UKC

Hi folks,

Earlier this year I climbed (or at least attempted to climb) Valkyrie at the roaches. My copy of western grit is not the most up to date one and the topo sent me up the green offwidthy crack straight up on the second pitch. I fell from the top of this crack and I'm looking at doing it again (the same way) to get the full tick. The UKC description says that this is not the right way.

What grade is this variation?

In reply to knighty:
Rather cruel but HVS (part of Valkyrie Direct which come up from below).

In reply to knighty:
That's the 2nd pitch of Matinee, HVS 5a, with the belly flop finale! They share the same stance, but from there Valkyrie climbs the flake on the left, then descends the other side of it, to a tricky step left onto the face. Left again then up the face (usually with a load of rope drag, unless you're very cunning), to finish pretty much where Matinee does, but by a much more devious route.
If you want the full tick for Matinee, you need to jam the direct crack to the stance as well for pitch 1!

In reply to knighty:

Sounds like you did top pitch of matinee hvs 5b

In reply to Cheshire Dave:

Nice. Thanks guys. Looks like I'll have to go and do Valkyrie the proper way and then do matinee!

Great wisdom.

In reply to knighty:

Yep, I had that book too! The line was definitely drawn incorrectly. The correct line goes further left and you go up the slabs around the corner!

In reply to Chris Sansum:

........and if you follow the line as I said ealier you climb the V direct finish, not Matinee.

In reply to Offwidth:

Ah yes, I have just looked at the guide and it seems that I tried to climb an indirect Valkyrie direct!! You think this goes at hvs 5a?

Matinee looks horrible. A real shocker.

In reply to knighty:

Took one of my only lead falls on matinee, it's a right bugger.
I'd led E4 at the time lol

In reply to knighty:

Don't forget that nights are drawing in. You might want to consider a small parachute as part of your rack.....

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Its okay, it's only a jump from the belay right?

In reply to knighty:

Yes, that's the spirit! it does help if you have a good head torch to spot the landing. A really good one.

In reply to knighty:


It's pretty straightforward until the hard bit right at the top!

In reply to knighty:

im sure i read somewhere the original finish to valkyrie was the now direct finish.

In reply to Dave Garnett:

one i would have never soloed.

In reply to mark s:

It felt like the right way to go. Going round the corner is surely a cop out? Though I felt it was actually stiff for VS.

In reply to knighty:

My first VS lead, feels about the right grade.

In reply to knighty:




You can see where the proper route goes on the 2nd pitch on the following short video so good luck on your repeat attempt!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I962ezI5-Nk&list=UUkVKguHnrqXx5lAmviy2U8...