[ding dong]

Been enjoying some cryptic bridging recently and began to wonder "what are some of the most formidable corner climbs in the world..." Any suggestions?
I'll start with 'book of hate' and 'the quarryman', maybe green death direct..

[ding dong]

I thought of some others, changing corners on the nose of course, sure there must be others on el cap(perhaps the hardest?), ozymandias in Australia and voie petit on the capucin, all well known but thinking there must be some other gems, maybe harder single pitch stuff.


Patagonian corner..

[El Mocho]

The corner bit on Voie Petit is not too bad. Pre Muir? Nectar 

[andy popp]

The UK (or England anyway) doesn't really excel at this style. Leaf Storm at Nesscliffe is a good contender though; I remember one minute finding myself with both hands on the left wall and both feet on the right, all at the same level, and the next minute with left foot pasted right next to left hand, right foot pasted right next to right hand. I remember being amazed even as I was doing it.

Nectar is good micro example.

[ding dong]

that's the stuff andy! I was wondering, perhaps ozymandias has a non corner crux too? premuir could be up there, theres a 14a/8b+ in Joshua tree called dihedron that appears to be a corner. for some reason I imagine japan having some corkers but I could be dreamin!

hazel on premuir
http://www.epictv.com/media/podcast/hazel-findlays-secret-to-freeing-el-cap---just-try-%7C-cedar-wright-climbing-reels-ep-7/601534

[Bonjoy]

Pythagoras Theorem in the Grampians is the best I can think of that I've done.

[tomtom]

Thats a truly superb picture Bonjoy...

[Bonjoy]

Not one of mine. Just a random I found on google.

[Luke Owens]

Tombola, E7 at Nesscliffe

[slackline]

Theres a crack in it but plenty of corner skills (laybacking) on Grand Illusion (8a)

[T_B]

The 5.12 pitch on the Venturi Effect on the Incredible Hulk is one of the most amazing book corner pitches I have done. I seconded Nic Sellers on this pitch with a small pack and was pretty made up not to fall off. In the end we didn't complete the entire route, as we were fairly wasted from repeating Croft's other big line up there - Airstream.

Here's a vid with that corner pitch at around 2 minutes:



The hardest pure corner I've done was on a new route in Greenland. It was the crux pitch, which I gave 7c+. I went through a pair of boots trying it as you had to put so much pressure through one nubbin.

[ding dong]

What was your greenland route called t_b?

[slackline]

Remembered this has a long corner in it too which looks quite tricky...



Whats the criteria for inclusion?  Difficulty? Purity (lack of alternative method other than stemming/back & footing)?

[dunnyg]

To skin a cat is the only really desperate one. Starts of fingers or slightly wider in a perfect 90 degree corner, and the crack slowly thins to nothing and the crux. 5.12b apparently. One day...

[T_B]

What was your greenland route called t_b?

Waiting for the Sun. It was the free version of a route called Ujarak on Igdlorssuit Havn Tower.

http://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2004_files/AJ%202004%2069-75%20Briggs%20Greenland.pdf

[Fiend]

A few easier ones, sticking to corners/grooves that are chimneyed/bridged and don't have a useful crack at the back:

Holly Tree Corner E2 5c **, Selby's Cove - steep, strenuous and smeary.
Space Monkey E2 5c ***, Ardmair - it's got a crack but you can't use it, and is climbed by bridging out not up. The two E3 corners here are more crack-full so not included.
Tilney's Shovel E2 5c *, Tilberthwaite - tight groove horror, Quarryman for E2 leaders
Fil d'Or E3 6a *, Meikle Ross - blank greywacke corner
Trouble with Lichen E3 6a **, Cheeswring Quarry - smooth, slabby, slippery little bugger.
Orifice Fish E4 5c **, Cathedral Quarry - photo in Dow Guide says it all, Quarryman for E4 leaders.
Megabyte E4(5?) 6a **, Tilberthwaite - impressively sheer, missing a peg.
Oceans E5 6a/b ***, Maer Cliff - smooth slabby groove, "a total body pump".

(obviously all of Nesscliffe too, well, the bits that point in rather than point out. Except Red Death and Marlene as they have too many holds?)

[TheTwig]

The Don E2 5c at Wynd Cliff in the Wye Valley. Disgustingly steep bridging in an awkward groove thingy. Great route though 

[SA Chris]

This one looks a bit tricksome



RIP

[jwi]

El Diedre 8b, Abella de Conca. The main difficulties can be found in the corner on top.

[Danny]

Most of the best moderate corners in the UK are probably at Fair Head, IMO. Although much depends of your definition of a corner, since many are grooves which, incidentally, I find hateful to climb (lanky kryptonite).

[Schnell]

Most of the best moderate corners in the UK are probably at Fair Head, IMO. Although much depends of your definition of a corner, since many are grooves which, incidentally, I find hateful to climb (lanky kryptonite).

Are there differences between what people mean by groove, corner and dihedral? Are grooves wider angled than corners, ie past 90deg. My impression is that dihedral is a North American-ism for groove but I'm not sure where I picked that impression up.

On the Fair Head theme, Marconi is great though whether a groove or a corner (and I'm a tall fella too)

[ding dong]

Whats the criteria for inclusion?  Difficulty? Purity (lack of alternative method other than stemming/back & footing)?

ye difficulty or quality, Im kinda repulsed by the unrelenting fingertip layback type, Deans route there looks heinous.  I do tend to lose all composure on slabby corners ramps and grooves too.

Remembered this has a long corner in it too which looks quite tricky...

My guess is that it may have been doing this route recently which sparked the OP's question?

(Or was it Great Arch, ding dong?)

it was neither Toby, the shadow is up there with strawberries as a 'most ridiculous long held flash/onsight hope' (not sure if I should should watch the vid! so tempting!)

El Diedre 8b, Abella de Conca. The main difficulties can be found in the corner on top.

I remember this pic well from a magazine ages ago. seems I may have had this skeleton in my closet for some time..

[ding dong]

enjoying the suggestions, thanks!

it was neither Toby, the shadow is up there with strawberries as a 'most ridiculous long held flash/onsight hope' (not sure if I should should watch the vid! so tempting!)

I watched it! what have I done,

Are there differences between what people mean by groove, corner and dihedral? Are grooves wider angled than corners, ie past 90deg. My impression is that dihedral is a North American-ism for groove but I'm not sure where I picked that impression up.

I think corner, dihedral and diedre are synonymous, groove maybe a bit more vague?  possibly rounder, like a big runnel, perhaps a shallow corner? or a slim v corner, or an obtuse corner, but I wouldn't expect it to be dominant in the architecture of the crag.. in my experience it has turned out to be a long overhanging niche and a short slabby corner between ledges. but it could be ive been misusing the term, and perhaps this is the reason ive been off route so many times

[ding dong]

"toproping on my fixing lines.  I took time to watch the swallows tackle each other in mid air and plummet towards the ground, separating just before the treetops. I would say out loud, “That is so cool,” even though no one was around to hear me." Caldwell on dihedral wall

http://www.climbing.com/route/the-dihedral-wall/

amazing route, sounds like the other end of the spectrum though, to Dawes' stone monkey quote, about gritstone being just long enough to interest and intrigue without becoming awkward or tiresome.." (I probably forgot the exact wording).

[Fiend]

I watched it! what have I done,

You've learnt the crucial beta that it involves lots of desperate stemming, smearing, palming and fingertip slots....as if that couldn't be guess already .

Obtuse corner is a good description indeed!