Pex Hill (Read 11837 times)

andy popp · January 30, 2006, 02:41:39 pm

To all fans of this great venue - or those who haven't visited yet (shame on you!) - Pete Chadwick kindly made the most of this weather by spending most of Saturday scrubbing the place clean. Many classic problems such as Grand Horizontal, Catalepsy, Breakaway and Monoblock now spick and span - get 'em while they're clean.

John Cooke · January 31, 2006, 11:18:27 am

Quote from: "andy popp"

To all fans of this great venue - or those who haven't visited yet (shame on you!) - Pete Chadwick kindly made the most of this weather by spending most of Saturday scrubbing the place clean. Many classic problems such as Grand Horizontal, Catalepsy, Breakaway and Monoblock now spick and span - get 'em while they're clean.

Alriiiight!! Shame it's still bloody dark after work mid week. Might try and squeeze a quick session in on the way home when i visit my folks on Sunday.

Fiend · January 31, 2006, 11:23:19 am

That's cool, good effort Pete.

Might have to head over at some point.

What condition are the easier problems and leadable routes in??

BenF · January 31, 2006, 12:13:49 pm

Quote from: "andy popp"

Pete Chadwick kindly made the most of this weather by spending most of Saturday scrubbing the place clean.

Pete texted me on Friday night to invite me along, but to my shame I copped out of cleaning duty and went to Porth Ysgo instead (no decision really... cleaning a scruffy quarry in the shade or sun drenched, beach bouldering?).

However, I shall make amends and head down there soon to do my bit though. I use the place often enough after work and appreciate the cleaning that gets done each year, so I will do my share...

John Cooke · January 31, 2006, 12:26:22 pm

Do you know if Black Magic's been cleaned?

andy popp · January 31, 2006, 02:13:18 pm

Just the reaction I was after - once clean the place needs traffic to keep it that way. I think Pete concentrated on Lady Jane wall (on your left as you enter) but also did some on far end of Pisa Wall (right as you enter) - doubt he got round to Black Magic. One word of warning, Pete told me last night that though Catalepsy (total classic) is clean the top out is a little earthy - be careful

r-man · January 31, 2006, 02:33:00 pm

Hey Andy, a while ago there was a bit of discussion about Monoblock and how hard it was, with the locals saying it was nails, and the peak boys saying it couldn't be that nails, and if it wasn't so far away they'd all have done it one handed by now, possibly whilst closing a number 2 with the free hand.

Don't quote me on that, but anyway, as no-one had actually done it, conversation degenerated into a shoulder shrugging contest. But you've done it haven't you, so, out of curiousity, how hard do you think it is?

al · January 31, 2006, 04:51:07 pm

hey andy, you getting down there at all at moment ?

Andy F · January 31, 2006, 05:54:15 pm

Quote from: "andy popp"

To all fans of this great venue - or those who haven't visited yet (shame on you!) - Pete Chadwick kindly made the most of this weather by spending most of Saturday scrubbing the place clean. Many classic problems such as Grand Horizontal, Catalepsy, Breakaway and Monoblock now spick and span - get 'em while they're clean.

Catalepsy and Breakaway stay pretty clean anyway, as does Grand Horizontal. It's only the top-outs of Breakaway and particularly Catalepsy which got very dirty. I did Catalepsy a couple of years back, just after Pete and Buzz had dug back the overgrowth at the top, and was mighty glad they had. I spent a lot of time cleaning things like Cosine Alternative (better than Bermuda Triangle IMHO), Bernie the Bolt and Philharmonic about 2 years ago. It's a shame they don't see the traffic they deserve.

BTW how hard is Monoblock? AFAIK it's only had the three ascents, yours, Phils and Joe's.

andy_e · January 31, 2006, 06:06:33 pm

http://www.rockfax.com/databases/results_route.html?id=10081
Although I'm sure it's harder from the description I've heard!

r-man · January 31, 2006, 06:59:58 pm

Andi-E, I think the point of the question is that the rockfax grade was just a guess, and not informed by anyone who has actually done it...

Andy F · January 31, 2006, 07:31:44 pm

It was the best guess Pete and I could come up with.... Correct answers on a post card to...

pete · February 01, 2006, 10:07:12 am

I thought Monoblock was getting on for 7c+ but Andy and Joe seem to think it's easier than that but they are/used to be fairly handy. Mind you, this is Phil Davidson's version of Monoblock I'm talking about. Joe Healy's original route starts to the right and once feet are established on the break shuffles leftwards before making the same difficult move to the high pocket with the right hand. The line that Joe originally planned to climb has still not been done to my knowledge. I don't think the original version has been repeated perhaps this is because it has been superseded by Phil's, a better and easier line but maybe also because Pex has become a bit of a backwater. Both were first climbed in 1986. Now have you got all that? I will be asking questions later.
Pete Chadwick
PS. When I went down at the weekend there were many holds that had been covered with what I and Will Simm thought was liquid chalk, very unsightly and a bugger to get off. Not come across this before!

