Dave MacLeod engages try-hard for Mission Impossible
- Saturday 24th September 2022
Dave MacLeod ended an athlete meeting in North Wales with a successful repeat of Mission Impossible (E9 7a).
Originally climbed by Neil Carson back in the day, Mission Impossible (E9 7a) is high above the valley floor on Skyline Buttress, Gallt Yr Ogof in the Ogwen Valley, North Wales. As a route, Mission Impossible is well-named; it’s an hour’s walk-in, often suffers from seepage and features F8b climbing on the c.15 degree overhanging wall. It has some in-situ pegs but nuts and small cams are needed as well to protect the route and, as at least one previous ascensionist found to his dismay, it’s possible to fall off the top of Mission Impossible even when you’ve got your hands on the very top of the crag!
Having first tried it four years ago, Dave MacLeod was back in North Wales for a Mountain Equipment athlete climbing meet. Despite feeling tired from climbing the previous day Dave hiked up to the MI wall to have another look at the classic. His first redpoint attempt on MI wasn’t successful but MacLeod is renowned for his tenacity – as are many top climbers – and he resolved to ignore the wet hold on the crux and try again. Engaging “try-hard” mode, MacLeod made it into the crux, held the wet hold, pulled harder and then topped out.
Posting a short clip of himself on the crux, MacLeod commented, “Having a good scrap with the crux section of Mission Impossible E9 7a yesterday. A good way to finish the @mountainequipment team meet.”
Dave’s recipe for success on the steeply overhanging route is worthy of note, “The continuous lean of this wall is what makes Mission Impossible E9 7a a bit of a power-endurance sprint. As soon as you start, the clock is ticking! The name of the game is to get to that crux as fast as you can without sacrificing efficiency.”
We believe Dave’s ascent of the Ogwen test-piece is the sixth only ascent after Neil Carson, James McHaffie, Oli Grounsell, Angus Kille and Hazel Findlay; Angus and Hazel both climbing the route within days of each other in September 2020.
Watch Dave’s attempts on Mission Impossible including his successful burn, as well as clips of the other Mountain Equipment athletes in action below in a video on Dave’s YouTube Channel.