UKC

I know I know... there's no such thing...

Nevertheless, I'm heading to the 'cliff tomorrow, scene of a serious spanking for your truly when I headed there last autumn as a Severe leader.

Which are the soft(er) of the VSs that I can have a pop at now that HS is starting to feel more steady?

Thanks for tips. No sandbags please!!!

In reply to BnB:

Crack of Doom >_>................

In reply to BnB:
They're OK. Traditional Climb and Central Climb are both fine. Z Climb is a nightmare.

Edit: So is Black Wall. I have absolutely no idea why that's not graded HVS, which it clearly is. My theory is something to do with an attempt to compensate for something or other...

Further Edit: And if you can climb VS, do Great Western, it's easy.

In reply to BnB:

Trad Route, Central, Zig Zag Direct and South Wall Traverse are all steady.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

Square Cut chimney/Whiskey Crack is bloody hard for a HS/MVS!

In reply to JayPee630:

Didn't Whisky Wall used to get VS or something too? Demented.

In reply to lummox:


Thought the crux of ZZD was probably 5b. Arguably VS 5b though.

In reply to Jon Stewart:


... if you can hold on! (and you find the hold). I agree that it's not technically hard, and the gear is great, but I don't think it's that easy. Great route, of course.

In reply to Jon Stewart:
ZZD ? To the l of Hobgoblin ? Probably the most straightforward VS at Almscliffe apart from Trad Route.

In reply to BnB:

Yeah Zig Zag Direct is easy for an Almscliff VS. I've done it, so it must be.

In reply to Kid Spatula:

Fence butress is a gentle VS after the first move - which you can practice a few times before setting off.

In reply to BnB:

I have climbed Zig Zag twice but have failed to find the route on Zig Zag direct - I think the Rockfax line is a bit off and I've ended up pulling enormous moves and getting nowhere.

The Traditional Climb is steady but pumpy and Bird's Nest Crack is a great warm-up for it (HS of similar style). The Nose is a one-move wonder at VS if you like steep jamming.

I thought Frankland's Green Crack was absolutely outrageous. I couldn't work it out at all and had to lower off my gear. Even on second I ended up pulling on little chicken heads and crimping ridiculously hard. There's a big crack above your head at mid-height and there must be a way I missed... It's a great climb but it's the hardest VS I've tried at Almscliff.

In reply to BnB:
The only Almscliff VS that I've successfully onsighted is Frankland's Greeen Crack. Unless you include Square Chimney - but that was VDiff when I first did it!
Others tell me it's hard though so it probably depends on your attitude to chimneys and thrutching. How well you managed on Parson's Chimney is probably a good indicator.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

I think it's more the fact that Square Chimney is now like climbing polished glass covered in grease whilst wearing roller skates. It's the smoothest thing in the entire world.

In reply to Jon Stewart:

I went up there with a guidebook that had whiskey wall at Hvs. Felt a bit silly just scraping up it surrounded by beginner groups .

In reply to BnB:

Thanks for all the suggestions. I seconded Square/Whisky and Traditional Climb last year and found them both pretty sustained. Might have a go at them on the lead this time. Also thinking about Central, Zig Zag Direct and South Wall Traverse.

Probably come back with my tail between my legs having led nothing harder than Stewpot and Fluted Columns

In reply to Mr Fuller:


I thought Frankland's Green Crack was pretty steady, I'd have really rated bar the guano. The crux you mention was just a fist jamming sequence.

In reply to BnB:
Square / Whisky has a perplexing start but isn't pumpy / sustained.

In reply to BnB:



A sometime regular UKC troublemaker broke his leg on Fluted Columns. And he wasn't even climbing it at the time! Don't underestimate it

In reply to BnB:

Pram Pushers Paradise about the easiest to get on ..

In reply to BnB:

It reminds me of the classic reply to the "how do I get to.....?" question:...."dont start here!"

Anyway since you did:

Lhotse Face (small cam in pocket useful).
Piggotts Stride (fine for all but the short)
Green Wall Variation ( bit pumpy but great exit jugs)
Traditional Climb (skills pay dividends so not for the grit virgin)
Fence Buttress (5b boulder problem into a HS)


PS I think SC and WC is HS not MVS

In reply to BnB:

You beat me to it asking about vs's, I'll see you there!

In reply to BAdhoc:

I'll be the gibbering wreck sat in the cow pool.

In reply to BnB:

I reckon some of the steadier ones being

Central Climb - pumpy but great gear and some ok rests

Pram Pushers Paradise - Bouldery committing end but fab and not pumpy

South Wall Traverse - Not easiest crux but not pumpy and otherwise dead steady

In reply to Jon Stewart:




It's certainly easy for HVS!

In reply to Offwidth

its fine for the short, I'm 5'4" and had no problems with it, you just have to bridge out wide - coukd be a full body bridge.

In reply to BnB:
Update:

We had a good day at the 'cliff and, along with some classic routes in the lower grades, I managed to lead Traditional climb and Square Chimney/Whisky Crack as well as getting a bit confused on Bird's Nest Variation, couldn't work out if it should be HS or HVS!! Dogged that one but will get clean next time... Looked at South Wall Traverse but we were knackered by then and didn't fancy the hand traverse/polish combination towards the end of the afternoon, one for a morning assault!

Was pretty happy with the first two leads given the fact there may have been tears when I seconded them both last year...

In reply to BnB:

Nice evening? Transport didn't work out so had another trip to scugdale instead!

In reply to BAdhoc:

Lovely all day and evening. Got ten routes done in total (which is plenty for a bumbly like me). Hands are all jammed out!!