UKC

NEWS: John and Anne Arran - E7 Venezuelan Big Wall

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 Jack Geldard 02 Oct 2008
John and Anne Arran have just returned from what they have described as 'their most adventurous big-wall expedition yet'.

...The easiest pitches went at E4 (F7a). All others were E5 or E6 except for a particularly harrowing 50m adventure John thought worth E7 (dangerous F7c)...

...The approach required a Cessna flight and then four days of trekking, with the team clearing a path with machetes as they went....

Read More:http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

What a fantastic bold achievement.
 220bpm 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Excellent. What a mad pair! Sounds like adventure climbing at its best.

Pity it wasn't captured on film a la Land of the Jaguar. Can you imagine?!?!
 fimm 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Awesome, and very scary.

(I bet this thread won't generate 250+ posts, though...)
 GrahamD 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Trad climbing alive and strong and not a French grade in sight ! brilliant stuff.
 UKB Shark 02 Oct 2008
In reply to GrahamD: not a French grade in sight


You overlooked - "The easiest pitches went at E4 (F7a)".

Liking the J grade as well - measuring risk in the overall context of the adventure (I'll shut up)

Awesome adventurous Boys-Own stuff...and err Girls-Own obviously
 Mord 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Sounds amazing. Well done.

Mord.
 Henry Iddon 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Awesome. a real old school adventure with a hard core climbing twist.
 Nic 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

> The approach required a Cessna flight and then four days of trekking, with the team clearing a path with machetes as they went

Sure they weren't at Stannington Ruffs by mistake?
Sounds brilliant. Would like to see more pics from the trip.
 Tom Last 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:


Nice one guys amazing stuff. Rainforest and big walls, it's hard to imagine anything more exciting!

John - out of interest, what was the overall grade for the route that you climbed in 'Land of the Jaguar'?
 The sharp end 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Inspirational!
 mickyconnor 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Splendid! Wonderful climbing, thrilling adventure! If only I could reconcile myself to sleeping on a portaledge (and climb 10 times better, get clearance from my wife, earn more money, have a bigger...). Still, very hip and I'd like to see more photo's too.
 john arran 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Queequeg:
> John - out of interest, what was the overall grade for the route that you climbed in 'Land of the Jaguar'?

The hardest pitch was an E6 6a I managed to sneak in by convincing the producer the shots they would get would be so much more impressive from a nice steep bit!

The rest of the route was relatively easy (in tepui terms at least) as there was only one E4 pitch (the one Steve took his entertaining lob from) and several easier ones. Oh, but that's forgetting the J4 tenuous vegetation-pulling bulges near the top. Ah, what fun.
 Ant Mace 02 Oct 2008
Wow - sounds amazing - I'd love to see more photos...

well done on an amazing acheievment!
 Tom Last 02 Oct 2008
In reply to john arran:

E6 6a! Sounds scary and hard! Anyway, very enjoyable show and congratulations on your latest adventure.
 john howard 1 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC: Awesome, well done, sounds like an amazing adventure!
notreallyasquamishlocaleh 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Might wantto check your facts there, Angel Falls was not first climbed in '05 by the Arrans but was climbed as long ago as the 70s and has 5 or 6 established routes
 john arran 02 Oct 2008
In reply to notreallyasquamishlocaleh:

Well spotted.
There were already several routes up that part of the tepui when Anne and I became interested in it in 2001 but most tackled the flanks of the falls and involved considerable steep jungle bashing for part or all of their length. Only one route climbed the main wall direct - an unrepeated A4 aid route.
On our third attempt in 2005 Anne and I led a team of British, Venezuelan and Russian climbers in making the first free ascent of the main wall (which is what Jack is referring to.) Our route - Rainbow Jambaia - was repeated the following year (laudably in similar trad style) by a European team led by Arnaud Petit.

No doubt you knew that already but the clarification may be useful for others.
dinkypen 02 Oct 2008
In reply to john arran:

The Ariege is going to appear so tame after that amazing expedition!
 AlisonS 02 Oct 2008
In reply to Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC:

Brilliant! Well done John and Anne. Truly inspirational.

Not that I'm jealous of course. Oh nooo......

OP Jack Geldard 03 Oct 2008
In reply to notreallyasquamishlocaleh: Thanks, my mistake - now updated.

"...the first free ascent of the main central section was climbed in 2005..." etc.

Jack
 220bpm 03 Oct 2008
In reply to john arran:
Oh, but that's forgetting the J4 tenuous vegetation-pulling bulges near the top. Ah, what fun.

That looked by far and away the scariest part of the whole climb! Even seeing Steve second the topout, clinging onto the huge bulge of moss (?) and burrowing onto the top gave me shudders down my spine.

Top stuff! Love your style.
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