Angus Kille

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/08/angus_kille_ticks_gribin_wall_climb_e9_6c-70631

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujLQkKI1YpI

[2] https://dmmwales.com/blogs/journal/trauma-e8-9-7a

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=320075725241718

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2018/07/indian_face_e9_6c_by_angus_kille-71634

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQP7nqwaEog

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/09/mission_impossible_e9_7a_by_angus_kille-72495

The route was particularly intimidating, something about the wall makes it seem like it doesn't want to be climbed. It feels like the rock is conspiring against you and never offers enough holds to let you relax into the climbing, and despite all of the cracks, barely any of them hold good gear. Apart from the first 15 metres, it's not actually dangerous but you would fall quite a way before any of your gear holds, so you really don't feel like falling and going through the process again. It's unusual that being fitter or stronger or even bolder isn't enough to make the climbing feel easy, you still have to be focussed and committed, which is hard to maintain for 50 metres of runout slab climbing – progress up the slab is hard-earned and it felt really unlikely I would make it through without running out of skill/luck. Looking back I probably could have just worked the route a bit more and not tried to lead it so soon, but I wouldn't swap the experience I had for any other. [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CT-Cm6kIhtR/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CTW-ruKjHK5/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbke0ZgjkAe/

Second ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/ChDT9JSjf64/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/08/angus_kille_repeats_crac_yr_maestri_e9_7a-73120

Fourth ascent.

Last night I led the route smoothly through all the hard climbing, until an audible pop on this move.

Of course, I wasn't going to let go. I climbed the final run-out with one finger down, quite terrified of dropping it on my final chance to climb the route. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CtJESXNNSZ3/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CtJUsdhNl1G/

With Hazel Findlay.

With Hazel Findlay.

References

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

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CzpqQqIrOIC/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1zmCMftY4w/

First ascent. Harder than Crac Yr Meistri.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C__JTgqtYa9/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2IZmGDPC4