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Black Rocks (Read 11077 times)

grimer

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Black Rocks
July 09, 2007, 11:11:32 pm
Was having a sniff around there recently. Was wondering, has anyone done Shredded Feet? The guide says traverse right and finish up Golden Days or the flake to the left, which is where Tom de Gay's E6 6c Little Things goes. Is this right?

Also, Johnny and and Bonjoy, I shunted that pocket slab in the gully you mentioned. It's got a massive reach to get a big pocket, then you get an edge out right , make a smear up to a poor pocket then get the break. Probably 6a, but the landing is terrible.

And Mirf, are you there? On Cybertron Mission, is it essentially a direct up the arete to the last flake on Final Wall Direct, using a blind flake with the right hand on the right side of the arete to get the high porthole. Perhaps a wee bit eliminate as you might be able to get on to Chancery Slab but good moves on good rock. Again, from shunting it I thought about E5 or E6 6a?

And I know keenus got part way up Non Stick Vicar, saw the pic. Did he ever do it? Has anyone ever repeated it?

Questions, questions, questions


Also has anyone - Keenus - tried the slab left of Demon Rib? Wow, what a project that would be. A steep groovy leads to a good cam, probably just below half height, then wicked moves up an 80 degree slab with a couple of shallow momos leading to the break. It looked mind blowing. Anybody know about that?

Jacqusie

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#1 Re: Black Rocks
July 09, 2007, 11:15:21 pm
"shallow momos"?

what are they doing there - flown in from tibet!?

 :P

GCW

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#2 Re: Black Rocks
July 09, 2007, 11:17:42 pm


 :off:  Sorry.

grimer

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#3 Re: Black Rocks
July 09, 2007, 11:26:41 pm
Answers, answers, answers

AndiT

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#4 Re: Black Rocks
July 10, 2007, 07:15:34 am
What Black Rocks needs is some proper locals. If you haven't got some answers in the next 12 hours, I'll answer the questions for you.

andy popp

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#5 Re: Black Rocks
July 10, 2007, 07:41:19 am
Its not much help, but I was there with Johnny once and he was raving about that slab thing (route of the future blah de blah 7b, blah blah next generation etc etc., you know the score) Got the impression he had actually tried it.

Hope that doesn't sound sarcastic about Johnny but his enthusiasm can lead him astray at times.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2007, 08:07:19 am by andy popp, Reason: clarification »

webbo

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#6 Re: Black Rocks
July 10, 2007, 08:25:45 am
i was told that shredded feet finished up golden days by steve b who saw j.a. do it.

grimer

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#7 Re: Black Rocks
July 11, 2007, 09:27:43 am
The 12 hours are up Andi...

That's right Andy, that rings a bell that someone had said Johnny had tried it, maybe even you had telled me. It really is wild looking that slab.

And webbo, it's just the guide says either flake. It was written by Malcolm Taylor, so it's entirely possible he did it both ways. It must have been a very hard route for its time - E3 6c in 1976. There can't have been many 6cs around then.

webbo

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#8 Re: Black Rocks
July 11, 2007, 10:08:34 am
i tried s/f a couple of times back in the day and i can't remember 2 flakes.i was planning to finish up g/d if i got there.

Tom de Gay

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#9 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 10:16:28 am
Ahh.. Black Rocks... In my hazy reminiscences there are two flakey features left of Golden Days; my route takes the left hand one on the left hand side, which is a little bit eliminatey but fun nontheless. I always assumed shredded feet took the easier line up the right hand feature (otherwise it would be E6). I've dug out some photos of the E6, which I'll post later.

Non-stick: if you're allowed to use the arete it's not too bad, just a bit of a grim mantel to finish; Chris Jones did it that way too. But from the way people marvel at its difficulty these days, I suspect you're not allowed the arete. Anyone know how it was originally done?

I also recall a really nails old school E4 in that area - birch tree wall direct or something? I hope I'm not the only one who finds this nearly impossible.

Johnny Brown

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#10 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 10:26:45 am
Agree with Tom, I think Non-stick has got the reputation from folk assuming the arete is out. You need it to top out, but not lower down which does make it a bit eliminate. Nice moves though. The guide says it has lost a hold, which may have allowed a direct top-out. Or it may just be that folk found it hard, saw a bit of a scar, and presumed something vital had been lost. I think that's the most likely scenario unless anyone can remember an extra hold.

grimer

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#11 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 10:43:03 am
Ah, hi Tom, thanks for replying.

I know exactly where Little Things(?) goes, as i saw the vid.

I suspect NSV just suffered a bit from the Dawes mystique. I imagine it does the natural thing and uses the arete. What grade would you say it is?

Also, did you do a boulder problem on the left of the Gaia block up an arete?

Also, I think the Birch direct has arep for being extremely reachy

Bonjoy

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#12 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 11:15:52 am
Quote
I suspect NSV just suffered a bit from the Dawes mystique. I imagine it does the natural thing and uses the arete. What grade would you say it is?
It's a bit shitty and non-descript if you use the arete at the start as you may as well sack the flake off entirely and just climb the arete. It only works as a feature if you climb the flake and then move right to the arete at the top. Scary V8??

grimer

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#13 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 11:35:04 am
Cheers for that. And BJ while you're there, does Slanted Enchanted bridge out on those blunt pockets to the arete with gear in the highest chockstone, or does it use them for the hands?

Tom de Gay

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#14 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:22:16 pm
Note classic belaying technique


Patch trying the onsight





Tom de Gay

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#15 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:24:40 pm
And another:


plenty more where that came from

slackline

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#16 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:30:32 pm
And another:


plenty more where that came from

Nice pics, would love to see more.

Where are they on flickr?  Feel free to add them to the grit group.

grimer

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#17 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:40:48 pm
So it's most likely that Shredded Feet continues to Golden days at the grade?

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#18 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:45:28 pm
So it's most likely that Shredded Feet continues to Golden days at the grade?

there was an OTE a few years back with a martin veale thing with a photo of him on shhredded, certainly looked like the top of Golden days to me.

grimer

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#19 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 02:59:56 pm
Ah yes, I remember that. Isn't that the one where there was actually a picture of his shredded feet?

Bonjoy

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#20 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 03:04:28 pm
Cheers for that. And BJ while you're there, does Slanted Enchanted bridge out on those blunt pockets to the arete with gear in the highest chockstone, or does it use them for the hands?
Yeah, gear on chocks in chimney and trav out with pockets for hands. The moves out to the arete are brilliant. It's a shame the top is usually filthy green. E5 6b and at least one star in my opinion

dave

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#21 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 03:08:10 pm
yeah his peds looked well bum. like he'd had his feet bound in a previous life as a chinese lady.

Tom de Gay

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#22 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 03:37:55 pm
Grimer, I did do a boulder problem up a small prow on the left of the Gaia block, just beneath slanted and enchanted. The last move is a lunge for a massive bucket and the landing is not so great. Thought it was about Font 7c. If you're collecting info for a guidebook then you'll need to know that it was done on 13th Sept 2001, at about 4pm.

grimer

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#23 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 03:44:36 pm
What were you wearing?

Tom de Gay

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#24 Re: Black Rocks
July 12, 2007, 04:04:37 pm
Did Meshuga earlier that day, so I think I was probably wearing my brown trousers.

 

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