Desert Island Routes... (Read 8271 times)

Fiend · November 28, 2005, 09:41:20 pm

Like the desert island problems, but, like, routes instead. Assume you have a belayer and good conditions.

The same style applies - choose 5 only, and explain why. And the first person to mention the Stanage Girdle Traverse gets a free goatse by a herd of highland cattle :?

andy_e · November 29, 2005, 10:50:14 am

edge lane
pigs on the wing (this would also therefore include pigs direct)
Chocolate girl
rubicon
equilibrium

Falling Down · November 29, 2005, 11:06:43 am

Quote from: "andi_e"

rubicon

:shock:

Fiend · November 29, 2005, 08:44:39 pm

Maybe he wants one he might actually be able to do? :wink:

What would yours be, Mr Down?

Pantontino · November 29, 2005, 09:13:37 pm

I'd choose something like:

1. Ordinary Route on Main Cliff, just because it has bits of some of my favourite routes on it, and it is a really absorbing trip, and I've got some good memories of the day I did it and the other people who were on the crag that day.

2. A big wall in Yosemite, intitially done as an aid route, that I could gradually break down into free climbed sections.

3. A big hard mixed route in the Cairngorms, such as The Citadel - just because it would be great to not have to drive all that way, only for the cliff to have turned black and the warm rain come in.

4. A really long sport route in a European gorge with some hard pitches at the top and bottom, so that I could get in quickly to work on them, and maybe one day put it all together.

5. Werry's Woof Route - not for the route (which is awful), but for the obvious life times' worth of bouldering to be done at its base in the Cave of Justice. Over 60 independant problems and links to go at (if you include Split infinity next door) and still some major projects to try endlessly. Now that's what I call paradise.

...and if you let me have a 6th route - something on the Grand Capucin (sp?), because I've never climbed on it and loads of people have told me how amazing it is.

Falling Down · November 29, 2005, 09:36:12 pm

Quote from: "Fiend"

Maybe he wants one he might actually be able to do? :wink:

What would yours be, Mr Down?

Fair do's Fiend..

- The huge HVS thingie on Baffin that Tut Braithwaite and that lot did in the 60's.
- Titans Wall on Carn Dearg (I've not done it all 'cos it rained but the first pitch was great)
- New Moon on Cilan - again another one the wish list
- Mecca

That'll do for now..

saltbeef · November 29, 2005, 11:25:27 pm

Quote from: "Falling Down"

- Mecca

It's at such a shit crag though...

BenF · November 30, 2005, 08:34:37 am

Quote from: "Pantontino"

5. Werry's Woof Route - not for the route (which is awful), but for the obvious life times' worth of bouldering to be done at its base in the Cave of Justice. Over 60 independant problems and links to go at (if you include Split infinity next door) and still some major projects to try endlessly. Now that's what I call paradise.

No, now that is what I call cheating the list restrictions... :wink:

BenF · November 30, 2005, 08:37:57 am

Not sure whether my early morning mind can manage a loooong list of five, but here goes:

1. Fidel Fiasco on the Aig. Blatiere. A fantastic route; sustained, occasionally a little run out and with a brilliant penultimate pitch. Possibly the best day climbing on rock in the Alps I've had.

Erm, now I have to go and do some work. I will return.

Yossarian · November 30, 2005, 09:00:16 am

A really long hard Verdon route. Can't remember anything off the top of my head.

I will second Pantontino's Yosemite aid route request - Zodiac perhaps?

Maybe the Central Pillar of Freney, or something similar

La Rambla (I figure that if you're going to be stuck on a desert island with a sport route you may as well make it a long one)

Not sure about the last one. Astroman perhaps?

saltbeef · November 30, 2005, 11:04:41 am

here's my starter. blocage violent

andy_e · November 30, 2005, 11:08:14 am

rubicon is on 'ze lizt cos i've been wanting to do it for ages.

can i swap equilibrium for that huge roof at El Chorro (8b+) and the line going up to the end of the kings walkway- 8a+ but unrepeated snce bloody abseilers knocked holds off- i'd swap pigs on the wing's crimpyness for that one.

Jeez, i'd forgotten all about el chorro :shock:

SA Chris · November 30, 2005, 11:46:45 am

Quote from: "Yossarian"

A really long hard Verdon route.

How hard? La Demande? It's hard, but not difficult.

Por Moi?

Umm. Faberge in Ferkloof was always one of my want tos but I never really spent too much time on it.

Would love something like Hubble or Liquid Amber, as they were the first mega routes I had ever heard of.

Dave Birkett et al's new multi pitch sport route in Cape Province, SA, all on finest sandstone.

Something on Taipan Wall, Serpentine maybe?

A nice hard sea level traverse, something like Rainbow Bridge, only longer, a bit harder and a bit lower.

BenF · November 30, 2005, 12:22:26 pm

Having just set my class work and then sat through the lesson thinking about this list business, here goes... Not really true desert island dream routes but rather all are routes I've seriously considered (and hopefully will get on at some point) as opposed to impossible dreams.

