Vintage Moffatt and Dawes (Meltdown, 9a)

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Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic
gonzo chemist

climber
Fort Collins, CO
Topic Author's Original Post - Jul 22, 2012 - 11:48pm PT
Just spied this on MP.com

thought I'd post it here. Sorry if its already been posted.

[Click to View YouTube Video]

James Doty

Trad climber
Phoenix, Az.
Jul 23, 2012 - 12:45pm PT
I don't think I have ever seen video of Moffat climbing before. Dawes always has interesting body positioning. That looked hard as sh#t. Thanks for the post about climbing.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jul 23, 2012 - 07:35pm PT
That's a jewel, for personality sake if nothing else.
Yes, Dawes does seem to have his own special body mechanics. Good eye James.

On that thing he looks downright awkward, chunky and just awful.
I know that wasn't very PC to say but he'd probably agree!
(The route is obviously wicked hard + contortionist + fingery nightmare)

Then we see Jerry try to stuff himself into the same tight little moves and it just looks wrong, especially with those long legs. Before he gets into the business on the upward traverse you can see his own special movement style just coming through. Always in balance, perfectly proportioned to the stone. You watch that guy climb things and instantly get the feeling that you could do the same if you would just open your eyes and walk out onto the rock relaxed and ready.

Moffat used to really sing praise for Johnny Dawes. To hear him tell it, Dawes is in a category all by himself where boldness necessarily combines with abstruse technique and sheer power.
jahil

Social climber
London, Paris, WV & CA
Jul 23, 2012 - 07:44pm PT
Absolutely brill, thanks for putting this up.

steve
michaeld

Sport climber
Sacramento
Jul 23, 2012 - 07:54pm PT
So when kids these days warm up on 9a's on lead, gracefully, all you old guys call them gym rats and tourouns.


But when some guy in the 1980's is wearing daisy dukes, toproping, and flailing on a 9a, it's awesome?


What's with you old people?

[Click to View YouTube Video]
Darwin

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 23, 2012 - 08:12pm PT


Adam's was just an endurance problem and didn't require any technique like an off width climb would.




;-) hehehe.. nice video michaeld, thanks!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Jul 23, 2012 - 08:13pm PT
Ya i could not get through that... watching people work stuff on TR is coma induceing............... heck watching hard stuff getting worked on lead is coma induceing. there is a reason we said no hangdogging BINTD. it's boreing;)
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jul 23, 2012 - 08:17pm PT
What's with you old people?

We are old!
... But when Jerry says "that's Jingus!" ... I know that he got that straight from The FISH circa early 1980s.

So we got said tidbits of minutia going on over here for being old, and little else, save for another shot at a breath or two. Boo-hoo.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
Jul 23, 2012 - 08:28pm PT
Adams climb was exciteing. the britts hangdogging on TR was a snooze............
Mr. Rogers

climber
The Land of Make-Believe
Jul 23, 2012 - 09:11pm PT
The route in the OP just got a FA, right?

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67243

I'd love to compare footage of the same section of the climb, even if it's just a bunch of hanging on TR.
klk

Trad climber
cali
Jul 23, 2012 - 09:23pm PT
9a slab in a place with shitty weather is pretty big news. Cool to read about the FA and see that brief clip.

And really cool to watch Dawes in action. Even better watching Moffatt's ape index work against him. At least until the exit dyno.

Anyone know what video the Dawes/Moffatt sequence is from?

Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Jul 24, 2012 - 12:52pm PT
One more question: Is the video "Buoux 8c" where Ben Moon is leading Agincourt, the first 8c, out there somewhere on the net?
jahil

Social climber
London, Paris, WV & CA
Jul 24, 2012 - 01:26pm PT
Ondra's climb is a wonder to behold but I really like watching Johnny Dawes climb and its cool to contrast him with Jerry Moffat here.
Yeah Ondra's climb is way harder in a beautiful location and on lead, but the Brits beat out Ondra for their patter.
Jingus! indeed.

steve
johntp

Trad climber
socal
Jul 24, 2012 - 10:51pm PT
Somewhere around that time (early-mid 80s) I remember watching Moffat float his way up English Hanging Gardens at Big Rock in SoCal like it was nothing. The boltz were crap. Impressive.

To see him struggle on this climb is a testiment to the difficulty of the route.
Messages 1 - 14 of total 14 in this topic
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