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Hosey B (Read 171636 times)

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#50 Hats On!
October 26, 2011, 07:00:24 pm
Hats On!
26 October 2011, 5:57 pm

And its had a wash.

Winter is 3 weeks early

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#51 Thursday's Lesson
October 28, 2011, 01:00:24 am
Thursday's Lesson
27 October 2011, 7:45 pm

Failure is a powerful stimulus. Retreat teaches humility, and rescue allows a second chance at not dying.

Things I've learned:

  • I may not be the choss hound I once was.
  • I can still make reasonable decisions.
  • When the crack smells of fish, its time to back off.


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#52 For One Night Only....
November 05, 2011, 12:00:20 am
For One Night Only....
4 November 2011, 6:52 pm

I'm Headlining!

Its the launch evening for Llanberis Slate; the Ground Up guide I've given myself to for the last n years.It should be a fun night with climbing superstar and co author Pete Robins, and champion of accessible slate Colin Goodey both giving stellar presentations. Martin Crook may be beaming in from Kalymnos too..Those of you who have suffered my LLAMFF talks in the past may recognise a few slides, but hopefully there will be some new abuse from the audience...

So 11th of September 730pm at the Caban, Brynrefail. Come along and please refrain from throwing stuff 'cos I'll cry.

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#53 Unaccustomed as I am to Public Speaking..
November 12, 2011, 06:00:10 pm
Unaccustomed as I am to Public Speaking..
12 November 2011, 11:49 am

Went Well last night, although the fact that the kids got me up at 6 this morning meant I wasn't as erudite as I would have liked to be. Also people were asking some very interesting questions that I'd wished I could have spent more time on, however, I over ran as it was.Looking back there was a different slide show I could have done, that would have answered people in a more satisfying way.I thought I'd have another stab on here at some of the questions asked.

-Climbing loose and scary stuff again and again, what drives you back?A route consists of a line through space. Quality lies in the aesthetics of the feature, the experience of movement,  and the overall effect of the process. For me the quality of the journey of the is a culmination of these things, and is found in the questing rather than always in the finished product. An outward journey can be mirrored by an inner one.

-Aren't you afraid of killing yourself?Without risk adventure is meaning less, but to get meaning out you have to survive.  So minimising risk is key. My personal strategies are three fold:Immerse yourself in the language of the environment. Learn the character and moods of the rock, converse and insinuate into its flow. This required regular contact, and for a time I was fluent in slate choss, but like any skill, lack of practice causes rustiness, hence recent failure.Secondly, Listen to the inner voice. I'm a Christian and I believe that we're given enough freedom to take risks and enough advice to prevent calamity. As a dad, I also know what having a risk-taking kid is like, and I don't want to take any of this for granted. Times and seasons and all that.Thirdly, always have an exit strategy, always see the avenues of retreat, and see that failure is always valuable.

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#54 Bonza's Blocked
November 12, 2011, 06:00:11 pm
Bonza's Blocked
12 November 2011, 4:06 pm



After seeing a thread on UKC Regarding Lost world and access to Bonza crack I took a trip up to see what the fuss was about, See exactly how blocked / shored up it was etc.

Here's the tunnel

What I found inside...

Basically it aint how I left it last time I was here! a slight collape from the roof before the tunnel mouth means although light still comes through and a wriggler could wriggle, they'd likely be squashed like a bug. Here's a shot I took before the fall from outside:

And here is yesterday:

You'll notice the outer skin is unchanged, however the floor of the tunnel is definitely raisedand the block on the left behind the outer skin has dropped down. I'd guess that although you could abseil in to start it, while the move may be the same, the stability of the outer skin might be questionable on a macro scale.

Coincidently, a diagonal fault on the wall  between Harold Void and the ladders has got a couple of inches wider too. If there is a big freeze this winter I expect there will be some geology in action!

