UKC

Inspired by the sad news of HD's death, I was wondering about this route. Does anyone do it these days? You'd think it would be celebrated as a historical classic, but I've never met anyone who's done it or heard it spoken of. Is there any particular reason for this?

(HD describes in Ordinary Route his abortive attempt to make the second ascent, in characteristically self-deprecating style. "Not a bad climber, Cunningham.".)

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

I don't know anyone who's done it either, but it must have been up there with the hardest routes at that time (1947) along with Preston's Sucide Wall, Javelin Blade & Dover Ellis Chimney.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Don't know about 'these days'. I led it in 1982. It had a bold start but was not sustained.

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:

Couple of logbook ticks for Gallow's Route (E2 5b) on here in the past few years. I think compared to other routes on the Buachaille, its appeal is mostly historical - it only gets one star in the guidebook. Personally I'd still like to do it sometime, but probably not before a good many others I haven't done in Glencoe.

In reply to Andy Moles:

It used to be E1 (obviously VS before that). In the last guide it was E1 5c and called a chop route. I suggested to Rab that E2 5b might be nearer than E1 5c as there was no gear till after the crux. Maybe modern gear would fit!

I thought it was a fine route on good rock but maybe a bit unbalanced.