UKC

Anyone done it? Of course they have, stupid question. I'm considering having a go. On paper it might spit me off (onsight) but it looks and sounds pretty safe from talking to a couple of mates who've been on and off it.

Basically just wondering how folk found it. It's miles above my normal comfort grade. Go on... back up my 'it's dead easy' sandbagging slab-fiend of a mate and I might just have a go

jk

In reply to jkarran:

What's Aly said it is? E2 5a or something?!
I haven't done it, but want to get on it too. I'd heard that it was generally considered soft and not that much harder than Wings.

In reply to Oli:


"its really easy, font 4 at most" probably rapidly followed by my favorite "I can't hang off one arm"

In reply to Oli:


LOL! Good guess

Basically what you've heard: "it's soft, not much harder than wings and if your belayer dives for the bushes you stay on the slab from the top move".

jk

In reply to petellis:

So true...

In reply to jkarran:

With or without the gear out right?

If you can get round the roof and into the groove, then you won't faff up the top bit. You know its a bit of a streeeeetch to the top?

E2 5a is a bit harsh, maybe E3 5b on the Aly scale?

In reply to jkarran:

The top move is fairly height dependent. And if you muff it you could deck (though with an attentive belayer you might be OK). It isn't given E5 for nothing.

In reply to jkarran: i wouldnt particularly want to fall of the top moves, and as someone has already said there a bit stretchy! definately harder than wings.

In reply to jkarran:

Technically I'd say its easier than wings, though more sustained and a bolder last move. There is gear for the start and in the pockets on the slab (good bit lower than the wings pockets though). If its your style of climbing then have a go.

You'd need a proper good belayer to fall from the last move and not deck. They'd have to be pretty fast and heavier than you as well.
I thought the climbing was easy for the grade.

In reply to jkarran:

Funny, i had very similar thoughts about it. I dont know what scares me about it but it looks very easy to onsight so what it is that scares me i dont know.

In reply to jkarran:

I'm surprised people are suggesting you'd deck, gear looks half height ish and your waist would be 1 1/2m below the top if you fluffed it surely. Are you saying the gear is bad or too low, it doesn't look to be either?

jk

In reply to ally smith:


Probably with the lower left gear unless the right is within easy reach. Whatever works really.


Yeah, I had a look down to check out the holds mistakenly thinking it was the line of 'Wings'... it looked like a bit of a reach!

jk

In reply to jkarran: Hiya,
The gear on the right is 'on route' so placing it is no problem unless you'd rather quest straight up the arete. It's similar pockets to the Wings one - i.e. placements don't get much better. You'll be fine!

In reply to Dan Arkle: Have to disagree with this. I've fallen off the top move of Nature Trail (oops!) and belayed someone falling of the last move of TOTC. Neither of us dropped below the lip of the slab which makes for a clean fall, ending up probably 3m off the ground.
Your worst case senario (belayer on the phone to their girlfriend or eating a sandwich or something) would be dropping below the lip and grazing your shins etc. Hitting the ground should not be an issue.
cheers.

In reply to Aly:


I tend to agree, just wanted a more, erm, balanced opinion

See you at the weekend maybe (assuming I feel brave and get out of here in one piece, the roads are bonkers, it's like Russian roulete).

jk

In reply to jkarran: TOTC is probably the easiest E5 that I've climbed on grit but I think that it still warrants the grade (just). The gear is good and you can stop and rest to place it and you can also pause higher up on the arete. The last move will definitely focus your attention if you try it onsight, though it is not especially hard for 6a. You probably won't deck out if you fall from up there but given that it is a bit dynamic, you will have to have a bit of slack in the system, so you'll need an attentive belayer to make sure that you stay off the floor.

I would definitely recommend trying to onsight this, rather than top roping it first. If you're not ready for it at this stage, then I would save it for a good day.

By way of comparison I climbed both this and Elergy on the same day and I thought that they were almost worth same grade, though I was probably more physched for TOTC and the Elergy slab was a bit damp and gritty.

In reply to jkarran: Cool, sound good. When do you come home?

In reply to Nige M: I've selected this as my rehabilitation route; following the reconstruction of my shoulder the one that I should do pretty promptly to satisfy myself that I can still climb.

I haven't been on it but all that people have said above makes me think that it is a reasonable choice.

Tom if you are reading this, don't think that I have forgotten.

In reply to Nige M:

It shows how things have gone in British climbing that it can even enter someone's head to top rope TOTC before a lead.

The Ent

In reply to Aly:

Back Thursday am, heading vaguely towards Brum all being well. I only have my clown shoes with me though.
jk

In reply to Enty:

... but then then there has always been a proportion of the climbing community that has chosen to top rope routes. I'm not convinced that the incidence of top roping is any greater now than it was 25 years ago. Afterall, the Woodward brothers top roped most of their routes before they led them, including TOTC and (famously) Wings.

In reply to Enty:

...now, now Craig..............I'm sure you know top roping has been around years......and I suspect TOTC was Tr'd before lead.

Anyway, there's no TR reference in the thread I can see.

In reply to richard kirby:


Only someone suggesting it's onsightable* and that it'd be a shame to toprope it first.

*presumably implying it's safe ish, soft ish and quite readable

jk

In reply to jkarran:
F'in have it James. Sounds liek a quality route. Wings looks ace too. I have some footage of Al dynoing the finish which is quite cool.
Good luck buddy!
p.s. did this proposal come about in beer chat at the weekend by any chance? ( ;

In reply to Aly:

ok, I'll accept that and eat my words. I toproped it before soloing and obviously didn't look at the distances carefully enough. My apologies to the OP - go for it!

In reply to Nige M:
Not sure the Woodwards had chalk and sticky rubber