UKC

South Ridge Direct (VS 5a)

A friend and I are planning a trip. Any rack recommendations? I have plenty of cams I can double up on as from photos the cracks look like the red and yellow dragon cams might be worth taking an extra one of?

We found a single rack fine. The cracks aren't really continuous enough to warrant doubles I don't think. Great route! 

Its probably long gone by now but the crux was practically a sport route when I did it. But as the previous poster said no doubled up cams needed. 

Thanks guys. praying for weather now.

The most difficult pitch is very short. The long cracks are very easy and not that consistent in size. They also have enough cams buried in them to make several racks if they could only be retrieved and restored. Either this route attracts an unusual number of muppets - surprising if so in view of the walk - or cams walk easily in this particular crack.

jcm

We did it as a lightweight day trip over on the ferry so took really small rucsacs with a fairly simple rack and just a 35metre single rope which worked fine.

Standard rack is fine. What we did think was the 2 pitches at 5a didn't feel hard after the initial pitches. Route finding for us we thought was tricky on the last section, don't get dragged up the left hand side at the end.

Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm just curious...From your profile it looks like you run some sort of coaching/guiding company and write guide / instructional books. Why do you feel the need to ask about specific gear for such a straightforward route as South Ridge Direct?

I found nuts perfectly adequate perhaps two or so on the crux pitch. But that about 45 years back!

So did I.

It was VS then as well, one pitch of VS. It must have got harder .

Same here, 36 years ago. I remember the Y-crack as both fun and shortlived. You just stuck in one or two bomber nuts and just went for it. One hardish finishing move. Rest of the route quite mild, lovely position, great rock. The Lovatt's layback pitch was by far the best for quality.

This is turning into an old fart's orgy of reminiscence - my first time on the route was 53 years ago and I'd been climbing for a year. Which pitch now gets 5a? We lead through and I got the Y crack in which I vividly remember getting my foot stuck. Done it twice since, most recently in 1988, and never felt it was 5a anywhere I don't think, though I expect I would now!

It is, isn’t it. So, to answer the original question, 2 Moacs and a Peck Cracker, as far as I remember.

Indeed. I was going to mention doing it as my first proper VS thirty seven years ago with webbing waist belts, waist belays and a rack consisting of 5 stoppers, 4 hexes and a moac (and no idea how to jam which made the Y-crack desperate!), but I've already been totally out trumped.........

Forty two years ago. Three wired nuts shaped like cubes and two slings. We had about three crabs, big heavy ones that were used to tow cars.

Mark is not only extremely experienced; he also has a level of knowledge and depth of insight into climbing which is very, very rare indeed. If you bumped into him on the crag, you'd think, "God, I can ask this guy almost anything about climbing (well, apart from the rack on SRD!) and he'll probably know the answer."

My guess is he's fine tuning stuff, in a similar way to Mark Stevenson and just thought he'd ask on here and fine tune it a wee bit more.  No harm in that. If anything, a touch of humility.

A while back, on here, a highly proficient Irish climber (and guidebook writer) asked about the rack for a classic route in the Mournes. To carry on the old fart's orgy of reminiscence, I first led it 50 years ago (with rubbish gear, obviously) and then just soloed it. So there wasn't much that I could tell him! But no harm in asking. It's a long route. If you want to fine tune gear, then why not?

Mick

I agree there's no harm in asking. I was curious because it wouldn't even cross my mind to ask about specific gear for something so far inside my comfort zone.  I'd either throw in a couple of extra cams because I know the weight won't make any difference at that grade or more likely given the short pitch lengths take a regular (or even stripped down) rack secure in the knowledge that I have the ability to run it out a little if need be. 

I can only offer 26 years ago I'm afraid.

42 years ago, 1970’s rack, in the rain

Have a good trip!

43 years ago. Few hex’s and some slings. Cog, did it with jock on his Wednesday arran egg delivery round 

Interestingly Mick when I summited, as the climb finished on top of the mountain, there was a giant stag peering down at me. The Y cracks were easy if you had a Gritstone upbringing...

Is Jock still alive?

Wow - what a fantastic experience!  The sort of thing you remember.

Have always wanted to go to Arran, after reading Janet Adam Smith's delightful 'Mountain Holidays'. And have always wanted to do South Ridge Direct, after Andy Parkin reckoned it was one of the best routes he'd done. Even back then, that was praise indeed.

Mick

Did this after a 4.30 am start from Huddersfield that same day. As said by others pro is fine.

Hi Dave,

Yes I do all those things, but it does not help fill in the blanks on a route i don't have the guidebook for and the photos I looked at made the crack look good for cams. So it never hurts to ask, especially on UKC. 

I now know as all I need is two MOACs. ;0)

I think a number 6 hex would come handy.