1) Ma Dalton on the Aig Midi. Always look at that roof and think what an amazing thing to climb. As a kid I soooo wanted to do that route and on various visits to the mountain, I have gone nowhere near it. Probably wise since it's an 8metre 7b+ roof.

2) The Skull. It's been on my list of things to do for a decade now. Although last week I agreed with a friend that we'd go and do it next summer.

3) Adios Gringos, Quantum Field, NZ. What a line. Need I say more. Mates who've done it rated it but I just want to climb that wall.

4) Ocean of Emotion. Wanted to do it for years but never got round to dragging myself round that side of the Little Orme.

5) Human Frailty, Railay. Yet again... didn't get round to trying it due to laziness.

JR · November 30, 2005, 12:26:58 pm

Quote from: "BenF"

Having just set my class work and then sat through the lesson thinking about this list business, here goes... Not really true desert island dream routes but rather all are routes I've seriously considered (and hopefully will get on at some point) as opposed to impossible dreams.

1) Ma Dalton on the Aig Midi. Always look at that roof and think what an amazing thing to climb. As a kid I soooo wanted to do that route and on various visits to the mountain, I have gone nowhere near it. Probably wise since it's an 8metre 7b+ roof.

random choice! But i kinda see where your coming from! Ive heard the roof is not the crux BTW. Digital crack might be a pretty good choice too...

BenF · November 30, 2005, 12:37:53 pm

Haha, yeah I know it was a bit random, but I chucked it in because I wanted one of my alpine rock dream routes and as a youth I always wanted to climb it, probably just because the roof is so damned big! Just put it in for my own historical reasons.

And yeah I believe the roof ain't the crux. I couldn't put digital crack in because I've never climbed 8a+ so its a bit outta my league. :cry:

JR · November 30, 2005, 12:40:02 pm

Quote from: "BenF"

And yeah I believe the roof ain't the crux. I couldn't put digital crack in because I've never climbed 8a+ so its a bit outta my league. :cry:

down to 8a and pretty soft at that i hear... not that ill be doing it anytime soon, but its an ambition

BenF · November 30, 2005, 12:42:57 pm

Soft or not soft... I'll be joining you in the crowd of people not redpointing this route (so we'll on-sight it yeah?).

Good lump of rock though.

On a Chamonix tip, I'd like to do the south face of the Fou and Nostradamus (not in a day I'd like to point out).

JR · November 30, 2005, 12:45:11 pm

Quote from: "BenF"

Soft or not soft... I'll be joining you in the crowd of people not redpointing this route (so we'll on-sight it yeah?).

I'd like to do the south face of the Fou.

now were talking, that is on the list, and hopefully soon.

BenF · November 30, 2005, 12:48:52 pm

Oh yeah? I may have a look over that way this summer when I return back there after a few years climbing in places that ain't falling down or over-run with people.

Gonna do more on the Blat as well next year. A quality crag that.

JR · November 30, 2005, 12:55:02 pm

Quote from: "BenF"

Oh yeah? I may have a look over that way this summer when I return back there after a few years climbing in places that ain't falling down or over-run with people.

Gonna do more on the Blat as well next year. A quality crag that.

its conversations like this that end in.... why the fuck do i live in lancashire

BenF · November 30, 2005, 12:59:24 pm

Don't worry, I live in Liverpool. So I'm currently comparing the Aig Blatiere with Frodsham and Pex... need I say more?

Yossarian · November 30, 2005, 02:57:50 pm

Quote from: "SA Chris"

Quote from: "Yossarian"
A really long hard Verdon route.

How hard? La Demande? It's hard, but not difficult.

nope, la demande wasn't really my cup of tea. something with pitches 7a to 7c, on beautiful overhanging grey rock, with lots of nice pockets...

Yossarian · November 30, 2005, 02:59:36 pm

Quote from: "SA Chris"

Quote from: "Yossarian"
A really long hard Verdon route.

How hard? La Demande? It's hard, but not difficult.

nope, la demande wasn't really my cup of tea. something with pitches 7a to 7c, on beautiful overhanging grey rock, with lots of nice pockets...

Fiend · December 14, 2005, 12:44:35 pm

Heh, having tried to think of some for this thread I realise what a bollox topic it is really but people seem to like them anyway.

A fairly random selection:

Heaven Crack from Stanage - such a lovely route and you've got to have something to get the muscles loose.

Cedar Rouge from the Cedarberg - more of a proper warm up and such great fun and probably good training and possible eliminates.

Edge Lane from Millstone - assuming it will be a long struggle to regain the confidence I had a year ago, this would be a nice route to gradually work higher up ground up, ideally something harder but I think this has the right feel and balance.

Welcome To Barbados from The Grampians - 50m roof yes please, again maybe the sort of thing to ground up or rather ground along, good for the stamina and power no doubt.

Some verticalish, hard, crimpy, bolted route? I don't know what exactly but maybe one of Redhead's creations from Vivian Quarry - I like crimping and it would be nice to have something to work.

argh...