UKC

What it saya on the tin....

The CC guide is out of print (won't be available until late August)and I am trying to settle an argument (I think the hardest tech grade on the route is 4a - my friend thinks it's 4b)

Sad i know but it's driving me mad....

Thanks

In reply to nomisb: Can't think of anything 4b'ish on Grooved Arete or 4a for that matter. Yellow Slab on First Pinnacle Rib might be 4b.

Cheers,
Bob

In reply to nomisb:

At HVDiff it falls below the normal cut-off for tech grades. If you had to give one it would be in the 3a-3c range.

Chris

In reply to nomisb: I was of the opinion it was hard for 4a, but not quite 4b, maybe 4a+? You almost have to think about what you're doing on the move so it must be relatively tricky.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

I'd agree. There is nothing remotely 4 ish about any of the moves on Grooved Arete. I also agree with the other poster who said Yellow Slab on 1st Pinnacle Rib is 4b (it's given that in the Guide Book) - the only Diff I can think of with such a high technical grading in it.

In reply to nomisb:

The old guide does not have a technical grade in it for any pitches.

Tennis shoe, hard severe gets 3c for first pitch and 4a for last pitch, so possibly 3b for the hardest bit of GA.

In reply to nomisb:
moreish, but not four-ish.

In reply to nomisb:

The crux of Grooved Arete is managing to find the start of the bloody thing!... I walked up and down the Heather Terrace until I wore my legs to stumps. It was wet and the GA scratched on the rock at the base of the route was less than distinct.

In reply to Clauso:

Just look for the queue...

In reply to Robert Dickson:

Funnily enough, there was a distinct absence of queues on the cold, late September afternoon when I pitched up to climb it. The rain, mist and high winds made it all a bit of an adventure. I don't know where the rest of the punters had got to but I managed it all perfectly well in my wetsuit.

In reply to Clauso:

If you did it from the GA you did the wrong start. The GA was on the next buttress down 30 years ago, Marie was the guidebook reader.

In reply to nomisb: There is a section of climbing in the groove which can be a little tricky due to the pollish. It's probably avoidable by climbing the arete though.

In reply to andi_e:

4a+?

Please!

In reply to Trangia: Low Man Easy Way at Almscliff certainly used to get Diff 4b as well.

Agreed with most, it isn't into the 4's.

Ben

In reply to BenTiffin:

Yeah but thats just the Yorkshire sense of humour isn't it?

In reply to nomisb:

It gets VD in Ogwen and Carneddau with two variations on pitch 6, VS if you climb the arete or Sev for a direct route from Haven pitch 6 and 7.

In reply to andi_e:

So you don't think about what you're doing on easy moves?

In reply to nomisb:

I backed off in the rain last year, I reckon under those conditions it was easily 5b on the smooth open corner.

In reply to nomisb:
Surely at that level (mine!) tech grades are not valid or needed. many V Diffs have evil single moves, especially the more traditional one but 1 move doesn't grade a route.

In reply to mattsccm:

Actually, for tech grades on British trad climbs, that's exactly what it does!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=tech+grade+hardest+single+move

In reply to mattsccm:

You will come unstuck if you meet a S 4c (Crack and Corner - Roaches) or HVD 4a (Quite common) if you are expecting easy 3b/3c climbing all the way.

In reply to nomisb: It doesnt deserve a technical grade, it isn't hard enough!

Done it twice and the pitch below the Knights Move I found a bit tricky where you move from one rib to the other but wouldn't give it a tech grade. If you're trying to compare a pitch from GA with an outcrop route there's a world of difference.

In reply to Clauso:

If you walked up and down the heather terrace, did you not notice that you had already climbed half the route?

In reply to nomisb:

Supposedly the hardest pitch is the knights move (it isnt btw, its the corner and arete before it), well its honestly a walk. I actually have a photo of the guy I was climbing it with, reading a guidebook on the "crux" footholds facing backwards on the lead. Its a great route don't get me wrong, but its the kind of climb you could easily introduce people to climbing with imo.

In reply to PDL:

One of the Lliwedd VDiffs (might be Longland's Continuation) has a 4b/c pitch, and more than one person has told me that Horned Crag has a 4b section.

In reply to Toreador:
Absolutly!
I did First Pinnacle Rib on Tryfan yesterday and the last pitch (although escapable to the right) Thompson's Chimney is nails for a VDiff route! Felt Severe 4b ish but may have just been me! Hard move to get into the chimney and an even harder one to get into the groove above. All well protected though but for a VDiff leader it could well come as a shock!

In reply to blanchie14c:

Thompson's chimney is listed as a separate route in the Ogwen guid (at HS 4b I think). Some guides suggest it as the avoidable finish to FPR. I remember it came as a big surprise to me when I did FPR as my first multi-pitch outing, looking for an easy Diff. I backed off the chimney and let my partner lead it.
The Yellow Slab was also harder than I expected on that route, but as it's not as strenuous, it gives the new leader some time to work thinks out and place the delicate gear carefully.

In reply to nomisb:

You can give it technical grades on the same scale as SE Sandstone (which starts at 1A!). I would agree with Sutty that the hardest part of GA is about 3b - the groove above the Knight's Move (which would be about 2a at Harrisons!).

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Thing is I can't remember doing the knights slab ( I think) we went straight up.....

I don't remember anything being too difficult just a wonderful sense of exposure from time to time..

And in answer as to why I thought it may have a tech grade I come from the southeast where we will grade ANYTHING.....

In reply to petestack:

No

In reply to jonnie3430:

I presume you mean the first pitch after the mid-height ledge i.e. before the Haven?

I've led that pitch in the pissing cold November rain, and don't recall it being remotely as hard as 5b. It elevates it to VSish perhaps.

Mind you we also had to back off that day shortly after that pitch, as it was getting dark and we didn't have torches. Good job too because a week later a mate of mine was walking down the North Ridge in the dark, fell and shattered his ankle and his cheek bone. With no phone he flashed for help and luckily a passing car saw him and alerted the mountain rescue. Scary though, made me pause to think.

In reply to nomisb: FWIW no tech grades in any guidebook in the last 20+ years.

North Wales (100 Classic Climbs) 1988 - VD+ (i.e. Hard Very Difficult)
Rock Climbing in Snowdonia 1990 - Hard Very Difficult
CC Ogwen 1993 - Very Difficult
North Wales Rock 2006 - Hard Very Difficult