[SA Chris]

Take a warthog to abseil off!

[Wipey Why]

What are the chances of a less ankle-snappy version of Archangel coming into condition in the next few days?

My mate had a go at it on Sunday with no pads. The landing is fine and you can bail off it into the snow (and slide down on your ass). However, about half of it is covered and likely to remain so for a while.

[duncan]

Thanks all.  I'd like to climb something recognisable as Archangel but more suited to the not-rubber-knee'd mature gentleman (I also like to have my cake and eat it too).

What does El Mocho charge per hour for snow shoveling?

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

Was out at Burbage yesterday, scenes are still pretty epic. However it's going to get quite a bit of plus temps and sun this week so get out whilst the goings good.

[andyh]

Anyone up for supplying font grades for the snowballs that are in condition?

I guess Big Air consensus is 6b+, but Ai No Corrida, whilst mentioned as 6b+ on here was given 7a+ last year; and is down as 5+ on a ukc logbook!

Fingers crossed the platforms last till Saturday...

[Ru]

Ai no Corrida is probably harder if you strictly stick to the right side of the arete. We climbed on the arete its self which is pretty easy.

[quiffhanger]

I'd give Big Air 6c - weird jump and have to pull pretty hard at the top. I practised it 3 times but still not sure if I'd do it without mats & snow!
Thee Blind Mice - 6c, maybe worth a plus. And an awesome problem.
Think Jake was sandbagging a little at 5+ but the 3 of us who did Ai No Corrida on Sun all found it v easy if still pretty scary. 6a+ maybe? Unless we missed a hard start but it certainly didn't look that way. We also climbed the Arete direct (complete with heals and knee clamps) - don't see how you could ever climb it any other way!
Don & Archangel - 6a+ (both now in knick with platforms for pads although you might miss them if you barndoor off!)
Deadline - get's a boulder grade of 7b+ but I've never climbed 7b+ before and did it second go! ~7a for me although height dependent. I'm 5'11 with a +1 ape index.
Breadline - 6b.

Was great conditions on Sunday though. Mermaid @Burbage Bridge was dry and the top sloper felt like a jug!

Here's a couple of pics from the weekend. If they dont work see https://plus.google.com/photos/106531937479114862195/albums/5862244146159224113 .





And a vid of Big Air to remind myself of the beta (yes I will forget how to do a 3 move problem within a week I reckon): https://plus.google.com/106531937479114862195/posts/XG468HC7Xfg

[galpinos]

I guess Big Air consensus is 6b+, but Ai No Corrida, whilst mentioned as 6b+ on here was given 7a+ last year; and is down as 5+ on a ukc logbook!

Ai No Corrida did feel pretty easy but also felt high as it felt like you'd miss the platform if you came off so I'd guess at 6b max but the hard part was commiting to standing up as I knew once I'd stood up, I was heading to the top - it culd well be 5+ and I'm a coward!. However, looking at the picture on UKC and off El Mocho, my right hand was where Nan's (?) left hand is here:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=211959

and I (and pretty much everyone who climbed it at the same time - Ru, Bonjoy etc) layed off the arete whereas it looks like Nan and El Mocho are going to rock onto the slab, which I'd guess is a lot harder.

[galpinos]

Quiffhanger, loving the Don/Archangel photo, wad point on the way!

[quiffhanger]

However, looking at the picture on UKC and off El Mocho, my right hand was where Nan's (?) left hand is here

Ditto - guppied the break in the arete with my right using a right heel in the starting good pocket. Going right is probably harder but maybe safer as you'd probably manage to stay on the platform.

[slackline]

Ai No Corrida did feel pretty easy but also felt high as it felt like you'd miss the platform if you came off

 

[quiffhanger]

Quiffhanger, loving the Don/Archangel photo, wad point on the way!

Ha, thanks. Tho I probably deserve minus 20 wad points for the horrendously sketch & terrifying way I scraped my way up when I did it as a trad route

[andy_e]

Ai No Corrida did feel pretty easy but also felt high as it felt like you'd miss the platform if you came off

 

Exactly why I backed off (and why I backed off everything!) Reeve hugged up it like a monkey on a stick as it felt safer (the platform extended under the left side of the buttress!) The Right Fin was also great fun and there was a cool boulder problem further right still, just left of the corner, which probably hasn't been done without snow!

[El Mocho]

Deadline - get's a boulder grade of 7b+ but I've never climbed 7b+ before and did it second go! ~7a for me although height dependent. I'm 5'11 with a +1 ape index.

When I did Deadline a few years ago (no snow, look at me...) I went direct on it up to a much poorer pocket thing right on the rib above the big pocket, this kept it separate from Breadline. When 9 toez and Andy B did it the other day they were going all the way to the pocket on Breadline - this is a much better hold and a easier move to get (neither could get to the poor pocket) so this (if you also did it this way) could explain the difference in grade?

Back on the snowballing note. Got child labor involved yesterday (promise of Easter eggs) and me and May dug good platform below Living in Oxford and improved the Superstition platform (and also shit Puck platform). Did Promise up to the move to sloper and jumped off - fine with the one pad and no spot. Back today and Promise completely dry, played on Superstition (too hot and too hard but platform good - prob back early tomorrow am for better conditions), Living in Oxford suffering run off but 10 mins clearing the rest of the snow at the top would sort this (no shovel today, and cleared a fair bit off top yesterday)

Very hot so lots of melt but platforms seem to be holding out...

[quiffhanger]

When I did Deadline a few years ago (no snow, look at me...) I went direct on it up to a much poorer pocket thing right on the rib above the big pocket, this kept it separate from Breadline. When 9 toez and Andy B did it the other day they were going all the way to the pocket on Breadline - this is a much better hold and a easier move to get (neither could get to the poor pocket) so this (if you also did it this way) could explain the difference in grade?

Yep - I copied their beta and spanned from straight to the good pocket on Deadline with a right heal round the arete. Can imagine that direct is much harder. It's still a really good problem the way we were doing it - just not 7b+.

[andy_e]

Got child labor involved yesterday

When I walked past said child was sledging whilst you shovelled... I don't think your Easter eggs were well spent.

[El Mocho]

They were her Easter Eggs and she had already been given them! I just allowed her to eat some. She was sliding down the hill whilst I shoveled Puck - she had just put in an hour moving snow beneath LIO.

[Andy B]

Deadline - get's a boulder grade of 7b+ but I've never climbed 7b+ before and did it second go! ~7a for me although height dependent. I'm 5'11 with a +1 ape index.

When I did Deadline a few years ago (no snow, look at me...) I went direct on it up to a much poorer pocket thing right on the rib above the big pocket, this kept it separate from Breadline. When 9 toez and Andy B did it the other day they were going all the way to the pocket on Breadline - this is a much better hold and a easier move to get (neither could get to the poor pocket) so this (if you also did it this way) could explain the difference in grade?

I don't think I ever tried to go to the other pocket as I assumed an old E5 wouldn't be an eliminate.
It's worth mentioning that all those declaring it piss on Sunday were of 6 foot span upwards and more than one person who climbs significantly harder than 7a (including the person whose beta everyone copied) weren't able to make the span.

[nai]

Ai No Corrida did feel pretty easy but also felt high as it felt like you'd miss the platform if you came off

 

Exactly why I backed off (and why I backed off everything!) Reeve hugged up it like a monkey on a stick as it felt safer (the platform extended under the left side of the buttress!) The Right Fin was also great fun and there was a cool boulder problem further right still, just left of the corner, which probably hasn't been done without snow!

It's fine coming off from the break even.  Ask Dolly, he's been up there four times and not manage to commit any further. Just thought I'd out him in public so he has to get it done 

And that wall to the right is a problem, about 6C I think, but you have to start lower than the snow allows to get the tick, Shirley?

[galpinos]

Exactly why I backed off (and why I backed off everything!) Reeve hugged up it like a monkey on a stick as it felt safer (the platform extended under the left side of the buttress!) The Right Fin was also great fun and there was a cool boulder problem further right still, just left of the corner, which probably hasn't been done without snow!

Once I was established it felt fine, the crux was deciding I actually wanted to climb it!

Right Fin was indeed good, a couple of laps provided a good warm up. The "boulder problem" to the right again is apparently an old E4.

[El Mocho]

You're right, now I think more about it it was only Harry who was going for the little pocket. I think the landing might be slightly better if you keep going straight up (more chance of missing the block beneath?) or it could be we all missed it back when I did it, I also have a similar or slightly smaller span than travs so it could have just been out of reach for me and so went direct (and hence I would prob find this version harder than what I did).

No idea how it was first done.

Edit: in reply to Andy B not about Ai No Corrida

[Dolly]

[size=78%]It's fine coming off from the break even.  Ask Dolly, he's been up there four times and not manage to commit any further. Just thought I'd out him in public so he has to get it done [/size]

And that wall to the right is a problem, about 6C I think, but you have to start lower than the snow allows to get the tick, Shirley?



Ouch -hoping to get out at some point tomorrow if you, TT or Jim are up for it (or anyone else for that matter)
Agree re the 6c prob as well

[Nigel]

Must say that despite being involved in two previous snowballing scenes and knowing folk who have led it as a route, I’ve never come across Ai No Corrida done as a prow, only by rocking round onto slab. Probably due to the gear for the lead going in Right Fin. Must say as a prow it looked very good and an obvious way to do it as things are at present.

There’s a picture of Patta on Deadline in an old OTE which gives the line he took away and which I THINK is the more direct one El Mocho describes, having looked at this in past (but not tried). As I’ve not tried it I’ve got no direct knowledge, but guess in this internet age someone can scan in the pic. Or just go old school and ask Patta. Wouldn’t be like him to overgrade so sounds like it may be a new variation (easier & purer?) line, which lets face it for Stanage can only be a good thing!

[Duma]

Anyone up for supplying font grades for the snowballs that are in condition?

I guess Big Air consensus is 6b+, but Ai No Corrida, whilst mentioned as 6b+ on here was given 7a+ last year; and is down as 5+ on a ukc logbook!

Fingers crossed the platforms last till Saturday...

Thoughts on stuff I did:
BCB 7B (but I believe our sequence was whack, el mocho said it is steady with a kneebar IIRC)
Shine On 7B
Cemetery Waits 7A/+
3BM 6C+
ANC 6A ( did it straight on)
Snow Blind Mice 7B (think Dan V gave it this as a boulder when it was first done, seems fair)

[Gritter]

Does anyone know how the original deadline finished ? I had the little pocket with my right the small seam just left with my left,right heel round the arête bumping my left foot up the slab, was unsure how to finish and kinda stuck in that position??