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Hostile Witness*** E2 5c

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[Hostile Witness., 3 kb]One of Dartmoor's finest. A gritstonesque climb that packs in some athletic and technical moves. Start on a flat-topped block below the left end of the huge overhang in the centre of the main face. Photo opposite. 16m. Pull up directly into the corner, left of the overhang, and place some good gear before swinging out to the arete on a horizontal break just above the lip of the overhang. Gain a flake on the face around the arete and make a couple of tricky moves to leave it and enter the base of a good crack. Follow the crack to the top. © ROCKFAX
50'. Surmounting the big roof at half height, using obvious hanging flake on the left end of the overhang. Pull round the flake (good photo opportunity) and reach a second flake on the exposed face. Crank up on this flake to gain a crimp allowing you to pull into a vertical crack. Follow this to near the top where balanced moves allow you to gain the finishing jug out to the right.
Pat Littlejohn, Dave Garner 23/Apr/1976

Ticklists: West Country Climbs.

Photo: Hostile Witness. © deepstar
View all 4 photos or Submit a new photo of this climb.

PUBLIC LOGBOOKS
This climb is in 57 logbooks, and on 21 wishlists.

Hidden - 2nd dog - 15/May/13

Frogging is the way to go. Finished direct. Originally seconded Andy Grieve 16/6/85
Kafoozalem - Lead - 05/May/13 with Sue Hazel

Hidden - 2nd dog - 05/May/13

skeight88 - TR - May/13 with Dominic

skeight88 - TR - May/13 with Dominic

Cruised the move around the arete (no crazy heel hooking, just frogged it) and subsequent crux. Top out was an unexpected treat. Best route of its grade on the Tors?
Owen W-G - Lead O/S - 26/Apr/13 with Preston Matt

Hidden - 2nd dog - 26/Apr/13

Finished direct.
kingholmesy - 2013 with David SDMC

Just didnt quite have the strength/technique to reach the flake, so got spat off into space. So aided up past. One day I will nail it!
Cheese Monkey - 2nd dog - 27/Oct/12 with jordon fleming

WOW ! what a climb really wild crux and lovely layback to the top out which was also intresting ! but really good route if u are good at high heel hooks
Jordon Fleming - Lead O/S - 27/Oct/12 with ben darby

Got stuck after struggling my way over to the flake. Just couldn't get into the crack above. Either I missed something or its fecking desperate. Good gear thankfully. Bat hanged the lip afterwards for a laugh.
Stanners - Lead dnf - 21/Oct/12 with James Rich, Mark Davis, Jack Bradbrook

I think this is pretty hard for E2, there are two main methods for doing the crux each of which present their own set of problems in the end you have to just pick one and throw yourself at it. Unfortunately I picked the more powerful one and realised when going for the flake that I didn't have enough strength to get it despite having some crazy heel toe cam above my head.
Quarryboy - Lead dnf - 21/Oct/12 with James Rich, Rob Stanfield, Mark Davies

burto - Lead O/S - 04/Oct/12 with jerome

Messed up the crux reach and got pumped faffing about!
andy_pemberton - Lead dog - 19/Sep/12 with Dave Marshall

Hidden - Lead dnf - 07/Apr/12

Hidden - 2nd - 01/Apr/12

really fun move on flake wishlist to lead in many years
zachbassett10 - TR β - 23/Mar/12 with alex taylor

mark schramm - Lead dog - 25/Feb/12 with tom m

tommoulds - 2nd - 25/Feb/12 with Schramm

lead next time
Tom D - TR - 2012

Worth stopping in for, but only just. Needed good agility round the corner and then everything gets rounded with nifty footwork needed both from the flake and at 'that topout' - Phew!
Cragrat Rich - Lead O/S - 24/Aug/11

