UKC

Dargai Crack...

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 simondgee 15 Mar 2020

I  went on a wander in the wet this weekend looking for some of the old timer stuff (Puttrell) and was trying to locate Dargai crack (VS 4b) in Cavedale...I think i found it but i was doing it blind (no guide).
There are only 4 logged ascents of which 3 were in the last millenium...
Does anybody know where it is? The best stab i got was groove crack on the right and on a buttress by the path after about 5 mins walk at its top a tree and a bunch of Ivy. 

Any clues of old guide book info as to how to find it?

Post edited at 20:26
 Iain Thow 16 Mar 2020
In reply to simondgee:

Sounds like you found it. It's at 149 823, on the RH side of the narrows (looking up). Wide crack with bridging to start, then steeper to the substantial tree. Pretty much everything above the tree is overgrown with ivy. It's the most prominent crack on that section of cliff. 

The 1987 guidebook isn't much help, just says "Charge up the crack passing a tree" but it's pretty obvious when you get there. Looks like nobody's been up it in quite a while, although climbing it to the tree and abbing off would still be eminently feasible.

As for the other two Puttrell routes in Cave Dale, Puttrell's Crack is just right of the overhang on the right just after the second narrows. It's fine to the niche and tree, I bottled the top soloing but it looks ok (just felt I wanted a runner), but Puttrell's Arete to its right looks pretty loose and nasty, although nominally the same grade.

OP simondgee 16 Mar 2020
In reply to Iain Thow:

Thanks Iain !

 Phil Kelly 17 Mar 2020
In reply to simondgee:

There's a scan of a newspaper cutting on the RockArchivist page on Facebook, featuring no other than James W Puttrell climbing it.

 johncook 17 Mar 2020
In reply to simondgee:

Sounds as though you got it right. Plenty of rain, with a little sleet, bendy boots and slick waterproofs have always been the best for a realistic traditional style ascent!


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