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Joe Brown "I like going out and climbing v.diff or severe in the rain...it can be just as good as leading E3 or E4... it doesn't have the cudos... you just say that was a good day.." I went out and climbed green crack in the rain on tuesday evening and my partner (climbing) climbed central trinity (both on stanage) both VS and had an excellent evenings climbing. Whats your best wet weather route?
In reply to matt pigden:
Milestone Buttress - climbed twice in the wet
Hope (Idwal Slabs) - running with water
Did some stuff at Stanage in horizontal sleet, but that wasn't fun.
Looking at forecast, have lined up Corvus for the weekend in the Lakes!
Milestone Buttress - climbed twice in the wet
Hope (Idwal Slabs) - running with water
Did some stuff at Stanage in horizontal sleet, but that wasn't fun.
Looking at forecast, have lined up Corvus for the weekend in the Lakes!
In reply to matt pigden:
Im always up for easy multi pitch routes in walkin boots when it rains. Tons of classics severe and below to go at.
Best dont know yet.
Im always up for easy multi pitch routes in walkin boots when it rains. Tons of classics severe and below to go at.
Best dont know yet.
In reply to matt pigden:
my first lead.
A Vdiff at twistleton scar, was to scared to notice it was raining till i was up and setting up belay.
my first lead.
A Vdiff at twistleton scar, was to scared to notice it was raining till i was up and setting up belay.
In reply to matt pigden: Top pitch of the moon after it started raining mid route. Fortunately I had a rope gun!
So big up the rud there.
So big up the rud there.
In reply to Caralynr:
Oh yeh. Forgot about that one. I climbed their in rain, sleet and hail. It was top.
I've heard that Lockwoods chimney is a good'n?
> Milestone Buttress - climbed twice in the wet
Oh yeh. Forgot about that one. I climbed their in rain, sleet and hail. It was top.
I've heard that Lockwoods chimney is a good'n?
In reply to matt pigden: Anything on Little Tryfan for me.
In reply to Caralynr: Yes Idwal, Cant remember which, Hope Faith or charity - raing and done in rock shoes, ordinary route in ice climbing boots, Brown slabs in Borrowdale in ice climbing boots (not roller skates though)
In reply to matt pigden:
Middlefell Buttress last October was fun or ordinary route on the Idwal slabs. Anything big and multipitch really.
Middlefell Buttress last October was fun or ordinary route on the Idwal slabs. Anything big and multipitch really.
In reply to Caralynr: I've climbed milestone buttress in the rain in big boots and gore-tex everything - fantastic!!! one of my best climbing experiences.
In reply to matt pigden:
Hiya matt! Welcome aboard .
Favourite wet weather route? The route to the cafe - wall - curryhouse - bed, in that order
Hiya matt! Welcome aboard .
Favourite wet weather route? The route to the cafe - wall - curryhouse - bed, in that order
In reply to mark reeves: what is a rope gun??
In reply to Kate: the climb furthest left on little tryfan - sitting on the stance --- "i'm singing in the rain..." i reckon thats what won me most enthusiastic climber in the uni club this year!
In reply to Fiend: Nice to speak to you fiend! Must get out again once you have finished your course work!
In reply to matt pigden:
Clogwyn y Person Arete. It rained non-stop all day and we were soaked to the skin before we even started the route. Visibility was a few metres and the initial chimney was a waterfall. As I climbed water was running down my sleeves and into my armpits. We had to pitch the whole thing and the crux was so slippery I fell off twice. We were washed out (literally!) when we got to the top, and despite reminding ourselves to be careful with the navigation because we were so tired, we still went the wrong way along Crib Goch. After a while we realised and went back, but we decided to go down via the Pyg Track as we were obviously not thinking straight so we had a long slog along the road to get back to the car. We reached it at 8:30pm, ten and a half hours after setting out, and as we were stripping off our wet gear the skies let forth a particularly heavy downpour; as if we weren't wet enough already.
It was one of the best days on the hill I have ever had.
Clogwyn y Person Arete. It rained non-stop all day and we were soaked to the skin before we even started the route. Visibility was a few metres and the initial chimney was a waterfall. As I climbed water was running down my sleeves and into my armpits. We had to pitch the whole thing and the crux was so slippery I fell off twice. We were washed out (literally!) when we got to the top, and despite reminding ourselves to be careful with the navigation because we were so tired, we still went the wrong way along Crib Goch. After a while we realised and went back, but we decided to go down via the Pyg Track as we were obviously not thinking straight so we had a long slog along the road to get back to the car. We reached it at 8:30pm, ten and a half hours after setting out, and as we were stripping off our wet gear the skies let forth a particularly heavy downpour; as if we weren't wet enough already.
