UKC

I'm off for a long-awaited trip to Gogarth this weekend, but unfortunately suffering from a very dodgy shoulder. Any recommendations for nice technical, footwork-dependent slabby routes which hopefully won't make the shoulder any worse. I was wondering about Dream and Wen, but having never climbed in Wen Zawn don't know just how slabby they really are.

In reply to jam tart:

In reply to jam tart: Before you go you may want to check out the nesting restrictions first:

- http://www.thebmc.co.uk/Download.aspx?id=279

Always handy to know before you go. If not Gogarth then Idwal Slabs is perfect for you and Hope VD is a classic outing.

In reply to jam tart:

Dream - mostly slabby apart from the last pitch which has steeper sections on large holds. All in balance but not somewhere to find you can't pull off a move thanks to an injury!

Wen - I thought the main pitch was steepish and a bit awkward so may not be a good choice.

TBH Gogarth doesn't really run to 'slabs' in the conventional sense of the word. You might be OK with Dream though.

In reply to jam tart: Puffin and Pantin on the upper tier are both slabs as I recall

In reply to jam tart:

Most of Dream is at about 80 degrees or steeper, and climbs more like a wall than a slab. Your weight is on your feet most of the time but if I remember correctly you do still have to pull reasonably hard, ie. it's not friction-slab padding.

Hope that helps, sorry if it's not what you want to hear!

In reply to jam tart:

There are a couple of slabs onn Holyhead montain, Breaking the Barriers and Black and Tans (sort of)

In reply to jam tart:

Some slabby routes on the Mountain (although that really defeats the point of going to Gogarth). Some of the routes on Castell Hellen are also at quite an ammenable angle.

In reply to Al Evans:

Can't remember anything suitable on Gogarth if you cannot pull rather than do not want to pull on a hold. Puffin or Pantin has some steep stuff on it that may cause trouble.

Dream has a few hard moves you need your hands for in the middle, and the finish is steep as well.

Going there injured will spoil the experience, and some of the birds will still be around to dive bomb you.

In reply to sutty:

The birds didn't seem anywhere near as bad to me this year as in previous years.

In reply to martin heywood: The Ramp is a solo!

In reply to jam tart:

I don't know how bad your shoulder is, but if you can't pull on it or swing on it at the moment, then I'd advise against either Dream or Wen for the time being since both involve some arm work and aren't slab routes. Apparently the tongue was well and truly in the cheek when Wen Slab was so named.

In reply to Al Evans:

In that case I was probably right with my comment about E6.

the ramp is not an easy climb with a good shoulder.theres a couple of crux moves which need good balance and a firm grip,,idwal slabs is the way forward in my humble opinion! but get there early before 8-30 am if the weekend is your goal.enjoy !

In reply to colina:

Nothing but very easy routes there though, (Fine if that is what you are after.)

In reply to martin heywood:

Rubbish, some good HS-VS routes and even harder on the East wall and Rowan tree slabs area, then there is Glyder Fawr to go at.

In reply to sutty: Actually, Suicide Wall routes are slabs.

In reply to jam tart: Thanks for all your comments folks, I'll let you know how I get on.

In reply to sutty:
Fair enough Sutty (and Al), I thought they were talking about the Slabs themselves.
I had a great day doing Grey Slab then continuing to the top of Glyder Fawr.

In reply to martin heywood:
>

I did that! Fantastic day out it was too.
As for hard routes on Idwel, apart from "Sucide Wall" which isn't that slabby being on the side of the slab there is the slightly bold HVS variation to "Tennis Shoe" and the wonderfully run out "Javelin Blade" E1 5b, only really one hard move on it but that is by a rather poor nut placement (also the only gear I could find on it). The upper tier offers some harder but steeper routes

In reply to blindedbyscience:

I seem to remember Javelin Blade being fairly steep apart from the difficulty.

Anyway, just getting out on easier stuff with a dodgy shoulder is better than cranking hard and wrecking it completely.

In reply to blindedbyscience:

I don't remember Suicide Wall feeling exactly a slab either.
Grey Arete was also very good.

In reply to jam tart:
To be honst Wen Slab is steep enough that on many moves you want your arms. The third pitch of Dream invovles quite a bit of laybacking and the last pitch is steep on good holds.

In reply to Si dH: Well the shoulder held out. Seconded Blanco at Castle Helen when the rain finally stopped on Saturday, then ventured onto Wen Slab on Sunday, did Dde, which went really well. Ventured onto Dream, but really wasn't sure the shoulder would cope with the second pitch and retreated up Wen. Would have been far too embarassing falling off in front of ll those cameras trained on Mr Bullock...

In reply to jam tart:

Did you actually find Blanco ? I'm not sure I managed the other week although whatever line I did take was pleasent enough !

In reply to GrahamD:

Blanco is pleasant, not too hard to find so you must have done it.

In reply to jam tart: We tried following the description in the Gogarth guide, which could have gone absolutely anywhere, but ended up taking the line on the photo in North Wales rock- think they have it down as Blanco/Lighthouse Arete Direct combination. Very nice route anyway

In reply to jam tart:

I don't think it matters too much !