Dan Varian


Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 7C+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9

Dan Varian is a British boulderer and prolific developer, particularly around Northumberland and the north of England more generally. Dan is also part owner of Beastmaker.

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/

[2] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com

Contributors: remus

Quick Info

Nationality: GB
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8B+
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 7C+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E9

Dan Varian is a British boulderer and prolific developer, particularly around Northumberland and the north of England more generally. Dan is also part owner of Beastmaker.

References

[1] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/

[2] http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com

Contributors: remus

Lists


Podcasts


Pics + Vids

Added at 17:01 on 13 January 2021
The Rail (8B+, FA)
Added at 10:12 on 19 December 2020
Transcendence (E9)
Added at 14:01 on 06 January 2021
Dandelion Mind (8B, FA)
Added at 23:02 on 15 February 2021
Second Coming (8B)
Added at 23:02 on 15 February 2021
Bewilderness (8B+, FA)
Added at 23:02 on 15 February 2021
Serenity (8B)
Added at 23:02 on 15 February 2021
The Magna Strata (8B+, FA)
Added at 12:03 on 09 March 2023
Cruachan (8A+, FA)
Added at 19:04 on 19 April 2023
Marra Time (8A+, FA)
Added at 19:04 on 19 April 2023
The Prow (8A)
Added at 17:02 on 05 February 2022
A Bigger Belly (8B, FA)
Added at 06:05 on 25 May 2022
Catapult (8A+)
Added at 07:02 on 17 February 2023

Ascents

56 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 Ascent Date
2006 Queen Kong 8A (Boulder worked) 2006
First ascent.
2007
2008 Serendipity 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2008
First ascent.
A Bigger Belly 8B (Boulder worked) 2008
First ascent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peb1QdlzZdI

Little Women 8B+ (Boulder worked) Dec 2008
Second ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/little-women.html

Superbloc 8A+ (Boulder ground up) 6th Dec 2008
Second ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/12/dan_varian_repeats_superbloc_e8font_8a-45495

2009
2010 Ivan Dobsky 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2010
First ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/things-ive-learnt-this-year.html

Badger Badger Badger 8A (Boulder worked) 2010
First ascent.
The Young 7C+ (Boulder worked) 2010
Second ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/young.html

Sean's Roof 8A+ (Boulder worked) Aug 2010

http://vimeo.com/13640222

http://vimeo.com/14205239

Nth Power 8A+ (Boulder worked) Nov 2010
First ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/more-cloud-formations.html

2011 Dandelion Mind 8B (Boulder worked) 2011
First ascent.

https://vimeo.com/23044295

Home 8B (Boulder worked) 2011
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/8128371685/in/photostream/

Rhythm 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2011

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/6888177035/in/photostream/

Stanton Deliver 8A+ (Boulder worked) 9th Feb 2011
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/5430896018/in/photostream/

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/stanton-delivers.html

Cypher 8B (Boulder worked) Between 10th Feb 2011 and 18th Feb 2011

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/sporadically-slippystones.html

Voyager 8B (Boulder worked) 26th Apr 2011
The Prow 8A (Boulder worked) Nov 2011
Second ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/11/dan_and_ned_-_the_prow_e9_and_black_triage-64897

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYWJdX-qhQ

The Dark Side E9 (Lead ground up) Dec 2011

Highballed above a stack of pads.

https://marksavagephotography.blogspot.com/2011/12/darth-varian-turns-to-dark-side.html

2012 Potty Mouth 8B (Boulder worked) 2012
First ascent.
County Ethics 7C+ (Boulder flash) Between 2nd Jan 2012 and 2nd Jan 2013
End Sequence 8B (Boulder worked) Jun 2012
First ascent.
Second Coming 8B (Boulder worked) Nov 2012

https://vimeo.com/54763322

2013 Cruachan 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2013
First ascent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re59GMVnVv8

Marra Time 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2013
First ascent.

https://youtu.be/re59GMVnVv8?t=315

Lanny Bassham 8A+ (Boulder worked) Jun 2013

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/9148842045/#secret7ee522a272

Dark Edges 8B (Boulder worked) Aug 2013
First ascent.
Isla de Encanta 8B (Boulder worked) Oct 2013

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/10307407215/#secret328c77982f

The Rail 8B+ (Boulder worked) 10th Oct 2013
First ascent.

If it's the best climb I ever do I'll retire a happy man, if it's the hardest, likewise. All I know is that it was a joy seeing through the process. This to me is why I boulder, for the difficulty and intricacy that can only be felt without distractions, to climb up lines like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLOMZKFGOs

2014 Hobbie Noble 8B (Boulder worked) 2014
First ascent.

There's a two finger dimple...you pull over with that and then you flip your palm and get your foot up. As I was pulling over with it my ring finger popped out of the dink so I was mono crimping with my middle finger, and I started to reel backwards and went in to emergency crimping but on a mono, and just pulled myself back the right way...That was memorable!

