UKC

Is there a general concensus for the new regraded start for King Kong at Wintours Leap since the big rockfall? I went to do Stairway to Heaven (E2 5c) which shares the start of KK, climbed the first 15 ft and backed off - didn't like the look of it - strenny, committing moves round the overhanging crack with little by way of good holds or possible rests to aim for in the overhanging groove above. My partner Tom went up for a look and was of the same opinion, retrieve gear and do something else. Were we being lightweight or is it 'ard?? Comments welcome......

In reply to andy t: think it has settled at about E1 - seem to remember reading something along those lines after the rock fall

any of the Wye Valley climbers out there visited Ban y gor recently - ended up there after an abortive trip to Tintern quarry (lots of closed - keep out signs) not so long ago. judging by the cobwebs we had to clear i'm guessing not

In reply to andy t:

Last time I was there this year, I spoke to a couple who had just done KK. They reckoned that, if anything, the start had got easier since the rockfall. In which case it is still top end HVS / E1.

In reply to andy t: kk was re-climbed after the rockfall by tony penning and is now about e1 5b. it is quite a bit more comitting now, but does still feel a whole grade easier than stairway to heaven - even though they differ in style quite a bit.

In reply to btn, shorty: I was there just after Tony re-climbed it, it still looked dangerous to me, and stiff for E1. We didnt know Tony had done it and I thought it would need a clean before anybody (certainly me)went near it.

In reply to Al Evans:

How long ago was that ?

In reply to GrahamD: It was in the autumn or winter, just after Tony did it. Would be about 4 (?) years ago, maybe 5.

In reply to andy t: The last King Dong I saw also took someone up a Stairway to Heaven!

In reply to Big Dave: hohoho

In reply to Al Evans:

I spoke to a couple who did it this year who reckoned it was "OK".

I remember being so pleased with ourselves when we did this route for the first time (5b was really pushing it for us)and I'll never forget the hangover that I got from the scrumpy in the Rising Su afterwards (the n had fallen off the sign).

In reply to GrahamD: Speaking of letters falling off pub signs, we used to go to a pub near some obscure quarry at Marple, forget its name, but the pub was called The Otters Poo