Unlike most Guidebooks, Llanberis Slate suffers not only from New router's putting it out of date, but the actions of the quarry itself. (Nant Peris quarry lost 90% of its routes to rockfall while the guide was at the printers)

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#55 Red Right Hand
November 21, 2011, 06:00:21 pm
Red Right Hand
21 November 2011, 2:58 pm

Got out with Wolf this Saturday, a quick hit on the slate was called for as I had to be home before sundown..

My shoulder had been playing up from a particularly brutal boulder setting day at the Beacon, and I was a bit nervous how I would fare. However, after seconding the first route I deemed it serviceable enough for now.

We'd hit Railtrack and it was in the sun, and despite a few avoidable wet streaks it was in pretty good nick. I'd not been down here since the ack ack of new router's and so the guidebook came out. Red throated diver seemed to have changed with all the footholds through the crux being plenty roomy- not what I'd remembered at all. That's popularity for a friable slate venue I guess, a fair bit softer anyway.

Crazy Train was as good as I'd heard, and despite a few razors left, a pleasant experience.

We had a wander round, and ended up on the Rognon catching the last of the sun. This meant I could clean up a niggle in my mind and lead a variation of Abbatoir Blues I'd top roped some time before. The Red Right Hand Variation traverses right when the 2nd bolt is just below your knees to gain the red groove, which is taken to the top. I climbed up to the 3rd bolt first, for added security, probably giving an overall E2 6a, those with more to prove can clip the 3rd bolt later from the groove to get the E4 tick. The groove is soft and wood like, a hold did detach near the top, so the name does seem .

We used the Australian to escape back to the car. However the access bolt at the base of MIL arete has been vanished, and Wolf belayed me up off a braced stance (he's a strong boy). I hadn't noticed this and proceeded to get him to tie me off on his plate so I could stand on the edge and haul up the bags... Boys outing indeed.

I was late and had to face the wrath of Sam, and also both Haston sisters. Fear did occur. However, I got off lightly with babysitting while Sam had a girls night out.

Happy Days

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#56 Giveaway project of the Month - December
December 18, 2011, 12:01:22 am
Giveaway project of the Month - December
17 December 2011, 9:00 pm

As you may have inferred by the quietness of this blog, and the passing rumblings of brokeness, I'm a little out of action at the moment. Plus the weather hasn't been conducive to owt either. The new year will, however, hopefully bring wholeness, adventure and a bit more free time...

Right, back to the giveaway. This Christmas I thought this might be an appropriate little teaser:

Chwarel muriau gwynion mawr, in the fachwen section of  Llanberis slate, uphill quadrant of the hole (but still requires a sensitive approach).

20-30m of clean knife edge arete. some sun. not many holds.

enjoy and Merry Christmas!

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#57 Touching rock
January 10, 2012, 06:00:11 pm
Touching rock
10 January 2012, 4:20 pm

Got out for a attempt at adventure last week to Moose's wall, firstly I forgot My chalk bag, so no real attempts at climbing were made, but mooching occurred. A few scraps of moss were peeled to ho hum over unclimbed boulders (mostly too pretty as the are to desecrate with average problems) and the project was abbed to remember the sequence and try and solve the problem of the kicked off jug (still working on it..). Then it resumed raining, and I retired for Coffee and Terry Pratchett.

not the best of starts, but  a start it is. Just got to fix this shoulder now.

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#58 Giveaway Project of the Month - January
January 25, 2012, 06:00:17 pm
Giveaway Project of the Month - January
25 January 2012, 2:41 pm

Given the weather its a shame I can't give away any projects in more temperate countries (although I may scan in some of my Scillonian projects at some point..) However as a lot of old slate has been proferred lately I thought I'd give out some more aesthetic rock.

With my interests turning once more to just getting climbing rather than specifically seeking virgin geology here is a reluctant offering from my stash.

 The Marchlyn slopes (sh608 621)





Would suit a pair of fell runners as a good spot is more important than a pad. I succeeded on the left arête from a sitter to top out(F6C?). However, the full traverse is up for grabs. Likewise did a number of standing straight ups (upto F6B?), but the sitters are all nails. Really nice piece of rock, and would already be a classic if near the road.

