Climbs

A Peak District test piece, the soaring arête was so named because, while working the line, Jerry Moffatt proclaimed:

only a true master could solo it onsight. [1]

Jerry was preparing for a solo ascent. Meanwhile, Ron Fawcett found that a new and obscure sliding nut, the Edelrid Amigo [2,3], fitted the quarrymen’s shotholes, which lie just over halfway between the ground and the crux. Keen not to be outdone by the up-and-coming Moffatt, Ron promptly led the route after minimal inspection. The gear went untested and the Master showed he still had the edge…

In the 2010s a marginal slider placement was discovered in the first part of the route, taking some of the sting out of the solo to the shotholes. Around 2024–2025 someone took a fall onto the slider and blew the placement out in the process.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 107, page 48

[2] https://www.ukhillwalking.com/photos/dbpage.php?id=416863

[3] https://needs-needlesports-gob2b.b-cdn.net/imagecache/8dae6b69-d110-410b-890c-aaf700cdd554/NutsStory510_300x198.jpg

Kilnsey's first 8c. In 2024 a hold came off on the upper section making the route a little harder.

An old project from Chris Sharma and Dave Graham, features in dosage (vol 4?)

Immortalised in the 1994 film One Summer, Superman was one of the hardest problems around at the time of its first ascent, c.1989. The problem is somewhat eliminate; an easier version using all the holds is known as Superwoman.

It was originally graded 8A+, at least according to Jerry's autobiography, though was given 8B in One Summer. After the left hand sidepull broke in c.2004 it was reascended by Tim Clifford, apparently also at 8A+; this version was for a while known as Superman II. It's now considered 8B.

Estado Crítico is notable for being the first ever 9a to be onsighted after Alex Megos climbed it in March 2012.

Although Ramón Julián Puigblanque suggested 9a when he made the first ascent it later settled to around 8c+/9a after several repeats (most notably a third go ascent from Adam Ondra and a second go ascent from Patxi Usobiaga). However around 2010 a hold broke and after reclimbing the route while working Golpe de Estado Adam suggested 9a was appropriate. Since then the grade has settled at 9a.

8B/+.

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Ydq78HiAujHdEy0t4hp1R?

Bolted and named by Céüse pioneer and Alpine legend Jean-Christophe Lafaille in 1988, Arnaud Petit climbed the pitch to a half-height anchor in 1996 at a grade of 8c+. Chris Sharma climbed the the full pitch in 2001, after working it on-and-off for a few years and taking over 30 falls from the crux. In keeping with his style at the time, he did not grade the route [4], but it became widely credited as the first 9a+ in the world for a period; Open Air from 1996 was later upgraded to 9a+ to take that title.

The full line was initially named Realization by Sharma, to differentiate it from the half-height version. However, in line with the French custom of routes being named by their equipper, it is now known as Biographie, and the half-height version's lower-offs have been removed.

The route became famous as one of Chris Sharma's first big new routes. His extended efforts were documented in the film Dosage Volume 1.

Josh Lowell:

At one point Chris wanted to call it Get a Life, thankfully he changed his mind! [3]

The route is entirely natural and considered to be one of the best hard sport climbs in the world. [5]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suVH2BuFEh0

[3] https://open.spotify.com/episode/14eXBiZUrV7LetCF132iNS?

[4] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/chris-sharma-climbs-biographie-at-ceuse.html

[5] https://www.camptocamp.org/routes/943937/fr/ceuse-biographie-biographie