Routes cleaned or re-equipped

[mark20]

Good work on cleaning up these old Rubicon trad routes.
But what's the deal with all the tat on Jaws? The top two pegs equalised with fat blue tape (as a lower off?!) is a hideous mess

 

[El Mocho]

Good work on cleaning up these old Rubicon trad routes.
But what's the deal with all the tat on Jaws? The top two pegs equalised with fat blue tape (as a lower off?!) is a hideous mess

Yeah I saw that - the 'new' (I've no idea when it went in) bolt belay for Plectrum Maxilla is on the ledge above just slightly to the right so is a much better option. Maybe these were placed (the pegs look new) before this bolt belay existed? Either way I think all the tat could come off.

 

[Tony S]

I didn’t add the tat but I did “amend” some of it. I’ve not been on Jaws but have looked over at it.

The top tat (and pegs) is unnecessary now there is a bolted lower off (not sure when either the pegs or bolts were added, others of this parish may know the latter at least). That said, I think “hideous mess” is probably overdoing it a little: I suspect climbers are more sensitive about bits of cliff than most WCJ visitors. (Personally, I’m more offended by the fingertape scraps - which is just plain littering.)

The lower tat was added - I suspect - because the way the pegs are placed means a karabiner would put a fair bit of torque on the eyes of the pegs (due to protruding rock below). It’s probably not entirely necessary but I can’t get too excited.

 

[T_B]

The lower tat was added to equalise the pegs presumably? Makes sense. The pegs at the top aren’t really necessary (it’s all over by that point). I wouldn’t lower off them.

 

[Tony S]

The lower tat was added to equalise the pegs presumably? Makes sense.

The two (lower) pegs which are equalised seem pretty bomber (not really very necessary to equalise). I changed the tat around so it also had the effect of equalising them.

 

[kc]

The discreetly hidden lower off and the replacement peg/bolt are roughly 5 years old. The fugly blue tat really needs to come off.

 

[Hydraulic Man]

Emotional Rescue and Golden Boy, Elec quarry, Stoney.



Judging by the amount of fresh blocks and chopped branches on the ground it looks like someone else has been cleaning (and by the looks of it doing a bigger job than me), maybe Damocles or perhaps Brown Corner. Although there was a lot of rubble around on the ground I couldn't really see which route it had come off.

That was me. I cleaned Brown Corner of Rose thorn from the top and around a 1/4 of a ton of very dangerous blocks out the bottom. The route was an accident waiting to happen.

Also cleaned Damocles of loose stuff from the top and veg out of the overhang. Not sure why this is not done more often. I spent a long time cleaning the bottom crack....Which brings me onto One Ard Move.

Started cleaning this last year, big job as the top is really loose. Got that stabilised and then started getting mud off the route and dusting down...Went back to it recently and started working the move which was 6c..

Tried it Saturday and again today, sadly one of the crimps blew and left a bigger hold which then blew again leaving nothing. So it can now be renamed One Extremely Hard Move. Would be better to move left into BC and make a move up the crack to give a balanced E3/4. Word of warning for everyone rushing to do it....The traverse left out of Damocles requires a bit of care......Pretty disappointing as there is no way I can do that move and I've spent a fair bit of time cleaning.

As for the 2nd ascent I'm pretty sure the BIG man has done it.

Cleaned a few other things recently but routes like Morgue and Speed Kills have really loose top outs nowadays and id be careful heading up that stuff on-sight. The Peg on Speed Kills looks done but the route Gary did to the right may protect it.

As for 2nd ascents Easy Skanking to my knowledge never had one (Unless Dougie did it) You can get a rope down it from top of LP 1st pitch.

Swine Vesicular also not repeated and looks total nails....

 

[El Mocho]

Which brings me onto One Ard Move...

Tried it Saturday and again today, sadly one of the crimps blew and left a bigger hold which then blew again leaving nothing.

Unlucky with that crimp, esp after all the work cleaning that section of wall. I went back today with my mum. Flash go was not so impressive - got on the crimps above break (left hand on crumbly remains of the hold) and gave up. Climbed up the corner a bit to get a rope just above and worked the move. First try left hold broke again leaving an even smaller crimp side pull but this did stay on - managed move ok so lowered down and managed a clean lead.

What's left of the crimp feels pretty fragile but I don't think there is much which can be done about it + you have to pull on it quite hard.

 

[Neil F]

Bon effort Ben.

What 'realistic' :lol: grade for a lead in its current state?

Neil

 

[El Mocho]

I think the current grade is realistic.

 

[El Mocho]

I didn't try before the hold broke, I imagine it's a slightly harder move now, judging by the state of the holds left and from what Hydraulic said. But it's not hard enough, bold enough or sustained enough to bump it up an E grade (again like Hydraulic says it's no more than E4 without this section, assuming nothing falls off the trav left with you attached), and as someone brought up at Almscliff I believe there is nothing above 6c anyway, just dif levels of 6c.

 

[Fiend]

Sounds like your mum needs to work a bit on her crimping strength and determination if she blew the flash go tho....

 

[Neil F]

I think the current grade is realistic.

Just wondering how typical it is for you to get on the crimps on a 6b move and simply give up, Ben :-\

I agree that the E grade is a given, but from what I saw the other day, the crux looked every bit a 6c sequence to me - even if at the lower end of the Almscliff scale ;D

 

[kc]

Regarding the Rubicon route. "Harder than Caviar" was the original quote. ???

 

[T_B]

I tried the start of PMD yesterday evening and managed 3 moves. Didn’t quite get into the glued undercuts but there are a lot of foot options and I ran out of shoulders/light. The first 3 moves are harder than the first 3 moves of Caviar and it didn’t look like I was at the hard bit yet!

 

[kc]

I thought the moves were really good from the undercut but I lost interest very quickly with the sharp crimpy start and other distractions. I'm sure Caviar felt easier but that was 20 years earlier with enthusiasm.

 

[El Mocho]

I think the current grade is realistic.

Just wondering how typical it is for you to get on the crimps on a 6b move and simply give up, Ben :-\

I agree that the E grade is a given, but from what I saw the other day, the crux looked every bit a 6c sequence to me - even if at the lower end of the Almscliff scale ;D

I'd forgotten it was 6b, even though you told me that at the crag the other day, was thinking it had been given 6c - as per the name one ard move on an E6 on Peak lime would be 6c anyway. So 6c.

I found a rock 5 at the top, assume it was 1 of you guys. I've left it on the start hold of OAM.

 

[El Mocho]

I tried the start of PMD yesterday evening and managed 3 moves. Didn’t quite get into the glued undercuts but there are a lot of foot options and I ran out of shoulders/light. The first 3 moves are harder than the first 3 moves of Caviar and it didn’t look like I was at the hard bit yet!

I thought the first move was the hardest so stick with it. I'm not sure if you've been on a rope on it but it's very ground up able with a few pads. I can message you some gear beta if you want, it's prob around 7a from the bolt onwards.

Bosi flashed this but fell off Caviar and I think he had dogged up Caviar already (I didn't pay enough attention to be sure) so that was a fall on first RP on Caviar vs flash on PMD.

It's not easy though, around 7B/+ and without pads would be quite high getting the flake. I had 3 pads which changed the nature of it completely.

 

[Hydraulic Man]

Just a suggestion but would be really interesting if someone could do a Lime List for the Peak with routes above E5 and the current state of rhe gear etc..The current guides are hopelessly out of date...

 

[Simon Lee]

Just start a thread…