My Definitive Climbing Tick List

With so much rock on planet earth and so little time to climb I thought I would get down on paper some of my climbing objectives.

The list comprises of spectacular summits, rock pinnacles and iconic features that have captured my imagination since I first saw them. Most of the routes are well within my abilities, in fact many of them have been attempted before only to have poor conditions force a change of plan. Some on the list I have bottled out on the day leaving a feeling of utter disappointment and an urge to come back with more resolve.

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INTERNATIONAL CLASSICS - (order of priority)

• Espolon Sud... Cueto Agero. A stunning 300m Trad climb that time and weather constraints mean we couldn't climb (here). An imposing cliff. 
• South Pilar...Stetind. An iconic granite Norwegian spire. Right up my ally. 
• Vía Tierra de Dragones. An injury to my arm prevented us from jumping on this fully bolted route (here). A great 375m sweeping face of conglomerate.
• Le Pilier Sud...Dent D'Orlu. 1000m of slabby granite. Pilar wanted to do it (here) but I chickened out. 
• Via Ravia...Ordesa. This looks amazing. Since I first saw the route (here) I have wanted to do it. Over 300m of climbing up an amazingly steep tower. 
• North Ridge...Piz Badile. Our plans to do it ended when the cataclysmic rockfall blocked the approach (here). Another 1000m granite ridge. 
• Pappillon Arete. We bailed on this classic ridge climb (here). Need to get it done now. 
• The Thumb.... Tafraoute. Got rained off this amazing piece of rock (here). Failures end up on the list. 
• Rebuffat .... Aiguille du Midi. A storm ruined my opportunity to climb this amazing alpine feature (here). Failures end up on the list. Would happily make do with the Cosmique Arete (which we also couldn't do due to a rock fall).
• Vinatzer.... Sella one.   Another iconic spire. I chickened out before (here), So it's on the list.
• Regular NW face...Half Dome  A Big Wall! Been on the list since my time in the Valley. A large rock fall may have changed the route somewhat however. Doable but a step up for me. I have made it to the summit of Half Dome before (here). 
• Voie Ula...Verdon. The next step up after La Demand which I've done (here).
• Pichenibule...Verdon. Having spent some time dangling on the Pichenbule face wandering how the hell I would actually climb this (here). It’s definitely on the list now. Wow!
• Salbitschijen. A fairly obvious choice. But along with the Piz Badile, as ridges go this long alpine ridge is a must do!
• Amistad .... Naranjo de Bulnes. Spain's national mountain. Never been to The Picos but this has to be done!
• La Marchand de Sable (Chamonix). Having failed miserably on this (here) I should really get it done. With more mountain competence its achievable.
• Via Classica. Fully equipped massive route in the Austrian Tyrol. A doable long route for Pilar and I.
• The Lions Face..Tafraoute. The amazing Lion overlooking Tafraoute. A Long "esoteric" day out! 
• Charlotte Dome. When hiking past this on a 5 day hike in Rae Lakes I couldn't believe my eyes. A perfect granite dome of El Cap proportions but at a friendlier angle. 
• Pic du Midi d'ossou. Probably just scramble up this the easy way. But I love iconic looking mountains like this. A proper summit.
• Frendo Spur...Chamonix A proper alpine climb that starts and ends at cable car stations. I remember when I first saw it from the Teleferique. It looked like a hostile environment. There'll be no snow left on it by the time I work up the courage to actually do it!

DESTINATION OBJECTIVES

• Devil's Tower. Just because its the coolest looking piece of rock anywhere!
• Triglav. The Julian Alps look amazing for Via Ferrata and Alpine rock climbing. Triglav would be the obvious objective though there a lifetimes worth of mountain rock there.
• Pillar of Wisdom. A destination objective really. I'd take any route of this stature in the beautiful landscape of Wadi Rum, Jordan.
• Presten...Lofoten. Climbing large granite cliffs within the Arctic Circle. Got to be done. Presten being a prize objective.
• Long Peak Colorado. Purely a wall that captured my imagination from browsing the internet. Would love to climb this or something Alpine in the area. 
  
• Pingora. An incredible looking granite spire in he middle of incredible Yellowstone wilderness. Would be a lifetime highlight.
• Cochamó Walley. Another destination objective. The Yosemite of Latin America! Would need to be as part of a tour of South America. A Once in a lifetime!
• Dos d'elephant . Really a destination goal rather than this specific route. Corsican granite looks incredible. Dos d'elephant a world class slab climb. 

