UKC

Ended up having to back off Valerie's Rib (HS 4b) after struggling to commit to moves above the belay on the nose. Anyone who knows the line a bit better might be able to clear it up for the next try.

Did the opening traverse out to the ledge on the nose where I belayed. Then moved up and slightly right, going past two sheared pegs on my left (sounds like these were the original protection for Valor) and up into a corner, below a short slab.

Was able to get 3 small nuts in somewhere down near my feet, but couldn't find any move that would get me up onto the slab above. Couldn't find holds up there, and the only positive hold below had you leaning out as you got stood up.

Traversing right would have put us on Valor (E2 5c), and going left into the slabby groove would have put us onto Valerie's Rib Direct (S) (these are distinct lines according to CC descriptions). 

The whole thing felt quite a lot more serious (and technical) than comparable routes around.

UKC logs rates these routes as:
- Creagh Dhu Wall (HS 4b) = High HS, High 4b
- Christmas Curry / Micah Eliminate (HS 4b) = High HS, Mid 4b
- Valerie's Rib (HS 4b) = High HS, Low 4b

I've lead all pitches of the other routes and found them steady going, so I can only assume we were off route, or badly misreading the sequence, or was I just having a bad day?

Once on the rib it is 'balancy' or delicate on the smaller holders, but never steep.  

I remember it feeling more committing than the grade suggested.

I think I went up into a vague flake crack and arranged some iffy small nuts. then up and left teetering onto the slab with no decent/ good gear until nearing the end of the slab.

It's been many years since I climbed it. However, I do remember the guidebook at the time (1980's) did mention it was poorly protected.

Had a very similar experience on my first day climbing 'on my own' in 1982, albeit varied by eventually getting up, my useless and very heavy second failing to follow and learning to abseil via some shouted instruction from a climber on another route.

It's a wonder any student climbers at all survive to adulthood, looking back on it.

jcm

For a long time HS was my bogey grade.  Even when I thought I had VS mostly cracked, an HS would come along and give me a right battle.  In retrospect I think I got succoured by VS 4bs like Inverted V which were never really VS.

I can't remember whether I've climbed Valerie's Rib but I remember getting a rude awakening on the flake traverse of Craig Dhu wall as my first post lock down climb last year.

I climbed this about 30 years ago and still remember it as a frightening experience.

On a different question, who was the eponymous Valerie? Does anyone know?

jcm

Wasn't Brown's wife called Valerie? Don't know if he did the first ascent though.

Of his missus or the climb?

It was first climbed by Scottish climber John Cunningham in 1951.

Aha - no doubt moonlighting from their work on Creagh Dhu Wall.

jcm

Climbed on the same day

MVS innit?

I seem to remember little/no gear (a very long time ago!) and not at all obvious where best to go. What matters is that you made the right decision. That's what it's all about.

You may go back some time and wander up it...

But, on the day, you made the right decision. That's what it's all about.

Mick

Same as others - for me it seemed to wander boldly up the slabby rib, maybe there is an easy and logical way to do it?

It's probably 20 years since I was on it but I recall it feeling uncomfortable with iffy gear and that'd be in spite of my youthful immortality. Couldn't tell you exactly which way we went though.

jk

Like some of those above I wasn't at all sure I went the right way up the rib. It's a while ago but a rather wild swing left into a groove using a sidepull that seemed more 5a than 4b is seared into my memory. I just assumed I was off route. Felt a harder and more serious route than several of the VSs we did the same weekend (The Brothers and Shadrach, for instance).