Enjoy

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#59 Holiday time!
February 12, 2012, 12:00:20 am
Holiday time!
11 February 2012, 9:01 pm

Yep finally took a break from work, and this meant getting away as well for a bit of me time. Wolf was captured and a full day at Porth Ysgo was had. Having temporarily mislaid my bouldering guide (not having required it lately I guess....) we used Wolf's, however, this meant that this blog may lack some detail. We missed the blue sky and scrambled down barely thawed turf below a cloud laden sky. Fortunately we must of just missed the sun, because the black boulders had retained just enough warmth to offset the hot aches. Fun was the intention, and after warming up around the ysgo flange, we moved onto the higginson scar, both topping out with minimum fuss, wolf with an albertross technique and myself with happy feet. Next boulder over, the beaches hardest V2 and V3 got fearfully and desporately attacked and some victory was obtained. Next Fast cars. Now i know the beach shifts, but I distinctly remember being able to start without being on tip toe. No matter, It was dispatched with minimum terror. Lacking more motivation and demanding cake, we retired to driftwood collection, sausages cooked on a fencing wire grill, walking back in the dark to retire to a pub....

I am now recharged and back into daddy mode, having looked after Ethan and Dylan solo while Sam and Logan visit her Dad. But watch this space, I'm in my happy place and even planning a rematch with the Beast!

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#60 Giveaway Project of The Month - February
February 28, 2012, 12:00:21 am
Giveaway Project of The Month - February
27 February 2012, 7:27 pm

It was with  warm fuzzy feelings of reminiscence that I saw that Climber ran an article on the Isles of Scilly. Between 98 and 2002 I spent quite a lot of time out there, as my main climbing partner at the time got the job of Island bobby. Much fun was had, and with so few established routes, you could pretty much new route all day. We eventually recorded this info in the black folder mentioned in the article. This was when Mat was busy and at a loose end, I photo'd all the rocks on St Mary's, and printed a double copy, one for the island, one for me.

As its a bit wet at the moment, and I certainly am longing for spring, I thought I'd do a few giveaway's and posts involving the remarkable rocks of St Mary's.

Today's Giveaway; This is the inlet side of Peninnis head. The massive overhang is the unclimbed Monks Cowl. This is a fairly well known LGP that, due to the access to the Island remains just that.There's also the fact that if you fall off, you'd be choppered back to the mainland, and all your stuff would be stuck out on the island....



However, this months giveaway refers to the top left rocks that look like the dragon from Neverending story. I attempted to climb this and protected it by lassoing the nose with a rope, anchoring it down either side with Cam's and tensioning the rope with a alpine butterfly on the ledge as a runner. I got this Idea from a photo of Ben Bransby in some mag, doing the same thing. Thus preserving my onsight ethic I boasted at the time. I made it direct to the ledge, clipped the butterfly and pushed on up the right arete to try to gain the offwidth runnel above. Unfortunately, due to my ground up approach, I hadn't scrubbed the scrattle off the rock (these weird shapes are due to salt water and wind erosion of the granite) The feeling of bearhugging marbles above a boingy runner on a sloping ledge was not pleasant, and I retreated back to the nose. From here I climbed up a bit of the diff chimney to the right, placed gear, and traversed back into the offwidth runnel to finish.

A bodge basically.

So anyone visiting and climbing on the Island is very welcome to put things right. I suggest an abb and scrub first though.

Enjoy



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#61 Back in the game
March 15, 2012, 06:00:24 pm
Back in the game
15 March 2012, 1:50 pm

After what seems like an eternity of poorly shoulder and no free time to play, another project goes down.

A trip to the bends brought me to Moose's wall and my old Nemesis the main wall highball. I'd been trying this since getting not the years done, but was having to wait for cooler conditions, then I kicked a hold off, then rain and injury set in.

Happy Days.

Something something Darkside is about F7A and will appear on NWB shortly no doubt.

now the Beast..

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#62 New Shed
March 20, 2012, 12:00:29 am
New Shed
19 March 2012, 6:22 pm

A successful Mothers day led to a chance to get out before work today, and a new shed has been discovered.

Although firmly in the wilds, its not quite on lovely CROW land. As such I'll guess I'll have to keep it to myself, which is a shame as it catches the sun, and doesn't require cleaning at all. Pure plug and play.

Another day another highball, and true to form, It veered off and got tricky at the top. No Problem with your attentive spotter to readjust the copious matting. Slight problem when your on your todd.

More probably to come from this shed, so for the moment I shall assign it the name Kerplunk.

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#63 Once were young
March 20, 2012, 12:00:29 am
Once were young
19 March 2012, 6:52 pm

A younger hairier more naive version of myself on the first ascent of the Excoriator. This was one of the first handful of new routes I'd done In the Isles of Scilly. It was here I was bitten by the new routing bug, and here that I learnt that long sleeve tops were useful for off widths.

Its basically a highball on a large marble shapped 30ft boulder between the lighthouse and the giants castle at Peninnis. The ear shaped flake starts at shoulder height and requires tenuous laybacking until the flake fats up to sloper hell and a rockover onto scissored armbars begins the squirming. I think being unaware of bouldering nuance at the time I just reckoned it HVS 5c.

The thing that makes St Mary's special is the rock is so scoured by the elements that the lines are often laid bare and glaring at you. relegating you to the position of a slightly sticky kid in a sweet shop.

That's not to say that the lichen and occasional scrattly patina doesn't lend spice to the ground up experience..



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#64 Giveaway Project of the Month - March
March 28, 2012, 01:00:15 am
Giveaway Project of the Month - March
27 March 2012, 8:13 pm

Things are looking up in North Wales, The sun is shining and the clocks have gone forward. The winter's seepage is slowing and the summer's seepage has yet to begin. Not been out much yet but I managed twice in a month which is a 100 percent improvement. Local giveaway's are in the pipeline, but for today we're back on St Mary's in the shadows of the twin otters.This is Runway Buttress, predictably at the end of the islands airport runway. Its about 15 meters high and has some evil jamming traverses. Only one route so far; "Just like Jackie Chan" an HVS that bounces up the left arete. The Project in question is the central arete which I top roped back in the day to the flared break. It involves a cool 6a dyno and felt about E2 to the break. With a brush it should then push through the bulge via the rounded flake. Really class line.

Enjoy

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#65 Looking back at Dyffryn Mymbyr
April 20, 2012, 07:00:24 pm
Looking back at Dyffryn Mymbyr
20 April 2012, 5:29 pm

I've been getting excited lately. I've been climbing outside twice already this month, and I may get out even more before we hit May. I've also been riding the buzz of the forthcoming North Wales Bouldering Guide. Since Llanberis Slate came out I've got excited about sport climbing, something I never thought I'd do, and the bouldering guide is also getting me thinking. I've indulging in atypical behaviour, like ticking classic boulder problems rather than scratching for something new, and thinking about what makes something good..

Ages ago I spent a lot of time scratching around Dyffryn Mymbyr, first seeking cracks, then just looking for fun. A lot of what I played on probably doesn't deserve to clutter up the forthcoming guide, However, due to unfinished projects and what-have-you, it never got recorded. Rather than let it fall down the back of the cupboard of history, I thought I'd record some stuff here.

I'd nicknamed the place Feidr fw as a homage to Vedauwoo a fat crack honeypot in Wyoming. My first foray located acollection of boulders between the pen y grwyd andplas y brenin at SH671 568. These are a long way from the road (gasp! 400m) and to get to them park in the first lay-by on theright after the chicane from pyg. Then go through the gate on the other side of theroad and quest up the hill along the wire fence to the stone wall. Feidr fw isvisible a little further up the hill.

The rock in this area is good quality and often Dartmoor rough. It has to be said they're diminutive in size, but they gave agood struggle from a sitter..

  • The Heel Keel F6C. start with a hoof in the adjacent offwidth which is..
  • Hug it and Squeeze it     and call it George F5. heave in and swim up.     Block below is in.
  • Weaklings Arete F5+. Start with toes cammed in block below, finish as for Hug it..
  • Rib and Slab F4.
  • The Kingspan Traverse     F6A. An eliminate eschewing the edge of the     slab, spanning from undercuts to a series of layaways to arrive at the     Sterling Mantle block.
  • The Foot locker F6A+. a counter diagonal to King span, starting with hoofs jammed     in the chockstone.
  • Happy Feet F6B+. start at the back of the cave facing out. Kick feetup into the wideness, and struggle out onto the Sterlingmantle block.7a. Happy Feet Lefthand F6B. Start facing inand jam around the chockstone to exit above.7b. Widefetish Eliminate F5+. Tackle thewideness direct from the right.
  • The Sterling     Mantle F7A. Slopes and nubbins provide the way     to pull onto this hanging block. Start facing out. FA. Joe Sterling
This was just a groovy place to chill in the sun and hang by my heels really. Happy feet was the star, although Big G visited and didn't get his boots on, probably due to dwarfing the boulders and having too big a chest to swing under the suspended boulder i.eYes that is a carry mat, or otherwise its back dab central. However it does allow you to make moves like these without recourse to a spotter..Invert elevator off flared heel toes anyone?

50m further up the hill is the glory boulder, so named because of the widefetish motto "Glory starts at 4 inches" as does the back of this crack. Again the inverts are hair scrapers but a lot of fun and even allows a kick through.

 Glory F6A. Has a lying start facing out in the utter bowels off the fissure, with off twohandjams in a chockstone in the cave to the left. This provides good inversion and some sweethanging jams. Further interest include LumpyArete F5+ (the right arete of the fissure) and the Trio Traverse F6B, Which started on the third boulder just in shot right, followed the horizontalseam, and continued all the way along the slopey boulder no.3.

Just East of feidr fw is Giveaway project March 2010 .Over the stream to the West are some lost gems, Paul Higginson's mega F7a traverse and Julien Lines Highball slab.I stumbled over the 30ft of slopey boulder shortly after Feidr Fw, and not knowing its history, christened it The Mighty 'Tashe, as it looks like Zebedee's face fuzz.



As well as Higg's traverse I did the central arete from a sitter (about F6A) and broke out from the concave lefthand section from a sitter giving Imhotep F6B+ which features an evil egyptian. Behind the 'Tashe is the highball

I have to return to try this..

Lastly, those of you who've delved into the bowels of this blog may remember Quack Crack F6C, which is by the wall, a little further west.

There's more to find in these hills, some of which I'm sworn to secrecy (although is bound to have been done by Mallory or summit) others are below Craig y Haul

Enjoy



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#66 Return to Mymbyr
May 04, 2012, 07:00:13 pm
Return to Mymbyr
4 May 2012, 2:47 pm

All this reminiscing led me on Thursday  to don wellies and stomp back up the hill to photo some stuff and try something new. It was really good to feel unfit (the stomp) and also to see these problems were still pretty cool.

Mighty 'Tashe From Left

Mighty 'Tashe From Right



 Front View with Pad for Comparison

The Central Arete (The Snip F6A) went as a sitter with hands in the crack and gives some nifty finger locks, Imhotep F6B+ starts from a sitter on a side pull and a sloper on the ramp at the back of the roof (where dark meets light).

I Then went to revisit an area I explored with Fraser in 2009. This undisclosed location was due for some joint development between Team Ball and Myself. However the kids have yet to embrace the slog up the hill yet.

I couldn't resist pulling my boots on:



This is Man like Me, about F6B and goes from a sitter with feet on the block on the bottom, and hands clamping, more clamping proceeds until a lunge for the sloping lip leads to a big swing and a top out.

More details to come in the future.



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#67 Hosey's Crack?
May 14, 2012, 01:00:31 am
Hosey's Crack?
13 May 2012, 8:45 pm

Now I know. I'm supposed to be laying off the projects, doing more classics, finishing off the Beast, sending the Shed f8 project*

But...

Its great to be hanging by my feet again, and bouldering projects are a bit like glue sniffing, easily accessable and highly addictive. Although so far, I haven't got all spotty or choked on my own vomit.

It probably isn't going to be cutting edge, but Damn its fun.

watch this space

*keeping it clean, dragging the kit all the way up the hill, watching conditions, getting proper fit, like really proper fit. Or taking out a brush and a pad......

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#68 you are here..
June 07, 2012, 01:01:12 am
you are here..
6 June 2012, 10:25 pm

Its that time of year where you take a frank look at where your at, and where you want to be.

Kind of MJ's man in the mirror, only in your socks..

The last week in May saw two great opportunities; a Day's climbing in Cwm Glas Bach, and my First proper Bouldering competition.

The cragging was mid week, perfect conditions, with young gun Calum Muskett. We weren't out to tear it all down, but got two particularly fun Climbing experiences. Calum led Pretty Girls Make Graves, a well protected and fiercely powerful E6 6b. He got it second go from the deck ( would have been onsight bar a failed slap..) I then had the oportunity to second it and suprised myself by doing all the moves. I chose however to get copious rests and fully dog it, as the comp was in a couple of days. I probably would have still dropped off it if I had given it full guns, but at a cost to me being able to move for the next few days.

Next was finally stepping up to the plate and getting on the sharp end for Fear of Infection. This is a classic E4 offwidth and Welsh testpeice, that I should have tried years ago. My first proper lead since the twins were born really, and it showed, with many gibber rests when the size six tipped out a bit or a foot skated. This was not a clean lead, but I was very happy to top out and will return to clean up a bit.

Basically my climbing at the moment is sporadic and depends on demonstrating during coaching sessions or during route setting (currently fishing for more Freelance setting if anyone needs owt..). At the moment this probably averages at about 2-3 hours effective training a week. This translates to maintaining a reasonable power to weight as I'm skinny, but zilch stamina. I'm ok for 20 moves to a shake, 40 to a rest, but on a squeeze chimney like Fear, thats only about 4 metres!

The Comp was at Rockover in Manchester, great atmosphere and a heathly prize fund, which meant a very strong field. The qualifiers were 30 problems from font 5 to hard, and 3 hours to flash them in. There weren't any points for  more than three goes so it was an onsight test. We'd brought the North Wales Youth Climbing Academy for some comp practise, and some of us coaches entered the adult open for some fun. It was certainly fun, and hot, very hot. I managed 183 points which means I flashed 18 of the 30 problems, got to the bonus holds on 3 further problems, and couldn't do any better on the remaining 9. A massive blood blister on my middle finger stopped play, so I know I was trying hard. I ended up 26th out of 50 so I was well made up. I may even get a chance to train for next year...

All taken into account, Bouldering is going ok, with a few Font 7a+'s going on the wish list, but if I want to make any gains on the ropes, I'm going to need to devise some cunning endurance training ploy. Whilst looking after 3 toddlers. Could be tricky.



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Giveaway Project of in the Month - July
29 July 2012, 11:50 am

Apologies for the lack of posts this month, probably due to weather and a certain new climbing wall opening that has filled any spare moment I have had.With the Summer dissolving to sunshine and showers, Thoughts continue to linger in the Slate Quarries and the possibilities highlighted by the new guide. This one is a bit less well highlighted...Taith Mawr was an adventure from my younger years, and probably my high water mark in adventure climbing. An epic girdle, it covered a lot of new territory and exposed a few lies of excitement as yet untapped. Here is a short clip accidentally shot during the 1st ascent by Jon Byrne, my partner for this voyage:

This was taken from after the campus move on the last pitch of meat. The hanging arête is by the belay in the middle of the epic 2 pitch crux (the triangle shield gives the belay). With the topo in the Guide lighting the way, the possibilities of a vertical trip through this land is certain to get a sweat on..

