UKC

Was after a bit of gear beta on Think Pink in avon gorge

How safe is it? I'm told in terms of difficulty it's somewhere between 6c/7a. Which is at the very outlying extreme of my onsight grade. Realistically i'm coming off at some point. What are the falls/gear like? I'm told some parts of it are protected by bolts. I'm more than happy falling but not so happy falling onto ledges/the floor So if the gear is good and all the fall zones are clean (looks steep enough), happy to go for it and work it ground up....am I going to break my ankles?

thanks!

p.s What's the first pitch like, the log books suggest people do a link up between Krapps last tape for the first pitch?

In reply to Kemics:

Do you mean Think Pink? Others will know better than me, but I'd be pretty shocked if the difficulty approached F7a; even F6c would be a bit strong.

jcm

In reply to Kemics:

It shouldn't be 7a surely? E3 6a 6c at the most?

In reply to Kemics:

Hard E3, Hard 6a with bolts in avon. Could be tippy toeing into 6c+/7a territory?

Anyway it's only pub beta, so not sure how accurate it is Not worried about the difficulty so much as the safety of it?

Like New Horizons II is super safe and you can approach with more a less a sport approach. Foeg's folly, same grade, but totally different approach required.

In reply to Kemics: It's E3 6a. Best approached by Krapps Last Tape which is poorly protected and has ground fall potential although technically a lot easier at E3 5b, I think. Combining the two possibly warrants an E4 overall. The bolts on Think Pink were not up to what you would consider modern sports climbing standard and looked a little the worse for wear when I did it some years ago. The climbing above the bolted section, although easier is not a walk over and needs to be treated with respect. It should not be approached with a sports climbing mentality, anyone doing so may be in for a nasty surprise.

Al

In reply to Kemics:

I seem to recall that on the "trad climbs for sport climbers" thread on UKB 6b+ was quoted.

In reply to Kemics:

Std f6c. Slightly run-out on good quality eco-bolts.

Stop being a namby and get on it!

I think i remember a tricam and F3.5 being useful for making Krapps slightly less terrifying...

In reply to Kemics:
F6c for the second person

Krapps as the first pitch is the way to go, and in which case trying to give it a French grade is meaningless.

In reply to Kemics:

Right. Sod that then :P

Anyone got a better safe E3 to recommend. looking for safe and hard, rather than sketchy and easy

In reply to Kemics:

Think Pink is safe and with a fingery bolt-protected crux at the start and one hard move high up (all about 6c/6c+). If you don't want to do the bold Krapps Last Tape, you could abseil in.

In reply to John Alcock:
Them is brilliant and the crux is only hard 5c/easy 6a with good gear below your feet. Wear long trousers and a helmet though because if you fall it's a little bit of a scraper.

In reply to ally smith:

I was going to say 'they're not the same bolts/pegs? that protected bits of it 25 years ago are they?!..but clearly not. I remember it being somewhat tricky!

In reply to Kemics:

Funnily enough I did it for the fourth time last night, the first time was in 1981. I've fallen off it plenty of times. There is a small Friend placement to protect the first bolt, just clipping that gives a good idea of what you are in for.It is strenny clipping both bolts, from semi layback moves, then a fierce pull over the small overhang to a rest. There are more pegs then another hard move right by a higher bolt. Overall, I would say it is as safe an E3 as you can get, once you have clipped the first bolt. You won't hit anything if you come off. Because of the steepness you don't have the luxury of time to work out the sequence, that is the problem if you are not super strong on small fingery layaways. A couple of dogs should sort that, it is eminently doggable. I did redpoint it a couple of times, years ago.

If you have doubts about Think Pink, I would steer well clear of Them, it may not be as strenny or hard, however it has a puzzling undoggable crux, I've taken a big fall off it, and you swing quite a way as the gear is down and to the right. For safe E3 it has to be Think Pink. The staples are good, one thing though, when the bolts were replaced, why wasn't the rattling bolt on the belay renewed? That iron spike isn't going to last forever either...

In reply to Kemics: Instead of 'Krapp's Last Tape' the much less bold (and probably more direct) approach to 'Think Pink' is to do the HVS to the left ('Malpractice'?). You can then take a stance right below the first pitch, whereas the belay at the top of 'Krapp's Last Tape' is awkwardly off to the right.

In reply to Kemics:

Another recommendation for Them, fantastic route. Mirage is also good, hard and safe, and Arms Race is pretty soft for E4, good gear and climbs like a pumpy f6c. Hocus Pocus I found a bit scary but I suspect it is safe and it's loads of fun.

It's easy to ab into the top two pitches of Think Pink but the belay is a bit ropey. We backed it up by tying into the ab rope (which won't get in the way of the climb)

In reply to David Coley:

Reading this I was thinking of you I can remember sat in the carpark on an USMC trip watching you lead this many moons ago!

In reply to Kemics:
you done yellow edge? Easy/safe.

In reply to HappyTrundler: That belay will be getting a couple of new bolts shortly.

In reply to Kemics: Try Steppenwolf. pumpy and pretty good gear from my memory

In reply to Richard Hall:

That's good...
Thinking about it, Think Pink is an example of E3 6a being easier than E3 5c...certainly compared to say Last Slip which I think should be E4 5c, if you come off that you are really going to hurt yourself, admittedly, the hardest move is about 6 foot above the bolt, however there is another tricky move higher up the groove, and if you muff it you will get hurt, definitely...

i climbed this with a bristol local who said it was considered 7a and i'd agree with that. clipping the first bolt is hard, then 2 good modern bolts protect the first crux, then section of proper trad climbing before top crux with another bolt. its pretty safe + you can approach via an HVS. i thought v.hard and nowhere near as good as captain swing also E3 which we did before

In reply to Kemics:

I second yellow edge - brilliant route. Safe, but fairly sizeable fall potential.

In reply to thomb:
Yellow edge with the captain swing finish is the best imho, dead safe, awesome upper pitch with so much gear you have to start ignoring the pegs..... I do however think Krapps is a wonderful pitch typical of Avon and it's intricacies and makes a superb contrast to the very good upper pitch of Think Pink.
Last slip is superb, it's no way e4 you just have to climb it, not just reach and pull, that's the magic of Avon.

Jb.

i was thanking my lucky stars for those pegs! it is pretty steep for your average E3 leader

In reply to Stanners:
Yellow Edge safe?! I wouldn't fancy peeling off on much of P1, I like my ankles / legs as they are... P2+3 easier but some of the gear is so so due to the cheese like quality of the rock. Great route for all these reasons and more but I'd never call it safe...

In reply to HappyTrundler:
Agree with your comments on Think Pink in your first post.

Doing it via Krapps is surely the best way. My mate fell off Krapps onto the peg that's above where you have to move down, took a big whipper but was fine and finished it. There are sections where I wouldn't fancy coming off though, particularly the first hardish sequence.

Arms Race is well protected if you can stop to place the gear. E4 but only 5c, just not much below 5c on it!