a dense loner · February 01, 2006, 10:21:49 am

on an ever so slightly different note, at a secret location yesterday there was so much chalk on the holds as to render them almost useless. we had to spend the first 20 mins cursing n using horse hair

am glad you came up with that description pete. instead of the nonsense people usually band about :D

Bonjoy · February 01, 2006, 10:31:20 am

Quote from: "a dense loner"

on an ever so slightly different note, at a secret location yesterday there was so much chalk on the holds as to render them almost useless. we had to spend the first 20 mins cursing n using horse hair

This wouldn't be the 'secret location' that every man and his dog knows about by any chance? Hence the chalk :wink:

a dense loner · February 01, 2006, 11:37:45 am

a much more succint clue was given

Andy F · February 01, 2006, 06:36:44 pm

Just a though. I would be happy to give anyone the 'Cook's Tour' of the hallowed ground that is Pex. Anyone fancy it?

andy_e · February 01, 2006, 06:54:00 pm

Quote from: "Andy F"

Just a though. I would be happy to give anyone the 'Cook's Tour' of the hallowed ground that is Pex. Anyone fancy it?

Yeah. Is it really worth it over, say, the peak?

a dense loner · February 01, 2006, 07:52:16 pm

no thanks andy F, i've been :wink:

ding dong · February 01, 2006, 07:53:48 pm

had a great session at pex today, been there before briefly and didnt really see most of the lines, but today there were enticing dabs of chalk showing the way on many of the routes.
balancy tenuous walls on the whole usualy easing to highball finishes, careful on the top outs!
good conditions today, i expect a lot of the problems would be 'impossible' during the summer?
get down there people.

Andy F · February 01, 2006, 08:08:49 pm

What did you get done? Hope you tried/did Catalepsy as it's one of the finest problems known to man.

Pantontino · February 01, 2006, 08:48:32 pm

Catalepsy and Breakaway saw quite a few ascents each. Jonny Ratcliffe narrowly missed flashing Breakaway! Ding Dong also did Bernie.

Pantontino · February 01, 2006, 09:32:15 pm

Here's a shot from today:

Jonny Boy Ratcliffe climbing the classic Catalepsy.

fatneck · February 02, 2006, 12:00:43 pm

Good effort lads, sorry I couldn't be there. Really good to see all the attention the place is getting at the mo.

Also, thanks for all the hard work done by Pete et al. Added to the bush clearing by Buzz earlier in the year, Pex hasn't looked so good in ages!

Would be happy to join in any guiding as well guys.....

andy popp · February 05, 2006, 11:57:03 am

Missed the boat on the question about Monoblock grade but Pete's got more idea than me to be honest (I'm one of those stupid people who thinks everything I find hard is about the same grade - around 7b+ in my case) I think Steve Dunning gave it a brief try one time with Pete so its not a complete pushover.

It might be interesting though to here the Welsh team's grades for the things they did - building parity for the new guide.

Might be a Peak/local team there tomorriw

Pantontino · February 06, 2006, 04:31:37 pm

Ding Dong had a very brief look at Monoblock, but aside from that no-one else tried it.

The general consensus was that 7a+ for Catalepsy and 7b for Breakaway was about right. Ding Dong did comment that he thought Bernie felt about the same as Catalepsy.

There was less agreement about Hart's Arete - some people seemed to find this harder than Catalepsy! In the end a begrudging 'top end V5' was accepted.

The main complaint about the grades was on the easier problems, which seemed to be given very harsh/inconsistent grades. That said, this was just a flying visit and no doubt there are tricks that the locals know which would even the grades out in the lower range.

Scouse D · February 06, 2006, 04:35:34 pm

Have to agree with the hart's arete thing, I've never managed to get it totally wired. Bernie on the other hand seems much easier than catalepsy- prob right at 7a/V6. I also agree with catalepsy and breakaway grades.

dave · February 06, 2006, 07:15:51 pm

i found a good sequence for hart's arete, made it feel fine, bout V4. you basically only use one handhold to get to the crimp beneath the jug. see photo from couple of years back - key for me was getting the thumb on the pebble enabling a good pinch grip, high left foot and sit up into it. note that this beta won't work for stumpies or those with doll's hands. no idea how i came by this beta though.

need to get back there when its not raining and do more stuff. great crag.

andy popp · February 06, 2006, 07:37:13 pm

Thanks Simon and others. Actually did both Catalepsy and Breakaway today - first time I've been on the former in several years. Seemed perhaps a little more than half a grade difference but then its only grading. Hart's Arete is of course the ultimate example of the mythical 'Pex 6a'

Simon, I'm not surprised re: your comment on the easier lines - was this on the same wall or on the 'bouldering wall' (Pisa)?

