[Fiend]

Some of the grit has been pretty crumbly after all the rain and then an abrupt dry period.

[tomtom]

Some of the grit has been pretty crumbly after all the rain and then an abrupt dry period.

It was you wasn’t it!! That parking ticket is all part of a cunning alibi!

[crzylgs]

Mini hijack of this thread - is it common knowledge that 'The Ultimate Gritsone Experince' bloc wobbles as people climb it? With the wobble increasing as a heavier climber gets near the top. It's a big lump of rock and the wobble is only slight, but with all the recent rain (soaking wet ground), plus the undercutting type of erosion that boulders tend to suffer I only imagine this'll get worse over time?

If this has always happened then I'm sure it's no issue at all.

[Bonjoy]

I vaguely remember this being mentioned years ago. Haven't been there in ages. Hard to say if it's dangerous without having a good look. In theory big rocks can wobble and still be at no risk of toppling, there are some huge rocking stones in various places. Deffo would shit you up if it moved while you were on it though!

[cheque]

is it common knowledge that 'The Ultimate Gritsone Experince' bloc wobbles as people climb it?

I assumed that the name came from the boulder looking like it would fall on you if you tried to climb it but I've never known it to rock. 

[SA Chris]

there are some huge rocking stones in various places.

Great one at Brimham, good for scaring those not in the know.

[Andy B]

The UGE block being dodgy was first reported in 2008. There’s a thread on here about it.

[crzylgs]

The UGE block being dodgy was first reported in 2008. There’s a thread on here about it.

Ahh ok, case closed then. Am sure its fine 

I should emphasise, it was a very small amount of a wobble that you really had to be looking for. I wouldn't have noticed it until a couple of others pointed it out.

[El Mocho]

2 classics destroyed in 1 weekend. I've been getting reports that the pinch after the crimp you jump to on voyager has crumbled away.

Link here where you can see it better:
https://s145.photobucket.com/user/benbransby/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20191206_105056_zpsetmcnfkp.jpg.html

Also the next hold out right:



and the link to it:

https://s145.photobucket.com/user/benbransby/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20191206_105113_zpsoapwrncx.jpg.html

Went and abbed down it yesterday, it was soaking so all the holds felt shit and I can't really remember how bad this hold was before but I would say it's still climbable, maybe a bit harder? The 'crimp' that you jump to wasn't looking in the best shape and the hold after (out right on the steep face, see second photo) was also looking very friable - pretty sure this has been a little crumbly for a few years now. I'm no expert on super glueing stuff but there could def be an argument that if these could be glued in a way to prevent further damage that could be a good thing? Some high viscous super glue with the little brush to 'paint' on? I guess Jonboy or someone would know how effective this would be and if it would change the feel of the holds...

[Adam Lincoln]

Seems to have worked on stuff in the county.

[highrepute]

Thanks for taking the time to go down it Ben.

The hold out right has looked quite bad since I went on it last year, but always seemed solid when dry.

I guess a bit of glue will change the feel of the holds a bit but not as much as when they eventually break. I'd like to hear what bonjoy thinks.

[Bonjoy]

I agree, glue will result in very minor friction loss if done carefully. Definitely the lesser evil if the hold is going to degrade without it.

[Bonjoy]

Might get a chance to check it out tomorrow if there's a dry window in the weather

[shark]

Hold repair threadfor reference

[El Mocho]

I had a facebook message from Dawid the other day re the Joker block. He had been up there and said something along the lines of:

Where the block is now it is dangerous - it's in a place you land if you pop off the holds. Some people were trying the Joker/Ace and had moved a bunch of the rocks from further down the landing zone (the slightly patioed area?) and put these against the block and then pads on top...

He was keen for the block to get moved, I think ideally back into original place or if not further down the hill.