It was one of the best days on the hill I have ever had.
In reply to matt pigden:
close one - Wendigo red walls with Lucy Ellis in 1992... rain began with last pitch to go.
but the Main cliff girdle gogarth with Simon Bennett one February day 1996/7 it rained and it poured once we have completed the abseil down to The Big Groove... so ~I had to lead each and every pitch of Pentathol with the water running down the route to try and make the heights before closing... we managed the Spar in valley just as they were closing ... what a great couple of days ...
close one - Wendigo red walls with Lucy Ellis in 1992... rain began with last pitch to go.
but the Main cliff girdle gogarth with Simon Bennett one February day 1996/7 it rained and it poured once we have completed the abseil down to The Big Groove... so ~I had to lead each and every pitch of Pentathol with the water running down the route to try and make the heights before closing... we managed the Spar in valley just as they were closing ... what a great couple of days ...
In reply to Alison Stockwell: I know what you mean. I think I might give up dry weather climbing! It makes sense too since there are definitely more wet days than dry.
In reply to Ian McNeill: Again, everybody who tries wet weather cragging has better "memeories" than with dry weather. Why do we bother with dry weather climbing? In fact I'm going to post a `'why bother with climbing in the dry" posting.
In reply to Fiend: I'm with you on that one!
Although on one rainy Snowdonia day I did do:
Pete's - The Beacon - found it had brightened up at 5pm, so Dali's Hole (topping out on Holy, Holy, Holy at dusk) - the obligatory eatery - then bed.
Although on one rainy Snowdonia day I did do:
Pete's - The Beacon - found it had brightened up at 5pm, so Dali's Hole (topping out on Holy, Holy, Holy at dusk) - the obligatory eatery - then bed.
In reply to matt pigden:
Too many to mention them all, Lleac Mhor, ended up swarming up a bit of rope jammed in a crack. Brant Direct with water running down my sleeves . Central Gully on Dow I think, a brave attempt to climb the waterfall coming down but the icy water won. Gimmer chimney one winter day, finishing in the dark. Cenotaph Corner followed in boots with a downpour, good lead by my leader. Kaisergebirge Wall, I was dry but the second and watchers weren't. C ordinary on Dow to rescue some relative beginners, ended up in socks on the greasy rock. Tennis Shoe in a downpour, the last pitch was done with the rope arching away in the wind. All the other routes on the slabs at one time or another, we had a week of continuous rain my first holiday in Idwal yet climbed every day.
Lots of stuff on grit, when you went out you took what came
Too many to mention them all, Lleac Mhor, ended up swarming up a bit of rope jammed in a crack. Brant Direct with water running down my sleeves . Central Gully on Dow I think, a brave attempt to climb the waterfall coming down but the icy water won. Gimmer chimney one winter day, finishing in the dark. Cenotaph Corner followed in boots with a downpour, good lead by my leader. Kaisergebirge Wall, I was dry but the second and watchers weren't. C ordinary on Dow to rescue some relative beginners, ended up in socks on the greasy rock. Tennis Shoe in a downpour, the last pitch was done with the rope arching away in the wind. All the other routes on the slabs at one time or another, we had a week of continuous rain my first holiday in Idwal yet climbed every day.
Lots of stuff on grit, when you went out you took what came
In reply to matt pigden:
Dover and Ellis Chimney. There's a photo on the site somewhere.
Plenty of others though: Nutcracker Exit at Cratcliffe in deep snow. Something on Pen Yr Ole Wen in proper driving Welsh rain, something else on Bochlwyd Buttress ditto.
I can never understand people who drive all the way somewhere and then whinge about the weather.
jcm
Dover and Ellis Chimney. There's a photo on the site somewhere.
Plenty of others though: Nutcracker Exit at Cratcliffe in deep snow. Something on Pen Yr Ole Wen in proper driving Welsh rain, something else on Bochlwyd Buttress ditto.
I can never understand people who drive all the way somewhere and then whinge about the weather.
jcm
In reply to matt pigden: I hate climbing in the rain!! I'm totally with the theory behind climb something easy in big boots thing but when you can only climb easy stuff anyway (ie V.Diff/severe) then downgrading anymore means rain=go walking.
Only been on route once in the rain before and that was in a thunderstorm. We could see the clouds looming and we'd only just arrived at crag and done one route. Thought we'd fit in another. Heavens opened and I mean opened! There was thunder and lightening and big feck off hailstones. I was abs crapping myself!
Only been on route once in the rain before and that was in a thunderstorm. We could see the clouds looming and we'd only just arrived at crag and done one route. Thought we'd fit in another. Heavens opened and I mean opened! There was thunder and lightening and big feck off hailstones. I was abs crapping myself!