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/07/hobbie_noble_highball_8b_first_ascent_for_varian-69031

2015 Star Power 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2015
First ascent.
Northern Time 8B (Boulder worked) 2015
First ascent.
Tsar Pushka 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2015
First ascent.
2016 L'Alchemiste 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2016

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/33977773295/in/dateposted/

Panic on Funkotron 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2016
First ascent.
Deep Space Jam 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2016
First ascent.
2017 Master of Stone 8B (Boulder worked) 2017
First ascent.
Moonrise Kingdom E9 (Lead worked) May 2017
First ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/05/moonrise_kingdom_new_e9_multipitch_by_mchaffie_and_varian-71089

High Fidelity 8B (Boulder ground up) Nov 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/24674839658/

2018 Flipnic 8B (Boulder worked) 2018
First ascent.
Rift Aversion 7C+ (Boulder worked) 2018
First ascent.
2019 Bombadil 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2019
First ascent.

For me it was my perfect experience of climbing.

References

[1] https://www.scarpa.co.uk/blog/christianbury-part-3-article/

[2] Video https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/49308851368/

[3] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704602472/in/photostream/

[4] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704573032/in/photostream

Transcendence E9 (Lead worked) 9th Mar 2019

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2019/03/third_ascent_of_transcendence_e8_6c_by_dan_varian-71896

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVmbGjd3pK8

Mein Vein 8A+ (Boulder worked) Apr 2019
First ascent.

http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=914

2020
2021 Hot Shots 8B (Boulder worked) 2021
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/51497360581/in/photostream/

2022 Tide Lines 8B (Boulder worked) 2022
First ascent.
Catapult 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2022

With this ascent Dan had climbed every 8th grade problem in Northumberland. [1]

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4bRrEUd2U0S1NfuZbyQ7h3?si=c8194c8d16624c07

[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52502998907/

Eagle Huntress 8B (Boulder worked) Apr 2022
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52090730298/in/photostream/

http://www.lakesbloc.com/2022/04/08/eagle-huntress-8b-mardale-head-boulders/

Eagle Huntress (Stand) 8A (Boulder worked) May 2022
First ascent.
2023 Right Here Right Now 8B (Boulder worked) 2023
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52692867578/in/photostream/

The Magna Strata 8B+ (Boulder worked) Feb 2023
First ascent.

The sequence now is crazy, I have to side crab and lower my hips, then grab a half a 5p pebble and get in balance to bump my rh across the slot into more of a crimp, then I can lock up to a higher pebble and whip over for a hold on the top. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31921.msg674071.html#msg674071

[2] Photos from a prior session, around Jan 2019 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52728372113/in/datetaken-public/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52727369447/in/datetaken-public/

[3] https://scottishbloc.com/2023/03/09/news-the-magna-strata/

[4] Interview with Xa White for UKClimbing.com, March 2023 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/dan_varian_on_the_magna_strata_8b+-15091

Climb Grade Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Serendipity 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2008
First ascent.
The Rail 8B+ (Boulder worked) 10th Oct 2013 8B+
First ascent.

If it's the best climb I ever do I'll retire a happy man, if it's the hardest, likewise. All I know is that it was a joy seeing through the process. This to me is why I boulder, for the difficulty and intricacy that can only be felt without distractions, to climb up lines like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLOMZKFGOs

Star Power 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2015
First ascent.
Bombadil 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2019 8B+
First ascent.

For me it was my perfect experience of climbing.

References

[1] https://www.scarpa.co.uk/blog/christianbury-part-3-article/

[2] Video https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/49308851368/

[3] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704602472/in/photostream/

[4] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/48704573032/in/photostream

The Magna Strata 8B+ (Boulder worked) Feb 2023
First ascent.

The sequence now is crazy, I have to side crab and lower my hips, then grab a half a 5p pebble and get in balance to bump my rh across the slot into more of a crimp, then I can lock up to a higher pebble and whip over for a hold on the top. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,31921.msg674071.html#msg674071

[2] Photos from a prior session, around Jan 2019 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52728372113/in/datetaken-public/, https://www.flickr.com/photos/ann-nigel/52727369447/in/datetaken-public/

[3] https://scottishbloc.com/2023/03/09/news-the-magna-strata/

[4] Interview with Xa White for UKClimbing.com, March 2023 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/dan_varian_on_the_magna_strata_8b+-15091

La Ligne De Bête 8B+ (Boulder worked)
First ascent.
Bewilderness 8B+ (Boulder worked)
First ascent.