Enjoy..



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#70 Birthday Climb!
August 14, 2012, 01:01:34 am
Birthday Climb!
13 August 2012, 10:15 pm

With another lap soon to be notched up on the "Its a Knockout" of life, a weather window was spotted and duly sanctioned by the boss (missus HoseyB). A climbing partner was a bit more problematic but at the close of play the night before, the pub provided. Ali volunteered his services and a table of encourager's and dispeptics suggested Cloggy as a target.

Ali is fairly new to the adventure game, so a gentle classic was selected for kick off, Great Bow a HVS combination of the best of two routes, weaving up the big slabby bit of the cliff. Our table of peers concluded the evening by drawing attention to my lack of walk in expertise and dislike of sensible climbing. Ali could not be put off, however, and by 10am the next morning espresso's were downed and the game was afoot. I'd like to think I didn't disgrace myself on the walk in; I carried half the gear, a handful of pauses to my amble occurred, with only one significant collapse at the first rail crossing for water and sustenance with a lean against the halfway cafe to regain composure.

We shared Cloggy with 3 other parties, Stanage popular this isn't, despite the greater value found at this lofty height. I've only managed a handful of visits to the black ruby of Yr Wyddfa, only one of those being normal. (Black Cleft and belay duties on Authentic Desire don't count) and I felt my own shame as it rose majestically around us. There isn't really a better mountain crag in North Wales (just more convenient ones).

The route was Ace. An obvious line, yet one intricately linked. The rock was full of character and gravitas, solid and accommodatingly featured, apart from the unexpectedly truculent or wobbly bits.

The belays all seemed to be perched on the edge of an abyss, and with Ali not yet at the trad leading stage of his apprenticeship, all quite thoughtful. Its been an age since I've led multipitch, let alone taking all the leads, so a system of gear sorting and re-stacking the ropes was hurriedly botched together. I managed at least one textbook belay to show what it should look like, and 4 makeshift ones that were enough to prevent utter disaster. Apart from a slight lag on the last pitch, where unable to banter due to distance and wind, there was an awkward pause (I set up belay, belayed in as he belayed out, and kept the rope tight until he got the idea), we went well and fun was had.

Having never bothered to summit at the Cafe, the view across to Nantlle was refreshingly stunning. It was unfortunately 7 o'clock, so another route was not really going to happen, but all in all, one of the best days out I've had as a Dad.

Thankyou Ali and Happy Birthday Me.

Source: Hosey B


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#71 Giveaway Project of the month - August
August 25, 2012, 01:00:39 am
Giveaway Project of the month - August
24 August 2012, 8:47 pm

Ok, once again a bit rushed and no pics. Life continues to be busy and adventure seems very laborious to uncover. One recent ramble led me to the Shores of Llyn Peris; in between Dolbadarn castle and Fishskin Wall.a chance glance over the wall from the road while walking to Nant Peris spotted a rock. Further inspection allowed a nice heelhook like traverse to be performed on a remarkably clean and quite sizeable boulder that has obviously been used as a doss. Repeat ascentionists may like to look below the 30 mph signs. I continued to meander towards fishskin wall, past the egg with the crack and rather tasty DWS potential, and just before the bay of FSW itself..

This Months giveaway. A little inlet with a couple of sizeable dolorite boulders, I even made one a rudimentary terrace, but not carrying a mat I walked on and filed it for later. Don't wait for me, go and do something.

Enjoy

Source: Hosey B


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#72 Giveaway Project of the Month - September
September 29, 2012, 01:00:13 pm
Giveaway Project of the Month - September
29 September 2012, 6:31 am

Clearing out the Shed, this ones now a Open Project.

