UKC

OK, have done The Cracks, The Direct, Western Rib (?). Found them all good, particularly the Direct and Western Rib.

Thinking about Superdirect and/or Diagonal when next I visit. Plexus, Nexus and Ten Degrees North also look good (particularly the latter if I am in a gung ho mood).

For someone who likes slabs (up to E1 or E2 even) but may struggle on steeper stuff (yes, I have heard tales of the final pitches on Superdirect and Diagonal), which of these are particularly fine routes?

Your experiences and recommendations please. Anecdotes also welcome.

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

Diagonal is a good route, but make sure you arrange things so that you get the crux pitch as this the best in my view. I don't recall the top being that much of a do, although my mate led it and he might have a different opinion! It is a good route. Not done the super direct.

In reply to Horse:
long time ago but remember enjoying either Black Spring or something near by, -longish slabby route at HVS/E1

In reply to JonC-unregistered: Did superdirect at the weekend - excellent route but quite intense. Be confident because the crux sequence on the middle pitch is not immediately apparent - I climbed up and down it a few times before committing to it (gear beta - don't read any further if you don't want to know! - take small wallnuts (0, 00, 1/2 etc) as the last couple of placements before the crux are a bit small...)

Top pitch was intimidating but fun and superb moves when you commit to it - just get your feet sorted out and you'll save a lot of effort.

In reply to JonC-unregistered:
3rd pitch on Diagonal is just fantastic. As Horse says make sure you lead that and get your mate to lead the top pitch - it's a bit of a thrutch! Alternatively you might be able to finish up The Chain - E1 5b finger jamming on loan from Millstone.

In reply to JonC-unregistered: Superdirect:
1st pitch - a bit so-so.
2nd pitch - one of the finest pieces of climbing anywhere in the UK. Sustained, technical at the grade, run-out but with gear where you want it, simply stunning.
3rd pitch - butch, with good gear to a fab finish.

Andy F

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

Glad to see that Superdirect got *** in the new Llanberis guide. Its worth it. If you like technical slabs, the second pitch is ab fab. But you're right about the last pitch, I found it hard with small arms!!!

The diagonal is also great, but not to the same degree as Superdirect, ie the slabs aren't as hard and the finishing pitch not as brutal.

However, I thought that Nexus was by far far far the best route on the crag. With the big first pitch just absolutely mental. Like the guide book says, never desperate but its full on all the way to the belay 40 odd meters above. Just flippin brill. It meets up with Ten Degrees North after the second pitch, but I'd do Nexus first.

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

Plexus buttress is excellant with really good quality rock.

Both Nexus and Ten Degrees North are superb, with the main pitches give excellent sustained and technical climbing and are pretty well protected as I remember it. They come together to belay, then follow different routes to get to easy ground. Both options have a steeper more thuggy climbing. When I did it (8-10 years ago) you could then ab back down. This allowed us to get both routes completed before 5 which should have let us get to the pub early but instead my partner decided we could quickly run up Plexus to 'tick' the crag. This is also good though IMO not quite as fine as the other 2 routes. I remember awkward moves over the bulge at the end.

In reply to Ian Patterson:


? more thuggy than what?

In reply to JonC-unregistered:


Its a long time ago now! - as I remember it on Nexus you follow an obvious traverse line with good handholds but little for for your feet, a bit strenuous but well protected. TDN takes a steepish crack to reach a similar point more directly, again steep and strenuous in comparison to the climbing on the main pitch but well protected. In some ways similar to the superdirect with short steep pitch after a big more technical main pitch (but since you haven't done that either this probably does't help!).

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

The open groove on Ten Degrees North is one of the best pitches I've done anywhere.

Do it soon.

In reply to Mooncat at work:


Why, where's it going?

Hoping to visit again soon though...

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

Did the 1st two pitches of Crosstie about a month ago, but the corner on the 3rd pitch was green and slimy so we abbed off.

The 2nd pitch got my adrenaline pumping - a runout traverse requiring some delicacy and confidence in route finding. The 3rd pitch looks like the best and I can't wait to cut my teeth on it.

clams.

In reply to Ian Patterson:

Yes, Nexus is superb (much better than Plexus): esp the big long first pitch and the very exposed traverse pitch higher up. TDN looks fantastic too.

Crosstie: the last pitch is quite hard (I v nearly fell off) and a good conclusion to a good route.

Black Spring: the first two main pitches are absolutely outstanding.

In reply to JonC-unregistered:

Plexus has good climbing. Also look round the other side and take in the Mole. The start is feeble but the main and top pitches have excellent climbing.

In reply to Rog: moving slightly from the subject- due to failing to read the guidebook properly (hangover) I climbed directly up from the big scooped ledge on direct route rather than traversing right, thus climbing the route in two pitches. Seem to remember it being a bit bold until the main ledge beneath the '5b' move is reached, but good climbing- probably 5a/b ish. Is this a recorded variation? Haven't beenable to check the new guidemyself.

In reply to vscott:

Dude, that's Crosstie.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: I would agree. Nexus is a fantastic route. I'll remember that exposed traverse pitch for a long time. One of the best.