Jim Pope


Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Flash): E8
Social Media

Peak district based climber's climber.

Author of the seminal Big Balls and Ground Falls.

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8c+
Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E10
Hardest Trad (Flash): E8
Social Media

Peak district based climber's climber.

Author of the seminal Big Balls and Ground Falls.


Podcasts


Pics + Vids

Added at 16:01 on 13 January 2021
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 12:01 on 23 January 2023
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 20:12 on 23 December 2021
Frowned Upon (E8, FA)
Added at 16:01 on 22 January 2023
Sweet Track (8A+, FA)
Added at 07:10 on 04 October 2022
Kaa'bah (8c+)
Added at 12:12 on 22 December 2020
Simbas Pride (E8)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 18:03 on 28 March 2021
Accelerator (8b+)
Added at 18:07 on 04 July 2021
Eye of Odin (8c+)
Added at 13:12 on 22 December 2020
The Boss (8B+)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 06:04 on 15 April 2021
The Boss (8B+)
Added at 16:07 on 02 July 2021
The Brute (8b)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 08:03 on 19 March 2021
Appointment with Death (E9)
Added at 09:05 on 20 May 2022
Eye of the Tiger (E7)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 15:04 on 21 April 2022
Nedlocks (8B)
Added at 07:10 on 04 October 2022

Ascents

25 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 FA Ascent Date
2012 Hot Fun Closing 8a (Lead) 22nd September 2012
2013
2014 Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis 8b+ (Lead) 26th October 2014
2015
2016 Kaa'bah 8c+ (Lead) 16th October 2016

4th RP!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhfe3tOJ38

2017
2018 Kalea Borroka 8b+ (Lead Onsight) 10th January 2018

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/01/kale_borroka_8b+_onsight_by_jim_pope-71446

Mr. Hyde 8c+ (Lead) 27th May 2018
Eye of Odin 8c+ (Lead) 8th August 2018

6th go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56H0i0wATWQ

Meshuga E9 (Lead) 24th October 2018

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/10/meshuga_e9_6c_by_jim_pope-71756

2019 Appointment with Death E9 (Lead) 24th February 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 September 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/B14czh3DgPR/

Simbas Pride E8 (Lead) 16th September 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2gxSg4DtiV/

2020 Accelerator 8b+ (Lead) 10th July 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-QULAqOdJI

End Game 8B (Boulder) 3rd October 2020
Nah'han E8 (Lead Flash) 15th October 2020
2021 Bloodhound 8B (Boulder) 2021

https://www.flickr.com/photos/156943872@N06/51115242638/

The Boss 8B+ (Boulder) 14th April 2021

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

https://youtu.be/nrfaAPsNo7g?t=22

Une Jeune Fille Quatre Vingt Dix Ans E8 (Lead Flash) 15th April 2021
Transform 8c (Lead) 5th May 2021
Nedlocks 8B (Boulder) 19th August 2021

https://youtu.be/okkyOpLC6UI?t=66

Prisoners of the Sun E10 (Lead) 23rd September 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]

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

Frowned Upon E8 (Solo) 15th December 2021

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjJB5X8jbgx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1svrnoIcA/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJI5dyCGt1Y

2022 Heritage 8B (Boulder) 7th March 2022
Eye of the Tiger E7 (Lead Flash) April 2022

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

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Kaa'bah 8c+ (Lead) 16th October 2016

4th RP!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yhfe3tOJ38

Mr. Hyde 8c+ (Lead) 27th May 2018
Eye of Odin 8c+ (Lead) 8th August 2018

6th go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56H0i0wATWQ

Transform 8c (Lead) 5th May 2021
Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis 8b+ (Lead) 26th October 2014
Kalea Borroka 8b+ (Lead Onsight) 10th January 2018

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/01/kale_borroka_8b+_onsight_by_jim_pope-71446

Accelerator 8b+ (Lead) 10th July 2020

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-QULAqOdJI

The Brute 8b (Lead Onsight) 1st September 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/B14czh3DgPR/

Hot Fun Closing 8a (Lead) 22nd September 2012
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
The Boss 8B+ (Boulder) 14th April 2021

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

https://youtu.be/nrfaAPsNo7g?t=22

Bloodhound 8B (Boulder) 2021

https://www.flickr.com/photos/156943872@N06/51115242638/

End Game 8B (Boulder) 3rd October 2020
Nedlocks 8B (Boulder) 19th August 2021

https://youtu.be/okkyOpLC6UI?t=66

Heritage 8B (Boulder) 7th March 2022
The last Dance 8B (Boulder)
Antidiluvian 8B (Boulder)
Sweet Track 8A+ (Boulder)

https://youtu.be/okkyOpLC6UI?t=211

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Prisoners of the Sun E10 (Lead) 23rd September 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]

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

Meshuga E9 (Lead) 24th October 2018

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/10/meshuga_e9_6c_by_jim_pope-71756

Appointment with Death E9 (Lead) 24th February 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

Frowned Upon E8 (Solo) 15th December 2021

https://www.instagram.com/p/CjJB5X8jbgx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1svrnoIcA/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJI5dyCGt1Y

Simbas Pride E8 (Lead) 16th September 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2gxSg4DtiV/

Nah'han E8 (Lead Flash) 15th October 2020
Une Jeune Fille Quatre Vingt Dix Ans E8 (Lead Flash) 15th April 2021
Eye of the Tiger E7 (Lead Flash) April 2022

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

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade