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Blackstones (Read 83225 times)

nik at work

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#75 Re: Blackstones
May 03, 2008, 08:10:15 pm
Nice one, a quality venue IMHO. It does seem to have cleaned up nicely since I first went there, hopefully it remains popular enough to stay clean without getting so popular it gets trashed (a la Kebs). I'll definitely be going back up there again.

Gay leg, it's the future.....

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#76 Re: Blackstones
May 05, 2008, 07:59:15 pm
Glad to hear others are heading up there.  Good venue.
Opinions on grades most welcome.

I shall have to drag myself back sometime.

As far as the crimp thing left of pocket arete goes, Nik and I were being very strict.  Probably better if you arent, but we avoided getting near the arete, so the obvious heel/toe out right was out.  Making it tricky for no reason.  :lol:

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#77 Re: Blackstones
May 06, 2008, 08:04:52 am
The heal toe was to the left so you end up falling into the crimp with the left hand. The arete and the runnel are never even considered.

Like yourselves I started strict and only tried the above for a laugh.

There's no reason to doubt that doing it with a RF heal toe wouldn't also work.

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#78 Re: Blackstones
May 06, 2008, 08:10:10 am
doing it with a RF heal toe wouldn't also work.

I assume you mean "would work"?

We were just being wimps as it was the end of the day, with no skin, and we didn't fancy slapping that sharp crimp.
The groove thing on the vid is good without the left arete too, prob about 7a/+ according to Nik.

Rice Boy

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#79 Re: Blackstones
May 16, 2008, 09:02:49 am
Would/wouldn't, tomato/tomato.

Had another great evening up here again last night, the light was amazing.

Reclimbed everything with a single addition (that judging by the chalk is a bit of a path for locals).

Font 7a (maybe). Climbs the wall in-between the project arete and the easy arete on the Hueco boulder. I thought this was excellent and very conditions dependant. LH side pull, RH sloper, pull on, slap up grove on less than good footholds, lauch for the top.  Very independent of both aretes as the climbing is forced up the grove in a very logical way.

I have taken some piiss poor photos badly illustrating the climbs on the top boulder.  Consensus was 6c for both problems on the pocket wall and 6a+ for the one to the right of Pocket Arete.  The dyno is nice and explosive.

I's also recommend full winter gear for when the sun goes down.

Rice Boy

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#80 Re: Blackstones
May 16, 2008, 09:12:17 am
I've not uploaded photos in the new format. Could someone kindly post a link to a step by step guide. Can photos be uploaded direct from a hard-drive or do they need hosting (a la fliker etc.)?

Thanks.

GCW

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#81 Re: Blackstones
May 16, 2008, 09:17:02 am
They need hosting.  I'll be interested to see what you have done.
I think your 7a is something I've tried before.  Not sure.

Here's Slack--Line's excellent How To guide to photo embedding.

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#82 Re: Blackstones
May 16, 2008, 03:06:55 pm
Thanks for the How To, took the easy option and used Facebook. Not missing much if you can't see them.

The 6a+ to the right of Pocket Arete


Left line = dyno from middle hold, right line = 'gay leg' 6c wall.


I had a brief play on the 7a wall the last time I was up but it was tres chaud.  The moves are ace and it's very body tension dependant. The best problem there IMHO, felt nice n' ard and a great feeling topping out.

Didn't spend any time on the fridge hugger.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2008, 03:24:14 pm by Rice Boy »

Rice Boy

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#83 Re: Blackstones
May 16, 2008, 03:19:41 pm
Easy option . . for a monkey perhaps!

Facebook linking same as Flickr just past the hyperlink in between the [img] brackets. 

THought i had better photos, including the 7a wall but it appears the camera had other ideas.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2008, 03:29:29 pm by Rice Boy »

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#84 Re: Blackstones
May 19, 2008, 04:10:34 pm
Here ya go:



1.  Project-  Arete and thin seam/ crack.  Rubbish landing, and a bit of a disappointment.
2.  Left arete (5)-  Start on the left and move right when it makes sense.

To be a bit clearer (but not much), the 7a line goes in between 1. and 2. in the photo. The fact the RH arete (prob 2.) is 'nearby' doesn't detract from the climb at all and using the arete foothold would probably only make it harder.

I'm sure there's more potential up there possibly on the crag itself and will be returning shortly. In the mean time I'll be mostly joining Flickr to ease this linking malarky.

Any aspirations for a small guide? There seems to be a load of stuff already compiled on this thread.

nik at work

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#85 Re: Blackstones
May 19, 2008, 08:33:55 pm
GCW is putting info together (but he's on holiday right now). This place has really got its hooks in you hasn't it?

Let us know when you're next planning a trip up there I'm sure myself and GCW would happily tag along if available (as an added inducement GCW is willing to lug a pretty big mat up that hill, and I generally come pre-stocked with enough flapjack to feed a small country....)

Rice Boy

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#86 Re: Blackstones
May 20, 2008, 09:19:39 am
There's only so many times you can do the back wall traverse at Hobson Moor plus the drive/walk in is comparable to Wimberrry for me.  Given all the green that's been talked about I think I'll carry on taking advantage of the dry summer evenings. (But yes, all this rationalising is just a thinly veiled cover for my true feelings.)

If the weather stays like this I'll likely head back at the beginning of next week, will let you know.


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#87 Re: Blackstones
May 20, 2008, 10:19:55 am
Try those photos again

The 6a+ to the right of Pocket Arete


Left line = dyno from middle hold, right line = 'gay leg' 6c wall.



Rice Boy

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#88 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 01:33:38 pm
Revisited on Saturday.  Baltic conditions again (sleet) even as early as 5pm.  Gorgeous setting up here.

Climbed the project arete on the Hueco booulder in a very straight on fashion that seemed the most logical way to me. Two great moves followed by a tricky topout.  Probably Font 6b. Climbed this way the landing's a flat rock platform i.e. tres safe.

Nik and GCW: were you trying this as a strict LH arete?  Hopefully photos make sense to you.

Mobile camera shots.  I gave the climbs names because I was bored.

Hueco Arete 2 sequence






Ape Hour (7a+ felt more realistic, very conditions dependent)



Gumming to victory


There's two obvious starting slopers for the RH, any further right the arete jugs come into play. These are the only holds eliminated.

Polly Pocket (6c wall up top) The right foot heal toe also works but effectively uses the arete. In my mind this was the most obvious way to climb the wall in between the dyno and the arete.  It's great fun.







The dyno matches the LH starting holds on the above and lunges for the runnel. Probably 6b+.

r-man

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#89 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 03:22:25 pm
Amazing conditions for June! Ape Hour looks great, looking forward to getting on it someday.

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#90 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 03:54:27 pm


All looks good.
When I tried that arete, I stood on the ground- are you doing a sitter from the mat?  To be honest I never tried it much, didn't really bother to pull on.  Have to have another look.
There's a couple of other lines need doing.  Have you tried the fridge hugger SDS?

I guess I could finish off the mini-guide, if people are interested in it.  It'll need adjusting anyway, consideriong the new things being done.
Would you host it on SLB, R-man?

Johnny Brown

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#91 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 04:02:06 pm
Any photos of this 'fridge-hugger project'?

Rice Boy

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#92 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 04:05:52 pm
Amazing conditions for June! Ape Hour looks great, looking forward to getting on it someday.

I was there from 5-7pm and chalk was a bonus, not essential even though the middle photos would suggest otherwise.

So long as there's a breeze (can't imagine there not being up there) I'd say climbing in the early evening is possible, or even preferable, throughout all the summer months (peat's dry).

Didn't climb at the fridge hugger area.  Anyhow sleet/rain was passing in waves so I knackered myself out quick climbing like a Rage victim.

Spotted the Roman road for the first time ..... Nice!


Rice Boy

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#93 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 04:10:18 pm
Any photos of this 'fridge-hugger project'?

Page 1 and 3 have photos.  Page 1 photo shows block to the left that encroaches quite heavily on the line.  This doesn't/shouldn't effect how it climbs.

Rice Boy

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#94 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 05:27:25 pm
I am like sooo obsessed.

Camera phone footage:

Pocket Dyno:

Polly Pocket:

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#95 Re: Blackstones
June 16, 2008, 07:25:01 pm
Pocket Dyno we did from a sitter to the left, more directly to the pocket- it's in one of the vids from before.
Polly Pocket- we didn't put our feet that high.  Blinkered I guess.  :lol:

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#96 Re: Blackstones
June 17, 2008, 09:00:50 am
Pocket Dyno we did from a sitter to the left, more directly to the pocket- it's in one of the vids from before.

I saw the left hand straight-up line as the left hand version and the dyno as the right hand version.  Plus that bowl/runnel had to be jumped to, it just so happened to be a good move (although the video makes it look like more of a reach  :-\).  I hope you give it a crack.

Polly Pocket- we didn't put our feet that high.  Blinkered I guess.  :lol:

I tend to work backwards in this respect, I find it more than often makes up for a lack of strength.

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#97 Re: Blackstones
June 17, 2008, 08:52:10 pm
Any aspirations for a small guide? There seems to be a load of stuff already compiled on this thread.

Right, due to popular demand I've done a topo.  Work very much in progress, but it's to be found on this thread.
Enjoy.

GCW

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#98 Re: Blackstones
June 20, 2008, 07:58:02 am


Just realised you are more round the left than I was trying.  I started as a stand up with my left hand on the crap arete at the level of your left foot and shunned all holds left of the arete.  In retrospect, your method is probably the more sensible.  Felt pretty hard my way, damned blinkers again :lol:

r-man

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#99 Re: Blackstones
August 27, 2008, 12:59:18 pm

 

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