UK Bouldering First At Each Grade

A list of the first ascents of non-eliminate problems at each grade. Traverses are in a seperate list below.

Some problems were originally the starts to routes, but the nature of bouldering has evolved over the years and this list represents the progression of climbing standards on what we currently call boulder problems.

5 - Victorian Climb - Simon's Seat - ? - 1895

6A - Flipper - Robin Hood's Stride - ? - 1903 photo (Flipper is the climb on the right, without the cheat stone)

6A - Spider Wall - Ilkley - ? - 1930's? video

6A - Crease Direct - Crookrise - Allen Austin - 1957 (beats Crucifix Arete by a year and The Villain by two)

6A+ - Teaspoon Variation - Almscliff - Arthur Dolphin - 1948

6A+ - Wall of Horrors Direct Start - Almscliff - Joe Brown (onsight) - 1950s? video photo

6B - Janker's Groove Direct - Froggatt - Don Whillans - 1948?

6B+ - ?

6C - Syretts roof - Almscliff - John Syrett - early 1972 (beats Horror Arete by two years) video

6C+ - Tom's Original - Stoney Middleton - Tom Proctor ? - 1960s? (given 7A, but generally regarded as a bit soft.) video

7A - Barleymow - Almscliff - Tony Barley - 1966 video

7A+ - Ron's Crack II - Crookrise - Ron Fawcett - 1974 (beats Red Baron and Desert Island Arete by two years) photo

7B? - Jerry's Arete - Bridestones - Jerry Peel - 1970s? (grade reflects original state - it used to have better footholds) photo

7B - Bald Pate Superdirect - Ilkley - Andy Brown - 1980

7B+ - Lay-By Arete - Slipstones - Paul Ingham - 1983 (beats West Side Story by two years) video

7C - Cental Wall Direct - Dib Scar - Rob Gawthorpe - 1982 (the start to a route, not generally considered a boulder problem, though it is probably possible as such.)

7C - Sole Power - Froggatt - Jerry Moffatt - 1983 video photo

7C+ - Haston Problem - The Breck - Stevie Haston - 1979

7C+ - Monoblock - Pex Hill - Joe Healy - early 80s photo photo photo

8A - Careless Torque - Stanage - Ron Fawcett - 1987 video

8A+ - Superman - Crag X - Jerry Moffatt - 1988 (a tight line. holds have altered.) video

8B - Isla de Encanta - Trowbarrow - John Gaskins - 1999 video

8B+ - Kaizen - Woodwell - John Gaskins - 2001 photo

8C - Walk Away ss - Fairysteps - John Gaskins - 2002 photo

Traverses

6A - Three Swings Traverse - Almscliff - ? - 1940s?

6B - Traverse - Shipley Glen - ? - 1950s?

6B+ - Virgin Traverse - Almscliff - ? - 1970s?

6C - Demon Wall Roof Traverse - Almscliff - ? - 1970s?

7A - Bluebell Wall Traverse - The Breck - Al Rouse - 1968

7A+ - Pebble Mill Traverse - Burbage South - Pete Lowe - 1978 video

7B - Pebble Traverse - Stanage - Ron Fawcett - 70s/80s?

7B+ - Mid-level Traverse - The Breck - Mike Collins - 1979

7C - Powerband - Raven Tor - Jerry Moffatt - 1987 video

7C+ - Pockets traverse - Back Bowden Doors - Pete Curtain - mid 80's

8A - Staminaband - Raven Tor - Ben Moon - 1988 video

8A - Traverse of the Gods - Craig Y Longrdige - Tony Mitchell/Dave Kenyon - late 1980s? video

8A+ - Inertia Reel Traverse - Jerry Moffatt - Roaches - 1980s? video

8B - Anesthesia - Woodwell - John Gaskins - 2000 (originally graded 8B/8B+, but climbed with an eliminate no heels sequence) video

8B+ - Pilgrimmage - Parisella's - Malcolm Smith - 2004 video

8C - History awaits...

Links

UKB thread

UKB thread