[account_inactive]

I've had bad experiences with the sandstone but after all this chat about kwality bouldering I'm willing to give it another go.

I'm MCing at a climbing comp at the Castle (Charity mate!) so I won't be able to go far on Sunday.

What should I look out for?
Whats in condition?
Does anyone fancy meeting me and a London team down their and showing me that its not all a sandy bit of shite?

Answers on on postcard (actually you could just write them here or PM me)

D :

[Carnage]

Hey D,

Ian H is your man for this. Get down to High Rocks if its been dryish. Loads of quality shit there up to 7c ish. Try the Mojo, Kinda Lingers, the arete to the right (jump off at the high stalagtite) and the sitter to Brevna. Also good stuff on the bowling green boulders to the right of you when standing in front of the matterhorn.

Also Pammy is good (nr Second Generation) as are the little sitters in the catacombs (moving up through Bum Dragon). On the strange front there's Happy Days (thumb hell) and Ches' weird A bridge too far.

Hope the shoulders better and all is cool. :D

[Bubba]

I'm MCing at a climbing comp

[ian h]

hello

sunday no can do , have a double shift at work, with the nutters

if the weather had been ok, carnage would have been spot on, but he is thousand of miles away in sunny oz ( lucky git) and prob does not know we have been having fairly regular heavyish showers at the mo.

you may get away with the materhorn, brenva sit. maybe chez dyno (under celebration) and shattered.  

if it is dry on sat the watchtower will be dry at eridge . ( worth coming down to try this problem alone) + the easier stuff round corner and right of this should be ok.

bowles fandango eliminates wall will be dry even if rain on sunday

stone farm should be ok if dry on sunday , where you can try stinging nettle under the overhaning nose on the boulder as you enter the crag. again worth the visit for this.

my advice if the weather is ok. tour round a few crags going on the dry bits mentioned above.

if you want any more info  re grades, locations , post back on here and am sure myself or carnage will be able to help out.

Dylan, you could seriously pick better timing for your round two of southern sandstone though.  unlike you gritstoners who are getting into full swing this time of year , us sandstoners are counting the days till around the end of march , when things start to dry out again,    :roll:

next year should be really productive with about an extra 50% of high rocks in a climable state . role on stage to of the high rocks renovation program  :!:  :!:  :!:

[Carnage]

if the weather had been ok, carnage would have been spot on, but he is thousand of miles away in sunny oz ( lucky git) and prob does not know we have been having fairly regular heavyish showers at the mo.

Ha Ha!!

Although I dunno why I'm laughing cos it was over 40 degrees here yesterday and I had to go out at 5 in the morning to Sissy just so it was below 26. And now its raining.....  :cry:  

Good call on Stone Farm tho - Stinging Nettle and Slap Happy are both worthy along with some of the eliminate dyno's on the same block and Ches' V6 mantel thing on the little nose further down.

[hongkongstuey]

Carnage:

These may be of interest to you - from my mates website, he's just moved to Sydney from HK and has been complaining about very much the same things....

[web]http://www.mitchleblanc.com/gal-frame.php?cat=climbing&set=006[/web]

[Carnage]

Cheers for those Stu.

Always nice to see some shot of the (new) home turf.

[DrWong]

D - I'd be keen to try out the sandstone, I am facinated as to why I receive blank stares of horror whenever the topic of southern sandstone is mentioned. Is it gritstone climbers being pussie's or do the holds really come off in your hands like putty? Either way I'm in. Can't possibly be worse than some of the choss (aka akuna bay) back home  :wink: What day you MCing? (just in case you need some heckling)

Stu - thanks for the photos of the old home turf... although they invoke a pang of homesickness I can't say i miss it too much on a humid 40 degree day

[r-man]

I know this isn't bouldering, but I visited High Rocks a while back in Spring and top-roped Kraite arete. Fantastic route. Liked the really bouldery crux. Anyway, I'm curious to know what V grade would the crux  get? And what sport grade would the route get as a whole? Don't like this vague tech grade stuff.

Not sure if this is true, but some guys we met reckoned anything uk6b would get uk6c in the peak! Kraite certainly felt a lot harder than The Republic though.

Would have liked to have done more bouldering, but wasn't really sure where to look. Is there a website?

[account_inactive]

I is mashin it up on Saturday.  Its a climbing competiton to raise money the Andy Chick Memorial Fund.

I expect to see you there Mr Wong so that I can heckle you and your foot work  Will be at the Castle tonight with my EMG machine so look buff!

I can't seem to convince Sieta that Sandstone is the way to go for Sunday.  She keeps muttering 'shit' and 'choss' under her breath.  I however am going there with an open mind and will enjoy any 'choss' that we climb

 :wink:

R-man - Krait arete would probably get V4/5 for the bottom bit i would think.  so about French route 7b?

[neil@canaryclimbs]

Dylan, drop me a line, If you fancy looking around on sunday, I was planning on going down there. I was there yesturday and its preety dry

[account_inactive]

Cool :

That would be great Neil, will get in touch tomorrow.  Me and the Wong are both interested.

[r-man]

Krait arete would probably get V4/5 for the bottom bit

 :shock: Really?! Similiar grade to something like remergence? Shows how bad I am at sandstone then, cos I found kraite arete much much harder!   :wink:

Actually, can't think of a problem on grit that's similiar (at least, not one that I can do!)... Hmmm. Nearest thing I can think of - just cos it's an arete with a bit of hugging - is trackside, and I find that loads easier too. Maybe I was just doing Krait all wrong. Ah well.

[neil@canaryclimbs]

Krait arete would probably get V4/5 for the bottom bit

I agree V4 tops its much easier than trackside, about ten times easier, Its all to do with balance, If we are talking about the same crux low down,

I found kraite arete easy, once you get of the ground

I think the hard bit is all the shit in the breaks at the top

[r-man]

Oh well, that's me told!  :wink:  I remember having to squeeze really hard on the slopers to stay on - the crux was a slap into an awkward squeeze position. Must have been doing it all wrong eh? But you're right about the crap in the breaks at the top - can't imagine how horrible it would be on the solo!

[ian h]

Kraite arete :   Boulder problem up to the pinch establishing yourself on the arete itself, (direct not reaching in from the right as in the guide)  i would say v5. -the crux - dont know about the hugging thing, we just do it as rock over upto the good pinch at the bottom of the arete itself. going from holds which are totaly unobvious. but feel spot on when doing the move. (it can feel much harder if you got no beta.)  think this is coz it is totaly a tecnique problem, no power involved whatsoever.

i would agree about 7b sport for the full route , it tops out on jugs so if your roping it there should not be much of a problem at that stage!!!

above : whoever said about holds coming off like putty - personally i have ever only pulled off 2 holds since i started climbing on the stuff 15 years ago :roll:

( i like myths like these , they keep people away from admitedly soft easily erodable rock i love)

[ian h]

so did anyone make it out over the weekend?

[account_inactive]

Made it down to A'rrisons - which was wet.....and then to Green Eridge
Which was also wet and very sandy.




Still not totally convinced Ian.  Maybe in the summer it wil be a bit better.  If I was I local I would be stoked, but it took 3 hours to get back to London on which time I could have come back from the Peak!

[ian h]

nice pic of the watchtower !!!  how did you get on with it?

i can see what you mean about it looking wet, this does often have the effect of leaving the holds with a load of loose sand on them

i also often find that harrisons also holds allot of water.  the area really is so much better in spring / summer.

oh well maybe give it another go when it dryier.

3 hours to london seems abit extreme , you must have had a shit load of traffic?

[neil@canaryclimbs]

Thats about as far as we got with the watchtower,

Also Hypersonic, when you get the little crimp after the big pocket were the fuck to you go, I didnt want to launch for nothing it is scary

[ian h]

hypersonic:  right hand on poor crimp, left hand and left foot in the big round port hole then do a massive rock up and left in a 10 o clock direction .

is a massive move i cant even get close , maybe next year  :?

it is even  more scray when your foot is locked into that hole
 :shock:

[bvb]

i've been wanting to do "the thing" at bowles ever since, as a wee tyke, i read martin boysen's article "confessions of a sandstone addict"

i haven't seen that ish of mountain in well over 2 decades, but i can perfectly picture the three-shot sequence ken wilson ran, and his caption:

"widely regarded as one of the hardest roof climbs on southern sandstone, boysen's "the thing" sees few ascents.  here, howard johnston clearly demonstrates the fierce finger strength, and wild jamming needed to succeed."

someday, someday....it's only been on my tick list for 30 years.  what's the rush?

[Yossarian]

i have tried it on numerous occasions.  usually when i'm at my weakest and least determined.  i would suggest that strength and determination are fairly key to success on it... my attempts would support that theory anyway.

[ian h]

i been to high rocks today for a quick look round.

the bods who have been kicking the crag into shape have done a truely great job. the transformation is crazy . it will be like climbing at a new crag next year.

all we need now is a moderatly dryish 2005, and the new routes and boulder problems will come tumbling in

i even picked myself out a few tasty project lines. :

i rekon what with the crag potentialy in better shape than it has been in over a decade , and the new guide on its way, there will be vast amounts of action, and some serious racing to get these lines completed

cant wait for the crag to get dry again

also not impressed with the groombridge wall which i visited for the first time today, really is geared towards kids and beginners, with literally no medium or hard routes set. the woody dont even have crash mats. wont be going there again. especially at £8

[Paz]

also not impressed with the groombridge wall which i visited for the first time today, really is geared towards kids and beginners, with literally no medium or hard routes set. the woody dont even have crash mats. wont be going there again. especially at £8

 
Did a comp on saturday there and their setting and selection of bolt ons was shockingly awful.  Old Skool like The Outhere Brothers, not like Public Enemy.  It looked alright to climb the features (the cracks ), and make your own problems up, but that's not going to keep you coming back for more.

