Jeff Mercier Onsights D13
The French alpinist Jeff Mercier has onsighted a dry-tool route in the United Kingdom rated D13.
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The French alpinist Jeff Mercier has onsighted a dry-tool route in the United Kingdom rated D13, reports UKClimbing.com. The route, named Powerdab, is a contender for the UK’s hardest pitch of dry-tooling and is possibly the first onsight of the grade, according to UKClimbing.
Powerdab was established by Greg Boswell in November 2013 at a crag called The Works in the English Lake District.
“It is a 20 meter [65-foot] route that follows a very steep roof line, ” wrote Boswell on his Blog. “The moves are big and powerful, and if you mess up the crux sequence, you fall worryingly close to the ground (potentially hit it on rope stretch). “
Mercier also climbed Guardians of the Underworld (D13), which he needed two days to complete, during his brief stay in the UK.
The 46-year-old Mercier is a member of the Chamonix mountain rescue team (PGHM) and also travels extensively for mixed climbing competitions. In 2014, Mercier won the Elite Mixed-Climbing Competition in Ouray, Colorado, besting his 2013 finish of second place.
Check out this cool video of Greg Boswell making the first ascent of Powerdab.
