EDITORIAL…..

Like the proverbial buses you wait ages for a repeat ascent and then three come along at once. Rhapsody (E11 7a) the hardest graded traditionally protected route in Britain, first climbed by super-scot Dave MacLeod in 2006 was climbed no fewer than three times this month – but by only two different people. The stories behind these
ascents are worthy of the route and will go down in the annals of climbing history. But I won’t spoil your pleasure of reading about it here – we’ve got the photographs on the following pages, plus interviews with the two heroes in question, Sonnie Trotter and of course our own columnist Steve McClure and comments from first ascentionist Dave MacLeod.
Steve must have been a bus driver in a former life – either that or he must be in the zone at the moment as his fourth ascent of the hardest trad route in the world comes hot on the heels of his first ascent of one of the country’s hardest sport routes North Star (F9a/+) on Kilnsey’s leaning North Buttress.
The interviews and report have been compiled by Dave Brown of Hotaches.com, a man so committed to the task of filming all the action he’s rivalled in the dedication stakes only by the amazing Gary Gibson.
Speaking of whom, this month we’ve got the world’s most prolific new router (prove me wrong!) to reveal his list of his most memorable routes in his stomping ground
of the Peak District. Gary is a character that’s for sure and he’s put up new routes virtually
everywhere in Britain, some world class,
some utter rubbish, but there’s no denying
British climbing would be much the poorer
(about 3000 routes poorer) if it wasn’t for
Gary’s insatiable appetite for new rock.

The editor hanging around some French

toilets on the way home from Fontainebleau.

Gill Kent

Neil Pearsons
EDITOR

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