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Chain Gang*** E5 6b

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Reach-dependent crux above good gear - E4 6a for the tall/E5 6b for the short? New bolts added to Olympus Trip are just far enough away not to detract from this as a trad lead.

Ticklists: North Wales Rock Graded List.

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PUBLIC LOGBOOKS
This climb is in 35 logbooks, and on 4 wishlists.

A frustrating failure to route-read saw me at the tunnel-visioned at the crux grappling with a non-hold, fell off attempting to reverse to ground for a reappraisal whereupon the obvious holds became annoyingly apparent.
Justin T - Lead dog - 10/Sep/12

The last in the chain gang trilogy and definitely the best. Pretty greasy, humid conditions. Sprinted it out to the top groove and spent as long on the top move alone, as I had on the rest of the route.
Alex Mason - Lead O/S - 03/Jul/12 with Jim McCormack

Finally after so long. Hard to say o/s as I've been present so often when people have been on it, but it didn't feel like I knew the moves or gear in advance.
zero six - Lead O/S - Jul/12

2nd go. Should have been Onsight, but fell stupidly post crux on the 1st attempt. Easy second time round. First E5.
conorcussell - Lead RP - 25/Jun/12

6a for me at 5' 9" and no cross through?. On Conor's gear. Excellent moves; surprisingly steep.
Dave Warburton - Lead β - 25/Jun/12 with Bert, Conor

Hidden - Lead O/S - 02/Jun/12

felt annoyed, cheated and confused by this: swam rightwards from vertical slot - convinced in my little fishy brain that this was necessary due to proximity of Olympus Trip, guide description and prominent foothold - but no! (also, I don't have feet). Tried to go back left but floundered like a little fishy out of water. Got flustered, pumped and rested, feeling thouroughly battered. :( Boo hoo. Pulled back on with my little fins immediately, leapt like a salmon up just left of vertical slot: straightforward, no 6b and no cross-fin move. Had to rest again above as was so disgusted as what had just gone on. So, which way: direct i.e. through bulge or right via narrow cracks and rock pool (this seems only way that would give a cross-fin or 6b move yet the way i went was totally logical and swam so well). Anyway, perfect protection for a little fishy like me, immaculate climbing and straightforward (wouldnt feel wrong at Eel4), Fried 6c. take BD cam size 1 (red) for slot and thin sling for finishing groove. Super :)))) Eric out.
Eric the Fish - 2012

LRob - Lead - 2012

Cailean Harker - Lead O/S - 12/Nov/11

sonnenstern - 2nd - 01/Nov/11 with Ollie

majorly pumpy and steep!! but very nice moves
Tom Redmond - TR - 16/Jul/11 with mike watson

CRiddiford - TR dog - 15/Jul/11 with Tom Redmond, Mike

Super pumpy but no really hard moves...except the cross through that probably wasn't needed.
thomasadixon - Lead RP - 15/Jul/11 with Mike

Hidden - Lead - 07/Jun/11

Ground up with beta after 1 fall.
Luke Brooks - Lead - 19/Mar/11 with Bertie, Barni

barni - Lead RP - 19/Mar/11 with bertie, luke

Rory Shaw - 2011

Hidden - 2011

Hidden - 2011

Didn't find any cross through move? did swap hands at one point which could have been it but swapping hands was pretty easy. first E5
mwatson - Lead O/S - 2011

Hidden - TR dog - 03/Aug/10

dan gibson - Lead O/S - 26/Jul/10 with blair fyffe

felt annoyed, cheated and confused by this: stepped right from vertical slot (convinced this was necessary due to proximity of Olympus Trip, guide description and prominent foothold) but no easy way up, tried to go back left but struggled as quite blind, got flustered, pumped and rested :( pulled back on immediately, went up just left of vertical slot: straightforward, no 6b and no cross-through. had to rest again above as was so disgusted as what had just gone on. so, which way: direct i.e. through bulge or right via narrow cracks (this seems only way that would give a cross-through or 6b move yet the way i went was totally logical and climbed so well). anyway, perfect protection, immaculate climbing and straightforward (wouldnt feel wrong at E4), Fr 6c. take BD cam size 1 (red) for slot and thin sling for finishing groove.
ksjs - Lead dog - 03/Jul/10 with rob

reversed from vertical slot - hot and sweating. surprised by physicality, will need to be fresh for this...
ksjs - Lead dnf - 04/Jun/10 with pete

Toby Dunn - Lead - Apr/10 with Andy Reeve

Hidden - Lead rpt - 01/Feb/10

Kevin Avery - Lead O/S - 21/Jun/09 with John Shepherd

A great experience that taught me how much harder safe e5 is going to be compared to French 6 grade trad routes.....Best get beasted this Summer and come back with a fresh approach ( :
mattyork2 - Lead dog - 09/Jun/09 with Rory Shawe

1 rest, reachy and powerful.
miastacey - 2nd - 30/May/09 with Bob Smith

nige - Lead O/S - 16/May/09 with mark hounslea

Could be E4 6a for the tall / E5 6b for the short. Crux is above good gear.
switch - Lead O/S - 28/Sep/08

Superb day 1 x E6, 3 x E5's, 1 x E4, 2 x E2's
Steve Crowe - Lead O/S - 13/Jul/02 with KM

michael burrows - TR - 15/Aug/89 with andy boorman

mark mcgowan01 - 1987

Mike Owen - 16/Sep/84 with John Peake

Users with this climb on their wishlist are:
Hidden, Billg, Alex Mason, mattyork2

Voting
Total votes cast 30
hard E60 of 10
E60 of 10
easy E60 of 10
hard E51 of 10
E56 of 10
easy E53 of 10
hard E40 of 10
E40 of 10
easy E40 of 10
hard 6c0 of 10
6c0 of 10
easy 6c0 of 10
hard 6b0 of 10
6b5 of 10
easy 6b1 of 10
hard 6a4 of 10
6a0 of 10
easy 6a0 of 10
3 Stars9 of 10
2 Stars1 of 10
1 Star0 of 10
0 Stars0 of 10
Bag of .....0 of 10
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Style of ascent

Lead23 of 35 (65.7%)
Followed2 of 35 (5.7%)
Toproped4 of 35 (11.4%)
Unknown6 of 35 (17.1%)

'Climbed'14 of 35 (40.0%)
clean O/S10 of 35 (28.6%)
clean β1 of 35 (2.9%)
clean rpt1 of 35 (2.9%)
clean RP3 of 35 (8.6%)
dogged5 of 35 (14.3%)
dnf1 of 35 (2.9%)