Ron Fawcett
Quick Info ˅
| Nationality: | GB |
| Date of birth: | 06 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
Lord of the Flies (E6, FA)
Body Machine (7c+, FA)
The Master's Edge (E7, 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)
Supersonic (E5, FA)
Bananas (E5)
Ascents
39 recorded ascents.
| Year | Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Slip 'n' Slide | E6 (Solo) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1976 (approx) |
|
One of the boldest routes on grit at the time. |
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| Supersonic | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1976 (approx) | |
| Cream Team Special | E5 (Alternate Leads) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1976 (approx) | |
| Cream | E4 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1976 (approx) | |
|
During a BMC international meet. |
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| 1977 | ||||
| 1978 | The Cad | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1978 (approx) |
|
Ron suggested E5, though he also controversially placed 2 bolts (which were later removed). |
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| Citadel | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1978 (approx) | |
| Desperate Dan | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1978 (approx) | |
| 1979 | Lord of the Flies | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 26 Jun 1979 |
|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WlDugUn5cQ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115862996537253&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| 1980 | Crimson Cruiser | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Apr 1980 (approx) |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863506537202&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Bananas | E5 (Lead) | 01 Apr 1980 (approx) | ||
| Strawberries | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Apr 1980 (approx) | |
|
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) | ✓ | 11 Apr 1980 | |
|
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Hall of Warriors | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 11 Apr 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863439870542&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| J.R. | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 12 Apr 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863403203879&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Ivory Madonna | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 18 Apr 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863383203881&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| True Grip | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 19 Apr 1980 | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863383203881&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| Wall of Fossils | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 1980 (approx) | |
|
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863283203891&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| The Big Sleep | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 1980 (approx) | |
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https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=115863256537227&set=a.115862679870618 |
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| 1981 | Sardine | 7b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1981 (approx) |
|
First free ascent. |
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| 1982 | The Vision | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) |
| Indecent Exposure | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
| The Prow | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
|
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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
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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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| Cave Route Right Hand (Pre 2018) | E6 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
| Tequila Mockingbird | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 1982 (approx) | |
|
https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116578176465735/116578503132369 |
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| Imminent Crisis | E5 (Lead) | ✓ | 07 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) | ✓ | 01 Dec 1983 (approx) |
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https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/288281861237996 |
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| 1984 | Mescalito | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) |
| Revelations (Pre-1999) | 8a+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | ||
| Defcon 3 | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| Body Machine | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| New Dawn | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| 1985 | Zoolook | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1985 (approx) |
| 1986 | Toy Boy | 7C+ (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1986 (approx) |
| 1987 | Moon Madness | E7 (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1987 (approx) |
| Careless Torque | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1987 (approx) | |
|
Ron jumped 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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| 1988 | ||||
| 1989 | ||||
| 1990 | ||||
| 1991 | Jasmine | E6 (Solo) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1991 (approx) |
| 1992 | Ron's Girdle Traverse | E5 (Solo Onsight) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1992 (approx) |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revelations (Pre-1999) | 8a+ (Lead) | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | ||
| The Prow | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
|
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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| Zoolook | 8a (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1985 (approx) | |
| The Vision | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
| Tequila Mockingbird | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 May 1982 (approx) | |
|
https://www.facebook.com/rockarchivist/photos/a.116578176465735/116578503132369 |
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| Body Machine | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| Mescalito | 7c+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| Indecent Exposure | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1982 (approx) | |
| New Dawn | 7c (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1984 (approx) | |
| Sardine | 7b+ (Lead) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1981 (approx) | |
|
First free ascent. |
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| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Careless Torque | 8A (Boulder) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1987 (approx) | |
|
Ron jumped 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) | ✓ | 01 Jan 1986 (approx) | |
| Climb | Grade | FA | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|