UKC

Hey,
Does anyone know what the situation is currently with regards the rockfalls in Lords Rake and Foxes Tarn Gully? I've had a look at the Wasdale MRT page and it looked like Lords Rake was probably the better bet but it's a little out of date. Which is currently the better bet as a descent path for people who don't like Broad Stand?

Cheers,
Sam

In reply to Lemony:
I don't know about Lords rake, but Fox's tarn gully was fine a couple of weeks back.

In reply to Lemony:

Are you actually looking for a descent down to say Eskdale or a means of getting over to Scafell Pike? If the latter then you could take the climbers' traverse from Fox's Tarn beneath the East Buttress which saves you descending all the way to the foot of the gully. From the tarn (puddle) head down the left side of the gully until you see a faint path leading leftwards. This is only about 15m or so down from the start of the gully and just after an easy rocky scramble.

ALC

In reply to a lakeland climber: Well at present I#'m not sure if it'll be used as an ascent or a descent route, we'll be going one way if the weather's good enough to get a route in and the other if we're just on a walk. Is the climbers' traverse reasonably apparent from the East Buttress End?

In reply to scareysheep: Thanks for that!

In reply to Lemony:
http://www.wasdaleweb.co.uk/news.html

"October 2008

The situation in Lords rake remains much the same as it has over the past few years. The loose tower at the top of the first rise is now less prominant due tot he amount of rock collecting at its base, and the entrance to the West Wall Traverse continues to erode depositing more loose rock into the rake. The pillar at the top of the first rise makes passing it a scramble and the entrance tot he Wst Wall traverse is like wise harder than it it used to be and a lot looser.

Advice would be go carefully, and dont expect it to look like it does in the guide books, it has a lot of loose rock in the rake, and a lot of loose unstable rock surrounding it, all of which at some time will fall down the rake.

I continue to go into the area to check the situation and when I do I wear my helmet, and wait to make sure there is no one else above me to dislodge rocks, as once you are in the rake there is nowhere to hide should loose material bounce down."

In reply to Lemony:

There are actually two, both fairly obvious if you are looking for them, but the upper one stops around the Ichabod area of the crag. The start is pretty steep grass (read vertical!) and probably about VDiff!! There's a couple of shots and discussion at http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?t=325&highlight=east+butt... (about halfway down the page)

ALC

In reply to Chris Harris, A Lakeland Climber: Cheers, I did do Lords Rake shortly after the rockfall so I'm well aware of how loose it is. The Climbers' Traverse looks a good bet, be a good opportunity to oggle at some of the lines too.

Thanks,
Sam

In reply to Lemony:
I did Foxes Tarn Gully earlier this year and it was fine. I don't know the current situation but the pillar at the top of Lords Rake looks pretty dodgy.

In reply to mark20: I remember being more worried about the showering I was getting from the West Wall Traverse than the pillar. Looks like Foxes Tarn Gully's probably the better bet.