UKC

Tremadog- abseil stations

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 bobpilgrem 14 Oct 2009
Hi, Am hoping to visit Craig Bwlch y Moch this weekend- are the abseil stations still in place ?and location ? assume twin 60 m ropes make it back to the ground ?
thanks
 muppetfilter 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem: The walk off is 5 mins if you feel like an extra bit of extra cardio.
 GrahamD 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

There are abseil stations all over the crag - most of them directly above routes. Look before you lob. Best carry trainers in case you need to walk off.
OP bobpilgrem 14 Oct 2009
In reply to muppetfilter: Agree walk of is OK- but tedious and then the normal thrash to get back to your sack. Given limited time am going to try to ab this weekend- provided stations are not above popular routes.
 jkarran 14 Oct 2009
In reply to muppetfilter:

...and it has steps and ladders for the steep bits. There really is no need to ab off, it's not even any faster.

OP: If the ab stations aren't in place and you're in a real pickle, you can always go direct off the trees but please don't if you don't have to.

jk
OP bobpilgrem 14 Oct 2009
In reply to GrahamD: Thought BMC had put up stations so as to avoid damage to trees ?
 Simon Caldwell 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:
> Thought BMC had put up stations so as to avoid damage to trees ?

They have in the Yogi area.
Though we only used them once, got the ropes caught and wasted ages freeing them, so walked down after that.
 Jamie B 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

Why not take some of your own tat and then you are not dependant on the "stations" being in-situ?
 wilkie14c 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:
Between the devil and the deep blue sea here mate! Choose either getting flamed for daring to abb off or getting flamed for being unable to extract yourself from a crag ant the MRT being called out! (due to lack of abb'ing skill maybe??)
Seriously, the local ethic is not to encourage abseiling at Tremadog but done properly it hasn't ever been a problem for me both climbing or abseiling. The best station IMO is at the top of Grim Wall. It usually has an assortment of tat in place but if you are planning this you have no excuse to buy a few meters of tat (11mm static) and a mailion. Do everyone a favor and cut away any old/suspect tat and install your own. Look carefully to see if anyone is on the routes below you - Grim Wall area is home to many fine routes and at the weekend, it'll be busy!
2 x 50m ropes reach the foot of the routes no problem so your 2 x 60m will be fine.
Abseiling is an essencal mountain skill and it should be practiced now and again. Done properly and with a little thought, it need not be a problem for anyone else at the crag or the crag enviroment in general.
Hope this helps.
 Hat Dude 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:
> and then the normal thrash to get back to your sack.

Why not leave your sack in car in the car park like most people?
 summo 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem: If you are slick and proficient at abbing, 2 people may get down as quick as walking around. This does not account for snags, recoiling the ropes, descending from the bottom of your route back to the road. However, walking down takes the same time ever time.

If you take your shoes with you, you don't have to return to the bottom of your route and can head off to your next climb, plus the decents are easy in approach shoes. Once you have done the decents a few times you can move very quickly down any of them. There are ladders in place where it's steep, I really see no need to do any abbing, other than one naff section if you descend the right side of Pant y Ifan.
 GrahamD 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

> (In reply to GrahamD) Thought BMC had put up stations so as to avoid damage to trees ?

Don't know if its the BMC or not but there are certainly plenty of stations there with black static rope and steel rings (don't add any more tat - its not needed and it just makes a mess). Remember it is not always easy to get to an abseil station from the top of your chosen route as you might have to scramble over to them - in this case by the time you have coiled up your ropes to do this you might as well walk off !

 ChrisJD 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

If you have to abb, please don't abb into other parties climbing up.

Have had this happen to me on several occasions at Trem and it is a right pain in the arse (plus got ropes and detritus dropped on us - not happy!).

When we said to one set of people 'why are you abbing onto us', the reply -was "cos our shoes are at the bottom". We had words....

 sutty 14 Oct 2009
In reply to ChrisJD:

>When we said to one set of people 'why are you abbing onto us', the reply -was "cos our shoes are at the bottom". We had words....


Tie the ropes off so they can't abb, serves them right for not checking first.
 Ian McNeill 14 Oct 2009
In reply to sutty:
> (In reply to ChrisJD)
>

>
> Tie the ropes off so they can't abb, serves them right for not checking first.

what a most excellent top tip for today !
 Mike Raine 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

It's only really worth abbing at the far right-hand end, from Borneo right-wards and there are good ab stations here. People do ab down Grim wall, but you must be considerate and peep over the edge (you have to ab down a bit to do this) check if there is anyone below if there is they'd probably appreciate if you waited or went somewhere else, think! and LOOK BEFORE YOU CHUCK.
 Mike Raine 14 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

First Slip and Leg Slip are usually abbed off too, again Look Before You Chuck
 GrahamD 14 Oct 2009
In reply to Ian McNeill:

Not really. Escalating the situation helps no one and the ropes still block the climb.

Bit like the larel and Hardy sketches where a simple incident escalates to them dismantling a car
 mlmatt 15 Oct 2009
In reply to bobpilgrem:

Walking off is not usually a problem and does make for a more interesting descent. General advice is that take some trainers up with you if you'd like to keep your rockboots clean but you can get down all of them if your careful in rock boots.

As for abseil stations they are located all over the top of the crag. You should be careful with then backing them up for the first person before you start trusting them. I use 50 metre double ropes and I've been fine each time I've had to abseil off so your 60's should be fine.

Just a major point. At some places like the abseil on grim wall, the line of descent actually takes the line the "Grim Wall". This is a popular climb so you can expect some people on it. Be careful when throwing off yout abseil ropes onto parties below and when pulling then down. Ideally don't throw then off just drop rope as you need it, or better still just walk off.

Have a good climb! and definatly do Grim Wall while your there!

MRE
 GrahamD 15 Oct 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

I think you can trust the new static abseil stations after a visual inspection - they will be 10x stronger than the tree root system they rely on !
 GrahamD 15 Oct 2009
In reply to mlmatt:

Also, on Grim Wall, be aware that plonkers above you will be lobbing their ropes on you.
 Alan100 15 Oct 2009
In reply to Mike Raine:
> Look Before You Chuck

would be a good name for a climb


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