UKC

Yikes! - E1 4b :$

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 Tom Last 14 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Presumably very loose, looking at the quality of the rock around there. Plus no gear maybe?

Is this the one you have to run through the Dawlish railway tunnel to get too, get the E1 tick for that alone I'd have thought!
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Anyone fancy doing this route for guidebook action shots?
 Tom Last 14 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Okay, looking at the map, it's clearly not at Dawlish!
 John_Hat 14 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Have done an E1 4b myself (not this one). Mine was 50m high, only bit of gear was a sling round a sapling at 20m off the ground, and it was so loose I was digging my way through the rock with a nutkey trying to find something securely attached enough to hold my weight.
In reply to John_Hat:

wow, what route was that?
 Tommyads 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:
Isnt there one on ben nevis?
 Blue Straggler 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

Some delights on the Nanpantan Slab
http://www.leicestershireclimbs.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view...

Makes Fairycave seem a pretty safe bet!
I have toproped "Second Coming", it's like a really long but easier Sunset Slab!
Here is a pointless and rubbish photo of it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-straggler/3795740884/in/photostream
 John_Hat 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

I think it was this one..

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=199309

It was certainly in that quarry.
 John_Hat 15 Jul 2012
In reply to John_Hat:

Update, it was that one, but its 40m rather than 50m high... but the sapling is at 10m rather than 20m - I blame poor memory.
 Steeve 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:
"this climb is in 3 logbooks, and on no wishlists"
EarDeaf 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:
> (In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King)
>
> http://www.robert-harvey.co.uk/photo_8611958.html

Mmm. Muddy!
 chris j 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King: Ian Parnell has some photos and an entertaining write-up of a visit to Ladram...

http://ianparnellphotography.blogspot.com/search/label/Ladram%20Bay
 Iain Peters 15 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:

No way is the Big Picket E1 4b, more like XS 5b. For a start the original second pitch (which had carved handholds and 6" nails) no longer exists: you now traverse L from a semi-hanging stance with two in-situ warthogs (mine) to a line of fragile mud leaves, which break off as you touch them, with spaced reinforcing rods as protection/aid. Our attempt a couple of years ago ended when it started to rain and the whole stack became a mud slide Oh yes the first pitch is ungradeable, not hard but the best bit of gear is a wild cabbage stalk.

That said it's a fun day out for sure. We shall return

PS. Also note that unless you are very fast you will be cut off by the tide making the traverse back to the beach extremely entertaining and very wet.
 David Barlow 16 Jul 2012
Your ropes leave very fine grooves in the "rock" too...
 nniff 16 Jul 2012
In reply to Iain Peters:

This sounds like a normal day out for a British winter climber in a standard British winter.

I was thinking 'But that is madness' and then recognised all the emotions. Substitute 'wild cabbage stalk' for 'melting icicle' and you have it all!

As Mark Twight said, "It doesn't have to be fun to be fun"
 gingerdave13 16 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King: having survived a HVS 4c i think i've an inkling..

i remember a 3mm cord through a rusty peg plus cam behind a dodgy flake, then a 5-10m run out at which point ripping a larger than fist sized chunk of rock out on a fairly dynamic move, which barely missed my belayer!

'interesting' doesn't quite come close......
 Dave Garnett 16 Jul 2012
In reply to gingerdave13:

You should graduate onto HVS 4b

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=97623

No problems with gear behind dodgy flakes on this! When I did it there was a bit a of ledge with a potential peg placement. I thought this was asking for trouble and I didn't use it. I'm pretty sure it isn't there any more (the ledge that is).
 gingerdave13 16 Jul 2012
In reply to Dave Garnett: why are there never any pics of these 'lovely' routes. (my excuse was having a resurgent film period)

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=61223
 Iain Peters 16 Jul 2012
In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King:
> (In reply to Formerly Known as Pylon King)
>
> Anyone fancy doing this route for guidebook action shots?

Don Sargeant's got a few from our attempt, which IIRC was on the day of the Lower Wye Valley guide launch. I remember turning up at the pub slightly damp and with a distinct odour of "Merde de Mouette" about my person.

I do think that there should be a list of "ungradeables". I've probably enjoyed over 70% of the SW routes of the genre. The thing is, one remembers them long after those immaculate pitches on perfect rock with good protection!


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