In reply to johncoxmysteriously:
I've seen others do The Boldest Direct Finish and Widespread Ocean of Fear pitch two in cloudburst rain, although not voluntarily. Exciting viewing.
jcm
I've seen others do The Boldest Direct Finish and Widespread Ocean of Fear pitch two in cloudburst rain, although not voluntarily. Exciting viewing.
jcm
In reply to matt pigden:
Wet ( I'm talking proper monsoon conditions here -- pissing down for at least 3 days before, and the preceding 2 or 3 weekends, so desperate to get out and do something variety)
Wodens Face
Corvus - of course -- the Lakes classic wet weather route.
Brown Crag Wall, Brown Slabs and Little Chamonix
Winters Buttress - Garbh Beinn -- we couldn't find the start of the Great Ridge in the clag -- we ended up soloing it, with the ropes and gear still in the sacks.
Deer Bield Chimney -- before it fell down! The top pitch was still banked out with sugary snow, and we didn't have an axe!
The Trough - Carrock Fell
Lorton Gully -- Grasmoor -- ok not a true rock climb, but a grade 3 scramble in the dry. V Desperate in the wet.
I got older and more sensible shortly afterwards.
Wet ( I'm talking proper monsoon conditions here -- pissing down for at least 3 days before, and the preceding 2 or 3 weekends, so desperate to get out and do something variety)
Wodens Face
Corvus - of course -- the Lakes classic wet weather route.
Brown Crag Wall, Brown Slabs and Little Chamonix
Winters Buttress - Garbh Beinn -- we couldn't find the start of the Great Ridge in the clag -- we ended up soloing it, with the ropes and gear still in the sacks.
Deer Bield Chimney -- before it fell down! The top pitch was still banked out with sugary snow, and we didn't have an axe!
The Trough - Carrock Fell
Lorton Gully -- Grasmoor -- ok not a true rock climb, but a grade 3 scramble in the dry. V Desperate in the wet.
I got older and more sensible shortly afterwards.
In reply to matt pigden: Soloed Severe in the rain and in my going out shoes yesterday. Took the dog for a walk to Pex and couldnt resist. The dog looked confused.
In reply to willhunt: And when there were two reasonable looking French people there with a top rope on Pisa Wall then I cant resist a bit of a show off.
In reply to willhunt: I should probably say the people were girls.
In reply to willhunt:
You're only leading VS on trad gear and you decided to solo a Severe in the rain?
I hope you have enjoyed what is to be your short life.
Ands
You're only leading VS on trad gear and you decided to solo a Severe in the rain?
I hope you have enjoyed what is to be your short life.
Ands
In reply to matt pigden:
in the wet you must be joking
once and only once ,Christmas Crack Stanage Edge in all its seasonal glory 22 DEC 1995 in near blizzard conditions -never again. still at least the cold numbed the hands enoughnot to noticed they were cut to pieces
in the wet you must be joking
once and only once ,Christmas Crack Stanage Edge in all its seasonal glory 22 DEC 1995 in near blizzard conditions -never again. still at least the cold numbed the hands enoughnot to noticed they were cut to pieces
In reply to Ands:
Many people, me included, don't lead as hard as they couldm for various reasons (usually fear). Looking at Will's other grades, he's one of them.
> You're only leading VS on trad gear and you decided to solo a Severe in the rain?
Many people, me included, don't lead as hard as they couldm for various reasons (usually fear). Looking at Will's other grades, he's one of them.
In reply to willhunt:
Increasing erosion and polish, whilst making the holds dirty?
> (In reply to matt pigden) Soloed Severe in the rain and in my going out shoes yesterday.
Increasing erosion and polish, whilst making the holds dirty?
In reply to matt pigden:
I walked in to the base of the route Ardverikie wall with a mate early one Sunday (we were there at 8.30am ish) and were shocked to discover another pair about to set off. However, it started drizzling and they backed off before the first step over onto the slab.
Having got up early, driven from Dundee, drizzle wasn't going to deter us. So we set off and within and half way through the second pitch it started to rain proper. However, grip didn't seem overly effected and so we just carried on. Ended up being a very enjoyable day out!!
I walked in to the base of the route Ardverikie wall with a mate early one Sunday (we were there at 8.30am ish) and were shocked to discover another pair about to set off. However, it started drizzling and they backed off before the first step over onto the slab.
Having got up early, driven from Dundee, drizzle wasn't going to deter us. So we set off and within and half way through the second pitch it started to rain proper. However, grip didn't seem overly effected and so we just carried on. Ended up being a very enjoyable day out!!
In reply to matt pigden:
You could ask the guys/gals in this picture from last Sunday how much fun they had:
http://www.leedsmc.org/fileadmin/gallery/2006_05_Llanberis/2006_05_Llanberi...
