Dave MacLeod
Encyclopedia
Dave MacLeod is a Scottish
rock climber and one of the foremost climbers in the UK, and one of the most accomplished all-round climbers in the world today. In April 2006 he established the climb Rhapsody on Dumbarton Rock which, at a grade of E11 7a, was possibly the hardest traditional
climbing route
in the world at the time and looks set to be confirmed as the most difficult in the UK. http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=198http://www.davemacleod.com
Rhapsody is the true finish to the line of Requiem E8 6b. Requiem was climbed in 1983 by Dave Cuthbertson and was one of the hardest rock climbs in the world at the time. It follows a crackline which fades out to a seam at half height. Requiem follows a flake heading rightwards to finish, Rhapsody climbs the line of the crack all the way to the top. The top half of the crack gives the 8c+ climbing and takes no more protection. MacLeod took many long falls from this runout, three from the last move in which he fell 70 feet and injured himself by hitting the rock at the end of the fall.
Rhapsody has now been repeated by at least two other climbers and has not yet been downgraded suggesting that the controversial high grade is justified.
The ascent of Rhapsody is the subject of the movie, 'E11' (2006) dir. Paul Diffley, produced by Hot Aches Productions. MacLeod has since featured in several more climbing films by Hot Aches Productions.
In addition to his achievements in traditional climbing, Dave has also successfully created and completed sport climbing
routes and projects up to a grade of French 9a ('A Muerte' at Siurana
) and has created bouldering
problems up to a grade of Font
8b ("Pressure" at Dumbarton Rock). While he rarely free solo climbs, Dave has completed solo climbs up to grade 8c ('Darwin Dixit' in Margalef).
Dave MacLeod has also established impressive credentials in mixed climbing
with ice axes and crampons, climbing "Good Training for Something" with Canadian climber Will Gadd
at a grade of M12. He has also established the hardest traditional mixed climbing route in the world, "The Hurting" in Coire an t-Sneachda
, Cairngorms
. The route has been repeated twice and has a Scottish winter grade of XI,11 (M10+) with hard, technical climbing over very poor protection.
Echo Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded climb on Ben Nevis
was completed by MacLeod in 2008 after two years of preparation. Dave described Echo Wall as harder than Rhapsody but left the route ungraded in a possible attempt to avoid the earlier controversy surrounding the E11 grade.
In December 2009 Dave Macleod released his book '9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes: navigation through the maze of advice for the self-coached climber'.
On 28 August 2010, MacLeod and Tim Emmett established the route The Usual Suspects on Sron Ulladail on Harris, provisionally graded E9 7a, in an ascent broadcast live on BBC Two Scotland. As part of their preparation, MacLeod and Emmett successfully established five new routes on five Hebridean islands (counting Lewis with Harris as two separate islands) in five days, an achievement documented in the BBC Scotland series 5 Climbs, 5 Islands. MacLeod has continued his assocation with BBC Scotland, filming The First Great Climb (broadcast on 22 November 2011) in which he replicated a successful 1876 attempt on the Stack of Handa
using the type of equipment that would have been available at the time, and a further documentary (due to air in 2012), climbing several new routes in the Peak District
.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
rock climber and one of the foremost climbers in the UK, and one of the most accomplished all-round climbers in the world today. In April 2006 he established the climb Rhapsody on Dumbarton Rock which, at a grade of E11 7a, was possibly the hardest traditional
Traditional climbing
Traditional climbing, or trad climbing, is a style of rock climbing in which a climber or group of climbers places all gear required to protect against falls , and removes it when a passage is complete...
climbing route
Climbing route
A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and, once committed to that ascent, can be difficult to stop or return. Choice of route can be critically important...
in the world at the time and looks set to be confirmed as the most difficult in the UK. http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=198http://www.davemacleod.com
Rhapsody is the true finish to the line of Requiem E8 6b. Requiem was climbed in 1983 by Dave Cuthbertson and was one of the hardest rock climbs in the world at the time. It follows a crackline which fades out to a seam at half height. Requiem follows a flake heading rightwards to finish, Rhapsody climbs the line of the crack all the way to the top. The top half of the crack gives the 8c+ climbing and takes no more protection. MacLeod took many long falls from this runout, three from the last move in which he fell 70 feet and injured himself by hitting the rock at the end of the fall.
