Ron Fawcett
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | GB |
| Date of birth: | 6th May 1955 |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8A |
| Hardest Sport (Worked): | 8a+ |
| Hardest Trad (Worked): | E9 |
| Hardest Trad (Onsight): | E5 |
| Notable Partnerships | |
| Pete Livesey | |
Ron Fawcett was at the top of the UK climbing scene in the mid 70s and early 80s and one of the first professional climbers in the UK. He took up the mantel from climbers such as Pete Livesey and helped cement the E5 and E6 grade in the UK. He also put up some of the early hard sport routes in the UK with lines such as Sardine, Body Machine and The Prow at Raven Tor.
Ron famously climbed 100 extremes (i.e. routes graded E1 or harder on the British Trad grading scale) in a day in 1986 starting at Froggatt then going on to Stanage, Burbage and finishing at Curbar. This feat is even more impressive when you consider that Ron was not just picking the easiest routes available: Downhill Racer (E4), Heartless Hare (E5) and Ulysses or Bust (E5) feature among the hard routes that he climbed. See [3] for a full list.
References
[1] Rock Athlete, by Sid Perou https://youtu.be/tdRfqD125-g?t=1522
[2] Interview with Andy Pollitt https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt+big_ron_fawcett-9483.
[3] Ticklist of Ron's 100 extremes in a day https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=548
https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/282305001835682
Pics + Vids
Supersonic (E5, FA)
Lord of the Flies (E6, FA)
Lord of the Flies (E6, FA)
Strawberries (E7, FA)
The Big Sleep (E6, FA)
Wall of Fossils (E6, FA)
Ivory Madonna (E5, FA)
True Grip (E5, FA)
J.R. (E5, FA)
Atomic Hot Rod (E5, FA)
Hall of Warriors (E5, FA)
Crimson Cruiser (E5, FA)
The Master's Edge (E7, FA)
Body Machine (7c+, FA)
Bananas (E5)
Ascents
44 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Mulatto Wall | E3 (Lead Unknown) | ✓ | 1971 |
| Problem Wall | E2 (Solo Unknown) | ✓ | 1971 | |
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Ron's first recorded new route. |
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| 1972 | ||||
| 1973 | ||||
| 1974 | ||||
| 1975 | ||||
| 1976 | Mortlock's Arete | E4 (Lead Unknown) | 1976 | |
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Second ascent. |
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| Slip 'n' Slide | E6 (Solo) | ✓ | 1976 | |
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One of the boldest routes on grit at the time. |
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| Cream Team Special | E5 (Alternate Leads) | ✓ | 1976 | |
| Cream | E4 (Lead) | ✓ | 1976 | |
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During a BMC international meet. |
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| Supersonic | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 1976 | |
| 1977 | ||||
| 1978 | Milky Way | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 1978 |
| The Cad | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 1978 | |
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Ron suggested E5, though he also controversially placed 2 bolts (which were later removed). |
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| Citadel | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 1978 | |
| Desperate Dan | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 1978 | |
| 1979 | Lord of the Flies | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 26th June 1979 |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WlDugUn5cQ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115862996537253&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| 1980 | Bananas | E5 (Lead) | April 1980 | |
| Crimson Cruiser | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863506537202&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Strawberries | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | April 1980 | |
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Ron lead the route in yo-yo style and gave it E5. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863216537231&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Atomic Hot Rod | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 11th April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Hall of Warriors | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 11th April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863439870542&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| J.R. | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 12th April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Ivory Madonna | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 18th April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863383203881&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| True Grip | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 19th April 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863383203881&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Wall of Fossils | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | May 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863283203891&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| The Big Sleep | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | May 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863256537227&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| 1981 | Sardine | 7b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1981 |
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First free ascent. |
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| 1982 | Indecent Exposure | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 |
| Cave Route Right Hand (Pre 2018) | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| The Vision | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| Cave Route Left Hand | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| The Prow | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
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Climbed in three pitches. Geoff Birtles, editor of Crags magazine, proclaimed it the hardest route in the world at the time. |
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| Eye of the Tiger | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
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A great effort considering the time it was done, featuring 7c/+ sport climbing on traditionally protected climbing. |
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| Tequila Mockingbird | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | May 1982 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116578176465735/116578503132369 |
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| Imminent Crisis | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 7th May 1982 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.149994316457454/149994329790786 |
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| 1983 | The Master's Edge | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | December 1983 |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/288281861237996 |
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| 1984 | Body Machine | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 |
| New Dawn | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Mescalito | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Defcon 3 | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Revelations (Pre-1999) | 8a+ (Lead) | 1984 | ||
| 1985 | Zoolook | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1985 |
| 1986 | Toy Boy | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1986 |
| 1987 | Careless Torque | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | 1987 |
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Ron tried the 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. |
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| Moon Madness | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 1987 | |
| 1988 | ||||
| 1989 | ||||
| 1990 | ||||
| 1991 | Jasmine | E6 (Solo) | ✓ | 1991 |
| 1992 | Ron's Girdle Traverse | E5 (Solo Onsight) | ✓ | 1992 |
| 1993 | ||||
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revelations (Pre-1999) | 8a+ (Lead) | 1984 | ||
| The Prow | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
|
Climbed in three pitches. Geoff Birtles, editor of Crags magazine, proclaimed it the hardest route in the world at the time. |
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| Defcon 3 | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Zoolook | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 1985 | |
| Cave Route Left Hand | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| The Vision | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| Tequila Mockingbird | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | May 1982 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116578176465735/116578503132369 |
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| Body Machine | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Mescalito | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Indecent Exposure | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 1982 | |
| New Dawn | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 1984 | |
| Sardine | 7b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 1981 | |
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First free ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Careless Torque | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | 1987 | |
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Ron tried the 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. |
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| Toy Boy | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 1986 | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|