UKC

I did these routes recently and think there are some errors and misleading features in the Rockfax descriptions and topos. Quite a few people seem to have reported route finding problems and, whilst routefinding can be awkward, I think the issues are compounded by vague, misleading or plain erroneous descriptions (not just in Rockfax).

1) Error (Unless Rockfax have access to information that alters/corrects both the information scratched on the rock ("PR") and the route descriptions in the last definitive guidebook. If you do have extra information, a comment regarding changes to route names and a suggestion to ignore erroneous rock scratchings would be appropriate): According to the last definitive guidebook the line marked on the Rockfax topo as Digitalis Direct is actually the V Diff version of Pinnacle Ridge. "PR" is scratched at the bottom of this line and the climbing fits the Pinnacle Ridge (V Diff) description in the definitive guide perfectly. The line shown in Rockfax as Pinnacle Ridge may be part of Gargoyle? In the definitive guide Digitalis is clearly described as going left of the tree in the left side of the bay (the guide actually says the tree is right of Digitalis: same meaning).

2) Porcupine Ridge approach: unnecessary deviation. The upper section of the link between Pinnacle and Porcupine ridges does not need to deviate so far to the left. The buttress you naturally go left of is the very broken, vegetated, buttress visible in the topo directly below the start of Porcupine, not the more continuous rock buttress further to the left. Going up either side of the vegetated buttress is easy but following the decent traversing track for a while lower down tends to send you up the left side. The extra leftward deviation in the topo forces you to trend back down and right to the start: this way is both longer and harder than the obvious, more direct way.

3) Porcupine Ridge: misleading description? The topo arrow pointing to the prominent tower that blocks the ridge points to the first substantial block that bars the ridge. This is indeed taken on the right as described and does lead to a slab stance below a wall but this wall is not yet the crux wall: it is the left side of the big upper block which is the most obvious blocking tower on the ridge and now lies above you (it is the shady block just above the arrow in the topo). This is a much bigger obstacle than the lower block and it is clear from UKC comments that many people (including me) thought that this, rather than the lower one, must be the one mentioned in your description. However, it is most naturally bypassed by a flake corner crack to its left not a traverse right: several UKC comments show confusion about needing to bypass this upper tower on the right, which seems devious and pointless. This flake corner crack is a major and distinctive feature of the route but is not mentioned at all in your description. It is straightforward enough but is by far the longest, most continuous and serious piece of climbing encountered so far. It looks relatively intimidating and is far more noteworthy than the relatively trivial moves right round the lower block. It leads directly to a stance on the ridge that links the big block upper block to the (crux) wall that leads to the upper left ridge (this stance might also be called a slab but "ridge" is a more obvious description). It seems as though the description of how to pass the main block has been omitted? From here on the description makes sense again. The topo line does go right round the first block and left of the big upper block and seems pretty accurate.

Hi Harold

Thanks for your feedback.

I'll have to get Mark Reeves onto this although with him currently being away for an extended period it may be some time before I can confirm.

Briefly, you are commenting on two books here I think. 1) refers to the new North Wales Climbs book. We discussed this and gave the split name in the book of Digitalis Direct/Pinnacle Ridge Route because there was some discrepancy. I believe Mark has very strong feelings about the lines of these routes and this was what he reckons they are although your suggestion about us adding a comment that our version was new and different is a good one.

Where we describe the second Pinnacle Ridge Route VD version is how we described it back in 2013 and I haven't been made aware of any problems with that. The scramble version nips in at a higher level and that is correct I am sure.

2) and 3) The second two comments refer to Snowdonia Scrambles I think. The loop on Porcupine Ridge is wrong and we have noted that. I hadn't noticed the issues with the block further upon but we will certainly revisit that one when we update the scrambles book in the next year or two.

Alan

As long as the line Rockfax describes as Pinnacle Ridge goes at about the expected grade and is distinct from the scramble people who don't have the old definitive guide probably wouldn't notice anything to complain about? The line identified as the best (where "PR" is scratched on the rock and where the old definitive guide says Pinnacle ridge goes) is what people are encouraged on to by the star ratings. I accept therefore that all that is at issue here what is the correct name for the best line. If Mark knows best then a brief note of the name change would help to avoid confusion!

Thanks for considering the others, 3) is the most important.

Sorry to labour this but after looking again at Pinnacle Ridge/Digitalis there seems to be more to it than a difference of opinion about names. There are two separate routes in the definitive guide and Rockfax gives separate first ascent parties and dates for each so it seems that the intent there is also to describe two separate lines (that join higher up via the heathery band that leads to the ridge scramble). However, according to the entries in UKC, the two Rockfax descriptions appear to describe the same line. Thus:

The Rockfax description of Pinnacle Ridge says "...right hand of 2 ribs... Start...close to letters 'PR' scratched on rock."

The Rockfax description of Digitalis says "...right hand of 2 ribs" (i.e. the same as Pinnacle ridge) and the line marked as Digitalis in the topo starts exactly where "PR" is scratched on the rock: I checked this carefully on my recent ascent. This is the very point described as the start to Pinnacle Ridge.