Tom de Gay

More

• Change Log
• Pics and vids by Tom de Gay

Cleaned on ab, then from the ground with no pads.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 84, page 11

First ascent.

Without side runners.

First ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C6yhL4Kq1kk/

First ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CzGZF4bKLmi/

Climbing the right side of the arête

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DBtn_JIq1Lf/

First ascent.

Climbed in mistake for Black Mountain Collage.

First ascent.

First ascent.

Back then, I misguidedly thought that naming and recording new boulder problems was pretentious; now I’m troubled by the thought that I might have done things and forgotten them. Perhaps that’s why I took this photo: to preserve that perfectly crisp gritstone moment. As it turned out, I can recall the climb quite vividly, but had no idea I'd taken a picture until unearthing it a few days ago.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long for me to reconsider writing up the climb. But to keep to the rules it needed to be a route, and have a route grade – so I gave it E5 6c. To be fair, out there on my own, no spotters and just a single pad, throwing one on for the top, it felt like I was earning a few E points.

On the name, Suavito is a track by Senõr Coconut, a German electronic music producer known for Latin arrangements of Kraftwerk tracks. Looking at the note in my guidebook, I was going to call it ‘Grip’, but that’s pretty been strongly scribbled out. [1]

References

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

First ascent.

Second ascent. 1 session.

First ascent.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CmG2wteKZWj/

First ascent.

Tom's job at the time was disposing of mutant eclairs on the production line of a cake factory. He never ate eclairs again.

First ascent.

The first go up, I matched the seam, launched into the dyno, made contact but didn’t stick. A generous helping of air. The cam ripped but the RPs held and I narrowly cleared the ledge. So, up again, jump again, peel off again. This time the cam stayed put, but slammed me sideways into the wall, my thigh brutally colliding with a spiky boss, creating a burning meteor of bruising. I hobbled off to heal.

An overcast day in September brought cooler temps. The seam felt crisp: jump! I caught the sloper again, swung out again… and stuck it, glancing at the loop of slack arcing out below. Yes!

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C0RIoWGqBe2/?img_index=1

Small wire for the crux

With optimistic gear in the low pocket. After doing Countdown to Disaster in the morning.

After holding Ben's top rope for the staged photos on the route.

First ascent.

References

Gear placed on lead in a single push [1] https://ukbouldering.com/threads/routes-cleaned-or-re-equipped.9392/page-11#post-259555

First ascent.

First ascent.

No pads

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cln_WscqpFP/?img_index=1

Second ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge issue 110, page 10

Utilising a poor wire placement.

Third ascent.

References

[1] On The Edge, issue 114

First ascent.

Climbed just after Meshuga and requiring a similar number of pads. Named by guidebook writer.

First ascent.