UKC Forums - Reading a trad route

Reading a trad route

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brockles 05 Jun 2018

Just wondering if someone could enlighten me on trad routes, there are often numbers within the route.

For example:

https://www.rockfax.com/wp-content/uploads/intros/WestCountry-Preview.pdf

On page 217, route 5 The West Face, there are 3 parts, with grades and heights/distances, are these 3 pitches within the route? I have seen routes within one of the books(can't remember which) but the 3 numbers metres added up to more than the entire height of the cliff, which leads me to believe the numbers aren't pitches. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Many thanks

petestack 05 Jun 2018

In reply to brockles:

> On page 217, route 5 The West Face, there are 3 parts, with grades and heights/distances, are these 3 pitches within the route?

20m, 23m and 12m pitches, yes.

> I have seen routes within one of the books(can't remember which) but the 3 numbers metres added up to more than the entire height of the cliff, which leads me to believe the numbers aren't pitches. Can anyone clear this up for me?

Pitches can go sideways and even down as well as up, so it's quite possible (even normal) for pitch lengths to add up to more.

Martin Bennett 05 Jun 2018

In reply to brockles:

Your first guess was correct. That description of The West Face describes the route in 3 pitches totalling 55 metres. If this exceeds the vertical height of the crag it must mean there is some traversing on the climb.

An extreme example of this seeming anomaly can be found not far away on Bosigran main cliff which is around 60 metres high. The route "Diamond Tiara" is decribed as being 205 metres long because it's a traverse of the whole cliff from right to left rather than a conventional climb from bottom to top.

DubyaJamesDubya 06 Jun 2018

In reply to Martin Bennett:

> Your first guess was correct. That description of The West Face describes the route in 3 pitches totalling 55 metres. If this exceeds the vertical height of the crag it must mean there is some traversing on the climb.

> An extreme example of this seeming anomaly can be found not far away on Bosigran main cliff which is around 60 metres high. The route "Diamond Tiara" is decribed as being 205 metres long because it's a traverse of the whole cliff from right to left rather than a conventional climb from bottom to top.

This is far from 'trad route thing'. The same can apply to multipitch sport routes

tehmarks 06 Jun 2018

In reply to brockles:

Right Angle at Gurnard's Head is a great example of the 'genre'.

alanblyth 06 Jun 2018

In reply to Martin Bennett:

Great day out!

DubyaJamesDubya 06 Jun 2018

In reply to tehmarks:

> Right Angle at Gurnard's Head is a great example of the 'genre'.

Stanage Girdle

Martin Bennett 06 Jun 2018

In reply to alanblyth:

> Great day out!

I expect it is. We got lost part way, found ourselves at the top of the crag, failed to see the point of descending into it again and went to the pub!

springfall2008 07 Jun 2018

> 20m, 23m and 12m pitches, yes.

> Pitches can go sideways and even down as well as up, so it's quite possible (even normal) for pitch lengths to add up to more.

AFAIK the length is the amount of rope required not the height so it depends how vertical the line is.

French Erick 07 Jun 2018

In reply to brockles:

Girdles are an acquired taste that never caught on with me. It is almost entirely British too! Not many girdles in others places where rock is high.

Having said that, the skills required to keep a second safe is quite impressive!

pasbury 07 Jun 2018

In reply to French Erick:

I agree about the girdles, but I've always been keen on the traversy sort of route where you sort of sidle up the crag when it's not looking, Suicide wall (Bosi), Communist Covert etc.