Neil Kershaw

References

[1] Llanberis Slate. United Kingdom: Ground Up, 2011.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

Did ab it in trainers to brush moss off holds, but no warm up except trusty gripmaster. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

Fourth go.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

Adam Long:

Climbing smoothly to the shotholes, he placed the tricam and tried briefly to rest before continuing. The route was plastered in chalk from top-ropers the previous week, friction was poor, and the rest wasn't helping. So he carried on. Arriving at the crux last move, he gave a brief exclamation at the disappointing size of the crimp, did the move anyway, and then continued to the top of the crag up Great Arete, itself a rarely climbed and very bold E5 5c. Abseiling for the gear, he discovered the heavily chalked and ticked crimp he had used was not in fact the right one, it lurking unchalked and twice-the-size a foot to the side. It's tricky making definitive statements about style, but this is at least as good an ascent as the route has ever had. It's certainly hard to imagine how it could be improved upon. [2]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg256035.html#msg256035

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2010/04/neil_nige_kershaw_-_golden_feet+local_hero-53061

Just to clarify, as the situation with this route is not cut and dried as with most routes. We started up Knockin', made a short traverse left to the bomber gear in a hole just beneath the lip (which Born Slippy climbs a variant start to reach, not really required), then came back along the traverse and finished as per usual, hand-placing a peg on the way (on lead). I believe Alex Honnold headpointed the route a similar way although without the hand-placed pegs and reckoned E8 6c. Both myself and Ryan [Pasquill] think that is about right. You could argue that should the hand-placed peg hold then its more like E7 6c, but its far from a certainty and its probably sensible to assume it will rip, hence the back-up plan of the Born Slippy gear, which would almost certainly prevent a groundfall with a decent belay.

Second ascent.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/03/big_news_on_the_grit_dynamics_of_change_and_captain_invincible-68756

Second ascent. 3 sessions.

Also added a direct finish.

Thanks chaps! In answer to some of the questions; to best of my knowledge this was the second ascent of MaDMAn, although you never know, it has been nearly twenty years since the FA! From the position Dave is in that picture his original line bridges out into Trident, the neighbouring HVS, and finishes up this. This manoeuvre is still tricky! On the day the very green sidewalls of Trident were pretty gopping too. I found that if instead you did another move up to stand higher (eeek!) on the "ledge" then you could reach round enough to get a bomber rock 12 in the base of the wedged block trident feature after which the HVS is named (although not enough to actually reach any holds / an HVS position!), then just carry straight on up the upper arête from the same spot. Its a balancey position and feels pretty spooky / falloffable to place but it is definitely en route and seemed like a good idea as the route was wet when we arrived and the upper section relies on quite a few pebble footholds and recently de-mossed handholds. Top section probably E6 6b on its own and you could actually do it as a separate route starting up Trident I suppose? Its really excellent climbing. As TB says once you get that gear in the top feels very enjoyable so I doubt it changes the original grade. I see it as an extension to MaDMAn rather than a new route, obviously if Dave Pegg had bothered to take a rope and harness he would have cruised up it I'm sure. [2]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8oFJXVsyvU

[2] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,10607.msg442692.html#msg442692

[3] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2014/04/madman_2nd_ascent_for_nige_kershaw-68872

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/BhB-QypDy9lKHHMZ9UrhONWtFmQhAa4JdTM-AQ0/