https://vimeo.com/28097486

Crescendo 8B+ (Boulder worked)
First ascent.
Little Women 8B+ (Boulder worked) Dec 2008
Second ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/little-women.html

L'Alchemiste 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2016

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/33977773295/in/dateposted/

A Bigger Belly 8B (Boulder worked) 2008
First ascent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Peb1QdlzZdI

Dandelion Mind 8B (Boulder worked) 2011
First ascent.

https://vimeo.com/23044295

Home 8B (Boulder worked) 2011
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/8128371685/in/photostream/

Potty Mouth 8B (Boulder worked) 2012
First ascent.
End Sequence 8B (Boulder worked) Jun 2012
First ascent.
Dark Edges 8B (Boulder worked) Aug 2013
First ascent.
Hobbie Noble 8B (Boulder worked) 2014
First ascent.

There's a two finger dimple...you pull over with that and then you flip your palm and get your foot up. As I was pulling over with it my ring finger popped out of the dink so I was mono crimping with my middle finger, and I started to reel backwards and went in to emergency crimping but on a mono, and just pulled myself back the right way...That was memorable!

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/07/hobbie_noble_highball_8b_first_ascent_for_varian-69031

Northern Time 8B (Boulder worked) 2015
First ascent.
Tsar Pushka 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2015
First ascent.
Panic on Funkotron 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2016
First ascent.
Deep Space Jam 8B (Boulder worked) Mar 2016
First ascent.
Master of Stone 8B (Boulder worked) 2017
First ascent.
Flipnic 8B (Boulder worked) 2018
First ascent.
Hot Shots 8B (Boulder worked) 2021
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/51497360581/in/photostream/

Tide Lines 8B (Boulder worked) 2022
First ascent.
Eagle Huntress 8B (Boulder worked) Apr 2022
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52090730298/in/photostream/

http://www.lakesbloc.com/2022/04/08/eagle-huntress-8b-mardale-head-boulders/

Right Here Right Now 8B (Boulder worked) 2023
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52692867578/in/photostream/

Flip Flopera 8B (Boulder worked)
First ascent.
Sideshow 8B (Boulder worked)
First ascent.
Cypher 8B (Boulder worked) Between 10th Feb 2011 and 18th Feb 2011

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/sporadically-slippystones.html

Voyager 8B (Boulder worked) 26th Apr 2011
Second Coming 8B (Boulder worked) Nov 2012

https://vimeo.com/54763322

Isla de Encanta 8B (Boulder worked) Oct 2013

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/10307407215/#secret328c77982f

High Fidelity 8B (Boulder ground up) Nov 2017

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/24674839658/

Serenity 8B (Boulder worked)

https://vimeo.com/3529545

Ivan Dobsky 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2010
First ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/things-ive-learnt-this-year.html

Nth Power 8A+ (Boulder worked) Nov 2010
First ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/more-cloud-formations.html

Stanton Deliver 8A+ (Boulder worked) 9th Feb 2011
First ascent.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/5430896018/in/photostream/

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/stanton-delivers.html

Cruachan 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2013
First ascent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re59GMVnVv8

Marra Time 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2013
First ascent.

https://youtu.be/re59GMVnVv8?t=315

Mein Vein 8A+ (Boulder worked) Apr 2019
First ascent.

http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=914

Superbloc 8A+ (Boulder ground up) 6th Dec 2008
Second ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2008/12/dan_varian_repeats_superbloc_e8font_8a-45495

Sean's Roof 8A+ (Boulder worked) Aug 2010

http://vimeo.com/13640222

http://vimeo.com/14205239

Rhythm 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2011

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/6888177035/in/photostream/

Lanny Bassham 8A+ (Boulder worked) Jun 2013

https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/9148842045/#secret7ee522a272

Catapult 8A+ (Boulder worked) 2022

With this ascent Dan had climbed every 8th grade problem in Northumberland. [1]

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4bRrEUd2U0S1NfuZbyQ7h3?si=c8194c8d16624c07

[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/beastmaker/52502998907/

Queen Kong 8A (Boulder worked) 2006
First ascent.
Badger Badger Badger 8A (Boulder worked) 2010
First ascent.
Eagle Huntress (Stand) 8A (Boulder worked) May 2022
First ascent.
The Prow 8A (Boulder worked) Nov 2011
Second ascent.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2011/11/dan_and_ned_-_the_prow_e9_and_black_triage-64897

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meYWJdX-qhQ

Rift Aversion 7C+ (Boulder worked) 2018
First ascent.
The Young 7C+ (Boulder worked) 2010
Second ascent.

http://beastmakerblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/young.html

County Ethics 7C+ (Boulder flash) Between 2nd Jan 2012 and 2nd Jan 2013
Climb Grade Ascent Date Suggested Grade