UKC

Rack for Old Man of Stoer/Hoy

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 JackM92 04 Jun 2014
What gear have people found useful on the Old Men of Stoer and Hoy?

Guidebooks suggest large cams and Hexes, any particular Cam sizes anyone would recommend?

How climbable are they during the Fulmar nesting season, or does it become completely unworkable?

Any information helpful!
 GrahamD 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

There aren't any unusual gear placements for Hoy, as far as I remember. Its sandstone so cams and small wires will have more limited holding power. Medium large wires, larger cams (1 - 3 Camalot territory), slings for extending. Tat for abseils.
 lummox 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

I've only done Stoer but a general grit rack was fine with maybe a couple of doubled up mid-sized cams.
 Bob 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

We only had Friends up to #4 for the Old Man of Hoy, could have done with something just a little bigger for the crux crack. Other than that we just had a standard (for the time - 1990) rack. Plenty of slings and long extenders. Wouldn't bother with RPs
 planetmarshall 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

> How climbable are they during the Fulmar nesting season, or does it become completely unworkable?

The Fulmars are avoidable on Stoer by avoiding the original route in its upper reaches. Personally I think climbers should leave nesting seabirds well alone.

 Adam Long 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

Only done Hoy, but a standard rack, minus small wires, plus a few extra big cams and extra-long extenders would be fine.

You'd be doing a great service if you took a knife and some tat and re-did some of the ab points.
 BigHairyIan 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

I did The Old Man of Hoy in the early 90s. Soft sandstone, no need for micros, large cams useful (I had two Friend 3s and a Friend 4) lots of slings for extending, and tat.to leave on ab points...
 Tom Grip 04 Jun 2014
Did the Stoer the other week think I only saw 1 maybe 2 fulmars nesting on the last pitch, but your still a few meters away and there is no need to get close, saw 1 more on the ab down but again your still 2-3 meters away. So not really an issue. Not sure when the nesting season is to be honest or if there is likely to be more but you'll see from the land side before you walk down if your doing the original route.
 Michael Gordon 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

Original Route on Old Man of Hoy is OK in nesting season as the birds are only on a couple of ledges on pitches 3 and 4. Wouldn't like to come across them on the other routes (where you're going to be on harder ground) though.
 CurlyStevo 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

I did stoer around this time 2 years back and there were some fulmars but I never got too close to most of them. I was about 2 /3 metres from one of them but with gentle words and looking only away from it - it was kept calm.

Gear wise standard sandstone / grit rack worked for me too - although I carry cams up to the largish blue dragon and a set of torque nuts.

It's a really good day out
 ablackett 04 Jun 2014
In reply to The Ghost Rider:

All the chat of large cams for the crux of hoy is fair enough, but I couldn't convince my mate to take the friend 6 up there, turns out it would have been too big anyway. I think 5 (which is big) was ideal for the crux crack.
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