Climbers

Keswick based Borrowdale pioneer in the 1950s-1980s. Brought up in a rough area of Carlisle, climbing saved him from juvenile delinquency or worse, although not before he lost an eye in a pub brawl. His first climb was Kern Knotts Crack (HVS), soloed onsight after a foot injury meant he could not go fell-walking. You can see how this might have influenced his son James's exploits. Thereafter, based in Keswick, he was guardian of Borrowdale climbing, contributing over 250 new routes to the valley on days off from his job maintaining footpaths for the National Trust.

His physical characteristics were considerably outweighed by is key defining feature, his ability to talk. On leaving the house in Keswick once to go climbing down Langstrath I remember returning home flabberghasted at his ability to talk, non stop, all day, some kind of circular breathing going on. [3]

References

[1] https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ray-mchaffie-520345.html

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/jan/05/obituaries.ruralaffairs

[3] https://www.jamesmchaffie.com/caffs-blog/climbing-with-ray

References

[1] Jimmy Cruickshank. High Endeavours: The Life and Legend of Robin Smith. United Kingdom: Canongate Books, 2006.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/people/sam-lawson-wedge-youtube-interview/

One of the first Americans to climb 5.14 (8b+), strong boulderer, accomplished big wall free climber, alpinist, guide and industrial rigger.

References

[1] https://alpinist.com/newswire/scott-cosgrove-january-6-1964-february-23-2016/

[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214301/Scott-Cosgrove-1964-2016

[3] https://www.climbing.com/news/remembering-a-legend-scott-cosgrove/

On 5th December 2022 Tim completed a long term project by climbing 5 of the biggest highballs in Bishop in a day: Footprints, Ambrosia, Too Big to Flail, This Side of Paradise and Evilution Direct.

References

[1] Focus - A Bishop Highball Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPSVSLdfYsA