UKC

Hi all. I am just wondering why Wellington Crack (E4 5c) is E4. Is it because the gear is bad at the start or because there are 91 million 5C moves on the route? 

I've not done it, but it looks pretty damn steep, so possibly E is for effort in this case.

The gear is perfect but the climbing is super-sustained, strenuous finger jamming and laybacking, so placing the gear isn't that easy. It is the classic conundrum - hang on and place gear, and risk pumping out, or press on and panic!

Chris

The Rockfax route description on the link you included in your post seems to answer your question pretty well:

"The crack is relentless, but the gear is good throughout, stopping to place it is the only problem."

One of those routes you either cruise up wondering what the fuss is, or get spat off in disgrace after a desperate struggle - no middle ground!

I think John Dunne once said that Tuffed Crack was harder! 

It is 5C, but a few moves at that grade, it is also steep so the decision is to hang around and make it well protected or run it out a bit and make it to the top without being pumped stupid.

Yes.

I dogged Wellington Crack having onsighted London Wall a few weeks before. London Wall has a big old rest halfway up.

On other occasion I drove a young lad to hospital after he fell off the start and broke his arm.

Wearing wellies?

Also, Tufted Crack (E1 5c), although you probably knew that.

One of my favourite climbing pics is of Dunney soloing Welly Crack in the Power of Climbing book, looks super casual. 

I certainly had no complaints about the grade back when I did it a few years ago. As others have said, it's pretty sustained, and in spite of it being a crack is a little tricky to protect at times. The start is particularly blind in that regard, as you've really got to pull in to place the gear.

All that said, I had a relatively easy ride on it compared to what I'd expected, but as another poster has said - it's definitely a route that can go one of two ways!! I think expecting something truly horrifying made the experience a little bit smoother, because it in no way matched up to the ordeal I'd expected

That's outrageous. I thought Wellington Crack was an absolute path compared to London Wall!! That said, I think a large part of this comes down to the size of your fingers, as everyone I know who's had an easy time on London Wall has a small set of fingers. It would suffice to say I don't and found it absolutely desperate!!

I like that turn of phrase. Like you're carrying them on a crab next to the offsets.

If I had a smaller set of fingers racked, I’d definitely have used them 😂

Only took 2mins for the big lad to solo it.

youtube.com/watch?v=3D0Mp0RrQRA&

(Skip to 3:00min)

Yes, I think finger size is fairly crucial on London Wall, particularly the initial crack. I placed a high wire from the ground (which is higher to the right) but then promptly kicked it out as I climbed past. So I reversed back to the ground to place it again. My fingers seemed to be optimum size.

Also, back in the day there were a couple of pegs in the traverse, which made the whole thing a bit more palatable.

Great climbing, awful camera angle and editing!

I think that depends on how slim your fingers are for Tufted crack.