Hidden - Lead O/S - 24/Aug/11

mark schramm - Lead dnf - 27/Jul/11

Hidden - Lead dnf - 26/Jul/11

dmoir - Lead O/S - 23/Jun/11 with Lauren and Rosie

quadmyre - Lead O/S - 29/Apr/11 with Crispin

Gilster - Lead - 24/Apr/11 with Ethel

Great traverse but struggled with the move off the flake. Went straight at the top to the slopey top out...very interesting!
Mr Tickle - Lead dog - 21/Apr/11 with davenev

Bit disappointed to blow onsight. Great route though.
Bristoldave - Lead RP - 17/Apr/11 with nick

Hidden - Lead - 12/Apr/11

amazing move up to the flake just had trouble with the move off the flake to the crack, but what a great climb
culmclimberRob - Lead RP - 09/Apr/11 with Aaron baker

jcook1980 - Lead dog - 12/Sep/10 with Dan Walker

pumpkinmonkey - Lead O/S - Sep/10 with Jonathon Cook

Deranged. Brilliant.
MarkRyder - Lead O/S - 07/Aug/10 with James P

jamespilgrim - 2nd dnf - 07/Aug/10

Found it to be oki. Lovely Bird Shite :) Finished Direct at the top, above a nut i poorly placed, thinking it was easy. Didnt realise i could go right to the Jug.. Lol. Just another 5c bit, but very irreversible.
El3ctroFuzz - Lead O/S - 21/Jul/10 with Chris Full

Hidden - Lead RP - 03/Jul/10

Hidden - Lead O/S - 19/Jun/10

oh dear..
drewish - 2nd dog - 19/Jun/10 with Matt, SteveE9

Hidden - Lead O/S - 04/Jun/10

JeromeT - Lead - Jun/09

too tired to do the move off the flake, high leg needed!very good route though, one for next visit
petegunn - Lead dnf - 24/May/09 with Davina

Hidden - 2nd - 12/Apr/09

Tobes - Lead O/S - Oct/08 with Peter

amazing climb,3 hard moves in the middle of relaxed climbing
misterb - 2nd - 21/Sep/08 with dave

The best E2 i've done.
Dave Searle - Lead - 21/Sep/08 with Nick

eddy-on-the-rocks - Lead rpt - Mar/07 with Sinbad

climber sim - 2007

Hidden - 2nd - 2007

Hidden - TR dog - 2007

Hidden - Lead O/S - 28/Aug/05

Hidden - 2nd dog - 26/Jun/05

wolverine - 2004 with Nolan Smyth

Hidden - Lead O/S - 17/Apr/03

Mark Kemball - Lead - 13/May/00 with Rob Galley

Marti999 - Lead - 2000

andy_pemberton - Lead - Jul/98 with Rich Mayfield, Steve Gooberman Hill

Users with this climb on their wishlist are:
iceaxejuggler, Hidden, The Pylon King, Infinite Granite, Master Chief, elbeanio, Dale Turrell, Hidden, Hidden, Will Cat, Chris Ellyatt, Teddys15, grumpyoldjanner, Kemics, joese7en, Hidden, Hidden, wonky, Phil79, Batt, francois

Voting
Total votes cast 40
hard E30 of 14
E31 of 14
easy E30 of 14
hard E21 of 14
E210 of 14
easy E22 of 14
hard E10 of 14
E10 of 14
easy E10 of 14
hard 6a0 of 13
6a0 of 13
easy 6a1 of 13
hard 5c2 of 13
5c10 of 13
easy 5c0 of 13
hard 5b0 of 13
5b0 of 13
easy 5b0 of 13
3 Stars12 of 13
2 Stars1 of 13
1 Star0 of 13
0 Stars0 of 13
Bag of .....0 of 13
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Style of ascent

Lead37 of 57 (64.9%)
Followed12 of 57 (21.1%)
Toproped5 of 57 (8.8%)
Unknown3 of 57 (5.3%)

'Climbed'19 of 57 (33.3%)
clean O/S15 of 57 (26.3%)
clean β1 of 57 (1.8%)
clean rpt1 of 57 (1.8%)
clean RP3 of 57 (5.3%)
dogged11 of 57 (19.3%)
dnf7 of 57 (12.3%)