Tom randall and pete whittakers first ascent of century crack, a 100foot offwidth roof in utah. Nov 01, 2018 seven years after its first ascent, the notorious offwidth roof crack century crack 5. The crack was first attempted in 2001, and is considered the hardest offwidth crack climb in the world. Includes their first ascent of the mindbending century crack 5. To erase that last issue of preplacement on the first ascent, clear that last 5% of imperfection and undergo the formations terrifically cruel meanings one more time. Tbp 144 pete whittaker of wide boyz fame on crack climbing. The monster roof crack was first climbed by wide boyz tom randall and pete whittaker in 2011 with the gear in place. We specialise in hiking, cycling, running, camping, ski and triathlon clothing and gear designed for every south african environment. Their hard work paid off on october 11, when they made the first ascent of century crack, a 100footlong, nearhorizontal wide crack underneath moabs white rim. Probably also the hardest offwidth crack ever climbed weighing in at around lowend 5. Some other first ascents could be recorded for particular mountains or routes. Traditional or trad climbing, is a style of rock climbing in which a climber or group of climbers place all gear required to protect against falls, and remove it when a pitch is complete. Following the ascent of the infamous offwidth line, they were introduced to a number of other projects in the area by local developer rob pizem.
Crack climbing by pete whittaker sample pages by vertebrate. They complete a brutal twoyear training regime, mostly spent hanging upside down in a suburban sheffield basement, before embarking on a tour of the usa. It was the crack that put those twothe wide boyzon the map. Sep 30, 2019 pete is widely regarded as one of the best crack climbers in the world, having made dozens of cuttingedge first ascents and hard repeats, including the first ascent of century crack 5. Traditional bolted face climbing means the bolts were placed on lead andor with hand drills. At the start of october british climbers tom randall and pete whittaker carried out the first pinkpoint ascent of century crack, that enormous, majestic horizontal roof which defies belief in canyonlands, usa. An analysis including the firsthand account of steve crusher bartlett. Tom and petes us tour has turned out to be an historic event, hasnt it. Lessons from yosemites first climbing guidebook i have this idea, mikey texted last october. Oct 15, 2019 crack climbing by pete whittaker provides a single point of reference for all crack climbing techniques, regardless of the grade you climb. Waddington, coast mountains, british columbia fritz weissner and bill house makes the peaks first ascent in 1936 in one of climbings greatest tales, teenage brothers, fred and helmy beckey, complete waddingtons second ascent by repeating the south face. Weve been climbing together for the last 6 years or so and became a little better known when we developed a major obsession for offwidth climbing and made the first ascent of century crack in the usa.
American offwidth climbing has spawned a counterculture of rough and tumble characters. Gruelling canyonlands crack climbed by pete whittaker, tom. Danny parker on his third ascent of century crack 5. British climbers tom randall and pete whittaker have carried out the first pinkpoint ascent of century crack in the canyonlands, usa. Still awaiting free ascent imo this isnt sport climbing. Century crack is the hardest offwidth in the world. Join swiss climber didier berthod as he attempts the impossible to become the first man ever to climb the insanely treacherous cobra crack. Danny parker has made the third ascent of the offwidth called century crack 5. Around a month ago, both pete and i made the first free ascent of century crack, at a vaguely guessed grade of 5. This is most important where the climate of winter is a factor in increasing the difficulty grade of the route higher elevation, polar latitudes. First ascent is south africas leading technical outdoor clothing and equipment brand. These two englishmen are on a mission to master this brutish and.
Tom randall and pete whittaker were in the us for 8 weeks in search of the most difficult offwidths they could find. In 2011, tom randall and pete whittaker completed the first free ascent of century crack 5. Pete is a 28yearold climber from sheffield whos made a name for himself in first ascent crack climbing and sufferfests in general. Danny parker, 27, made waves at the end of last week announcing that he had repeated century crack, the interminable offwidth roof crack in canyonlands, utah, first reappointed by tom randall and pete whittaker in 2011. Since coming back from america, pete and i have been doing a bit of a lecture tour, which has been great.
