UKC

The forecast (so far) is looking promising for next weekend. Would love a go at Central Buttress before it gets too cold. Does anyone have any idea how long it ideally needs to dry to be in decent nick?
Thanks

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:

Always worth a punt. Good to be on Scafell in any conditions.

Even with a good forecast I would guess a reasonable wind will be necessary for a hope of being dry enough.

Put your chances at 50/50.

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:
There's been rain everyday in the Lakes for as long back as I can remember and currently lashing down. Yesterday Scafell crag was awash with waterfalls and it's already hat & gloves weather up there. Easier routes where moving quick on wet rock is possible are worth considering instead. Pikes crag, Napes on Gable, etc

Mickledore this week: https://www.facebook.com/ScafellPikeAscents/?hc_ref=ARSYArjXs14Kbhn2XGlshX7...

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:

Think you need to be realistic about the weather. It is September, the power of the sun has gone, we are near the autumn equinox. It is cold, wet, very wet, very windy and all the high crags are soaked, slimy, sunless and unwelcoming. It has been wet and showery for quite a long period. August apart from the last week or so was heading to being one of the coolest ever in the Lakes. As was suggested, your only hope would be for a long dry warm autumnal spell (no sign yet) and it will still even then be cool on Scafell, but Pikes Crag and The Napes by virtue of their sunny disposition can be OK at short notice if the weather picks up.
The sun controls everything.
Tophet wall gets sun 10-2pm even on midwinters day.
DC

In reply to Rick Graham:

Very rarely worth a punt.

Good to be on Scafell in any conditions, as long as you like hillwalking in the rain. For rock climbing, go when it's in condition and you'll have a day's climbing you'll remember forever.

Looking at the forecast, i give the he chances 2%. It takes several days of hot sun to come into condition and that ain't on the cards.

In reply to MusicalMountaineer:



About 9 weeks, as long as it doesn't rain in between

In reply to Goucho:

Two types of "wetness" predominantly affect climbing on Lakes mountain crags.

Seepage from ground water and rain wetting.

The latter can disappear in a few minutes/hours on some crags especially if the holds are clean and lichen free.

The former will not affect the crux on the front face of the flake of CB.

Depends if you are a half glass full or empty type of person.

I still think a determined climber has a 50/50 chance on CB if we get a couple of clear breezy days but might need a grade in hand as well.

In reply to Rick Graham:
My tongue was somewhat in my cheek, Rick

In reply to Rick Graham:

I can sort of see your approach, but if conditions are shit (clag, dampness, seepage, windy, cold) which is nearly all the time on Scafell, why the hell would you drive all the way round there and slog 90mins up the hill when you could go somewhere which is warm and dry and nearer? It's an amazing crag, but is climbing it shit condition good? Each to their own I suppose.

In reply to Dave Cumberland:

Tophet Wall in winter! ROFL as they say. I went on what was promised to be a beautiful summer's day this July. We got to Kern Knotts, which was a bit damp but climbable, although there was a breeze and my partner said she was too cold to belay. We went up the scree to Tophet Wall and it was baltic. We'd gone up there in the first place to do The Vikings, and after umming and ahhing for a bit, I said, "yeah, it's freezing but we've walked for miles up here and it's not raining, this is the one opportunity to do the route, I think you should get on it." She did, and a fine effort it was too - unlike me, she loves that kind of climbing. Obviously by the time she'd belayed I was on the cusp of hyperthermia and the mist was rolling up the fellside, swirling around the crag, making it tremendously atmospheric, and also rather damp. Seconding the route was an absolute nightmare. Wet, and filthy, and my whole body had gone numb.

And this was "a nice summers day" in July. Tophet wall in winter...

Mountain crags: either go in a heatwave, or have a shit time.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

For god sake Stewart man up

In reply to John Kelly:
I'll accept your insult more gracefully when it's *you* I'm following up the The Vikings in the clag. Fancy it tomorrow?

In reply to Jon Stewart:
I think you are confirming what I have just written an article about - that in the past 30-40 years, it has got colder in the Summer - that is my perception anyway as I wander around and climb here and there, and sniff the air.
We are headed in the wrong direction from the glory days of climbing in shorts, T-shirts, bareback an' all.
The photos prove it!
I do hope it changes, otherwise 20-25 years of cool wet Summers are going to continue wiping out our routes and our crags.
They are deserted enough as it is.
Nevertheless, you can still do Tophet wall in the sun on January 1st and many other dry routes too, but maybe just not Sept. 2017!.
DC

In reply to Jon Stewart:
You make a good point, Vikings out of my league I'm afraid, sorry Jon

In reply to John Kelly:


You're not missing much, it's a bloody 'orrible route (unless you're an offwidth pervert).

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Vikings on a cold, windy damp day - impressive stuff Jon. I wouldn't fancy those moves into the niche on the second pitch under those conditions.

I reckon it's absolute top end E3, borderline E4, even on a warm sunny day.

In reply to Goucho:


Wasn't me that did it!

In reply to Jon Stewart:
Off width - I think we may have reached a point of agreement

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