Dave MacLeod
{{short description|Scottish rock climber}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox climber
| image = davemacleod.jpg
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| caption =
| name = Dave MacLeod
| nationality = Scottish
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1978|07|17}}
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| education = BSc in Physiology & Sports Science (Glasgow University), MSc in Medicine and Science in Sport & Exercise (Glasgow University), MSc in Human Nutrition (Glasgow University)
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| typeofclimber = {{flatlist|
| highestgrade =
| highestredpoint = E11 7a traditional
{{Climbing grade|8b+}} free solo
{{Climbing grade|9a}} sport
| highestonsight =
| highestflash =
| highestboulder = {{Boulder grade|8C}}
| knownfor = Second-ever person to free solo at {{Climbing grade|8b+}}
| firstascents = {{ubl|Rhapsody (2006, E11 7a)|Echo Wall (2008, E10 7a)}}
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| website = {{URL|www.davemacleod.com}}
| retired =
| updated = 6 November 2017
}}
Dave MacLeod (born 17 July 1978) is a Scottish rock climber, ice climber, mixed climber, and climbing author. MacLeod is known for being the second-ever person to free solo a {{Climbing grade|8b+}} graded route (Darwin Dixit in Margalef, in 2008), and for climbing one of the hardest traditional climbing routes in the world (Rhapsody on Dumbarton Rock, graded E11 7a, in 2006).
Climbing career
=Rock climbing=
File:Dumbarton Rock North West Face 02.jpg. Rhapsody and Requiem follow the line of the thin and tallest crack in the centre of the face. Rhapsody holds the line of the crack all the way to the top, while Requiem veers right.]]
In April 2006, MacLeod established the climb Rhapsody on Dumbarton Rock which, at a grade of E11 7a, was the hardest traditional climbing route in the world at the time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=198|title=Dave MacLeod, The Modern Traditionalist – E11|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Mick Ryan|date=April 2006|accessdate=24 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/natural-highs-1-1304187|title=Natural Highs|publisher=scotsman.com|date=19 February 2009|accessdate=24 May 2013}} The ascent of Rhapsody is the subject of the movie E11 (2006) directed by Paul Diffley and produced by Hot Aches Productions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=251|title=E11 – The Movie|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Mick Ryan|date=October 2006|accessdate=24 May 2013}}
In 2008, MacLeod became the second-ever person free solo an {{Climbing grade|8b+}} graded route (Darwin Dixit in Margalef).{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=868|title=Dave Macleod – 8b+ Solo – Interview|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Jack Geldard|date=March 2008|accessdate=24 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/news/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=36096|title=Dave Macleod 8c solo at Margalef, Don't Die of Ignorance XI,11 first ascent on Ben Nevis|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=21 March 2008|accessdate=24 May 2013}}
In 2008, MacLeod completed the traditional rock climb Echo Wall, an extreme and as-yet ungraded rock climb on Ben Nevis, which took two years of preparation.{{cite web |url = http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/newswire-echo-wall-macleod |title=MacLeod's Boldest: Echo Wall |publisher=Alpinist.com| accessdate = 22 February 2006}} MacLeod left the route ungraded but in 2024, suggested a grade of E10 7a for the route.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-48S7gLP_I?t=1254|title=How I grade the hardest trad routes}}
In addition to his achievements in traditional rock climbing, MacLeod has also successfully created and completed sport climbing routes and projects up to the grade of {{Climbing grade|9a}} (A Muerte at Siurana, in 2007){{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=41388|title=Dave MacLeod – A Muerte F9a|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Mick Ryan|date=November 2007|accessdate=24 May 2013}} and has established bouldering problems up to the grade of {{Boulder grade|8B+}} (Natural Method on the Skeleton Boulder at Glen Nevis in 2012).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2012/05/dave_macleod_the_natural_method-67136|title=Dave MacLeod, The Natural Method|publisher=ukclimbing.com|date=May 2012|accessdate=29 March 2018}}
On 28 August 2010, MacLeod and Tim Emmett established the route The Usual Suspects on Sron Uladail on Harris, provisionally graded E9 7a, in an ascent broadcast live on BBC Two Scotland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=57562|title=MacLeod and Emmett's Great Climb on BBC iPlayer|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Mick Ryan|date=August 2010|accessdate=24 May 2013}} As part of their preparation, MacLeod and Emmett successfully established five new routes on five Hebridean islands (counting Lewis with Harris as two separate islands) in five days, an achievement documented in the BBC Scotland series 5 Climbs, 5 Islands (later released on DVD as Triple 5).{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vpg71|title=5 Climbs, 5 Islands|publisher=bbc.co.uk|accessdate=24 May 2013}} MacLeod has continued his association with BBC Scotland, filming The First Great Climb (broadcast on 22 November 2011), in which he replicated a successful 1876 attempt on the Stack of Handa using the type of equipment that would have been available at the time, and Climbing – No Limits! (broadcast on 12 April 2012), establishing new routes in the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District.