Heralded as a sport in england in the late 1880s after the well publicised solo first ascent of the napes needle by walter parry haskett smith, rock climbing attracted increasing numbers of participants. An early benchmark approaching modern levels of difficulty was the ascent, by o. They returned later and sent it placing gear on lead. To erase that last issue of preplacement on the first ascent, clear that last 5% of imperfection and undergo the formations terrifically crue. Following the ascent of the infamous offwidth line, they were introduced to a number of other projects in the area by local developer rob. Although nothing compared to the legendary stones efforts at raven tor. The recovery drink and the worlds hardest crack climbs. Pete whittaker and tom randall have made another hard first ascent in the utah desert. Pete whittaker and tom randall dedicated two years of their lives to training for offwidth routes they had never even seen.
The wide boyz take over american offwidth climbing. At the time, we were both pretty psyched to do the ffa seeing as wed spent 2 years training specifically for this project. That is where the really mean cracks are, after all. So when two proper british lads, tom randall and pete whittaker, crossed the pond to eat up the gnarliest wide cracks in the west it came as quite a shock. The climax of their trip was the first ascent of the century crack, the hardest of all offwidth routes in moab, utah. Fritz weissner and bill house makes the peaks first ascent in 1936. In this book, pete has drawn on years of experience to demonstrate the many different techniques and to give you an understanding of when, why and how to use them. The first american expedition to everest was led by the swiss climber norman dyhrenfurth, who selected a team of 19 mountaineers and scientists from throughout the united states and 37 sherpas. Century crack is possibly the worlds hardest offwidth crackclimb, and was a well known project before tom and pete climbed it last month. Its been nice to tell our side of the story a little better. I first heard about century crack when tom and pete did the first ascent fall 2011. Since then, pete has done some other very impressive things in climbing.
Century crack was first located and climbed by desert rat crusher bartlett in 2001 when on the way to climb a new desert tower. In 2011 he teamed up with pete whittaker to take on the worlds hardest offwidth crack century crack, which is documented in the film wide boyz from hotaches. Lets climb all of the suggested routes from the yosemite redcover. One is the first winter ascent, which is, as the name easily suggests, the first ascent made during winter season. First ascent best outdoor clothing and gear hiking. Pete whittaker and tom randall complete a brutal twoyear training regime, mostly spent hanging upside down in a suburban sheffield basement, before embarking on a tour of the usa. Being greedy and claiming a first ascent when one hasnt done a true ascent for trad climbing that usually means placing the gear on lead basically isnt on. In one of climbings greatest tales, teenage brothers, fred and helmy beckey, complete waddingtons second ascent by repeating the south face. Wideboyz return to century crack supertopo rock climbing. Seven years after its first ascent, the notorious offwidth roof crack century crack 5.
Britains pete whittaker and tom randall are back in canyonlands, usa, where in 2011 they made the first ascent the spectacular century crack. Danny parker climbed his first offwidth ever around the same time the wide boyz climbed century crack. I remember tom and pete got shit in wideboyz for pre placing pro on the century crack and went back to do it clean, placing pro on the lead. Mount everest the historic ascent of 1953 britannica. The culmination of it all was the first free ascent of century crack by us both pure lines dont get much better than that. In 2019, pete did the 3rd free ascent of one of the hardest trad climbs in the world, the recovery drink, 5. Ok, so i suppose its finally time to lay our nuts on the table and come up with a grade for century crack. Renowned crack climber, author and wide boyz pete whittaker shares his new guide the definitive guide to crack climbing. One particular section of caves included a rarity of canyonlands a 50metre roof crack that mostly involved. Ukc news wideboyz climb century crack placing gear.