(On the obvious slab, top left.)
We could hear them shouting to each other as we walked off.(I backed off the first pitch as it started tipping down.)
You could ask the guys/gals in this picture from last Sunday how much fun they had:
http://www.leedsmc.org/fileadmin/gallery/2006_05_Llanberis/2006_05_Llanberi...
(On the obvious slab, top left.)
We could hear them shouting to each other as we walked off.(I backed off the first pitch as it started tipping down.)
In reply to matt pigden:
I had a thread a while ago that was about some routes that are actually better in the wet - some interesting suggestions on it.
My favourite - the Chasm.
John
I had a thread a while ago that was about some routes that are actually better in the wet - some interesting suggestions on it.
My favourite - the Chasm.
John
In reply to matt pigden:
Well I had a great time this weekend. A soggy grade 2 scramble on the East face ot Tryfan on saturday; a high proportion of which was waterfall. On Sunday we did a diff on Gribin Facet.
I suppose it depends whether you like adventure or not. Easy climbs in wet weather are not boring.
Well I had a great time this weekend. A soggy grade 2 scramble on the East face ot Tryfan on saturday; a high proportion of which was waterfall. On Sunday we did a diff on Gribin Facet.
I suppose it depends whether you like adventure or not. Easy climbs in wet weather are not boring.
In reply to Oli:
Oh good grief. At least he got something done.
My experiences:
First pitch of Flying Buttress; couldn't continue the route as the rain had soaked my partner's rollies and he point-blank refused to continue.
Lockwood's Chimney is a good one - once you're deep in the cave pitch there could be an asteroid strike outside, it won't affect you.
> Increasing erosion and polish, whilst making the holds dirty?
Oh good grief. At least he got something done.
My experiences:
First pitch of Flying Buttress; couldn't continue the route as the rain had soaked my partner's rollies and he point-blank refused to continue.
Lockwood's Chimney is a good one - once you're deep in the cave pitch there could be an asteroid strike outside, it won't affect you.
In reply to matt pigden:
Also, when I was quite young (8-9ish) I was climbing, with great folk from the London Hospital Climbing Club, up some route, which felt quite long, in North Wales called the Devil's something or other, and a full scale electrical storm kicked off with a torential downpour. I remember we were near the top when we saw a lightning bolt go over our heads and hit something on the mountain top, but rather close to us. I remember abseilling (for the first time ever) through a waterfall coming down the route going in my cagool neck and oot my arms, and down my pants.
Sadly, later on in the campsite / bunkhouse we found out some climber, who had topped out and was somewehre up above us got hit by lightning and was killed. Don't know if it was the bolt I saw. Does anyone know where on earth I might be talking about??!
Also, when I was quite young (8-9ish) I was climbing, with great folk from the London Hospital Climbing Club, up some route, which felt quite long, in North Wales called the Devil's something or other, and a full scale electrical storm kicked off with a torential downpour. I remember we were near the top when we saw a lightning bolt go over our heads and hit something on the mountain top, but rather close to us. I remember abseilling (for the first time ever) through a waterfall coming down the route going in my cagool neck and oot my arms, and down my pants.
Sadly, later on in the campsite / bunkhouse we found out some climber, who had topped out and was somewehre up above us got hit by lightning and was killed. Don't know if it was the bolt I saw. Does anyone know where on earth I might be talking about??!
In reply to Jimbo:
Devil's Staircase?
Devil's Staircase?
In reply to matt pigden:
A couple of good E1s that are not much harder in the rain:
Black Streak (Diabaig)
West Flank Route (Arran)
A couple of good E1s that are not much harder in the rain:
Black Streak (Diabaig)
West Flank Route (Arran)
In reply to matt pigden:
A couple of times I've done a big Diff/scramble called Caniffion arete near Tryffan (total guess at spellings) in horrible storm conditions, I've still no idea what the route looks like but it's always fun!
Also Tennis Shoe in total downpour is cool, the way the water 'boils' off the little edges and down your sleeves on the upper slabs is particularly pleasing. Well, it is now that I'm warm and dry.
Flying butress on Stanage is also good with a couple of inches of snow on it. Best done in trainers or boots.
A couple of times I've done a big Diff/scramble called Caniffion arete near Tryffan (total guess at spellings) in horrible storm conditions, I've still no idea what the route looks like but it's always fun!
Also Tennis Shoe in total downpour is cool, the way the water 'boils' off the little edges and down your sleeves on the upper slabs is particularly pleasing. Well, it is now that I'm warm and dry.
Flying butress on Stanage is also good with a couple of inches of snow on it. Best done in trainers or boots.
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