UKH

Hi all,

Would be incredibly grateful if someone could put on the old epic description of The Thing on the Cromlech. My Llanberis guide is back at home and I'm in Spain. I'm writing an article about an ascent with top American climber Jim Erickson, back in 1974. (He led it.) I recall, 'vicious, sustained, retreat beyond the crux uninviting and the ground below nasty to land on,' but would rather not rely on dodgy memory. Did Brown lead the FA with Whillans in 1956?  Without wires at the beginning, it must have been an utter horrowshow. Jim got two tiny Chouinard wires in - which seemed like bomber protection at the time!  In 'Rock Climbers in Action in Snowdonia', it says the attempt shown failed. I've always assumed the climber was Crew (was it?) - although in the photo, he's doing it all wrong - maybe for the photo.

Anyway, all help very gratefully received.

Mick

I thought the word "temerity" was involved

Hi Mick,

I've lost your email but just sent you one through UKC. Reply and ill send the relevant guide section to you. 

C.

Here you go:

" Extremely strenuous.  A short, vicious climb of great technical difficulty. Possibly the hardest problem in the valley.  Difficulty is sustained, protection poor, retreat beyond the crux uninviting and the ground below nasty to land on."

One of two routes given exceptionally severe in the 1964 guide.

I remember reading such a horrifying description before I led it  - must have been the very end of the 70s - but then when I did so I was puzzled as to what had caused such hyperbole, as it seemed pretty steady to me compared to other Mild Extremes thereabouts.

Had a similar story on Ludwig (South Stack) but thankfully only read the history section after having climbed it, as I probably wouldn't have gone near it otherwise!

I couldn't face typing all that on my phone!

First Ascent - J Brown & D Whillans, 11 February 1956.

"retreat beyond the crux uninviting"

Always loved the classic description, but always puzzled as to why anyone want to retreat from beyond the crux? 

All in the culture of building legends

I seem to remember an outsized 'hollow' flake but thought pro was ok 

Running out of steam I’d imagine?

Remember a good semi back and foot rest on the overhang - maybe a bit of the Master's cunning seeped in

Hi Chris,

Many thanks indeed.

Mick

Thank you so much. It's got to be a contender for the best route description ever!

Mick

Jim and I both got a no-hands rest on the steep bit. I'm guessing Brown didn't miss it; whereas in 'Rock Climbers', Crew is trying to bridge across. Mind you, for a big guy with a not particularly athletic body, Crew does seem to have been very supple and particularly adroit at wide bridging. (Wish I was!)

Mick

John, I suspect that two things served to tame The Thing - wires and cams.  (From memory - always fickle!) Jim placed two small wires and then launched into the crux. Those wires (Chouinard, I think) were then pretty much state of the art - kind of what skyhooks are on a trad route now. I'd never seen them before but was mightily impressed. Went down to Browns the next day and bought a couple.

I remember the crack as steep and sustained but steady jamming. There was an old garage nut in it, too deep to thread. I'm guessing that Brown (1956) and the early ascentionists such as Frank Cannings, Ian Cameron, Al Harris (all in the early '60s) would all have had the first good gear in/near this. A lot of commitment!  Today, I suppose you can pop in cams at will and just enjoy it.

I suppose it's about commitment, vis a vis protection. That summer I did the Corner with five runners and Wombat, at Malham, with four - dumb! But the generation just before mine, the early/mid-Sixties guys, regularly climbed harder with far worse gear. I've always felt that they've been somewhat unfairly overshadowed in climbing history. They really pushed the boat out!

But Ludwig - tales of horror and, thankfully, above my pay grade. Probably a very good idea indeed not reading the history until after having done it!

Mick

A very good point - and something I failed utterly to understand. I found repeating Brown routes, even a decade or two after he'd done them, particularly daunting. Often I didn't know anyone else who'd done 'em. It felt like a big step into the unknown. The weight of myth hung heavily, like a forbidding aura over these routes. It was as though you were being measured against climbing's version of God - and being found sadly wanting.

Mick

Just read your commentary on Frank Cannings's photo... ace! Can't wait for the article! 

Many thanks, Jon. Just finished it a couple of hours ago, and will send it across to you when in half-reasonable condition. It's a tale of inspiration (from Jim), achievement (both of us) and disaster (me).

I love the tale of an 18 year old Harris and a 16 year old Birtles doing The Thing in 1964. (Would have liked to have seen Harris climb in his prime. A severely underrated talent??)  Birtles was over the moon. They ran down from the Cromlech, caught the old green bus to Beris, raced upstairs, sat down, plonked their feet up on the metal rail and felt like kings. Well, they deserved it.

Mick

I've just read my diary entry for weekend of March 19-20 1966 when we'd had a magnificent weekend climbing  "... Back at the Cot, Frank came in and seemed to have had quite a good weekend, including the seventh ascent of the Thing..." 

Hi John,

Brown, Ian Cameron, Al Harris... I wonder who did the other three ascents?  Whoever they were, they were brave!

Mick