Rockfax Description
A popular climb that has a particularly fine top pitch. Start below the big diamond-shaped wall, left of the polished slab.
1) 4c, 20m. Climb left up a crack to an overhang. Now make a hard move up and right up two cracks and into the base of a groove. An easier alternative is to step left at the overhang and then move up right along a ramp to the base of the groove. Climb the groove to an exciting exit left at the top to a belay.
2) 5a, 25m. Climb the slab up and left to the base of a wide crack. Climb this to where it gets too wide and step out right onto the arete and follow easier ground up and left to a ledge below a steepening crack. Arrange gear and step left onto the headwall to gain a steep crack on the left which leads to the top. © Rockfax
UKC Logbook Description
Post pitch 2 rockfall November 2023.
It's has been reclimbed but is a significantly bolder proposition. From the p1 belay climb up the slab as before then climb the steep right hand wall boldly on good holds.
North Wales Rock Graded List , North Wales 100 Classic Climbs , Top Five HVSs In The UK? , Bangor BUMS Uni-Life Ticklist , AMC Uni Ticklist , Ultimate HVS ticklist , The best the UK has to offer for mere mortals (apart from the lakes cos its always wet) , The V.S.+ Ticklist , High Quality Adventure routes , 100 Best Wales Mid Grade Climbs , Glyn's North Wales mid-grade ticklist , UK Holiday Plans , George's Ultimate Easy to Mid-Grade North Wales Trad Ticklist , Libby Peter's HVS Hit List , York University Students path to greatness , Definitive *** Tremadog , Target Routes 2019/2020 , North Wales Summer 21' , Summer 2021 , I’ve climbed a thousand VDiffs but I wanna be a HVS climber , Llanberis/Ogwen/Tremadog List , Wales Trip - 2022 , 3 Star - North Wales HS - HVS
User | Date | Notes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Long | 24 Nov, 2023 |
Show βeta
βeta: The main pitch has indeed lost the layback crack, but the wall and arete of Merlin can still be climbed via an awkward entry. A small wire placed with care protects this move, otherwise its pretty bold. After this its straight up to rejoin the original line of Merlin Direct, still just as excellent. | ||
Show beta
βeta: The main pitch has indeed lost the layback crack, but the wall and arete of Merlin can still be climbed via an awkward entry. A small wire placed with care protects this move, otherwise its pretty bold. After this its straight up to rejoin the original line of Merlin Direct, still just as excellent. |
||||
Tim Neill | 18 Nov, 2023 |
Show βeta
βeta: Post Rockfall, Autumn ‘23. Still a lovely route, entirely possible and only a fraction more difficult. The section up the rib just right of the recent rockfall is a fair bit bolder without the good jams and gear it used to have for that section. Otherwise the rest of the climb is the same. Perhaps now a top end HVS rather than its previous entry level standard. Plenty of loose debris just to the left of the midway stance. | ||
Show beta
βeta: Post Rockfall, Autumn ‘23. Still a lovely route, entirely possible and only a fraction more difficult. The section up the rib just right of the recent rockfall is a fair bit bolder without the good jams and gear it used to have for that section. Otherwise the rest of the climb is the same. Perhaps now a top end HVS rather than its previous entry level standard. Plenty of loose debris just to the left of the midway stance. |
||||
Larry Benoy | 15 Aug, 2023 |
Show βeta
βeta: Lots of loose VERY blocks directly above belay at beginning of P2, take care | βeta? | |
Show beta
βeta: Lots of loose VERY blocks directly above belay at beginning of P2, take care |
||||
ipfreely | 15 Jul, 2021 |
Show βeta
βeta: Superb route. I led P2 - Ross P1, which has a tricky section moving right toward the tree as the feet are a bit poor, P2 is an absolute peach, a couple of tricky moves on the slab just before the big crack, The crack itself is a lovely jamming romp, had to shuffle my blue cam up a couple of times, I would highly recommend Not putting any gear behind the big flake on the right or pulling on it, it’s not at all necessary. Up a bit more then The move left looks hard, but the thin crack over there is lovely finger locks. 1 tricky little move right at the top. | βeta? | |
Show beta
βeta: Superb route. I led P2 - Ross P1, which has a tricky section moving right toward the tree as the feet are a bit poor, P2 is an absolute peach, a couple of tricky moves on the slab just before the big crack, The crack itself is a lovely jamming romp, had to shuffle my blue cam up a couple of times, I would highly recommend Not putting any gear behind the big flake on the right or pulling on it, it’s not at all necessary. Up a bit more then The move left looks hard, but the thin crack over there is lovely finger locks. 1 tricky little move right at the top. |
||||
Emlyn Price | 20 May, 2021 |
Show βeta
βeta: Large loose flake at the top of the Crack which sounds hollow and seems to be Detatched, directly in line with belayer. | βeta? | |
Show beta
βeta: Large loose flake at the top of the Crack which sounds hollow and seems to be Detatched, directly in line with belayer. |
||||
g1m147 | 8 Sep, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: Pitch 2. | βeta? | |
Show beta
βeta: Pitch 2. |
||||
Rowan Page | 9 Jul, 2019 |
Show βeta
βeta: Absolute quality and very steady on jugs | βeta? | |
Show beta
βeta: Absolute quality and very steady on jugs |
Please Login to view more details on the logged ascents
Grade: HVS 5a ***
(Craig Doris)