Andy F · February 06, 2006, 07:38:47 pm

I use a similar sequence, go to the middle side-pull with your right, left foot on the big foothold low down, right foot on a smeary dimple just left of the first side pull and then pop up to the slot (or big jug above) with your left hand. Can also be done one handed by popping up with your right hand, not touching the rock with your left at all. No need to use the horible pcket out right

BTW did you know it was given V2 by Pete Chadwick in the Cheshire guide :shock:

r-man · February 06, 2006, 08:06:54 pm

I'm getting quite inspired by these photos. Maybe I'll try and convince my friends it's worth a trip from sheffield. I've never been before so:

1. What are the conditions like at this time of year? Does it dry fast after rain?

2.How long does it take to drive from Sheffield?

3.Are there enough quality problems in the 7's? ...Or should I resign myself to struggling on infamous Pex 6as for a first visit?

4.Is the western grit rockfax currently the best guide, or is there another? Anything online?

dave · February 06, 2006, 08:23:25 pm

we were there whilst it was raining adn then it stopped but it didn't seem to dry mega fast, suppose it depends on how windy it is and how clean the place is. the consolation prize is that the steep bouldering bit awards you with a few good fallback eliminate dyno ticks which stay dry.

Andy F · February 06, 2006, 08:42:31 pm

Quote from: "r-man"

I'm getting quite inspired by these photos. Maybe I'll try and convince my friends it's worth a trip from sheffield. I've never been before so:

1. What are the conditions like at this time of year? Does it dry fast after rain?

2.How long does it take to drive from Sheffield?

3.Are there enough quality problems in the 7's? ...Or should I resign myself to struggling on infamous Pex 6as for a first visit?

4.Is the western grit rockfax currently the best guide, or is there another? Anything online?

Yep, worth a visit. It's been very dry over here so it's in decent nick. Parts stay bone dry all year round. From Sheffield I'd guess 2 hrs max. There's a few good problems in the 7's, more than enough for a visit. The best available current guide is Western Grit, but as I stated earlier I'd be more than happt to give you the tour.

andy_e · February 06, 2006, 08:58:49 pm

I'd be up for seeing some pex... so to speak.

r-meistro, where be thee next weekend? You up for it with the Draisey and the Sainsbury?

r-man · February 06, 2006, 11:21:54 pm

Cheers guys, sounds good. Andy F, I'll get in touch if we come up, though unfortunately I'm not the driver so I don't have the last word... Anyone got any more photos showing off Pex's finest fingery feasts of fun? They might help me persuade...

Andi_e, like I said, I'll have to wait and see what tothers want to do.

Jim · February 07, 2006, 12:06:17 am

photo's won't persaud you but there is some good climbing plus the most sandbagged problem in the world!

Andy F · February 07, 2006, 05:33:42 pm

Which problem is that then? Oh, who ever goes, you've got to do the Knife, it's the best line in the place.

andy_e · February 07, 2006, 05:44:34 pm

What grade is the Knife? What classics in the V0-V4 range?

Andy F · February 07, 2006, 06:18:39 pm

The Knife is E5 6a (sort of very highball V3/4ish...). Classics are Lady Jane (V1), Lady Jane Direct (V2), Creeping Jesus (V2. Highball), Bermuda Triangle (V4), Pisa wall Traverse (V3), Cosine Alternative (V4), Algripper (V2, quite Highball), Twinscoops direct (Soft V3), Mankey Road (V2), Cornea (V2) for starters...

clm · February 07, 2006, 06:37:45 pm

NW overhang - SANDBAG

andy_e · February 07, 2006, 06:48:02 pm

Jeez!
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=167201&v=1
Just thought I'd alert your attention

nik at work · February 08, 2006, 08:08:10 am

For some reason I thought Harts Arete would be... well an arete.

Oh well.
Is it all sodden now after last nights rain or could it potentially be dry tomorrow/friday?
Any updates on condition appreciated...

BenF · February 08, 2006, 08:37:01 am

Quote from: "Andy F"

The Knife is E5 6a (sort of very highball V3/4ish...)

Advice for anyone heading to Pex to try this "sort of very highball" problem. It's a fantastic "problem" but take plenty of mats, it must be at least 30 foot high. And doesn't have the best landing in the world. Top sandbag there Andy.

All the rest of Andy's suggestions I'd agree with and add that there are loads more excellent things to do there, including some good traverses of course.

In response to Nik, it's probably still reasonably dry at the moment, but much more rain will probably leave just Pisa wall climbable (admittedly this is an excellent little wall though). If the forecast for dry weather proves correct, then it should be pretty mint come Friday. But don't hold me to that...

Pex Hill (Read 11837 times)

dave

dave