UKH

I need to increase my knowledge on the history of climbing! So I thought a good way to start would be to learn the first ever ascents at each grade.

So what were they? Name, crag, date and first ascentionist.

I suppose it gets confusing when routes were put up as one grade and later up/downgraded, in which case give me both

In reply to cider nut: http://www.planetfear.com/article_detail.asp?a_id=325

In reply to cider nut:

If you mean starting with Easy or Moderate, that's one heck of a question! Might be easier if you started at VS or something.

In reply to Martin W:

Aha! Knew the info would be about somewhere, cheers for the link! Kind of scuppers the thread though, hey ho

So then... what about sub-VS?

In reply to cider nut: I would guess the first MVS was Eagles Nest Ridge Direct in 1892 by Godffrey Solly. First HS, possibly Napes Needle? - 1886. Mind, check the dates on some of the gullies, particularly those on Pillar Rock

In reply to cider nut: I think this has been disscussed before, years ago, JCM would probably know. THere's a bit of info here but it's by no means complete http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=64951&v=1#865867
First E1 was Ivor Berg, Cave Arete Indirect @ Laddow 1916, I'm interested in the others so come on people.

In reply to cider nut:

It wasn't the first E1, because that grade wasn't in use at that time. It was the first earliest known route that today gets E1. When you go back that far modern grades are pretty useless, as the style of climbing was so different.
I'd be interesting to see if anyone could find the earliest recorded VS and HVS, but I'd be surprised if a definitve answer comes up.

In reply to Martin W:

And:
http://www.planetfear.com/article_detail.asp?a_id=324
http://www.planetfear.com/article_detail.asp?a_id=326

In reply to cider nut:

For an international slant (although I suspect you are narrowing things to UK and adjectival grades) http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/hard.htm lists these first routes of that grade or higher to french 6B as:

6a- (5.9, DDR VIIb) 1906 Teufelsturm Elbsandstein Oliver Perry-Smith, W. Huenig, Rudolf Fehrmann
Note: another grade VIIb was done a few days earlier, but this is the more famous route.
6a+ (5.10a, DDR VIIc) 1910 Grosser Falknerturm, W. Route Elbsandstein M. Matthaeus, Oliver Perry-Smith, H. Wagner
6B (5.10b/c/d) 1938 ? Fontainbleau Pierre Allain

After that according to the list the US leads the way until the mid 80's and Gullich arrives on the scene.

In reply to cider nut: Hmmmm - a difficult question. The problem arises from the fact that "That difficult crack which is a jolly good outing" and was maybe graded Diff is now E1. Probably the best starting point for a climbing history of the UK would be to read Joe Brown's The Hard Years and then move onto authors like Chris Bonnington. They are all excellent reads. Just about any other climbing book will give you a good incite to a particular era, but some are not that well written.

Notice the Thimble was such an oddity it's misclassified and misspelt. Apart from everything else it was the hardest traditional route at the time.

In reply to Witkacy:

Interesting also to note the note on Goliath being unsuitable as the first E4. I tend to agree. But, which was the next 'first' E4 ??

http://www.planetfear.com/article_detail.asp?a_id=325

In reply to Steve Parker:

The old tremadog guide notes an Easy (glyndowr's ladder) as having a first ascent in the C14th by O. Glyndower (onsight solo) and notes the failure of a strong (or at least nummerous ) english party to repeate the ascent on the same day.

In reply to Simon Lee:
Deathknell at roaches? I think this was done in 1970.
There's also a route in the churnet given E5 (Pull John, I think?) which was earlier than Right Wall. NO guide to hand so can't be clearer than that I'm afraid.

Anyway, Austin's headpoint solo of Wall of Horrors is probably worth E4/5, and is my usual comment on such matters...

In reply to Simon Lee:

Here's jcm's list. http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=49039&v=1#649417

In reply to cider nut: Don't believe all you read.

In reply to Witkacy:

That's an old thread on ancient history !

So - "Austin's Variation on White Slab on Cloggy. E4 5c done in early 1959" (a year after Goliath)

Amazing - never even heard of it (only been to Cloggy once and don't own the guide)

In reply to Witkacy:

Some routes there given grades that have altered over time. E3 for Wall End Slab Direct seems very overgraded. i thought it about good E1 in 1960/61.

Herfords Route on the Pagoda was severe I think when we did it, but Gosling may know better, he led it. Finished it in a huge electric storm that we ran from as soon as it let up.