UKC

What to have a go on some hard routes when the weather improves a bit. Though it is mild enough every now and again.
So need some gear to frig up some hard routes, I am thinking about Desolation of smaug and a friend is madly in love with anything Indian face esq (Crazy high E number) which would be cool to see and aid a few moves maybe.

In reply to zimpara:

You're not a real person, are you?

In reply to zimpara:

A clip stick and a set of filed down RPs should see you right. Good luck.

In reply to zimpara:
Climbing at extremely high altitude demands conditioning to the cold. Don't worry about the cold!

In reply to zimpara:

Why? easy enough to find well protected hard trad climbs at any grade, why not try that instead of aid climbing classic routes?

In reply to zimpara:
If you really want to get into French-style free climbing (i.e. cheating with aid climbing techniques at the crux), you'll want a fair bit of small gear - the kind you can place anywhere on demand. Micro-wires, a short knifeblade piton, a small beak piton (e.g. BD Pecker #2) and a sky hook should let you switch to French style in a lot more places than you'd think. Remember that the smaller pitons are hand-placable, particularly if you don't need the placement to be shock-loaded with a massive fall, so I'd definitely leave the hammer at home.

If you don't want to spend the money on/have to carry etriers, hang a big sling off an aid placement, and stick your foot in it.

It's not really a popular style of climbing in the UK. But as long as you're not telling people you free soloed it with one hand tied behind your back, when you actually pulled yourself up on the gear most of the way, you'll be ok. And you never know - the techniques you learn while you're doing this might just get you out of trouble one day.

In reply to zimpara:

For optimum efficiency glue some sandpaper to one shoe and a rag impregnated with Mr Sheen to the other, a bit of scrabbling and you'll be able to see your face in those three star classics in no time!

In reply to jsmcfarland:

What is wrong with aid climbing routes that are a bit too hard for me? People hang off cams all the time.
And a belay is pretty much aid anyway.

In reply to zimpara:

How about frigging your way up the West Buttress and putting a top rope on the Cassin Ridge... what could possibly go wrong?

In reply to zimpara:

Pair of decent boots to walk round to the top would be your best bet.

In reply to zimpara:

Seems you would do absolutely anything to avoid actually learning how to climb!

In reply to jon:

To be fair, a one pitch top rope ascent of the Cassin Ridge would be a first.

In reply to zimpara:

In the interest of your + mates safety I feel obliged to point out that The Indian Face will be death on a stick to even attempt to aid climb.

Because the route does not follow a crack you'll be reduced to using other aid methods (purposefully vague) these are VERY insecure and as the route has very little in the way of meaningful fall protection a fall would likely be fatal.

Oh and people won't be impressed if you place a skyhook as fall protection on a classic route.

In reply to Greasy Prusiks:


Intrigued by this - do hooks damage rock easily?

I'd personally be quite impressed if zimpara aids up Indian Face.

In reply to humptydumpty:

I hope zimpara videos this one... You've Been Framed give out £250 nowadays, every little helps when it comes to funeral costs.

In reply to humptydumpty:

They can remove small flakes quite easily.

I've never bothered with them so I'm probably not the person to ask, mind.

In reply to zimpara:

You seem to be using some "special gear" already

In reply to zimpara:


Good news, you already have the kit you need. Look down, the things that look like ugly hands at the bottom of your legs... they're called feet.

Desolation... Escapable 6c, get on it, have an adventure.
Indian Face... Guidebook to find the line, wait for weather, walk up, drop a rope, ab down, climb. What's the point.
jk

In reply to zimpara:

"Indian face"

You are DJ Viper and I claim my five pounds!

In reply to zimpara:
If you want to top rope a trad route, walk around to the top and rig up a top rope like normal people. If you want to top rope a sport climb then a clip stick is the only real extra kit you need. Clip the first couple of bolts from the ground, climb / pull on the rope to help you to that clip, attached directly into the bolt/draw, pull up some slack, clip another few bolts above you with the stick and repeat until you're at the top.

Nothing wrong with working a route, if you're sussing it out with the aim of leading it at some point but if all you want to do is play around on a top rope then make sure you're not doing when others want to actually climb it.


PS if you attempt to aid climb Indian face, you will die or be badly injured at least.