The Tube

[(woz)]

One thing I will post is that dawn raider should start sitting under the roof as from the right, you can as I did climb out to the arete and onto the lip via big undercut flakes (the most obvious line from the right hand start) around 7bish

Great place beautifull setting and one of the best and prob the biggest limestone roofs in the country.

Tony Simpson

Glad you found/enjoyed it!

I avoided that block with those flakes on as it is hollow sounding and I wasn't sure whether it would hold me(it will be marked on the topo). We were going to try and get it off but were worried as to whether we would be able to stop it rolling down the hill and squashing people!
I was surprised that you found more than a couple of loose bits, I've always thought that it was exceptionally solid (i.e. way more so than rubicon!) - especially for somewhere that has never been climbed.
As for the grades, could you PM me what you thought so I have a bit of a concensus for the topo. I really don't mind if they are big downgrades etc as there are bound to be better sequences/different holds possible than the ones I used.

dan

[(woz)]

Here is the topo:


Apologies for the lack of quality but computers arn't really my strong point . You can get a bigger, more legible, version in my gallery. As for the map, I had a go at making one, but to be honest you would be better following the written description or going with someone who has been already. Its a tricky place to find.
If anyone has anything to add to the topo/questions then just drop me a PM.

[Sloper]

No stranger to a bit of esoteric choss, in fact all for it once in a while, but with regard to the limestone thing, british limeston is utter crap compared to the rock on the continent and in the USA.

Which if any of the british (sport) limestone crags would get into the top 50 limestone crags in the world?  My money would be on 'none'.

[(woz)]

Horseshoe Quarry?

[Stubbs]

Which if any of the british (sport) limestone crags would get into the top 50 limestone crags in the world?  My money would be on 'none'.

Hmmmm apart from the obvious Norber Scar, I'd have to go with Malham and Kilnsey. It obviously depends on what criteria you're using, i.e if 'reliable weather' was one, then you are probably right with none.

[The Sausage]

c'mon sloper. have you ever actually climbed at any of the better british limestone crags. routes like zoolook, GBH, overnite, obsession, urgent action, supercool (for fuck's sake) are totally world class. malham is about as impressive a looking crag as you'll find anywhere. we might not have vast sweeping walls of immaculate limestone, but who's looking at the mantlepiece when they're stoking the fire (as they say...) or do you prefer beauty over substance..?

[dave]

people can bang on about the quality of US, european or thai limestone till the cows come home, but none of them are a swift half hour drive from sheffield, so cry me a fucking river. roll on Tor season.

[dobbin]

roll on Tor season.

Amen to that. Hoping harris is on the ball in 2007. No late calling of the lime please, I've got a lot to do this year...

[Bonjoy]

Could be tricky what with 'Swiss' Harris spending nine out of ten weeks at Magic Wood/Cresciano!

[r-man]

Bit of news to add to this thread - on the weekend Dan succeeded in linking the start of Dawn Raider into Creep, to give Creep Extension - 8a. Over 30 moves, and something of a horizontal staminaband. Looks like hard work. Well done that man. 

[Bonjoy]

Nice one Dan. Had a look at this as a possible extension when I was there the other week, thought it looked good and very logical.
 I notice the  big ugly fissure crossing the roof from the start of Ringpull to finish up the crack isn't on the topo. Surely this must have been done?

[dave]

and something of a horizontal staminaband.

staminaband being that well known highball bloc-problem.

[r-man]

and something of a horizontal staminaband.

staminaband being that well known highball bloc-problem.

Ah yes. I see the confusion. The difference of course being that in climbing Creep you are horizontal, whereas in climbing Staminaband you only move horizontally. Suddenly Staminaband strikes me as a crap analogy. Thankyou Dave for pointing out this error.

I notice the  big ugly fissure crossing the roof from the start of Ringpull to finish up the crack isn't on the topo. Surely this must have been done?

It's in the topo. I quote:

3 – The Crack – 6a+ - From the same large jug, climb the crack
all the way to good jugs on the headwall. The large foot platform is
in at this grade. Reversing is slightly harder.

A nice warm up. Probably 6b rather than 6a+.

[Bonjoy]

Oh, now I see  . That blue line wasn't very obvious on my B+W print out. T'would be more fun missing out the low fooholds on the pillar I reckon.

[(woz)]

Just to add that one of the crimps on the lip of Doug Hnuts got pulled off by some fatty. I reclimbed it, and it is now slightly harder. The new "Brown Groove" problem mentioned in another thread is also quite good. Start sitting as per DR, then move up and left, climb the groove, and finish at the break. My guess at the grade would be 6bish.
The big crack can also be reversed to finish up Ringpull. Lots of rainy-day fun.

If you fancy an alternate approach/walk back to the car, then head out of the larger tube entrance on a small path, following it round the alpine craggy knoll (great views over dovedale, and dove holes), and down under Ravenstor into Milldale.

[r-man]

Yeah, the brown groove is quite good. Seemed more obvious to just start sitting directly beneath, left hand white sloper, right slopey crimp. More of an independant line that way, rather than a deviation. 6bish that way too. You could maybe start it further left round the arete to make it a bit harder.

How long is this alternative path? And where exactly does it come out? If it's a shorter walk I'm always interested.

[(woz)]

If you wanted to approach along that path, park in Milldale and follow the path downstream on the Ravenstor side. When underneath ravenstor, follow the path up to the base of the crag, then along and slightly upwards (I think you cross a style just past the crag). Keep going on a very exciting path which crosses a rocky outcrop halfway up, and skirts round the hill straight into the tube. I think it's a bit longer, but nicer.

[n_man]

Has the hollow/loose block fallen out? When I went up there today there seemed to be a massive, relatively recent scar. Glad I wasn't hanging onto it when it came off.

Does anyone else think Dawn Raider is hard for 7c?

[(woz)]

It came off at some point between last summer and Feb this year - hopefully noone was attached to it at the time. Dawn Raider seems to have many different sequences, all suiting different shapes and sizes. Unfortunately I only know the one in the video.
Are you the n_man I met at Beginners wall and rubicon? If so:

[r-man]

n-man, did I meet you at Beginner's Wall and Wales?

I see you've joined me with the alphabet-man naming. Only 24 names left to go. Roll up, roll up...

______

Anyway, I met some people recently who were asking if there was a topo to the tube. Which presumably means they've read this thread, but not the other one. For those that don't know, there's a topo here: http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,6905.0.html

[(woz)]

I did another tube problem today, not a classic, but some new moves to do. Start matched in the crack a couple of meters right of the start of ringpull and break for the lip (i.e. running parallel to ringpull). At the lip a tricky move with a fingerjam leads up and left to the standard finishing hold. No name, but about 7a+. I didn't use the footledge at this grade.

We had a good (and dry) session despite the skanky weather.