It will be another 35 years before waddington sees a third ascent. The first american expedition to everest was led by the swiss climber norman dyhrenfurth, who selected a team of 19 mountaineers and scientists from throughout the. Apr 22, 2012 unknown to many, wed locked ourselves down in my cellar for 2 years doing endless laps on wooden offwidths and it all paid off more that i could really imagine. Oct 26, 2018 my first offwidth experience happened simultaneously with the wideboyz free ascent of century crack. With didier berthod, david lama, timmy oneill, kevin perez.
In 2011, they made the first ascent of century crack 5. Pete is widely regarded as one of the best crack climbers in the world, having made dozens of cuttingedge first ascents and hard repeats, including the first ascent of century crack 5. Yes, stingray, a sharp tips crack in joshua trees crystalridden quartz monzonite, might only get 5. First ascent of dynamics of change e9 7a, burbage south, peak district first ascent of century crack 5.
Jun 08, 2016 pete whittaker and tom randall dedicated two years of their lives to training for offwidth routes they had never even seen. There have been stories of superlative climbing events over the years that have been surrounded by grading controversies, climbing style arguments and conflicting personalities battling it out for the first ascent. Crack climbing by pete whittaker provides a single point of reference for all crack climbing techniques, regardless of the grade you climb. The top 10 climbing stories of 2011 outside online. Nov 06, 2011 around a month ago, both pete and i made the first free ascent of century crack, at a vaguely guessed grade of 5. My first offwidth experience happened simultaneously with the wideboyz free ascent of century crack.
Going back and doing century crack again now with gear in tow something that hard, repeating it had to be really really difficult to force oneself to undergo again. First ascent is unlike any mountain climbing film youve ever seen. The 25 greatest moments in yosemite climbing history. Tom is a keen trad climber and has established many first ascents all over the world, mostly involving some kind of crack climbing. Their story spoke to me, and although i had just projected a 40 5. Tom made the first ascent of century crack 5,14b in utah, usa, as well as the first ascent of the kraken v in devon, england. Century crack by steve crusher bartlett pete whittaker and tom randall both climbers led century crack, one right after the other have pulled off a free lead of what is quite likely the longest roof crack in the world 120 feet long. Our gut feeling as soon as wed both topped out was 5.
The tour culminates in the first ascent of the ultimate offwidth test piece, century crack, the worlds hardest offwidth. Now thats what i call a first ascent ep4 century crack 5. The pair received some criticism for preplacing the cams for their first ascent. Trainingbeta new podcast episode with pete whittaker of. Jun 01, 2016 the 25 greatest moments in yosemite climbing history. In his own climbing, tom is no stranger to training hard, pushing boundaries and achieving impressive goals. About 35 feet up a widening of the crack provides an uncomfortable stance. During their two months in the united states, they checked off one offwidth crack after the other and went through about 150 meters of tape. In 2011, the wide boyzbritish offwidth aficionados tom randall and pete whittakermade the first ascent of century crack, a 5. The brits trained specifically for offwidths for two years, then systematically repeated nearly all the hardest wide cracks in the u. Weve spent hours and hours debating this number amongst ourselves and its sort of been a tough decision, but also an easy one. A trip to the southwest of the us, the offwidth capital of the world, resulted in the first ascent of century crack 5. The issue as i see it is that century crack is a plumb line and hence deserves a proper ascent.
I will repeat that what they have done is amazing, but it is flawed. He aided across this monumental roof crack solo, employing a back rope only for the final barrel and lip turn. Crack climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber follows a crack in the rock and. A steep diagonal fissure to the right of southern cave slab provides the line for this challenging route. Hailed at the time as one of, of not the, most difficult roof cracks in the world, it was repeated in october 2018 by remarkabe us climber danny parker. Oct 19, 2011 ok, so i suppose its finally time to lay our nuts on the table and come up with a grade for century crack. Tom randall and pete whittaker have produced a grade for century crack in the canyonlands, usa. Hi, were tom randall and pete whittaker and commonly unlucky for us. That year he and tom also did the first ascent of the colossal 100m roof crack, millennium arch, 5.