UK LIMESTONE TRAD

• Coronation Street Cheddar Gorge, a miserable cold place to climb. However this adventure route is a must for a climber like me (can't believe I haven't done it yet)
• Kangaroo wall A notch up from King Kong (which I've done). A quality adventure climb at my closest crag.
• Darius. Now upped to E3 this 50m pitch would take some real confidence for me to get on. A real climbing goal! 
• Machete Wall. Local crag to my parents place. A sustained improbable test piece (at least for me)
• Sirplum. Adventurous UK limestone in wild positions. My sort of thing.
• Lime Street Direct.  I love Willersley. And this route looks really good (and polished).
• Carnage Left Hand. This route looks like a real experience climbing high up overlooking Malham Cove.
• Moving Target. Fair Cave Quarry isn't exactly the most inspiring climbing location. However for single pitch slab climbing it has a few class assets. Moving Target inspired me. 
• Black ice. 50m of thin slab climbing. Will have to bag it when visiting family in Devon
• Chee Tor Girdle  Adventurous UK limestone in wild positions. A local laugh.
• Pendulum / Alcasan  More "adventurous" limestone in wild positions. Daft but definitely my sort of thing.

UK SEA CLIFFS

• Am Buachaille. A sea stack adventure with a swim involved! Worth it? I think so. To be done along with The Old Man Of Stoer to bag the classic sea stack trilogy.
• Mars. A scary looking route at a scary place to climb. Looks wild but doable. 
• Exposure Explosion. Esoteric traversing that makes little sense. So why do I want to do it?
• Ocean Boulevard. I never actually thought I'd want to do this until I saw the wall whilst abseiling into the Ruckle. Steep as hell but with good rock and good gear. Looks amazing.
• Incubus. A route I backed off before. Short but extremely exposed 
• An Bealach Rúnda. Should have bagged this sensational columnar basalt sea cliff when climbing in Fairhead (here). Gutted.  
• Gargantua. A steep line in the town that I was born.
• Fantan B. A real guano covered route that doesn't look pleasant. However at 180m high and in a remote section of coast this is a real outing.
• The White Rabbit. A section of  Wonderland, the Boulder Ruckle traverse. I love the idea of traversing the Ruckle - a simulation of a mountain route 2 hours from home.
• Old Man of Hoy. Most Iconic climb in the UK
• Kitten Claws. E3 Slab. Got to get on it!
• Grey Panther. Columnar Basalt that looks like a unique experience.
• The Smile. Just the most amazing fin of rock that after 15 years I still haven't been to.
• Sacre Coeur. A Sandstone pyramid on the beach. Great looking.
• Benny. An aid climb into a sea cave and out a blow hole. Committing, remote and unusual. I chickened out once before. So it's high on the list.
• Preposterous Tales. Another crazy trip into a sea cave. Wet, committing and preposterous.  A Must!
• Pleasure Dome. Now this one is a big step up. Top end E3 and in a wild position. With the right partner its an ambition. 
• Brazen Buttress Having done other classics at the crag, this classic is the obvious next step. Though in reality, there are a huge amount of Pembroke E1-E3 routes on my list
• Moonraker. A sea cliff mega classic of the grade. 
• Dreadnought. A committing adventure classic that must be done! Would need a strong partner. Have climbed sections of it before on the route Seventh Dread
• The Beast from the Undergrowth. Climbing out of Huntsman's Leap is a right of passage for a British trad climber.
• Bloody Sunday. A step up from Beasts (previous climb). In fact two steps up! Something to aspire to in  my career.
• Rainbow Bridge. A world class sea cliff DWS traverse from my hometown! A must do. 
• Wendigo. Weird rock and a committing environment mean this large cliff really allures me. Scary but rewarding.
  
• Murcury - A stunning line in one of the most adventurous crags in England. Carn Gowla.
• Anything at Fair head. A destination objective. Still haven't been to the best crag in the British Isles.
• A Prophecy of Drowning. The outer Hebrides have the best sea cliff adventure trad in the UK (possibly the world?). Remote, beautiful and wild. 
• The Traverse of the Gods. Another weird esoteric sea level traverse. A full-on outing.
• Lost in Space I absolutely love Range West! Abseiling into and climbing out of this hole looks highly memorable.
• Green Bridge of Wales. Though not high on the list, this sea arch is something I want to climb to add to my collection of iconic coastal features. A remote section of Pembroke.

