Ron Fawcett

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Ron's first recorded new route.

A fast ascent, free climbing sections up to 5.11

Fawcett and Livesey climbed this as part of a longer link up. It's unclear who led this pitch.

References

[1] Mountain 38, page 10 /library/11057/mountain-38

Potentially to the cave only? Guidebook sources credit Steve Bancroft and John Allen with the first free ascent in 1976.

References

[1] Mountain 43 (1975), page 11 /library/11076/mountain-43

References

[1] Mountain 43 (1975), page 11 /library/11076/mountain-43

First free ascent of the original left-hand line.

One of the boldest routes on grit at the time.

It was such an obvious line, one I'd looked at regularly as a lad. I'd abseiled down it and cleaned it a bit, and then persuaded a kid called Richard Cox, who just happened to be at the crag that day, to hold my rope. The final moves out of the ramp and up a short wall are on poor smears for your feet. Mess that up and there's a good chance you'll hit the ground from fifty feet. But it's a brilliant climb, done years before sticky rubber became available. It was also, at the time, the most serious new route I'd put up, if not the most technically difficult.

References

[1] Ron Fawcett, Ed Drummond 'Ron Fawcett: Rock Athlete', Vertebrate Publishing, 2011

A complete free ascent.

Ron took over the lead after Livesey dislocated his shoulder

During a BMC international meet.

References

[1] https://climbing-history.org/library/7288/llanberis-pass

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C9klRqWtH9S/

Climbed the same weekend as The Cad

Ron suggested E5, though he also controversially placed 2 bolts (which were later removed).

References

[1] Mountain 70 (1979), page 21

References

[1] Mountain 59 (1978), page 51

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WlDugUn5cQ

[2] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115862996537253&set=a.115862679870618

First ascent without side runner

With a high side runner in Avalanche Wall

Ron lead the route in yo-yo style and gave it E5.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863216537231&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863506537202&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863439870542&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863383203881&set=a.115862679870618

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863283203891&set=a.115862679870618

First free ascent. Originally a bold E6 6b.

References

[1] Peak Limestone North, First Ascents Supplement /file/bc3fd0e4-a3ee-a736-1cbf-d68af9f0910e/peak_lime_north_first_ascents.pdf

A great effort considering the time it was done, featuring 7c/+ climbing on traditional protection.

Using old aid bolts for protection, which have long since expired. Some controversy about a flake being removed to provide a better hold.

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.149994316457454/149994329790786

Climbed in three pitches.

A free ascent covering about 50% of the line of The Prow Routes, approaching from The Prowler and incorporating a new middle section to the right of the original aid route.

The ascent of Britain’s top super route was spread over three days, graded E7 and rated harder than many 5.13s. Lauded in the climbing press as the hardest route in the world. The original (Mecca) and direct starts remained as aid routes.

Jerry Moffatt repeated the route in one day, abseiling off for a whistle-stop brew at the Wriggly Tin Cafe!

The direct start was freed as Revelations in 1984 and the middle section freed as Rage in 1992. Ron’s version was climbed in one pitch in 2003 by Mark Pretty with a final bolt added by Simon Lee to connect to the Crucifixion belay. [1]

References

[1] Peak Limestone North, First Ascents Supplement /file/bc3fd0e4-a3ee-a736-1cbf-d68af9f0910e/peak_lime_north_first_ascents.pdf

In his autobiography, Ron mentions that he had quickly repeated the route sometime prior to his ascent of Master's Edge

With a preplaced wire with long sling, having taken several ground falls whilst attempting to ground-up the route.

I soloed to the top of the crag to warm up and threw a rope down the sharply defined arête. I thought it likely that chalk Jerry had left on the route would have absorbed some of the moisture in the air over the last few days and made sure I brushed the holds vigorously with a toothbrush. The arête itself looked rather enigmatic, particularly near the top, but I tested the holds and tried the Amigo in one of two shot holes at half height. I wasn't totally convinced, after tugging on it a few times, but it looked promising. That's all the preparation I did. [2]

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/288281861237996

[2] Ron Fawcett, Ed Douglas ‘Ron Fawcett: Rock Athlete’, Vertebrate Publishing, 2011

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwqlYLg9Bic

After solving the start, Ron tried the upper moves on a rope before jumping from progressively higher up Not to be Taken Away to build up the confidence to commit to the hard upper moves.

Starting on its right-hand side, I got my feet on a jutting block under the boulder's lip and threw my left hand up onto the blunt edge of the arête. For my right hand there was a sloper, and using this I'd get whatever I could - knee, toe, whatever - onto the arête and then go again with my left hand. It was a desperate move and it took weeks before I could do it, trying it again and again each time I went up to Stanage. This kind of behaviour was unprecedented for me. [2]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/how_was_careless_torque_first_climbed-335185?v=1#x4944420

[2] Ron Fawcett, Ed Douglas, ‘Ron Fawcett: Rock Athlete’, Vertebrate Publishing, 2011

Ron had been trying the route on and off for a few years. He came out of ‘retirement’ from hard routes to polish this one off, climbing it in the same style as the FA and declaring it “about E7” [1].

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt+big_ron_fawcett-9483

References

[1] Mountain Issue 134 (1990), page 13 /library/11317/mountain-134