Rhapsody has now been repeated by at least two other climbers and has not yet been downgraded suggesting that the controversial high grade is justified.
The ascent of Rhapsody is the subject of the movie, 'E11' (2006) dir. Paul Diffley, produced by Hot Aches Productions. MacLeod has since featured in several more climbing films by Hot Aches Productions.
In addition to his achievements in traditional climbing, Dave has also successfully created and completed sport climbing
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
routes and projects up to a grade of French 9a ('A Muerte' at Siurana
Siurana
Siurana is a municipality in the comarca of Alt Empordà, Girona, Catalonia, Spain located just south of Figueres.-References:...
) and has created bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
problems up to a grade of Font
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
8b ("Pressure" at Dumbarton Rock). While he rarely free solo climbs, Dave has completed solo climbs up to grade 8c ('Darwin Dixit' in Margalef).
Dave MacLeod has also established impressive credentials in mixed climbing
Mixed climbing
Mixed climbing is a combination of ice climbing and rock climbing generally using ice climbing equipment such as crampons and ice tools. Mixed climbing has inspired its own specialized gear such as boots which are similar to climbing shoes but feature built in crampons...
with ice axes and crampons, climbing "Good Training for Something" with Canadian climber Will Gadd
Will Gadd
Will Gadd is a prominent Canadian ice climber and paraglider pilot. He formerly held the paragliding world distance record, with a flight of 423 km in Zapata, Texas....
at a grade of M12. He has also established the hardest traditional mixed climbing route in the world, "The Hurting" in Coire an t-Sneachda
Coire an t-Sneachda
Coire an t-Sneachda is a glacial cirque or corrie landform in the Cairngorm or Am Monadh Ruadh mountain range in the Grampian Mountains of the Scottish Highlands....
, Cairngorms
Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the same name - Cairn Gorm.-Name:...
. The route has been repeated twice and has a Scottish winter grade of XI,11 (M10+) with hard, technical climbing over very poor protection.
Echo Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded climb on Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
was completed by MacLeod in 2008 after two years of preparation. Dave described Echo Wall as harder than Rhapsody but left the route ungraded in a possible attempt to avoid the earlier controversy surrounding the E11 grade.
In December 2009 Dave Macleod released his book '9 out of 10 climbers make the same mistakes: navigation through the maze of advice for the self-coached climber'.
On 28 August 2010, MacLeod and Tim Emmett established the route The Usual Suspects on Sron Ulladail on Harris, provisionally graded E9 7a, in an ascent broadcast live on BBC Two Scotland. As part of their preparation, MacLeod and Emmett successfully established five new routes on five Hebridean islands (counting Lewis with Harris as two separate islands) in five days, an achievement documented in the BBC Scotland series 5 Climbs, 5 Islands. MacLeod has continued his assocation with BBC Scotland, filming The First Great Climb (broadcast on 22 November 2011) in which he replicated a successful 1876 attempt on the Stack of Handa
Handa
Handa may refer to*Handa, Aichi, Japan*Handa, Scotland*Handa, Tokushima, Japan*Handa, local African name for a Katanga Cross-Indian name:Handa is a Punjabi clan and a surname in India.*Sophia Handa , an Indian actress-Japanese name:...
using the type of equipment that would have been available at the time, and a further documentary (due to air in 2012), climbing several new routes in the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
.
External links
- Dave MacLeod Dave's official website
- Blog Dave's official blog
- Online Climbing Coach Blog Dave's coaching blog
- Climbing routes on Dumbarton Rock
- 'E11' - the movie
- Hot Aches Productions climbing filmmakers which feature MacLeod