If it is effecting the landing zone then I would agree it would be good to move it (when I looked at it I didn't feel so concerned about landing where it is now but I'll admit Dawid has more experience of this than me)

To move back to original place: Hard work. Looks like it would not only need to be flipped back the right way up but also moved back up the slope to hopefully find the original position. There are places further up at the base of the big block where you could place gear/a sling and it could be possible to attach a winch/rope and at least stop the block falling back down the hill when lifting it (depending on how you could attach rope to the block). It would take a bunch of people, some crow bars etc and still might not work. Would also need someone who knew where it was originally.

Moving block down the hill: less hard work but would still require a fair few people I guess, especially if you want to move with a bit of precision rather than just udging it down a bit.

Leave block where it is: Not hard work

Having done the Joker and finding the Ace to hard I'm not overly invested in either solution. Block back where it was restores the Joker as a problem and means there is a slight chance I can do the Ace/makes an ascent of the Ace the same as before (ish, see next point). Moving block away means the holds on the Joker (see Orins post further up) should survive a bit longer - think it is fair to say these have got better than they originally where and at some point could get more damaged. The Ace is slightly more aesthetic than it used to be (although at the loss of the Joker which isn't a good swap in my mind)

I think it would be good to get some consensus on which option is best and regardless on which is decided it will need a bunch of people to get together and try to do it (unless everyone says just leave as is)

My vote would be to attempt to move the block back into position if it can be done without causing more damage or breaking anyone's fingers whilst doing it but being prepared to reconsider if it was proving too hard/damaging other rock etc and then moving it out of the landing zone instead.

[Bonjoy]

Dawid messaged me about this and I said I'd suggest a day soon when I could help move the block. It's looking like shit weather on my day off Thursday so I'll probably suggest then. Whether that means shifting it up or downhill will depend on practicalities and the preferences of people who have an opinion one way or the other. I don't have a strong preference either way and the outcome will make no difference to me in climbing terms. But if forced to choose I'd probably move the block further downhill and tidy the landing up, on the basis that I'll see fewer videos of tall lads swing for the top off the block and taking 8a.

[northern yob]

It’s the natural evolution, get it out of the way, it’s never gonna be exactly where it was. 

The Ace an infinitely better problem will last longer.

[cowboyhat]

Something probably does need to change, the landing is worse now. Having said that the entry price for attempting the top and thus taking the fall has gone up about nine grades.

I'm sort of coming round to the idea that out of the way might be better; preservation of holds etc, and i'll be amazed if it can be put back into a position whereby it doesn't feel dangerous to stand on it and attempt the joker.


Also I looked again yesterday and block seems scared. I am in no doubt that it was tipped deliberately.

[Will Hunt]

My completely irrelevant armchair opinion: The Joker looks like a shit contrivance that happened to come first; The Ace looks like an amazing climb. If this has improved the Ace and The Joker can still be attempted off stacked pads then that sounds like a good thing.

And I think Jerry trundled it because he was sick of seeing people swing around off those eroded jugs thinking they're as good as he was.

[SA Chris]

Also I looked again yesterday and block seems scared. I am in no doubt that it was tipped deliberately.

If someone tipped me deliberately I'd be scared too. Scared shitless.

[tommytwotone]

And I think Jerry trundled it because he was sick of seeing people swing around off those eroded jugs thinking they're as good as he was.

I think Dave did it so he could ensure bragging rights over Megos until he's done The Ace.

[cofe]

Move it back. The Joker is a historic problem and allowing it to be erased by some dongs moving the block sends the wrong message about what's OK at the crags. I might be able to nip out for a bit on Thurs.

[Johnny Brown]

What Cofe said. I'm pretty appalled that people seem to think that erasing a hard classic problem in the heart of one of British climbing's cathedrals is okay. It's really not. It's a fucking outrage.  I don't see the landing has been improved or worsened and I don't remember anyone complaining about it previously. The only possible argument is that it means folk trying the Ace don't have lesser climbers in their way; pure elitism.

I can be available whenever to help put it back. Can provide winches, slings, tripod etc.

[36chambers]

genuine question, is there actually any difference between pulling on to the joker off a pad stack and pulling on from the block?

[cowboyhat]

Possibly the amount of lateral pressure you could exert, but not really as you had to sort of lower on to the holds anyway.