Climbs

Jerry Moffatt's hardest and final route at Raven Tor, blasting up a line of punishing crimps. Ben Moon, who repeated the route aged 52:

A classic Ravens Tor [sic] route, only 10m long but basically sustained bouldering all the way. Probably hard Font 8a into hard route 8b with no rests and a heartbreak dyno to finish. [1]

Fellow steel-fingered Tor veteran Steve McClure:

Another great name from Jerry; he grabbed most of the best names, in part because he was first in the queue. This one was named after the progression of climbing at the crag, as it evolved from Sardine (7b+) and Body Machine (7c+) into the cutting edge of world standards. […] [2]

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/ben-moon-repeats-evolution-jerry-moffatt-8c-plus-raven-tor.html

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/steve_mcclure_the_evolution_of_man-16947

Golden Gate climbs the first 21 pitches of Salathe/Freerider then ~9 new pitches links it into the last 7 pitches of El Corazon.

Originally a project of Mark Leach's before Steve McClure took up the reins and made the first ascent.

5.13c/8b, and likely E9, if the headwall is climbed in a single pitch.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/culture/climbing-style-el-capitan/

[2] Details of the incremental freeing of the route https://web.archive.org/web/20170213064201/[http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm#salathe](http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm#salathe)

Originally climbed without pads at E8. As with other lines on this bloc it utilises a large carved runnel to get established on the base of the slab. The runnel is believed to be a historical 'drip edge detail' for a dwelling or shelter that once stood under the roof.

Johnny Dawes' original line climbed the centre of the slab. He has since said this was worth Font 8A. [2]

1996 Chatsworth guide description:

The Angel's Share 7m, E8 7a

A contender for the hardest route in the area. From the gutter, climb the blank-looking slab directly up its centre with great confidence and total disbelief! Considering the length of this route, the grade 'says' it all.

In 1998 the centre line lost a pebble. Tom de Gay:

I believe JD went further left, but there used to be a handy micro-pebble which I unfortunately removed whilst soloing it, with my right hand on the slopey top, to the left of the seam. c.1998 [1]

Subsequent ascensionists have taken lines further right, where the slab is slightly less steep, but the temptation to reach for the arete of Velvet Silence is greater. Dawes has top-roped this line no-handed. [3]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C53smFWt6jZ/?img_index=1

[2] https://youtu.be/5416X0ID1zU?t=475

[3] Correspondence, October 2025.

The difficulty is pretty dependent on height. Taller climbers can use a low foothold which makes it substantially easier. [1]

References

[1] https://youtu.be/tn-3-hzoxSE?t=147