UKC

What was the route, how unusually big was the cam? Did you know you'd need it, or carry it up just in case?

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Had a go at Cave Crack without the big cam, but climbed down when I realised that I wouldn't be able to get any decent gear in without it.

Friend decided to have a go, fell off the crux and stopped upside down with his hair brushing the ground. A passer by was so appalled he lent us a big cam.

Friend didn't fancy another go, so I led it with the borrowed cam.

In reply to KeithAlexander: size 6 camelot on mercury, i consider myself reasonable on cracks but not that big... we used 5 ropes as well

In reply to KeithAlexander: Dark Continent is one of my favourite routes and requires a big cam - the big blue/grey camalot I think. Very popular route, everyone knows you need a big cam and it probably says so in the guidebook.

I usually carry one up on Kinder too. Otherwise, I don't bother, e.g. on mountain rhyolite, limestone etc.

In reply to KeithAlexander:
The best route I ever did - Self Control in Val di Mello - required "medium to large cams" according to the guidebook. I thought we'd be ok with a Friend 3.5 - wrong ! Could have done with a 5 or 6, but after a 2 hour approach it was just a case of get on with it, so I ran it out and just ignored the fact I could deck out. And that was just the first pitch, a mere warm up to the really bold stuff higher up, so probably quite a good way of getting used to the notion that you couldn't afford to fall off.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Elder crack, never mind poking a wire in the back, just use a big cam at the knee bar, perfect.....

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Carried a Friend 4 (well, actually I didn't carry it up most of the route) up Shibboleth to use in the crack springing from the lip of the cave on the True Finish - fitted a treat, and calmed me down nicely!

Chris

In reply to KeithAlexander: "Wide Thing" on the Cobbler takes a Camalot 4 and is "comfortable fisting" for someone with "workies hands". Is one of the few mid extremes up there that can be done ground-up at their given grade (lots of 3* classics there need abseil cleaned or inspected to find their hidden gear etc!) yet for some mysterious reason doesn't seem to get done too often...some people clearly don't appreciate a good fisting!
In reply to Chris the tall: Yon route in Mello gets at least E4 just for finding your way down in the dark; we only escaped (without headtorches) by blindly Tarzaning down some saplings to easier ground.

In reply to alasdair19:
Which Mercury? The SW seacliff version? If so that one's on my wishlist, thanks for the beta!

Took a load of big cams for a Wimberry crack climb session during the summer, but even big bertha didn't fit in Squirmer's Chimney!

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Zodiac required a few above peanut ledge.

If you think BD size four is "unusually big" then original route on the old an of hoy is there too.

Great White Book is a great example of an awesome easy route that needs a large cam. the ice box effect is extreme too.

In reply to KeithAlexander: "The Ape" at Kalle Beach, Lofoten is a very amusing way to spend a lazy afternoon if you a) can jam, b) have a decent selection of cams of about Friend 4 or larger, and c) have a bunch of friends who can't jam who you can watch whine and fail.

It gets the intimidating Norwegian of 6+ IIRC but is actually a bit like a Yorkshire grit HS.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

I don't know if this qualifies as unusually big, but I normally only carry cams up to size 3.5 so whenever I take the size 4 out it's a bit unusual?

I carry it on grit and have found it invaluable on numerous occasions (basically anywhere I can get an fist jam). I don't own a size 5 and 6, but plan on borrowing them for an attempt on Ramshaw crack.

In reply to KeithAlexander: My mate has a huge cam. It would seem that if he takes it, it gets used regardless of need.

In reply to KeithAlexander: A mate got a helmet cam in on TRex ....I think it was a medium wild country.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Elder Crack, Number No6 WC Friend, knew I'd need it and I did, it held!

In reply to Oceanic: Which Cave Crack are you on about? There are about 20 in the UKC logbook! Roaches Skyline?

In reply to chrisprescott: the skyline cave crack doesn't need one.
Probably ramshaw crack or dangerous crocodile snogging,a coincidence they both at ramshaw.I knew I needed them.had tie down an extra large sling on the latter.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Second pitch of the S ridge of Rhinog Fach. I didn't have one, but I knew I needed one.

In reply to davidbeynon:

Or "wanted" I should say. Gear is for the weak after all

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Forged #4 on many routes. Best route maybe Bats Gash on Beinn Lair, although for pure comedy value the one placed on Bottleneck Chimney wins hands down.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Great White Book in Tuolome. I remember thinking if I had a Camalot 6 i'd have placed it 5 times by now.

I didn't have one, or anything close, so just kept running it out. Bolts at about 50m were my first bit of gear!!

In reply to alasdair19:

I thought that a size 4 Camalot would be OK for Mercury but I was wrong ! (well, it was better than nothing, but a bigger cam or two would have been welcome !)

The Mercury Connection traverse approach is good and you don't need quite so much rope !

In reply to KeithAlexander:

I still think my Camalot 3,5 is big, don't know if it is what you guys would define as an unusually big cam, but will always bring it, just in case, and of course always end up placing it somewhere, just to justify carrying it all the way, so it's one of my most used cams

In reply to KeithAlexander: echo wall ive heard is pretty good and it uses a massive cam

In reply to KeithAlexander: but i have to admit ive never done it/never will and so i will never need that cam

In reply to KeithAlexander: Energy Crisis at Wolfberg Cracks (the one Joe Simpson and Ed February do). Caried the cam halfway round the world and in luggage for a month for that one placement. I think the leader was grateful for it.

In reply to French Erick:

Ah yes. Did that this summer with 1 cam 5 and nothing larger. Interesting... Our Italian improved rapidly after that.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

The biggest I have is a Camalot 4.5 - it was just about tipped out on the Stovelegs.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

Frogland at Red Rocks.

I wasn't sure why we took a Friend No. 6, maybe because we had carted it across the Atlantic, it had to go on every climb.

Anyway, somewhere near the top, there was this big offwidth, and I was very pleased indeed that I had that No. 6 on my harness. Fitted perfectly.

Unfortunately, my second couldn't get it out, and was tiring fast, as you would in a long offwidth, so he said bugger it, and left it behind.

I was appalled. Even though it actually belonged to him, I was sure not going to leave it, so I abbed back down and retrieved it using my fiendish technique of clipping the trigger bar with an aider, and jumping on it. Came out a treat.

In reply to KeithAlexander:

You haven't placed big gear until you have used the Castle MCs size 25 hex!

In reply to KeithAlexander:
Just to agree with fellow posters about Mercury on Carn Gowla - the friend 4 advocated by my old outdated guide is not really big enough. Fortunately I had a Carvex Hex 11 which saved the day. I guess a Friend 5 or 6 would be perfect.
re. Elder Crack -- I am rather proud I did it with no beta and fiddled wires in at the back of the crack instead of the monster friend approach.

In reply to Kafoozalem:
Oh -- Winking Crack Gogarth is another lover of big friends.

I am deliberately not buying one -- otherwise I would have no excuse for avoiding all those gnarly offwidth testpieces.

In reply to seaofdreams:

Great White Book is about VS 4a in UK terms even with big cams...one man's easy is another man's limit. Stonking route though.

In reply to Offwidth:

HVS 4a without big cams. Terrifying.

In reply to KeithAlexander: the rostrum, yosemite.
the last pitch goes from No.4 camalot to a No 6 at the top.
There are also 2 Nos 5's that have walked all the way to the back of the crack, along with slings and sticks from failed rescue attempts.