UKC

Hi, I'm planning on running the gauntlet this weekend and getting on some of the routes on North Crag of Castle Rock, and was wondering if either of North Crag Eliminate or Overhanging Bastion actually involve pulling on/standing on the loose block/section?

Any info would be greatly appreciated as I'm happy climbing under something that may unluckily come down naturally, but wouldn't really be happy(as there's a chance it may endanger others) in doing the routes if it applied any extra force to the loose area.

Thanks in advance

David

In reply to David_Gledson:

There's a new route up a wide crack on the north side, left of Matheson Avenue which may not yet have had a first ascent.
DC

In reply to David_Gledson:

In all seriousness, those routes are part of the massive chunk of crag that's going to fall off at some point. Further to the right past Mayday cracks is fine though - Thirlmere Eliminate etc.

In reply to David_Gledson:

The entire top pitch of NCE forms the outside edge of the suspect block, as does the left-hand (ramp) finish of OB. The original finish of OB is up the right-hand fault-line where the block is breaking way from the crag. The crack DC mentions is up the left-hand fault-line - well, it started as a crack but is more of a loose off-width now.

I suspect your main danger will be that various flakes that were previously sound may have been loosened by the movement, though if the main block topples, I wouldn't want to be on Mayday Cracks or anywhere else on the North Crag, or the South Crag for that matter. Not even sure I'd want to be in the car park!

In reply to David_Gledson:

Thanks for the info everyone, much appreciated. I hadn't realised it was quite that bad, and that the routes directly climbed the loose bit. Think I'll have second thoughts about venue for the weekend.

Cheers

David

In reply to David_Gledson:

Just get on with it. Make sure somebody is filming it though. We need some entertainment.

In reply to Stephen Reid - Needle Sports:

Also interesting how the clues for this instability were always there.

Several reports in recent years of damage to Zig Zag .

The rock on the traverse of OB just after the ramp has always been shattered as if damaged by the compression stress of The Block above, since I first did the route in the early 70's.

Wonder if Matheson Avenue was only first climbed in the 70's because it was not so obvious in the 60's ?

In reply to Rick Graham:
Yes, possibly, although the suspicion is that the earthquake centred on Morcambe in 2010 and which was felt in Mungrisdale may have exacerbated it as it was not long after this that it was first noticed.

In reply to David_Gledson:

Top pitch of OB - up the final ramp which goes up the loose block - can be avoided by going out right at the belay - but I would not fancy being in that area if and when the block goes.
I think Colin Downer top roped the crack on the left of the crag - that was a couple of years ago.
I checked the marker at the top of the crag and this necessitated stepping over the crack and walking along the top of the block - and I was pleased to get back onto the top of crag. Nobody knows how long the block will be there and ascents in that area is a big gamble.

In reply to Ron Kenyon:


Ron - that climbs the faultline between the block and the rest of the crag!