In reply to stone:
Having had chapter verse on the seepage situation from Neil Foster at the crag earlier this week, plus having had a go at Body Machine last night and spending c.20 mins trying to clip the first bolt (20ft up with wet feet), it does seem to me that some sort of 'solution' - other than simply waiting for it to dry out - would be good.
From what Neil said its possible that the significant change in seepage over the past 10 yrs has perhaps been caused by some sort of change in farming activities or field drainage at the Farm above the crag (other side of the road); I'd agree that it'd be worth asking a friendly climber/hydrologist to make an assessment and give a view on this; actually being able to do anything about the problem would I suspect be a whole different matter however.
As to the 'problem' we now have of the first 25ft there would seem to be several immediate options:
1. Do nothing. i.e. live with whats we've got and people make do with it. Usual sort of clip stick action if necessary, then a choice of aiding up to the old 'take-off' point from the tree or climbing the start section if its sufficiently dry.
2. Ladder idea. Stashing a long ladder somewhere nearby would be an easy thing to do and wouldn't have any impact on the crag.
3. Extra bolts / bolt ladder. Doesn't seem too good an idea to me. Could spoil the existing direct starts (which I'm told are good when/if dry). Wouldn't overcome the problem of getting your boots covered in gunge.
4. Plant a new tree. Impossible - the old one was pretty much growing out of bedrock.
5. Other realistic ideas. Are there any? Suspending some sort of caving ladder from the 3rd or 4th bolt? Some other sort of wooden structure rested up against the crag? Or how about dragging the cut tree back up to the crag and somehow wedging it in position / leaning it against the rock?
I suggest we leave it to the people who are really concerned about Raven Tor and who climb there regularly to work out what's best. As a fairly infrequent visitor - I for one feel the character of the routes have been quite badly affected by demise of the tree. The left hand direct start is definitely unclimbably wet and I find it hard to see how the right hand way can be done keeping your feet dry. That said there is chalk on it so I could well be wrong.
Anyway - the BMC is prepared to help out with this in some way if that's what people want.
Dave