UKC

Windjammer (HVS 5a)

When we were over at Dumbarton Rock the other week two guys helpfully told us the abseil tree at the top of windjammer had been cut down, but that they were intending to install a new lower-off. Thinking of maybe going back tomorrow evening - can anyone confirm whether this is in place now?

I'm told it is. So second hand yes.

Thanks very much, will check it out tonight then.

Yes, definitely there. Two resin bolts for threading. The addition of stainless steel mallions and rings to prevent wear would be great if anyone feels like splashing the cash and doing their bit for the "community".

Feel free to call me blind, but we topped out Longbow and searched around everywhere without finding any bolts! Can you give any clues about where they are? I found the chopped tree, searched around there, searched around the top of Windjammer as best I could from above, and thought I searched just about everywhere else on the top! Ended up abseiling down the loweroff on the left that drops down the sidewall of the Requiem amphitheatre...

I've e-mailed Burnsie; sorry about that but good to know.

Thanks. It's more than possible that I was being blind, but would appreciate any pointers in the right direction!

Hi, it was me you spoke to the other week. The Rap point was placed right where the sapling off doom used to be. So i guess unless you are a local thats been up there before then all of the chopped trees may look the same.

The rap point is about 6-8 meters back, slightly to the left of windjammer. (you endup rapping down the left wall of windjammer) It probably doesn't help that the bolts placed are  the twisted leg bolt product jobs (probably the least visually intrusive bolt on the market) A chain may make them more visible. So from longbow you would need to go up and rightwards for 6-8 meters or so.

Best options (in order) for getting off that bit of grass now :

1) Locate the "sapling" bolts, thread and rap down to the left of windjammer.

2) The tree overlooking cyclops corner isnt too bad but could do with some tat and a mallion to avoid killing it. Brings you down clear of the 8s sport wall.

3) Dum Dum Boys loweroff. Just below the cyclops tree. Needs a bit of extreme dreepying to get onto it, plus hanging belay + rope faff to get off is not in keeping with a HVS / E1, not to mention faff to those on sport routes.

4) Single rusty bolt above sufferance wall, see 3 but on worse gear, fcuk that.

I'm using "rap point" rather than "lower off" as a lower off you expect to be at the the top of a (sport) route, clip, lower off etc, rather than belay, bring your mate up then rap off.

hope this helps

Stuart

Thanks very much for the detailed answer. I presumed that I had found the "sapling of doom" above windjammer (stump buried in new sprouting growth) but maybe from what you say I didn't find the right one. That's great to know for next time, I'll search closely around any other tree stumps I can find. After a fun but slow time on Longbow, and a search for the bolts, we called it a day but I'd definitely like to be back for Windjammer (and maybe to lead Longbow if I can summon up the strength).

Sounds like we probably found and used the Dum Dum Boys loweroff; we're both experienced with ropework but it certainly took me a while to transfer myself down onto it in a way I was happy with!

Also sounds like I found (4)... and as you say, no thanks!

Anyway, thanks very much for installing the bolts, I'll be back in search of them next time...

If you found the rusty single bolt, the new ones are about 8 meters directly right on the same level if you are facing up hill. Desperado is also well worth doing.

Cheers

For a non weegie what’s a “rap point”?

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/rappel

The first rap point is at 20 seconds...

youtube.com/watch?v=YgFyi74DVjc&

It's where they go and spit their rhymes in freestyle rap battles. MC Burnsie is trying to take the crown of the Artist Previously Known as DJ Dumby Dave, but those are some big Air Jordans to fill.

Ya' feel me blood?

It's like that, and that's the way it is

Found it! Further back than I had looked, but surprisingly easy to pull the ropes through. Thanks again.