UKC

Australia

Any tips for climbing in the slate quarries? Apparently it's the closest you can get to indoor climbing style.

Cheers,
Rob

In reply to Oogachooga:
a good pair of shoes for edging ( I like the Muira Lace ) with an edge . (some new edgy shoes have none i haven't tried these )
a extra set of small nuts (and big nuts for the runnouts

In reply to Oogachooga:

Hmm, I wouldn't say slate is a close match to indoor climbing unless your local wall is in the habit of fixing razor sharp crimps to the slabs with blu-tac. It is great fun though

Good edges on the shoes, think about gear placements as it is really easy to pull off flakes with badly placed gear and don't stack your ropes near the rockface!

Edges and due diligence. Ok.

We will be mainly sport climbing on the popular multipitch routes but will no doubt get involved in some trad.

Am I right in thinking the main sport routes will be well travelled and not as loose?

In reply to Oogachooga:

Ain't taking no f*cking nuts up a sports route.

In reply to Oogachooga:

no, if you mean the multi pitch routes in Twll Mawr, they are loose

In reply to zimpara:

The only nut I'll Be taking up there is you!

In reply to Oogachooga:

Not climbed in the Australia area for a long time but slate routes in general have zero similarity to indoor climbing.

Mainly blank slabs with thin edges or angular flakes and blocks, little to no friction so you have to move hold to hold (probably the only relation to climbing indoors) However the holds tend to be small, sharp and it's all about balance on the slabs at least.

Also, don't mistake a route being bolt protected with it being a "sport climb". Some are well bolted but many of the more traditional lines will be run out with just the odd bolt in the blankness.

In reply to ashtond6:

Cheers for the heads up. Slightly disappointing but I'm sure they'll make up for it in climbing.

In reply to Oogachooga:

There are some easy fairly well bolted climbs at Dali's Hole just near by, I'd probably play on those first to get a taste for it.

In reply to Lord_ash2000:

There aren't any longer, all the hangers have been removed due to the access issues caused by people climbing at Dali's Hole.

In reply to Oogachooga:


No. You'll need to exercise judgement.
jk

In reply to Oogachooga:
Don't be completely deterred from smearing, even though it's near frictionless. A small slit or nick in the slate can be a legitimate toe smear (I like to call it smedging) which will help you gain ground on some of the harder routes. If you're climbing in the lower sport grades, usually 5 to 6a, you'll find lots of meaty ledges where the only difficulty will be high stepping and mantelshelves which won't trouble you if you have a basic flexibility. Around 6b and onwards, you'll be greeted by long reaches, dodgy smears, tiny ledges and sidepulls so good footwork and bridging skills will come in handy. Australia is a great introductory area with great routes like Orangutan Overhang (6a), Gadaffi Duck (6b) and Looning the Tube (HVS).

The second time at Dinorwig, we saw some guy panicking and swearing at his girlfriend on belay because he couldn't raise his leg high enough to reach the ledge before the chains - a ledge about knee height. It was hilarious but please don't be that guy! Be kind to your belayer. Also watch out for loose rock on the peak of each level; you could quite easily dislodge some and send it careening down onto some poor f##ker below, The Omen style.

Happy climbing man. Hope you get the slate bug and bag yourself some classics!

In reply to Oogachooga:

Definitely a good stiff pair of shoes for edging, I use 5.10 blanco's and have found them great for the small edges on slate. Do looning the tube in Australia sector It's a fantastic wee climb. Nothing like indoors from my experience but really fantastic rock, I wish I had the slate quarries on my doorstep. Have fun!

In reply to Oogachooga:

>>Any tips for climbing in the slate quarries?

If it's been raining allow plenty of time for the rock to dry before climbing ....... at least 10 minutes, if not 15

In reply to Oogachooga:

If you fancy something a little different at the end of the day and you still have a couple of hrs of daylight left do Snakes and ladders and tunnels, it's utterly brilliant!

In reply to climbingpixie:
Fair enough, wasn't aware of that of that as I've not been for a long time.

In reply to Oogachooga:

Don't be too disappointed?

In reply to Oogachooga:

There are loose bits everywhere, but I love slate, crimpy but fun!

In reply to Somerset swede basher:

The bridge is no more - snakes and ladders is no more.

OP: Brass nuts.

Both kinds.

In reply to neuromancer:

I know, such a shame, but it's possible to do all the rest still and just box around the B of D.

In reply to Oogachooga:

id would take a set or two of micros and if climbing anything above E4/5 a skyhook. at first stick to the bolted routes cuz gear is usually poor apart from the classics!