UKC

I know where I had my battle, but I'm curious what the view is on the "proper" technical crux of this, presuming a rounded climber happy both in cracks and on slabs at the grade ( which I'm considering HVS!)

In reply to Šljiva: For me it was the bottom; I found the top easy. I suspect others will say different.

In reply to Šljiva:

Very much teetering up the slabby quarter cone. The bottom bit would be VS. A sneaky hidden runner before you start makes the crux safeish and there are 'psychological' runners to laugh at if you miss it.

In reply to Offwidth: I wouldn't have wanted to fall on my last cam in the second left break, not at all, but I found it easy from there. The first 2/3 rds of the crack were a disaster and that says much of my strengths and weaknesses. So maybe a better question is where is/are the 5a move(s)?

In reply to Šljiva:
Start is steep but well protected as I remember prob about 5a. The second crux is bold but slabby, even bolder if you miss the sneaky hidden runner.

In reply to Šljiva:

I'm with Offwidth, it's definitely the teetery slabby bit.

In reply to Šljiva:

It's been a while since I did it and I'm a bit better at climbing cracks these days but my view at the time was that the technical crux was the bottom crack and that this bit would be VS 5a on its own. The slabby ramp is obviously a bit more taxing psychologically but no more than 4b/c and with good gear in the break. It was E1 when I did it and I thought it was overgraded by two grades but easy HVS doesn't seem too unreasonable.

In reply to Pagan:
Mild VS in the original Paul Nunn guide

In reply to Šljiva:

It's the obvious hard bit in the middle.

jcm

In reply to Šljiva:

If you climb the wall a foot to the right of the crack it's much easier than sticking rigidly to the crack.

In reply to kevin stephens:

Wasn't it described in 2 pitches in Paul's guide?

In reply to victim of mathematics:





I'm with victim of mathematics it's definitely the teetery slabby bit.


si

In reply to kevin stephens:


But HVS 5a in the 4th Edition (1987) of that guide, so I assume he thought better of it ...

And whilst I am wasting time thumbing through old guidebooks, (and partly motivated by 'the best ever route description' thread at http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=525064), let me quote the description from the 1983 Stanage guide:

365 Namenlos 13m HVS 5a **

Climb the thin crack at the right-hand end of the buttress. Move
left from the ledge into a delicate unprotected shallow scoop.
This is the finish (or it will be if you fall off.)

In reply to johncoxmysteriously: JCM, I think you have the answer I want...but I'm still not sure where you mean. Would be happy to hear more from you

Coel, yes, in the end I strayed a little right at the beginning but it felt like a bit of a cop out

Either way, I was punching above my weight a bit, just curious where it should have been hard (5a) but very happy to get to the top, even in questionable style.

In reply to Šljiva:


I understand avoiding holds within easy reach if they are (1) indoors, (2) made of plastic, and (3) a different colour, but outside I usually regard all holds that are within reach as fair game!

In reply to Šljiva: love this climb. vs 5a at the bottom pumpy moves with gear above your head, hvs 5a at the top balancy moves with good gear at your feet and crap gear above your head.
Technical crux is the top but not by much.

In reply to Šljiva:

As I am a coward, I found the upper section much harder than the crack and gear lower down. Having said that, it felt soft at E1, when you consider that Goliath's thrutch and the R Unconq are so close.

In reply to rurp: Reminder to self: work on everything but slabs