UKC

I think this is a fair bit harder than a few E1s i've done. Cem Gates, Breaking the barrier and One step in the crowds spring to mind...

In reply to Wilbur: The Fang is fine at HVS,have a go at the "Plum" next door graded at E1,it makes the Fang feel like a V Diff.

In reply to Wilbur:

I have to say (and I am notoriously wimpy) that The Fang is definitely only HVS in my mind, and yeah, way easier than the Plum!

In reply to Wilbur: nah it's HVS mate

In reply to Wilbur: Which pitch? There's a 5c bit that is on the line of the fang that the fang skirts round.

In reply to Wilbur:

Do you remember Brede Arkless? I watched her lead Fang in the pouring rain in EBs sometime back in the 70s. Even Striptease was wet! No, The Fang is HVS - you sure you were on the right route.

In reply to Wilbur:

Classic HVS. When did it become E1?

In reply to Wilbur: A damn fine route, but HVS. The second pitch is a thoughtful piece, and a lead I thoroughly enjoyed.

T.

In reply to Shaun L:

Yes, there's Extraction at E2 and other direct variants too.

In reply to Wilbur: I did have this discussion with my dad, does it deserve E1 5a, probably not but still good value at HVS and a great route.

In reply to Wilbur:

Two solid HVS pitches of different styles, but that doesn't add up to E1 in my mind.

I've always been more confused as to why Merlin Direct gets HVS when the climbing is so technically straight forward and the protection so good. Anyway, I guess thats for a different thread.

In reply to Wilbur:
Cemetery Gates and Breaking the Barrier are both well soft for E1, if that helps!

Pete.

In reply to Wilbur:

Id say hvs

In reply to-I've always been more confused as to why Merlin Direct gets HVS:

My memory is of a rockfall on the lowest section circa 86 that suddenly threw a doubt on the overall solidness at Trem. They may be soft touch moves but i remember heightened awareness and a sense of relief not to test the gear. That the top thins out a lot and gave an ideal intro to exposure for those troglodites of us who grew up in cracks rather than on climbing walls is another fond memory of a fantastic watershed route in climbing the grade ladder.

In reply to Wilbur: E2 if you can't jam

In reply to Wilbur:

When I did the Fang years ago, I traversed right into Extraction (unbeknownst to me at the time) too early and thought gosh that was indeed a hard HVS, maybe even E1.

In reply to Wilbur:

As others have said, it's definitely HVS. Not a pushover at the grade, but certainly not E1. It's a classic for sure.

As for Merlin Direct, there's a fair bit of 4c climbing to get to the crux, which is a bit thought provoking. True the gear is great, but it's in a pretty sensational position up on that headwall. I was happy with soft HVS when I did it. If you're going to downgrade that, then Scratch Arete is just as soft I thought...

In reply to Wilbur:

Its HVS. It might be a little hard for HVS but so what, its top-end HVS.

It definatly doesn't need a E1 grade.

In reply to jon:

She was a very tough lady (climbing)! I have great memories of my early childhood growing up in N.Wales, swimming below Clog with her family, being reported back to our parents by her because she saw us climbing a multi-pitch while she guided clients on Lion Rocks (Me and my mate where 7yrs old)

The Fang? Cornish VS

In reply to Wilbur:

It was my first HVS - armed with three Clog square wedges, a MOAC and some hexes. It isn't E1

It was also my first leader fall, as I followed the chalk onto Extraction. After a restart, it was incident free, although the top pitch was almost protectionless with the gear I had.

In reply to nniff:

Do you know where MOAC originated?

Stage one:

MOAC (Mountain Activities) was originally a group of British guides (including my dad Rowland Edwards) started around the 60's. The group ran their own administration...e.g. who wasn't working sorted out the bookings. This went well, a sort of co-operative. Then one day, one of the guides, without consulting the others sold the name and administration to Ellis Brigham (same as the shops), but this did not go down well, and soon the guides, now feeling they had lost their independence, broke apart. So, Brighams had a name and that's all.

Stage two:
Our neighbour in North Wales had his own furnace in his garage, and was a small scale metal worker. He was a guide too, so naturally tinkled with gear production. My Dad tried out some of his gear. One stopper was a winner. The stopper was sold to Ellis Brigham.... The two came together... The MOAC nut as we know today.

Mark

In reply to Wilbur:

I had a bit of a mare on The Fang when we attempted it. Rest on gear on the first pitch, then Rob got scared and aborted P2 into the corner on the right, which was probably harder and more dangerous than leading the route. We attributed failure to attempting the route straight from the car after the drive from London. That said, we found everything hard that trip!

In reply to M. Edwards:

That's nice to know, although my MOAC is long since lost at the back of a cupboard somewhere. It was replaced by a Rock 9 on rope, which is still in regular use, and I wouldn't replace that with a wired version if you paid me.

In reply to nniff:

Our students do their first leads with a MOAC nut on the rack... makes me smile every time I see it being used

In reply to lrandall:


I nearly fluffed this a year or so ago. Didn't think it was that straightforward to read though it's all there when you spot it, HVS seemed fair enough. Maybe I'm just s***
jk

In reply to Owen W-G: Years ago there when the top pitch of Fang was considered more or less unprotectable, there were rumours of someone taking a flyer and only being stopped when their rope snagged over a flake on the edge... Knowing that before I tried it definitely made it an E1 to approach, but HVS seems right once you've climbed it.

In reply to M. Edwards:

>Our neighbour in North Wales had his own furnace in his garage, and was a small scale metal worker. He was a guide too, so naturally tinkled with gear production. My Dad tried out some of his gear. One stopper was a winner. The stopper was sold to Ellis Brigham.... The two came together... The MOAC nut as we know today.

That would be John Brailsford wouldn't it? Still got one of his axes for walking, though I get told it should be in a museum, if they would take it.

Used to run courses in Ailfroid or similar for several years to introduce people to the alps, maybe they should go there still to climb in relative safety.

In reply to M. Edwards:
The MOAC was the first bit of gear I ever bought. I have only recently retired my 2 original versions with the rounded edges. Fantastic bit of kit. It was interesting to find out how they were named and developed.
By the way: my claim to fame is that I climbed The Fang back in the mid seventies with Pete Thexton. He climbed it without any trouble as you might expect. I quivered my way up on a tight rope. Happy memories!

In reply to sutty:

Yes it was John. And his son David managed the team that took the British team to cycling gold in the recent Olympics. Small world!

In reply to sutty:

I think John gave the shape to Karrimor to produce (not certain on this though).

In reply to Wilbur: No, deffo hvs.

In reply to Wilbur:

Fang: HVS for sure

If you think the plums hard for E1 try the Barbarian. Excellent kit but nails hard for 5b. Brilliant routes, all three of these

In reply to david morse: At the time when i was bouldering V7/8 Barbarian destroyed me, i just couldn't do it, i ended up doing the shameful pull-yourself-higher-belayer-takes-in-tight flop onto the rope repeat, lucky i was seconding.

its a sandbag eh! quite an american feel to it...the crux felt like peg scar fingerlocks and stemming, a true powerfest for the grade! quality route

In reply to Wilbur:

I thought the Fang was mostly very straightforward. The 5a bits are safe as houses...the run-out bits felt barely 4c.

Barbarian is superb...I had a major fight on it, but succeeded. Such a well-named route. The crux is harder for the tall I reckon, but it doesn't let up after that. I ended up running it out up the layback as I was too pumped to stop and place any more gear. Hung around for ages at the crux...

Truly great route

In reply to 1234None:

Plus a dangerously loose blocl out left at the top - that it's very tempting to pull on when pumped!

In reply to Wilbur: I thought this after the first time I tried the route, and went back a few years later when i was better and still thought E1. I have done the Plum and Barbarian and I do think the Fang is E1.
But it's opinion and half the people on here think it isn't, but it doesnt really matter with grades. you know how hard they feel for you. I have done plenty of easier E1's!

In reply to boothy:

I agree that the plum should be E1.

When i first did the fang (2nd lead ever) i took the wrong line on the first pitch (extraction, oops) and thought it was nails. Went back and did it again last year, i'd say HVS, but a fairly tough one as the top pitch feels reasonably bold despite the good small nuts.

In reply to jkarran: Merlin Direct felt awkward to me too.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

That's like saying e2 if you can't climb!