UKC

Hoping ot get this done next winter. was wondering if anyone could give me some info on the climbing likely to be found and the gear that is needed.

was thinking along the lines of:

2 60m double ropes
10 wires + krab
3-8 rocentrics + krab
friends 1.5 and 2.5 + krab
knifeblade + 2 buggaboos + oval krab
2 la and 2 baby angle + oval krab
warthog and bulldog + krab
2 13cm screws
4 16cm screws
1 19cm screw
1 22cm screw

3 120cm slings + krabs

3 25cm quickdraws
3 25cm revolver quickdraws
6 60cm quickdraws
ice treader
abe tat

harness, helmet, axes, crampons, 3 hms and magicplate, 2 prussiks + krab each

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Do you really think your going to find enough gear to use 12 quickdraws?

What scottish stuff have you climbed before? If you had enough experience for such a long and commiting route you really wouldn't need to ask these sorts of questions.

Are you looking for another tread like your Walker Spur one? Thats the way i see this heading.

In reply to The Great Pretender: Go and do lots of 4s and other 5s and then you'll know what you want to take. I've only done III/IV but it seems like quite a lots of technical kit to me. I am sure someone who is more experienced will give you further advice, it's good to see ambition anyway

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Not done it either, but it has a reputation for being pretty serious. Poor belays. Hardly any gear.
From what I can see above 12 eckies certainly looks excessive and having both a 19 and 22cm screw looks optimistic!

Davie

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre: 10 quickdraws and 6 screws?

In reply to The Great Pretender: Halve everything, including the rope.

The rock gear will hardly go in at all, with the exception of the traverse pitch (which is reasonably well protected). Not clear about the pegs you are talking about, but say 5 of different types might be useful.

1,2,3 cams might go in somewhere.

Generally there are less belays than pitches on OFD. Lots of the pitches you will get no runners in at all.

I have a very funny (in retrospect) story about OFD, unless you happen to be a Geordie, that is.

In reply to Simon4: can i hear you funny story?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Dear God. Do you really think - honestly - that if you have to ask on here what you should be carrying that you're up to it? Go and get some experience ffs.

PS. I haven't done the route but I certainly wouldn't carry anywhere near that amount of stuff. I mean, a 19cm ice screw?!

In reply to The Great Pretender: I checked out your profile as I thought it odd that someone should have to ask what to take on such a route. You include only three winter climbs as far as I can see, two easy gullies on Aonach mor and a route you give grade VI 7 and preumably mixed, but which you note the date as in July 2006 (???)on Great Gable. Leaving aside the ethical disaster that this probably reperesents, I reckon you should leave huge poorly protected ice routes on the ben until you have appropriate experience. There are plenty nice easier routes which would be less likely to kill you and your partner.

In reply to The Great Pretender: I have to agree with the 2 Andrews. Orion is a route for composure and competence in both leader and second.

The story goes on for some time, and has to be told in my second's inimitable tone for full effect. The crux, as it were, came at the sting in the tail of the final chimney, when the belay consisted of my partner's 2 axes loosely associated with some steep, fluffy white stuff. I stared at the bulging rock, then at his axes, then at the bulge again. One of his axes got so bored at this performance that it could not be bothered to make the token effort to remain attached to the snow and came loose, staring at me and dangling.

My partner describes how when I came to tackle the bulge, he first braced himself and gripped the belay device firmly. He then glanced at the sole remaining axe, shrugged and let fall his grip, on the basis that we were about to prove the old joke definition that a solo climber is one man falling alone, while a roped party is several men falling together.

The reference to Geordies is to the 2 individuals of that persuasion who held us up for at least 2 hours on the route, with Geordie number 2 disappearing over the bulge with the helpful comment that his mate had been "really at his limit, about to fall off" when tackling the bulge. I did then think that they might at least have waited to see that we had got over the bulge, but the ensuing easy gully was empty of inhabitants.

Had any of the inhabitants of that region heard the venom, contempt and loathing that Paul managed to get into the single word "geordies" when I spoke to him on the phone later that week, they would have been terrified out of their T-shirts.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Dude....I hear the only gear you need for Orion Direct is one set of big.....







































Balls

In reply to The Great Pretender: You like your gear lists don't you?

I suspect when you're ready to do it you won't need to ask.

You may be a brilliant climber, much much better than I'll ever be, but by way of comparison, when I was living in Scotland for four years and climbing most weekends through the winter I climbed reasonably regularly on Ben Nevis. I had done a number of IVs on the Ben and mixed Vs elsewhere in Scotland, and never once did I think that I was ready to try the Orion Face. I'm pretty certain now I have the skills to climb it, but still lack the balls.

You might be very different though of course.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: A pre-frontal lobotomy can also serve the purpose.

In reply to TobyA:


Oh the agony of restraint!

Where's Norrie when you need him most! :-/

In reply to belfast_jonny: The point can be made gently as effectively as brutally.

The rapier, not the bludgeon.

In reply to The Great Pretender:
Have you actually done anything in Scotland in winter?

In reply to Pocket Rocket:

Check out his logbook - he's done Left Twin *and* Forgotten Twin.

Watch out Mr. Macleod - here comes The Great Pretender.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Dear Pretender

I think that list of gear is too much. When I did it I had 6 nuts, 3 wires, 2 slings and a Deadman. I had too much gear as I got one runner in the route.

Be suspicious of others on this post giving you advice, especially if they have not done the route. I tried Orion Direct before I had done a Grade V, the reason I never got it done was due to the thawing conditions which resulted in most of the ice falling down. When I did Orion Direct it was my 2nd winter route Graded as a V.

My only recommendation is to take a Deadman with you on the route.

Best of luck with the route, it is one of the best winter climbs in Scotland.

Norrie

Hi mate, I haven't done a lot of winter climbs, but I would say this. A mate of mine is a highly experienced winter climber and he couldn't do it because of conditions, trying to place gear etc.
All I know from climbing guides and people I know that have done it is it's bloody hard! As mentioned before, if you think you're experienced enough to do OFD, you should already know what kit you need, IMH(unexperienced)O of course.
Also, as mentioned, I would be careful about taking advice from people. Loads of info available on OFD in guidebooks, so if you think you're ready for it, good luck!
Denni (who knows not a lot about winter climbing by the way)

In reply to The Great Pretender:

if it is in the usual nick, i suggest you take nappies.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Flamin heck dude, not your first post with "this is my gear, please advise"

If your not sure about what to take it suggests strongly you're not ready for the experience.

Stop embarassing yourself......... (12 QD's, 7 pegs....)

In reply to John Rushby:

Dear John

Is that from personal experience?

Norrie

In reply to 220bpm:

All the gear and no idea. It's an easy trap to fall into. But then I've never done Orion Direct, but I've got all the gear.........

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Nothing wrong with using one's trousers as a latrine.

In reply to John Rushby:

Dear John

I would not know about that on Orion Direct, I found the climbing OK, nothing to worry about.

Did you leave a brown trail on Orion Direct?

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

What did you think the technical difficulty would equate to under the conditions you did it? This is of interest to folk who might be interested at some point.

Davie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

I've seen a couple of big red streaks at the bottom of it which certainly show the seriousness of the undertaking and gave me a very sober days climbing on the Ben.

In reply to outdoorbloke: Most of the advice, both from those who have done it and those who haven't seems quite sound. I am not sure what Norrie is getting at, other than liking to have a dig at people.

Simon (who has climbed Orion Face Direct)

In reply to Norrie Muir:

I tend to leave red trails.

In reply to John Rushby:

Rogan Josh?

In reply to Simon4:

OFD was my first route (winter or summer) on the Ben. This was in the days when Curvers and Camp Baltoro Ice Hammers were state of the art, i.e. even before Simond Chacals! Conditions were probably fairly good but even so, the runner count was probably less than one per pitch up to the ice chimneys, I can remember one peg on the rib leading out of the basin. Belays were mostly ice/snow bollards.

Something like Zero Gully would be a good intro to this type of Ben conditions.

boB

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre:
Dear God

Equate to what - rock climbing? Well I've done harder V Diffs and harder Grade IV's. However, if you are not used to run outs without protection, if may fray your nerves when the belays are marginal.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

>Harder Grade IV's

That's what I was meaning. Were you expecting it to be as poorly protected as it turned out to be? Was yours not quite an early repeat?

Davie

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre:
Were you expecting it to be as poorly protected as it turned out to be?

Dear God

Orion Direct is on Ben Nevis, so I have an idea about the lack of protection. If I wanted to climb a well protected winter route, I would either climb on the Grit or the Northern Corries.

Norrie

In reply to Simon4:
Hi Simon,
didn't mean to offend anyone about advice etc. Only putting my twopennies worth in!
Den

In reply to outdoorbloke: No worries mate, I've learned to avoid taking offence at possibly ill-advised comments on these forums.

In reply to Bob: Ah curvers, that brings back memories - memories of the head of one of them getting progressively steeper in its angle to the shaft and progressively less attached, about 3/4 of the way up a route on the Little Brenva Face. Followed shortly afterwards by an extended period of extreme terror as I tried to finish leading the last pitch.

What truly rotten tools they were!

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Experience is everything!

Once you've done several ice routes on the Ben, you'll know what you need, instead of showing your inexperience to attempt this route or any other proper route hereabouts!

Get out more!

Stuart

In reply to Norrie Muir:

>Orion Direct is on Ben Nevis, so I have an idea about the lack of protection. If I wanted to climb a well protected winter route, I would either climb on the Grit or the Northern Corries.

I was more interested in your impressions of the route at the time! Ah well.

Davie

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre:
Dear God

Right.

The views were good, this is just as well as it take your mind off the non existent belays.

It is good having a late start to the route as the light is glorious just before the sunset.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

>The views were good, this is just as well as it take your mind off the non existent belays. It is good having a late start to the route as the light is glorious just before the sunset.

Sounds like you had a great day. It's definitely something I'd like to do, when the time is right.

Davie

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre: Davie

Hopefully this will be a helful answer!

It is long, sustained, somewhat intricate and poorly protected. Even with modern protection, the gear will not be good unless by some miracle you get sustained dependable ice.

Having said that, most of the climbing is not that hard for the grade, while there is nothing that is outrageous.

In reply to I am the God of Strathyre:

It's definitely something I'd like to do, when the time is right.
Dear God

It is a must do route.

Norrie

In reply to John Rushby:

Dear John

May I suggest you see a doctor about your piles. It may not improve your climbing, but it will be less sightly.

Norrie

In reply to The Great Pretender:
You sound as if you have had the lobotomy so you have all you need. Just leave the gear behind except the axes and helmet and solo it as it doesn't require much brain power.

But then again maybe not.....

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Can't remember but is the Direct start into the Basin the same as the bottom of Orion Direct?
Did the direct start finishing up epsilon chimney which was well iced and a great line with Blonde Nick in the 80's

In reply to The Great Pretender:

If you need to ask such questions I suggest you take a body bag aswell.

In reply to Lone Rider:

Dear Rider

The Direct Start is between the origional start and Slav Route, it goes up some icefalls/smears.

I nearly recorded a Direct Finish to Orion Direct, but I thought better of it.

Norrie

In reply to The Great Pretender:
Are these your companions? Seriously, this is a very conditions dependent route that does'nt like global warming. Most important thing is not to fall off.

Dear Pretender,

Did the route a few winters ago in late March. We were the only party on the route. It was likely the last ascent that winter as the rain was heavy the next day and stripped most of Orion.

All I can say it's a grade 5, with loads of technical pitches(cant remember exactly) and many other exposed pitches. My main memories were of finding only 2 solid screw placements the whole route, The first about 4 pitches up near the top of the basin. I seem to remember multiple axe/virtual belays. My partner and I both held firm the belief that we must not fall so therefor belays weren't really needed!

Climb loads of winter routes that are in and not in perfect nick. You will realise soon if its a place you want to be high up with only your axe points and nerve to trust- Enjoy!

In reply to Simon4:

That's a great story, I only just spotted it. Thanks for telling it on here

In reply to Alison Stockwell: Very kind of you to say so!

It is as nothing to the tale of the Ryan-Lochmatter ridge on the Aiguille du Plan (or any other stories involving an Isard).

In reply to The Great Pretender: Its all about conditions really.In good nick the climbing will be technically easy Route finding a little tricky maybe.In poor conditions things would be alot more exciting.You wont be able to place alot of gear but theres no harm in taking a decent rack[your list is more than adequate].Essential requirements for an enjoyable ascent are confidence on steepish snow/ice ,a partner you trust and the ability to get there when its in.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Way to much hardware, shark repellant and a bat hook would suffice, this is such a great route, really one to move on, belays are imaginary, although on the crux wall at the second slab rib there is a bomber one.
In thin conditions it feels really out there, i have only done it once with a rope, it was early season and thin, you really must have faith in your compadre, when it is plump later in the season it is a real romp, technicaly easy, but of course serious, all this talk about soloing a route like this being less cerebral, is of course nonsense, the freedom of movement, focus and kinesthetic awareness is unparralleled.

In reply to Dru: Your right about your comments but the Great pretender seems to give the impression he has no brains for him self and needs others to tell him what to do.

Maybe I was being a wee bit irresponsible telling someone like TGP to go and solo it, he might take me for my word and try.

Soloing as you say is just the buzz when when things are going well and you have the ability. The feeling afterwards especially on the Ben having done one of the big routes.

In reply to Lone Rider: aye, no brains - like a dinosaur (a long neck and no brains) . I'll report back when i've done the route at the end of season. single rope (60m), 6 wires, 4 pegs, 4 hexes, with 6-8 screws, warthog, 8 60cm quickdraws and 3 120cm slings. sounds more realistic.

In reply to The Great Pretender: Sorry Tom but that was one hell of a stupid thread to start!!!lol

In reply to The Great Pretender:


Aye, when you're eating your food through a straw.

In reply to will: i kno!! u been at school today? it was better than normal, but still shit!

p.s i get tommrow afternoon off to go climbing!!

In reply to The Great Pretender:

What routes have you actually done on the ben? Whats your plan for routes before hand?

In reply to Tom M Williams: 0

comb, green, ponit 5 and zero

In reply to The Great Pretender:

So i gather you have never seen how big a route orion is then?

If your that set on doing it then all i can say is good luck.

Your ambition seems to becoming dangerous, i hope you don't die young but its looking increasingly likely.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

I did this route in march 1997. It was quite a long route but the climbing was not very hard compared to other routes of the same grade. The belays were nothing to shout about, but there was a good belay before the slab rib pitch. I think we did it in fairly good conditions, but the snow could have been better.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Dear Pretender

What size are your boots?

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir: At the risk of jumping on the bandwagon and persecuting TGP for the crime of having unrealistic ambition ...I think he's too big for them Norrie

In reply to dan bailey:

Dear Dan

See my first post on this thread. I tried Orion Direct before I had climbed a Grade V, in fact we were the first party to try the route since Smith and Marshall did the fitst ascent. So I don't think it is an 'unrealistic ambition' for the Pretender.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir: Or how big are his balls!

In reply to Norrie Muir: You're probably right. I wish him all the best. It's something I'd love to do one day too.

In reply to earlsdonhammer:

Dear earl

I think that is a bit condescending. There maybe posters on this thread with no balls, but that is beside the point.

Norrie

In reply to The Great Pretender:

once you romp those routes then OFD could be yours. you wouldn't be another Cold Climbs ticker per chance??

One day I might get fit enough again to do a route on the ben from home in a day. it can be hard to appreciate the level of fitness regular mountaineers have. mind you going up there a few times till you get the conditions which make a route possible at least keeps you fit, ...apparently.

it was not so many years ago there was more ice on the Orion Face than you could shake an axe at, so perhaps this season will be like that!

good luck and keep us posted even if you do need to eat some humble pie.

In reply to yer maw: i aint a cold lciubms ticker. i've ogt the bock and the guide book. they look very good routes, with similar climbing ot thato n orion direct. hopefully i can work my way through the grades.

In reply to The Great Pretender:
I'd go along with Norrie and suggest you don't need and won't find that much gear. It's boldish but technically straightforward in good conditions, so perfectly sensible for an early Grade 5. I think it was my third.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

wheres your bivvy gear ..
how may days were you thinking of spending on the route ?

light and fast


BUT after all the choice is yours experience should tell you waht to carry ..

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Given that you regularly climb bigger routes that are quite hard in the lakes and not just on gritstone like alot of people, if you get up to scotland a few times this winter I cant see why everyone thinks you will die on orion face. Where has the spirit of adventure gone?

In reply to smithaldo:

being good on rock does not meen that you will automaticaly be good on ice and mixed.

In reply to Tom M Williams:
Obviously, but doing big multi pitch routes is a good start, and means you will probably keep a calm head under exposed conditions.

In reply to smithaldo: i am also quite a bold climber (love soloing). i think i have speant more time on the big crags in the lakes this crags than most rocktalk users. i am also quite a slick/quick climber.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

You have a remarkably inflated opinion of yourself.

In reply to Andy Hobson: have you ever climbed with me? do you know me? have you done orion direct?

NO!

what gives you the right to comment?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Coming out with such a gob-smackingly arrogant comment such as :


practically invites comment, given the level of experience (both in the Lakes and elsewhere) of many of the posters on this site.

Threads like this one and your similar one concerning the Walker Spur mark you out as being a silly, obnoxious teenager with nothing better to do than 'big yourself up'. Whether I've done OFD or not has f*ck all relevance to that.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

Don't knock him, he HAS done Engineers Slabs in winter, so must be good. Remarkable with no other winter routes listed, a real prodigy.

In reply to Andy Hobson: i would like to withdraw that comment and replace it with:

"i think i have speant more time on the big crags in the lakes this summer than average rocktalk users."

i spose it is better being a silly obnoxios teenager, who enjoys winding people up than a obnoxios 24 year old who has grabbed the bait!

Hook, line and sinker!

In reply to sutty:

In July too - I must have missed that freak cold snap, strange no one else got any winter routes done around then!

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Oh, please. Don't try and pretend it was a troll just to get out of your hole. It's clear from your postings you take yourself faaaar too seriously for that.

PS. 21, actually.

In reply to Andy Hobson: all right it was in summer and i pressed the wrong button.

with regars to walker spur thread how comes one of the uks best alpine climbers seemed to think i was fairly spot on? and wrote up the article on his site?

In reply to The Great Pretender: I have a fair idea of the kit that I think I would use on the Walker Spur, however I'm not going to jump on it in a hurry.

There is nothing wrong with having ambition, it's what drives you to climb harder. But, personally, I don't find tayloring my exact rack for a long ice route that can change condition with each day, helps too much.

Most of the time in winter, with my partners we just decide on a rack before bed the night before. I don't plan it 6 months in advance.

In reply to The Great Pretender: P.S. Can the log books entries not be amended after clicking?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Because (and I quote from your profile):


Interestingly, it also says:


BTW, would it be asking too much to expect you to spell check your postings before hitting the 'submit' button? It's bad enough having to tolerate your ill-thought out drivel without it being illegible as well.

In reply to Matt_b: yep. i just aint got round to it. ermmm... do you think the modes would add a summer/winter feature for crags like gable?

In reply to Andy Hobson:

yet again someone who wants people to use a spell checker not an english teacher are you?

In reply to The Great Pretender: There already is a summer/winter mode, most summer/winter routes have 2 entries, 1 with a winer grade and 1 with a summer grade

In reply to MattG: Good luck with getting Orion Direct done btw.

In reply to Matt_b:

But, personally, I don't find tayloring my exact rack for a long ice route that can change condition with each day, helps too much.

Dear Matt

I went winter climbing with the same gear as I took for rock climbing, with the only addition of a Deadman. Now the only addition to my rock rack is a few Bulldogs.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Dear Norrie.

I bulldogs in the lanc quarries could be an idea.....

In reply to MattG: but when chosing you route it doens't tell you ther grade. at least on the gable page.

In reply to Andy Hobson:

His aspirations to nail the Orion, with little experience, are not that overblown, the route really is pretty tame these days with modern gear, i'm not disrespecting the route, it's a great line but pretty cuddly really in prime condition. I have soloed the face many times, the first as an impetuous youth with it all to prove, we have all been there.

In reply to The Great Pretender: Ah, I always use find climbs by crag, rather than putting in the name of the route, this gets round that problem

In reply to The Great Pretender:


Haha, theres no way you were trolling! Your obviously not that smart!

In reply to Tom M Williams: obviously, so good at it that you all tok the bait. know one actualleven acused me of it!

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Dear Pretender

So you are not going to do Orion Direct?

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

yes

i just love the way that thel ikes of mr willams and hobson (and other bullshitters who aint done the route) get so wound up about it.

In reply to The Great Pretender:
and the piont of all this?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Well, childish troll or not, it flushed out some superb anecdotes from those who have done it.

In reply to Alison Stockwell: yea, which is what these threads are all about. it really winds me up when on thread like tihs, people who havn't done the route or know me comment on whether they think i'm exspirenced enough to do it. fair play ot likes of norrie, bob and dru who have all been there and done it. but mr williams and hobson are just bullshitters.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

What have i said thats bullshit? I never claimed to have done the route, just originaly left comments on what i thought was an excessive amount of gear when i compared it to what i would take. I just think that the manner in which you posted and the content suggests that you don't have the slightest clue what your letting yourself in for.

In reply to The Great Pretender:



I wouldn't say wound up really, this and the walker spur thread have provided hours of entertainment. Whats the next one going to be on?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

I agree there, I tend to not post to regularly and am more of a lurker. The one time I did post about the Eiger N Face I was shot down in flames. The annyoing thing was, people obviously sometimes never stop to look at your profile and see what you have done. I actually did go and do teh Eiger North Face, despite all the rantings on here along the lines of "Oh another guy who wants to kill himself".

As regards to orion Direct, go nail it. It is high on my tick list, just its never been in condition when I ahve been in Scotland. I missed out on it by one week last year. Now I'm lviing in South Korea I don't hold out much hope of getting it done for the foreseeable future. Have fun on it!

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Oh and for what its worth, I took a similar amount of gear, infact maybe less, for 4 days on the Eiger so you could probably cut down on some of it. As a previous poster said though, when I go winter climbing I normally select teh rack the night before depeinding on conditions. Just chuck everything you have into teh car, get there, have a look around, maybe do some other routes tog et a feel for conditions, speak to some people who have been out and then select the gear.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Bullshitter? Moi?

So, we've had threads recently on Mousetrap, The Cumbrian, The Walker Spur and Orion Direct from yourself. How many of these routes have you actually gone and donw? Well?

Anyone on here who knows me will tell you that anything I say on here I will say to your face in 'real life'. You make a big mistake in assuming I don't know who you are - and I know you'd never, never have the balls to come out with all this to my face.

In reply to Andy Hobson: To hijack the thread, I notice you've done Tough-Brown traverse on Lochnagar, what's it like? More specifically what's the route finding like off that big terrace?

Cheers
Matt

In reply to MattG:

Wow, this thread's leaping off in all sorts of directions isn't it?!

Did TBT as my first winter route last season; the route finding isn't too bad although we were quite lucky - conditions were so good that we went more or less straight up immediately after leaving Parallel B (about tech 4) to the last slanting line to the top.

I thought it was slightly overrated but if your limit is III/IV it would definately be a more memorable experience. It's pretty long and serious - protection/belays were never overly inspiring (I was snapping the occasional belay peg off by hand) but the climbing's never hard.

Enjoy it if you do do it, it's a fine cliff.

HTH

In reply to Andy Hobson: how can you succeed on something if you have tried nothing? sounds like a contradiction to me

In reply to Andy Hobson: Cheers, I fancy a few routes on Lochnagar this season presuming I get my shoulder sorted out in time, which I should do. I'll do it soon while III/IV is still my limit to make it more exciting

In reply to MattG:

I fancy a few routes on Lochnagar this season

Dear Matt

I fancy the Pretender doing the Orion Face before that happens.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Dear Norrie

It is nice to see someone who has great faith in the Pretender's ability to do Orion Face in the near future. I wish him every sucess as well.

Matt

In reply to MattG:

Thanks for the support guys. will let you know haow i get on.

Andy H? you've got mail. and can you exsplain to me how you know me?

In reply to MattG:

Dear Matt

I fancy Scotland winning the World Cup. What are the odds of that happening?

Norrie

In reply to The Great Pretender:
We took one set of wires, 6 medium draws and 8 screws. In ten (with a bit of moving together up to the second slab rib) pitches we had 2 rock belays (the one on the second slab rib was in place) and one rock runner, all the rest was on screws. Pick a day when the ice is bomber and you'll be fine, I only think the route is a real problem if you have to come down it for some reason.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Now that you have selected your gear - which wires would you select? Also what pegs lost arrows, leepers or what? What size of hexes and what length of screws?

Do you not think that 60cm quickdraws are a bit long?

PS Dinosaurs have short necks, you are probaly thinking of the brontosuar with the long neck and pea sized brain a bit lie your own.

In reply to Lone Rider:

Is a brontosaur still not a dinosaur?

In reply to NickST:


You are correct! Just to quick with my first thoughts.

Dinosaurs is the family name. I was thinking Tyrannosuars. Since he is the Great Pretender maybe I should be liking him to an Apatosaurus which has a long neck, small brain and means deceptive lizard. More appropiate really.

What interests me is that he is giving advice on what crampons what others should be wearing on another thread when on this one he doesn't know what gear to take on the hill in winter for the Ben. Should he really be trusted to go on the hill safely with this attitude.

In reply to Lone Rider: 60cm quick draws are long. however thay can be shortend to to make 15cm quick draw, that are easy to exstend. wires would be old wallnuts, 1 3 5 7 8 10. pegs would bea knife blade, a short bugaboo, a medium lost arrow, and the 2 smallest angles. hexes would be aset of rocentrics on tape from 3-8. screws would be 2 13cm 5 17cm and 1 22cm, but i think their are too many so i might ditch the 22cm and 1 17cm.

In reply to Lone Rider: my interent attitude is very differnt to my real life attitude. any i do have fair idea of what i need. i will have even more idea by the time i do the route.

In reply to Lone Rider:

You must remember, The Not-So-Great Pretender knows everything. He doesn't start these threads for advice, he starts them to demonstrate his overwhelming knowledge of all things climbing related.

to The Not-So-Great Pretender: I got your email. I can't be bothered to reply, sorry. Suffice to say, I've bumped into you a couple of times on crags (thought you were a bit of a goon) then a few things you said on here let me work it out.

In reply to Andy Hobson: How do you know oyu've bumped into me? i don't have a photo that revails my face.

In reply to The Great Pretender:
surely you're not that ugly...

In reply to mike kann: yea lol... know just don't really want people to know what i look like.

In reply to The Great Pretender: From the looks of this thread thats probably quite wise...

In reply to The Great Pretender:

I've met you on several occasions and some things you've said on here leave me in no doubt as to who you are.

Now I suggest you shut up and p*ss off. You're doing yourself no favours.

Eugh.

In reply to Andy Hobson: why would you want to do me any favours? i amstill interest as to how oyu know who i am. which crags have i met you at?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Owhh, this is getting interesting! We may soon need some more buns...

In reply to NickST: mr hobsonappears to know who i am. not quite sure how, but will not reveal his own identity. on forum or by email.

In reply to The Not-So-Great Pretender:

I was sat at the bottom of Castle Rock at Easter when your mate took a hefty flier off Failed Romantic (?). I spoke to you briefly at the top. I'd also seen you at Shepherd's the day before and also met you at other times.

I have a happy knack for remembering people - I don't know why.

Incidentally, my identity is there for all to see. I have the balls to post under my real name. Clearly you lack balls in all aspects of your life.

In reply to The Great Pretender:

Judging by the size of your pack on your cosmiques photos you take too much stuff. What did you have in there?

In reply to NickST: Pass the crisps...

In reply to smithaldo:

Dear Smithaldo

He may have two pairs of underpants per pitch.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir: Pants don't weigh much though so that wouldn't explain a lot...

In reply to Norrie Muir:

I was thinking along the lines of a spare:


2 60m double ropes
10 wires + krab
3-8 rocentrics + krab
friends 1.5 and 2.5 + krab
knifeblade + 2 buggaboos + oval krab
2 la and 2 baby angle + oval krab
warthog and bulldog + krab
2 13cm screws
4 16cm screws
1 19cm screw
1 22cm screw

3 120cm slings + krabs

3 25cm quickdraws
3 25cm revolver quickdraws
6 60cm quickdraws
ice treader
abe tat

harness, helmet, axes, crampons, 3 hms and magicplate, 2 prussiks + krab each

Just in case.

In reply to mike kann:

Popcorn's ready...

In reply to mike kann:

Dear Mike

When they are full of sh*te, they will be bulkier.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir: I personally use biodegradable ones soI can leave them behind as and when... I don't know, you may prefer shiny nylon ones?

In reply to Norrie Muir:

Good theory. However there are arguably between none and two pitches on the Cosmiques

Must have been huge old y-front stylee.

See you've jumped onto this hot topic bandwagon Mike!
Any more plans for Scotland yet?
Den

In reply to outdoorbloke: I rapidly coming to the conclusion that Orion Direct is a piece of piss and that its not even worthy of my attention

Well maybe you could squeeze that in as a training route before you tackle the tourist route up the Ben!

In reply to outdoorbloke: There are many hazards on the tourist route... here's my rack for my planned ascent:

2 full weight ropes
1 haul rope
3 sets of nuts
1 set of hexes
10 screws
14 extenders
6 - 8 slings, with locking steel carabiners
1 pr spare crampons
3 axes
1st aid kit
1 partridge
1 pear tree

You interested?

Only if we're roped up! that path is slippy at the best of times, but in the midst of winter? doesn't bear thinking about! Kit list ok, might want to consider bivvy kit though!

In reply to mike kann:

Dear mike

So you have not done Orion Direct. Do you even know where it is?

Norrie

In reply to outdoorbloke: Good point. Should we take my Colemans 8 man canvas job or should we splash out on a new lightweight marquis? If we wait for a clear weather window we should make it in a week. Then there would be the descent which may take another week... can you manage a fortnights holiday?

In reply to Norrie Muir: Is it the one next to the Big dipper?

In reply to Andy Hobson: incidently how did you work that the person you saw was the same person who post on the net?

i'm gonna get my name changed to my real one too.

Good fall wasn't it! scared me more than him!

In reply to mike kann:
No
- Stac an Poll Dubh is near the Big Dipper!

In reply to The Watch of Barrisdale:

Dear The Watch

I don't know who is the most ignorant about climbing, the Pretender or mike.

Norrie

In reply to Norrie Muir: Whats climbing? I'm a rambler and I once went abseiling.

In reply to mike kann:
I'm a rambler and I once went abseiling.

Hey Mikey boy.You've just confirmed my deepest suspicions...

In reply to BALD EAGLE: I hunt as well...

In reply to mike kann:
<Tally ho>I thought so...

In reply to Norrie Muir:
Norrie
did you know that Reginald Dixon climbed Stac an Poll Dubh regularly in the 50's and 60's?

In reply to mike kann:

Dear mike

At least the Pretender is more believable than you. You are just a top roper.

Norrie

In reply to The Great Pretender:

How did you get on in left twin?

In reply to The Great Pretender:

is that Chewbacca?

In reply to All: This thread is taking on proportions like this one

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=23898&v=1#328485

In reply to The Great Pretender:


Good job on Overhanging Bastion last night GP.

I think Ian and Chris appreciated the copious amounts of beta you sprayed for their ascent of North Crag Eliminate. Very much appreciated Cragmeister Wilheim!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: alrite mick.

OB's a good route, much enjoyed. been getting out much? glad the boys appreiced the beta lol.

you still owe me that cuppa!

Tom

In reply to The Great Pretender: alrite mick.

OB's a good route, much enjoyed. been getting out much? glad the boys appreiced the beta lol.

you still owe me that cuppa!

Tom

In reply to The Great Pretender: Haven't read the whole thread so this might have already been said. You seem to be big on lists, see below.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=194961
Me thinks you are trolling.