UKC

Had a great day at Gogarth yesterday despite spending a lot of time falling off what I thought was Resolution Direct (E2 5b).

On the first pitch there is a pretty much straight up crack that leads to the niche on Gogarth. It's a very obvious line and I resolutely decided to go directly up it. It gives very well protected steep full on crack climbing.

Spent mucho time falling off this only to give in and decide to sneak up the leftwards leaning crack in the arete. Get home, read the guidebook again - "...gain the crack in the arete..." Doh!

Has anyone else done this, did you manage the crack, how hard did you think it was?

In reply to stemill:
Maybe next time take the guidebook?
Great route though & an apt name

In reply to Greenbanks:

Had the guidebook thanks. Just did my usual trick of reading the description then forgetting it all almost the instant I set off. Then getting tunnel vision over the "obvious" line.

It is a great route.

In reply to stemill:


No problem. I'm just waiting for the day someone goes off route on Cenotaph Corner (this isn't a dig at you, it's my homage to Joe Brown!)

In reply to abseil:

To be fair the route name kinda suggests you would take the most direct line!

In reply to stemill:


It got me wondering though, what's the most off route anyone has ever been in history*?? (Again, this is a real pondering and not at all a dig at you!)

(*The Ascent of Rum Doodle doesn't count - fiction)

In reply to abseil:

It's as easy to go off route as it is to go off topic!

In reply to stemill:


Sorry about that! OK - back to the topic - I'm sorry that I haven't done or tried Resolution Direct (see how much use I am!) I hope someone replies on the topic soon.

In reply to abseil:

No worries! A discussion of off route adventures deserves it's own thread. I could probably add a post or two!

In reply to stemill:


Too right. Actually Gogarth is prime ground for going off route - and other epics (I specialize in the latter). (But for a 5-star going off route story, I was thinking e.g. someone starting up Main Wall on Cyrn Las and finishing up the Skull - that would be something!)

In reply to abseil:



Hannibal Barca's spectacularly imprecise 218-217 winter Everest attempt?

In reply to abseil:



Peter Habeler (the guy who climbed Everest w/o oxygen with Messner) managed to guide a party to the wrong summit on his first trip after passing his guide´s exams.

CB

In reply to Ian Parsons:


That's pretty good, and will take some beating....

In reply to abseil:

I assume that was when the "pied d'éléphant" first gained currency as an item of bivouac equipment. I don't know whether uses were found for other parts of the beast; off the top of my head the only remaining climbing-related pachyderm reference that springs readily to mind is the somewhat unsavoury descriptive term applied to various flared, bulging cracks at Almscliff, Brimham and suchlike.

In reply to Ian Parsons:

Is there a delete thread button anywhere?! I'm outta here - have fun.

In reply to stemill:

Yes - sorry about that; we appear to have strayed!