UKC

With snow and ice having gone from the lakes I had a pleasant morning in big boots on Needle ridge and Westmoreland crag. I note the winter guide doesn't say much about the Napes although it does make mention to early winter ascents.

While this crag doesn't hold snow for long the potential for more routes is obvious and I wondered if there had much activity in the last few years. The wall up from and next to Crocodile crack in Needle gully has some good steep turfy lines and the gullies themselves must be good at times. The classic ridge routes are obviously worth doing under heavy snow.

This Crag must be a neglected venue! It even has a short walk in! Lets hear whats been done?

(Please none of the moaning about trashing classic routes?)

In reply to DaveAtkinson:

You'll be lucky!

Napes does come into condition but its aspect means it is easily stripped as it catches all the sun going. I don't know of any routes there napes is one of those crags; when it is in condition, you can't get down the road to it similar to gimmer and gillercombe.

In reply to DaveAtkinson:

Why not,sir?

In reply to Mario Sciacca: Because he asked a very straightforward question about whether that area had seen winter action. He wants feedback not a debate.

Unfortunately i can't add anything about the climbing, sorry.

In reply to DaveAtkinson: we did a start to needle ridge in 1963 the big winter ,was on the left up steep cracks i seem to remember,involved a bit of pegging,and then snow and ice to top,but no crampons then

In reply to Dave Warburton:

ok then.

In reply to Mario Sciacca:

I climbed Needle ridge with my brother on boxing day 2001. We had axes and crampons but it was immediately apparent that it was preferable to climb without. From memory we just moved more on to the open faces to avoid the really icy bits. Obviously under really heavy snow it would be different, but then there are better places go when that happens. The classic lines are best as rock climbs;I will not go back there axes.