=Mixed climbing=
MacLeod has also established hard routes in mixed climbing with ice axes and crampons, climbing Good Training for Something with Canadian climber Will Gadd at a grade of M12. In 2005, he established the hardest traditional mixed climbing route in the world at the time, The Hurting in Coire an t-Sneachda, Cairngorms.{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews.lasso?l=2&keyid=34756|title=MacLeod climbs Scottish XI 11|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=9 March 2005|accessdate=24 May 2013}} The route has been repeated a few times{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=60093|title=Andy Turner on The Hurting|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Jack Geldard|date=February 2011|accessdate=24 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=60515|title=Greg Boswell Repeats The Hurting XI,11|publisher=ukclimbing.com|author=Jack Geldard|date=February 2011|accessdate=24 May 2013}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=39133|title=Dani Arnold repeats The Hurting in Scotland|publisher=planetmountain.com|date=8 February 2012|accessdate=24 May 2013}} and has a Scottish winter grade of XI,11 (M9+/M10){{Cite web|url=http://www.climbing.com/news/trad-m10-in-scotland/|title=Trad M10 in Scotland|publisher=climbing.com|author=Dougald MacDonald|accessdate=24 May 2013}} with hard, technical climbing over very poor protection.
=Writing=
In December 2009, Macleod's book 9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes: Navigation Through the Maze of Advice for the Self-coached Climber was published. In 2015, Macleod's book Make or Break: Don't Let Climbing Injuries Dictate Your Success was published. In November 2024, Macleod's book Moving the Needle: How an Average Climber Can Do the Hardest Route in the World was published. MacLeod has written widely on nutrition, and eats beef and eggs daily in the belief that animal products are essential for good mental health.{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/climbermacleod/p/DFXlNhio6YQ/?hl=en|title= Instgram post|accessdate=29 January 2025 }}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
|last= MacLeod
|first= Dave
|title= 9 Out of 10 Climbers Make the Same Mistakes
|year= 2009
|publisher= Rare Breed Productions
|isbn= 978-0956428103
|title-link=
}}
- {{cite book
|last= MacLeod
|first= Dave
|title= Make or Break: Don't Let Climbing Injuries Dictate Your Success
|year= 2015
|publisher= Rare Breed Productions
|isbn= 978-0956428134
|title-link=
}}
- {{cite book
|last= MacLeod
|first= Dave
|title= Moving the Needle: How an Average Climber Can Do the Hardest Route in the World
|year= 2024
|publisher= Rare Breed Productions
|isbn= 978-0956428158
|title-link=
}}
See also
- History of rock climbing
- List of first ascents (sport climbing)
- Johnny Dawes, British traditional climber
- Sonnie Trotter, Canadian traditional climber
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.davemacleod.com Dave MacLeod] MacLeod's official website
- [http://davemacleod.blogspot.com Blog] MacLeod's official blog
- [http://onlineclimbingcoach.blogspot.com Online Climbing Coach Blog] MacLeod's coaching blog
- [http://hotaches.com/climbing-films/e11/ E11 – the movie]
- [http://www.climbing.com/climber/dumby-dave/ Profile on climbing.com]
- [http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/climbersskiers/global/detail/username/davemacleod Profile on blackdiamondequipment.com]
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Category:Sportspeople from Dumbarton
Category:Scottish rock climbers