It usually did.

Luxury. When I were a lad, ninety two year ago, all we had were two nuts made of plasticine on pieces of string and a single crab big and heavy enough for towing lorries. Just tied onto my mum's washing line and climbed it in the snow in our socks which had big holes in. Only graded HVD back then mind.

Socks! Pah! When I were a lad we climbed it in wooden clogs. Mind, we had to make them by whittling a tree branch in t'valley. And this was after hiding our push bikes (no pedals) under t'hedge and swimming over from t'mainland. Etc...

Here are the details, but I expect from your piss taking post you won't believe them.

I don't think I've got the cubic nuts now, I bought them but they were rubbish and often pulled out (especially clipped to a single crab). Proper wires like rocks came out a few years later.

The crabs used for towing cars were Norman's, they were screwgates shaped like a figure of eight descender, very strong and very heavy. We climbed with 120' of 11mm rope, a strange mix of imperial and metric. The rope had a sheaf but the rope we used at school didn't. After placed gear the rope would often jam so we ended up soloing trailing a rope most of the time, I followed Norrie Muir up a few routes one day and he did much the same.

I had rock boots, think they were Hawkins which were cheaper than EBs. Norman led the Y (and S) crack in rigid mountain boots. Here is a pic of him after the Y crack.

http://www.colinmoody.com/Site/Arran.html#17

Only just, serious alcohol habit!

I believe you! Not taking the piss either....... just an attempt at a humourous take on the crap gear arms race.

Me & Dino did it last week ace route. Red and yellow doubles were useful, although as mentioned previously not necessary. Probably would only both take a single set of wires as cams are just so good on it!

We got the map as well, it’s an OS 1:50 and not planning a return trip soon so give us a shout if you want it and we’ll pop in the post for you save gathering dust our bookshelf  

Did it around 15 years ago.  From memory, S-crack is a fairly steady 4c pitch, Y-crack is one hard pull, but you can lace it with gear.  Those are the pitches that give it the VS grade.  One pitch a little higher was 4b slab padding with not so much protection, but I don't remember being particularly worried about falling off it.  Most of the rest is pleasant VDiff-ish slab padding with cracks that eat good nuts.  Most of the pitches are quite short and the pro is variable enough that there is no need to double up on gear.  If you are going to double on anything, I would suggest mid-sized nuts if you want to run easier pitches together, but given the walk I wouldn't bother.

Lovely climb, enjoy it!

Hope your not planning it this weekend - you seen the forecast - if so bring waterproofs!

Good luck.

I’d double up on midge repellent.

So we did this on Saturday, the route was damp but the rain held off and we even got a bit of sun. Thanks for all the advice, probably won't have gone for it if all the old boys hadn't talked about climbing it in rain with little more than hope to protect it. As it was obviously going to be damp.

We did double up on red and gold dragon cams and standard everything else, as I was hoping to link a few pitches, which we did in a couple of places. In dry conditions you could definitely link S and Y crack together and those cams doubled would help speed you up. 

Like everyone has said this route is amazing and for me whilst doing it totally dry would have been better, the adventurer of doing it in the damp probably added to the experience. The highlight for me was the foot traverse out of the Layback crack. Although the S and Y crack were not far behind.

We left Glasgow at 5.30am got the first ferry across at 7.00am and were back in Brodick for the 6pm ferry. For me trying to do it in a day from the mainland really helped add to the experience as we were against the clock!

Anyway thanks to everyone for their input.

That’s just great. And, as you will realise, it’s not the only amazing route over there. You’ll need to go back and do it in the sunshine. Cog is probably the guy on here with the most Arran experience.

I remember, on one of my earliest climbing visits, 1966/7, meeting Eddie and Bill Birch (- are they still around? Black and Tans?). They were just back from Chamonix, and compared the Arran rock more than favourably. (Don’t try gullies or north-facing cracks though).

Hi Cam

I was speaking to Jen and she explained you were indeed D C Forrest. I recently climbed a route on Coire na h-Uaimh Lower slabs and noticed you'd done a FA there. I liked it, I'm surprised you didn't do more.

Ian McCabe

Hi Ian - that would be Mystic - found and climbed in extremely thick mist, with friction slabs. 

Did Slapstick Wall with Shelf Variation a couple of years ago. First time back to that crag in 46 years. The shelf is a great pitch, and almost unprotected. The variation above and left of the shelf looks exceedingly bold for VS - probably no protection for 80-100feet? (Cog was also on the crag that day).

Cam

It was Slapstick Wall we did. Apart from a wee scruffy bit with heather ledges, I thought the rest was superb. Quite bold for timid old guys, and lovely rock!

Glad you enjoyed it.

Ian

I will definitely try and get back at some point.