WINTER CLIMBING

• Tower Ridge. The long classic winter route on The Ben. An obvious choice but this'll have to get done (one Easter Bank Holiday). Note I have climbed this in summer conditions (here).
• Bolgen. A late start and an underestimation of this great ice route meant we bailed after a couple of pitches (here). About as good as moderate multi-pitch ice climbing gets. 
• Orión Face Direct. Closest thing in the UK to an Alpine climb. Would need to get much more confident in winter to do this.
• Green Gully. Another route high on The Ben's North face - really the only dependable ice climbing venue in Britain these days. Green Gully a classic doable route. 
• Second Gully...Eurika, Colorado. Scoped out the approach when we were in Colorado (here). Desperately wanted to do it but conditions didn't allow. Remote. Beautiful. Isolated.
• Toubkal.... Winter Ascent. Not really a climb. More of an Alpine snow plod. But really want to check this mountain out in winter.

BRITISH HILL TRAD CLASSICS-

• Left wall. A long time ambition. Queued up for it before but never actually got on it.
• The Cuillin Ridge in a day. I want to run the ridge solo. Failed on it with a group (here) and its now a big ambition. Failures end up on the list 
• Silly Arete The positions on that arete take my breath away. Just Wild. Brilliant crag! 
• Central Pillar...Esk Buttress. After walking passed this on the way to Ill Crag Scramble (here) I can say this great piece of rock is in the most idyllic valley I have ever been to. 
• Minus one Direct. An amazing looking Alpine-esque line. Should have taken the opportunity to climb it when up at the Ben in summer 2023 (here). Wont miss the opportunity again. 
• Terminator. Always wanted to get away from the crowds and climb on Llewedd. The climbing may not be that good but the location and scale of the cliff is excellent.
• Shrike. Could be any number of Cloggy routes but having 2nded this I feel its a must do. 
• The Grooves (Llanberis link up). Linking up 5 routes, starting in The Pass ending up on Crib Goch. It would start on Dinas Mot, take in the classic The Grooves, and finish on Read's Route. A long, tough and epic day out!
• The Steeple. Love the idea of biking into the Cairngorms and climbing this 9 pitch route.
• Comes the Dervish. Super classic that I reckon I could do.
• Colossus. An inspiring sheet of slate that looks like really techy, fun climbing. Needs a dry spell.
• The Weaver A companion rout to Vector (which I've done). This looks better!
• Totalitarian. Looked across at this great piece of rock from Castle Rock. It looks amazing
• Centurion. Really want to do a summer rock climb on the Ben. Doesn't need to be this climb.
• Saxon. A UK Mountain classic with sublime positions and climbing to match. Just need a good dry spell. Ideally camp on the fell for the full experience
• The Pause...Etive Slabs. Scotland's answer to Toulumne / Haegafjell / Ailefoide etc. Slabby.
• Interogation. Having done Rhinoceros on the same piece of granite I feel compelled to climb the next logical step up. A hard E3 6a wall of weathered Dartmoor Granite. Impeccable and hard!
• Gwydrin. Failed to climb this great looking Snowdonia outlier (here). Quieter than Llanberis
• Intergrity...Sron na Ciche. Looked up at it but it was soaking wet (here). As such it goes on the list. To be honest my tick list of Scottish classics could go on forever. Let’s just leave it here though. 

GRITSTONE

• Ratbag. Not high on the list but I'm working my way through Froggatt slabs. This is next up.
• Quietus. Just gives me the fear. Can only imagine the exhilaration upon topping out.
• Wombat. Another burley roof problem. 
• Regent Street/ Billy Wizz. I'd take either of these crack classics. They do look 'ard though
• Synopsis. A finger crack micro route that I failed on once. 
• Brown's Eliminate. Has always given me the fear. With a calm head it looks pretty steady though.
• Long John's Sab. A highball solo at E3. Good for dialling into friction 
• Commander Energy. A short but wild looking arete. 
• Smear Test. The name says it all. E3 friction climbing.
• The Rasp. This looks nails hard. 
• Fern Hill  A sustained wall climb with good protection. Absolute gritstone quality. 

OTHER MENTIONS

• Classic Rock. Ken Wilson's classic coffee table book of British climbs would make a great tick list. Most climbs are relatively easy grade-wise but to try and do them all would be a great objective. Perhaps do them all in one long trip on bikes when I’m retired.
• Hard Rock. This book has a bucket load of classics that would keep any climber busy for a decade or two. I’ve done a few on the list but hoping to get more done
• Parois-de-legende. This great book has the world’s most legendary walls. I’ve even climbed a few. Many are way out of my league but there is so much inspiration here. Unfortunately the book is out of print now.
• Chasing the Ephemeral. I'm not much of a winter climber but this book is packed with inspiration. I'd be nice to bag a few on the list.
• Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. Another old book with a whole continent of inspiration. So much to do so little time!
• A first ascent.  I would like to put up a new route somewhere. This would most likely happen in Morocco where there is so much accessible climbable untouched rock.
• Project a sport route. Something like Empire of the Sun 

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