4 bolts to a lower off, 10m overhanging by 1.5m

 V4/5 into V5/6 into V7

3 good shakes

Prone to seepage, but nothing some Vaz couldn't solve.

I don't expect this one to go unclaimed.

Bottom of Chwarel Fawr, round from Way Down in the Hole, see Ground up Guide

Enjoy

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#73 Back on the Beast
October 27, 2012, 01:01:18 am
Back on the Beast
26 October 2012, 9:57 pm

As you have probably noticed, life has mainly been about earning money and looking after the family rather than wobbling up 400ft of virgin horror show. I got out twice in August, and this Tuesday was my first day out since then.

Acting on some stiff words from chief Wideboi Messr Randall, I stopped fooling myself with the pursuit of well trod classics, and got out on a damp day to revisit the Beast. The plan was to wander up via the fox steps, across the slipped shelf and drop down to Kyber Pass. A short shimmy later and I was at the top hut retrieving the carpet to protect the ab rope. I had in mind a thorough reccie, place all the necessary gear on the way down, give it a spring clean (it'd been a year and a half) and suit up and shunt my way back up.

With the lay off from this kind of silliness I wasn't sure I'd even get over the edge. However, the fear didn't come and I was able to absorb myself in the minutiae of project prep. Once I'd reached the ledge that separated the scary finish from the meat of the overhanging flare, I was able to assess things so far. This 9m section was harder than I remembered, the two clusters of gear, one of three rp's, one of four cam #2's. Both of questionable quality; the rp's shallow, the cams shallow and a bit hollow. I'd forgotten the first 5m of dirty baggy shallow hand jams / shape throwing, that made this bit more E5/6 6a than the E4 5c I had in my brain.

I swung into the lower section an immediately felt amongst the sharks. A lot of the gear I'd placed for the initial clean was just not feasible to place on lead, and mostly not worth more than an aid piece. My initial swing gained the rest niche and I confidently placed a key slider into the 7-8mm parallel crack that provides all the gear bottom to top of this section.

It ripped under less than body weight. Five or six attempts followed, eventually much lower down a cam #00 held enough to pull in on and continue down.

The game had changed, there was only a few spots in this 9m section where protection worth more than aid would stay, and it still would probably rip if I fell in anger. I arrived at the base a bit narked, with the groove having had a barely adequate clean. This section stays out of the rain, but being dark and enclosed sucks in and holds all the mist and condensation. Once damp, the algae turns to pure lubricant. Properly clean, I reckon this section is somewhere between f7b-7c+, so I wasn't expecting a lot today. I did at least establish some technique ideas, and identify some nicks that could be imagined to provide some purchase for the left foot.

The meat of the Beast is this undercut section of v groove; tighter and less featured than the quarryman, once inside (a brain masher in itself) the right hand does some finger barring, the right foot does some sloppy torques, left arm snakes into ineffective bars, and left legs swims for its life.

I'm totally sold on the Beast, but Its needs about 10 bolts. None of the available protection after 5m guarantees you'll survive, combine that with hard f7 climbing where you can fall off any move, and it indicates a level of commitment that is completely unjustified by the experience of the route.

As a sport route, you'll be able to clean it well before climbing, and you won't need 5 sliders, 4 cam #00's, 4 cam #2's and an array of RP's. Hardly standard rack.

The climbing is good enough to encourage repeats, the hollow section by the cam#2 cluster is going to fall off someday, so as standard sport route prep has got to go.

One Winter day I'll get it sorted so I can condition myself for the spring.

One last Hurrah?

Source: Hosey B


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#74 Hat Report
November 03, 2012, 12:00:14 pm
Hat Report
3 November 2012, 9:47 am

Hat wearing commenced on the 30th Of October.

Comparable to last year's winter (which was rubbish) and 3 weeks earlier than the previous one (which was good)

not sure of the forecasting value of warm head gear, will see how this winter pans out..

Source: Hosey B


 

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