6c experience. [1]

References

[1] https://www.climber.co.uk/news/pope-gets-second-ascent-of-prisoners-of-the-sun/

Meshuga E9 Lead | worked 24th Oct 2018
Appointment with Death E9 Lead | worked 24th Feb 2019

A very spicy ascent. Near the top of the route, well past the point where you'd consider falling off safely, a foothold broke and only Jim's ability to hold a one-arm lock off saved him.

https://youtu.be/sfDPJIbOk84?t=2516

Olwen E9 Lead | worked 6th Aug 2023
The Final Round E9 Lead | worked 27th Aug 2023

First go. Jim had previously flashed Eye of the Tiger which shares some climbing with The Final Round, so although he climbed both lines on the first attempt his ascent of The Final Round was not a proper flash.

The Zone E9 Lead | worked 6th Dec 2023
Frowned Upon E8 Solo | worked 15th Dec 2021
Simbas Pride E8 Lead | worked 16th Sep 2019
Nah'han E8 Lead | flash 15th Oct 2020
Une Jeune Fille Quatre Vingt Dix Ans E8 Lead | flash 15th Apr 2021
Balance It Is E7 Lead | flash 28th Oct 2021
Eye of the Tiger E7 Lead | flash Apr 2022
Strawberries E7 Lead | onsight 7th Aug 2023
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade