UKC

Looking for a conditions expert for Subluminal. I'm considering doing Astrid and am not sure if it'll be dry. I got burned in January assuming Avernus would be dry when it was a sunny day and it was extremely greasy. I've heard dry and cool is best for Astrid but not sure if the weekend temperatures should be considered cool enough.

Any advice would be appreciated. Also if we're going well on Astrid and the conditions are good is Mars a massive step up...

Thanks,

George

In reply to georgeevans88:

I've never known Avernus to be dry! It's graded for standard (damp) conditions....

If there's an on-shore (anything between SW and SE) breeze and humidity is relatively low, then Astrid will be OK as long as you don't mind steep jug-hauling. Also, if you get on it in the early morning, you could have some direct sun helping to keep it dry.

Mars is a massive step-up and more likely to be damp (as it's further into the zawn) and it's much, much harder.

Good luck - they are both brilliant routes.

In reply to georgeevans88:
In general subliminal seems to suffer the worst with dampness / greasyness and Guillemot ledge the least although the summer is normally pretty good in this regard.. The worst conditions for dampness seem to be more towards the winter when there is either little wind, high humidity and not much sun and are worse in the morning usually. An on shore wind causing the sea to wash and spay on to the cliff can also be a problem. In the colder months an off shore northerly wind with sun can often be very good climbing conditions and feel warm (even if its actually not).

In reply to georgeevans88:

Great thanks for the advice - sounds like Astrid might be best on Sunday afternoon when there's an onshore wind. Mars might be optimistic but you never know!

How about Fishermans Ledge - does that tend to stay quite damp? Thinking of giving some of the DWS a go.

George

In reply to georgeevans88:
Swanage doesn't tend to seep much most the dampness / greasyness is because its so close to the sea and low down and humidty is often a factor but much less so in summer. Sunday is looking good all day to me. Never been to Fishermans.

The top outs are definately worse when its either been very dry ( and starts becoming dusty and less stuck together) or quite wet (and it becomes slimey). Gulliemot has mostly nice top outs as it tops out in to a quarry.

If you are looking for a good E2 with descent gear where it matters this is worth a look Ray of Sunshine (E2 5c), not too sustained and quite soft for E2 and 5c, maybe F6a+ if it was a clip up.

In reply to georgeevans88:
I don't know about expert but, I was climbing on guilletmot ledge last night and it was damp in places but mostly pretty dry. Its been fairly sunny today and the wind was up all last night so its probably drying out. Still completely other end of the crag, so to speak.

As above Avernus seems to retain its dampness regardless, it is in a cave after all. IMO to have the best day at Swange if your visiting one off, decide what grade your operating at then look for the 3 star and top 50 routes, if your worried about dampness choose routes that aren't through caves which will get more wind.