[Jim]

this place is not so good when your recovering from finger injuries

[Ally Smith]

Good stuff.  Did you do the wall with the monos just right of the rib?  Its got a big move leaving the last mono to tiny crimps then a slap to the top of the wall.

Yep, did that one too. Doesn't have to be a big move if you turn the 2nd to last mono into an undercut! Might scrape 7A?

[tomtom]

Did both of these last nigt on my first visit. I was very impressed, especially with Babyblock.

I intially tried the 6b+ rib thing (in one of the photos above) with blinkers on and thought it harder than the wall with monos next to it! Use everything and it's a peach too.

Has anyone done the full traverse?

Good stuff.  Did you do the wall with the monos just right of the rib?  Its got a big move leaving the last mono to tiny crimps then a slap to the top of the wall.

The traverse was jokingly given V4 by someone.  It's not.  I'm sure someone with time on their hands has done it but no-one has owned up to it yet (I know that Mr Popp has done bits of it and rated it).  I keep meaning to try it.

Is Babybloc the one in pic #4  - hard thin moves up the RH edge of the curved wall just past the first arete on the right?

Also, has anyone got the rib done without the mono's to the right? I got about 1/2 way up (LF in the big slot) before it all got really really thin! The wall with the mono's on the right of the rib is ace - I can get to getting the right one of the tiny two crimps - but cant quite reach the LH one which looks better - so suspect I'll need to bring my RF up to get the height... its quite spicy as you're a fair way up there!

[Jim]

Good stuff.  Did you do the wall with the monos just right of the rib?  Its got a big move leaving the last mono to tiny crimps then a slap to the top of the wall.

Yep, did that one too. Doesn't have to be a big move if you turn the 2nd to last mono into an undercut! Might scrape 7A?

does this finish as for the rib?

[andy popp]

Yes, same finishing holds.

[BenF]

Good stuff.  Did you do the wall with the monos just right of the rib?  Its got a big move leaving the last mono to tiny crimps then a slap to the top of the wall.

Yep, did that one too. Doesn't have to be a big move if you turn the 2nd to last mono into an undercut! Might scrape 7A?

does this finish as for the rib?

Er, no it doesn't.  It gets two tiny crimps and then pops to the top, right of where the rib finishes. 

Ally - I agree re: turning the last mono into an undercut - a cool move.  I felt it was at least 7a, maybe 7a+ and I know that other people felt 7a+ was a worthy grade if you can't reach the top from the crimps and need to slap.  However, much of the difficulty probably comes from making a slap at that height.  F*ck it, I'll give it 6b+   

[Will Hunt]

As per a few of the PMs I've sent I'm dead keen to get here. I've got a bit of time in Widnes before I go back to Leeds. Problem is I haven't got a car so would have to either cadge a lift or get the bus to Runcorn and then cadge from there.
Any volunteers fancy giving me a wee tour?

[Ally Smith]

I had a quick visit yesterday morning. Much of the crag is damp and greasy, only a few problems are dry, though someone has obviously tried to take care of this with VERY excessive chalk use, i.e. wack your chalk-ball at every hold before using. I didn't have a brush with me so couldn't clean up that mess (or my own tick marks  )

I think with todays minging misty weather it'll be a fair while until it's dry again?

[Johnny Brown]

If people climb here when its damp it WILL get trashed. Sandstone loses all its strength when even slightly wet. If its not bone dry go elsewhere.

[Will Hunt]

mmm. I wouldn't want to damage the rock so given the weather forecast for the next week I might bail back to Leeds 

[BenF]

I had a quick visit yesterday morning. Much of the crag is damp and greasy, only a few problems are dry, though someone has obviously tried to take care of this with VERY excessive chalk use, i.e. wack your chalk-ball at every hold before using. I didn't have a brush with me so couldn't clean up that mess (or my own tick marks  )

I think with todays minging misty weather it'll be a fair while until it's dry again?

Nice one, that saves me popping over to check its condition.  I expect it will need 3-4 days of dry weather to get sorted properly again.  Given the warmth as well, I'm going to stay away until September when we "should" get some dry weather and better conditions. 

This habit of whacking chalkballs against the rock and massively excessive chalking of holds has become very noticable at Pex over the last year.  Catalepsy is often a complete state, with 10 or more tick marks for feet alone.  Much of the Green Wall traverse sometimes looks like someone has tried to make it look like a climbing wall, the holds are so obvious with big circles drawn around the them!  I don't know how people can walk away from a problem leaving it in that kind of state.

[GCW]

It's not limited to Pex, Brownstones has become a haven for the phantom chalkball poffer.  Total mess the other day 

Never seen anyone doing it though.

[Johnny Brown]

I suspect because it gets done in an attempt to dry out damp holds, when no sensible climber would be at the crag.

[BenF]

Me neither.  Spooky huh?  Actually I do have a suspect for the crime of drawing circles around the holds.  I'm waiting for him to add numbers or "left and right" then I'll be able to nail him via his handwriting...  [insert Sherlock Holmes emoticon]

[GCW]

I hear what you're saying JB, but I've noticed the same thing even after days of dry weather.  I don't know what use to anyone the chalk poffs are, other than to make obvious holds harder to find under a ton of chalk.

Ben:
     

[BenF]

I hear what you're saying JB, but I've noticed the same thing even after days of dry weather.

Sadly, that is my experience too. 

Ben:
     

Gareth:   

[JamieG]

Sorry if this is a puntering question but is it still a bad idea to head to the sandstone at the moment? I was hoping to check it out at some point, but will avoid if it is still going to be damp. I wasn't sure what the weather had been like in the area. Possibly not great. Cheers.

[Johnny Brown]

I doubt there is any seepage as such, but the surface of the rock will absorb and hold water. Depending on the wind etc that could go in a couple of hours or linger for days. If it hasn't rained too much in the last few days you should be fine. As with many venues, you might get problems with condensation even if it hasn't rained, but the only thing to do is go and have a look.

[tomtom]

I was thinking of heading over to have a look tomorrow - late morn - but may have other plans/not sure etc... its rained here in Manc quite a bit yesterday but today is breezy.. though there are alot of trees in the quarry - so its quite sheltered/keeps higher humidity etc....
If I go, I'll post up here....
T

[Tris]

Just got a text from tomtom - he is at Harmer's now. He says it's dry, not 100% bone dry but good enough...

[tomtom]

Just got a text from tomtom - he is at Harmer's now. He says it's dry, not 100% bone dry but good enough...

Cheers Tris - to re-iterate, its in fine condition. A little damp in places and a touch greener than my last visit but all the main walls/problems are fine. A few insects about and the trees were raining seeds of some type which you had to blow out of some holds but no probs (it is outdoors after all!)

[JamieG]

Excellent news. Cheers guys. I'll get down their pronto!