[Paz]

i've been wanting to do "the thing" at bowles ever since, as a wee tyke, i read martin boysen's article "confessions of a sandstone addict"

Won't your Braces get in the way on the required hardcore roof crack action?  Braces're better than belts in a warm climate, but here in blighty it's milder so we use belts, elastic, chalk bag strings or even harnesses.  

Also, do you mind, or doyou think anyone will notice, if I use the phrase `Choss Tosser' like I invented it?  

Cheers,

[bvb]

postcount++

[bvb]

Won't your Braces get in the way on the required hardcore roof crack action?  Braces're better than belts in a warm climate, but here in blighty it's milder so we use belts, elastic, chalk bag strings or even harnesses.  

Also, do you mind, or do you think anyone will notice, if I use the phrase `Choss Tosser' like I invented it?  

Cheers,

heavens -- braces actually increase your chances on toughguy roof problems -- they compress the power in your torso, much like a weightlifter's hefty waistbelt.  try it some time -- it really works! (see photographic illustrations below, pinched from my upcoming instructional manual, "braces for beginners".

besides, chicks dig 'em.  trust me on this.





as for the use the phrase "choss tosser" -- i think you're safe -- it's pretty much passed into the common man's climbing lexicon, much as have the terms "gnarly", "pumped", "a bit thin", "stfu", and so on.  refer to ian mcnaught davis's treatise "drop, plop, fly, or die" for more information.

seriously though, this is a problem i've been wanting to do since i was fourteen.  looks a little highball....so what is the current yds grade for the thing, anyhow?

[ian h]

"the thing" is middle of the road english tech 6b, as i think it has been for around the last 15 years

think it may have been given 6a in the old daniels guide , but not sure. will have a look when i get home.

i dont think anybody can call this a highball. way to high to fall from a roof at thirty foot onto your back :shock:

dont think it has been soloed yet but again could be wrong

i do know it was led once with a friend or two, placed i think in the base of the finger holds running out under the roof, :shock:

[Paz]

Kin ell, that looks superbly hideous.  

Superb stuff.  I'm going to start with the beard, then move on to beard and braces.  My Mum got me to get rid of my long hair( that I was hoping to use to go as Bono to the Bristol fancy dress bouldering comp), so I've started growing one by means of compensation.  So far I just look like an idiot who needs a shave.  

IanH, is it acceptable to lead on sandstone using knotted slings for pro, Czech style?  I'm coming over in February, is Bowles usually dry then, so I can (wait for it) Czech it out.

Looks good by British if maybe not by International standards:
[web]http://www.climb-guide.com/sand-data/database.php?areaidd=10[/web]

[ian h]

sorry no leading of any kind on sandstone

although there is one route which can be led which is temptation at bowles , which is just round the corner to "the thing" and  is also 6b.

quality route up a line of old aid bolts.

lucy creamer was top roping it on the cover of climber magazine the other month


oh the thing was origionaly given 6a back in the old daniells guide. just checked it out in my old guide.

[ian h]

a few pics off the sandstone website of the thing

http://www.zawn1.co.uk/southernsandstone/sand/slices/t9.jpg

http://www.zawn1.co.uk/southernsandstone/sand/slices/t11.jpg

http://www.zawn1.co.uk/southernsandstone/sand/slices/t14.jpg

[Bonjoy]

Carbide Finger at Bowles seemed a good hard roof crack.

[Paz]

Quality psyche material.  Is there actually any jamming on the Thing?  Any more suggestions including easier ones?  Apart from this one:

I've only really done HVSs (RF E1s) and a Font 6b, and generally manage to do as little roof climbing as possible.  
It looks like I can still satisfy my craving for roof cracks even though I can't get anyone to go down BoulderRuckle to belay me on them, or get their harnesss out of their bag on the Grit.  Ooh I'm so excited.

[ian h]

dunno what happened to the picks above ?

never tried carbide but is supposedly pretty hard, think it is probably regarded as the hardest roof on southen sandstone,  although some people might say "monkey things " is harder

as for roofs and jamming "the wreaker"  has to be the one i would have thought ?

or the much easier juanita is good , no need to jam it either

[bvb]

when (if) i hit the UK this summer, i am SO on this thing.  that shit looks sooooo dope.  luv roofs.



martin was the man.

[Fiend]

Paz man you need to get yourself on Teryn Roof Crack @ Cwm Dyli boulders beneath Snowdon, for the mid-grade roof crack enthusiast it is pure jamming sex.

[Fiend]

@ All the sandstone freaks...

Hit me with some more recommendations. Will be around for a couple of days over XMas and looking for shit to do if it's dry. Know the area like the back of my ballsac for routing but don't know much about the bouldering apart from Nicotine Alley which I virtually lived under one winter. Any other top tips for quality in the V3-6 range?? Or indeed anyone around and keen for some top-rope nonsense??

[ian h]

there is probably gonna be fuck all dry at the moment, we have had pretty mankey weather.

bowles is allways gonna be your best bet this time of year,

do you know the sloper problem on "bananna" ?