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Snowden grease-up (Read 2873 times)

Alex-the-Alex

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Snowden grease-up
April 21, 2022, 10:00:58 pm
Frans reported on the other side that a load of the problems at Snowden have been lathered in axle grease. Sad news if so.. though not code whitehouses yet. Im not local any more but really enjoyed those rocks in the past. Is there an easy way of removing grease? The discussion with the landowner is probably a separate issue..

yetix

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#1 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 12:40:31 am
Sorry but which blocs do you mean just for clarity? Can't offer advise on removing greese sorry

36chambers

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#2 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 07:41:22 am
Sorry but which blocs do you mean just for clarity? Can't offer advise on removing greese sorry

Just to clarify, this is Snowden Crags in Yorkshire, in case anyone was thinking of North Wales :)

Bradders

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#3 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 07:54:51 am
Blimey. Worrying news but at least the catastrophe of Whitehouses avoided so far!

I guess access has been a bit of an issue here ever since the parking spot on the main road was blocked. The crag is on CROW access land though.

teestub

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#4 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 09:13:13 am
The crag is on CROW access land though.

Whilst the access designation does many things, it does not provide magical protection from people with sledgehammers!

Alex-the-Alex

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#5 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 09:32:58 am
Askwith moor Snowden yes. It seems like there isnt much that can be done until someone has a chat with the local(s) about their grievances. Thats the sum of my constructive input from Scotland.

spidermonkey09

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#6 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:19:15 am
 I'm a bit frustrated with the predictable gnashing and wailing on the UKC thread but I'm sure this one will be more sensible. Mick the grit rep is on holiday at the moment but when he gets back will knock on some doors to try and find out whats gone on. If anyone is local and knows more drop me a line. In the meantime I don't see anything wrong with trying to get the crag cleaned up, as far as I'm concerned its cleaning up litter on access land. Park properly and don't go lamping there are also the obvious things to mention but I don't think we should totally kiss the ring here; its access land and somebody is behaving in a borderline criminal manner - greasing holds is one thing, there are also reports of slashed tyres.

If anyone has any ideas about how to get grease off beyond blotting it I'd be interested; any good products that won't trash the rock.


teestub

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#8 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:36:43 am
Personally I’d suggest that no one climbs there until the situation with the land owners is sorted out. Obviously the grease has been put on to stop climbing, so if we go and clean the grease off before anything has been done about the main issue (disgruntled neighbours/keepers/owners) then it seems likely that they will try something worse.

I don’t know about ‘kissing the ring’, but we are potentially dealing with people who have already committed criminal damage, so I don’t see anything that would stop them bashing up a few rocks. The thing is with rock climbs (and grit in particular), they are not like regaining access to a closed footpath, once they are fucked, they are fucked.

Hopefully if there was anything to learn from Whitehouses it’s that a stronger reaction to start with (I.e. recommending no climbing until discussions have been had) is a better starting point than just muddling along.

spidermonkey09

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#9 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:38:32 am
There are obviously plenty of car/bike degreasing products (paint on/foam on). What they'd do to rock I don't know.

https://www.rutlandcycling.com/accessories/cleaning/de-greaser/muc-off-drivetrain-cleaner-500ml/295-CT.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpImTBhCmARIsAKr58czVh66erMrY3rtIxo7grfICRpfSTzVzPu55_kok7HMa8-tZVvUUtxIaArA8EALw_wcB

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/fenwicks-foaming-chain-cleaner?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=100392636&utm_source=google&utm_term=&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=base&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpImTBhCmARIsAKr58cyRzAr13hKWOhDGwQPCRHMyQaXd0eXlymOPsLpLZHmgIiuzt6I84cYaAleIEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

My garden is surrounded by gritstone drystone walling so I can go and slap some lithium grease on a few test patches and see if you'd like?

That would be great; cheers! From the photos it looks like proper thick engine grease has been smeared on so may not be directly comparable but definitely worth knowing. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10160689314965449&set=pcb.2836063619864272

Paul B

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#10 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:41:35 am
Personally I’d suggest that no one climbs there until the situation with the land owners is sorted out. Obviously the grease has been put on to stop climbing, so if we go and clean the grease off before anything has been done about the main issue (disgruntled neighbours/keepers/owners) then it seems likely that they will try something worse.

I'd agree TBH.

steveri

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#11 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:43:55 am
I'm a bit frustrated with the predictable gnashing and wailing on the UKC thread...

I saw you mentioned on UKC the RAD needs updating. If it's an option - I can do the NW Region - with Rob/BMC's blessing you could ask if he could open up database permissions for Yorkshire - I only have NW currently. Happy to help.

spidermonkey09

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#12 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:44:50 am
I don't disagree either, but the difference with Whitehouses is pretty clear; there our right to be there was at the least questionable, here its not up for debate. But I agree it would be good to find out whats going on. 

Is there also a consideration that for the good of the rock it would be better to get the grease off sooner rather than later?

spidermonkey09

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#13 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:51:07 am
I'm a bit frustrated with the predictable gnashing and wailing on the UKC thread...

I saw you mentioned on UKC the RAD needs updating. If it's an option - I can do the NW Region - with Rob/BMC's blessing you could ask if he could open up database permissions for Yorkshire - I only have NW currently. Happy to help.

Cheers Steve, that might be handy. I've just emailed Rob so will investigate.

teestub

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#14 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 10:52:28 am
I don't disagree either, but the difference with Whitehouses is pretty clear; there our right to be there was at the least questionable, here its not up for debate. But I agree it would be good to find out whats going on. 


Yes it’s on Access Land, but this has zero impact on the actions third parties may take to dissuade use of the crag, which is why I recommend a conservative approach at this point.  Our enshrined right of access will be useless if there’s nothing left to climb!

Edit: grease has been there for around 5 sunny days now so prob not going to get much worse than it already is.

Stabbsy

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#15 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 11:58:24 am
I’ve heard something recently about a grease spreading incident at Big Bend in the US, possibly Runout Podcast. There might be something to learn in terms of grease removal techniques from them - both sandstones, although climate obviously massively different. A brief bit of Googling hasn’t come up with anything on the success of the clean-up, only on the original incident, but I’d guess it’s out there.

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#16 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 12:04:12 pm
I’ve heard something recently about a grease spreading incident at Big Bend in the US, possibly Runout Podcast. There might be something to learn in terms of grease removal techniques from them - both sandstones, although climate obviously massively different. A brief bit of Googling hasn’t come up with anything on the success of the clean-up, only on the original incident, but I’d guess it’s out there.

It happened a few years back at Limekilns, Fife. No idea what was done, but it's all climbable again now.

Dexter

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#17 Re: Snowden grease-up
April 22, 2022, 03:22:22 pm
No comments about the access, but for degreasing I think a good soap and a lot of elbow grease (excuse the pun) is the best way to get rid of it without doing too much damage.

 

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