Climbers

Strong-fingered Kiwi whose first ascents were world-standard in the early 80s.

Rick Mcgregor:

The things that shocked us about Charlie were, one, that he was so much better than we were and, secondly, that he had embraced a modern climbing ethic.

References

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_climbing_in_New_Zealand#1970s

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/2TI6SW7QluZfQksfvATkJr?t=2738

Notoriously strong 1970s and 1980s all-round rock climber. Continues to climb (2026) with Parkinson's disease.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/being_weak_when_once_you_were_strong-16390

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/andy_pollitt_and_chris_christmas_hamper-9332

Andy Popp:

Cliff, a stalwart of the Llanberis scene since the 60s, was a man preceded by his reputation for deep, almost cosmic eccentricity and long-lived dirtbaggery. He was also known for some incredible tales of survival, particularly when he took a reputed 200ft ground fall soloing on the Mot, managing to crawl to the road before passing out. I believe he took another big soloing fall at Tremadog.

I knew Cliff a little as part of the general 'Beris scene in the 80s and remember a rather sweet man. He was a very active new router on the slate at that time, and as a climber he was really much more than the reputation for oddness and mishaps suggests. He was actually very good, on rock and in the Alps. [1]

References

[1] https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,18343.msg692404.html#msg692404

References

[1] https://www.up-climbing.com/en/bouldering/news-bouldering/inside-cody-roth/