UKC

I think we climbed this yesterday although I am not entirely convinced. The turf was well frozen although mainly buried under powder snow and the crag was still completely white above the bottom.

We started about 8 m below the start of oblique chimney at a large corner to the right side of the pillar as you look up at it. It gave fairly well protected mixed climbing with good hooks lower down, with less gear and sketchier moves higher up. Felt about IV 6 but it is only the second time I have been out this winter. Will upload photos and if anyone can advise as to what route it was I would appreciate it.

Plenty of teams on Pinnacle ridge which was good turf underneath lots of powder snow.

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:
Image here

http://img.ukclimbing.com/i/103321.jpg

This is the corner to the right of the pillar.

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:

Gday are you the guy I sketched past whilst I was leading the last pitch of pinnacle ridge. Thanks for letting me clip your belay on the way past. Well done for leading that corner it looked hellish from above.

In reply to Diggler:
Yes indeed. Not a problem! Was pretty knackered after leading that pitch, good climbing though. What a cracking day.

The description of Oblique reference suggests climbing a groove up the left side of the pillar to join Pinnacle ridge. Did you see anything that looked like it could be the line as you climbed past?

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:
We climbed this route later in the afternoon, after you I guess. We also thought it was the line of Oblique Reference though its not totally obvious from the guide. The gear seemed good but it was quite a sustained pitch. Thought it worthy of maybe a couple of stars although it is really only a variation start(?) to Pinnacle Ridge. Some of the rock in the lower crack (where you are in the photo - forming the good hooks/foot placements) was loose.

In reply to NickJH:
Cool. Thanks for the reply. What grade did you think it was? Think I will email the guidebook editor to try and clarify what we climbed. Somebody must have climbed it before, but if it isn't recorded and it may be worth two stars even if it is a variation start...

NMM

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:
Hey NMM, it must have been you and your two mates I chatted to on GG summit at about 3pm? I'm sure Oblique something was mentioned. I was the chap who'd been thrashing up thigh-deep persil on Green Gable and the terrain right of Windy Ridge. What a day, best winter day out for many a yonk! I still have a wiggle in my stride...

In reply to Northern Mountain Monkey:
Pretty sure that this is the line of Oblique Reference - certainly a very obvious feature that will have been climbed before. In terms of grading - I'm not too sure as I only seconded the main pitch - but we both felt it a little tricky and sustained for a IV 4 - maybe IV 5??