UKC Logbook - 'Bass Hunter'

70m, 5 pitches. The Bass Hunter takes a surprisingly independent direct line up the main cliff right of Rat Race and left of Bubbly Situation Blues to finish right of The Rat Race. It's possible to fish from each belay! Start off the big ledge at the base of Positron after the tricky step around the Gogarth Pinnacle.
1. 20m. 6a. Start at a pocketed crack right of Positron and just left of the start of Ordinary Route. Climb the well protected vague crack until the traverse of Rat Race, climb straight up to the right of the sticking out pillar on Ordinary Route where Ordinary Route goes left. From the right hand side of the pillar, swing up and right to a crack which leads to a juggy finish. Belay on the sloping ledge below a groove.
2. 20m. 6a. Climb the groove until a wild move gets you into a tricky balance spot. Place gear in the groove and swing out right for the Thank Cod hold. A final tricky slab move and a step right reaches a belay on Cordon Bleu.
3. 4b. Climb the Cordon Bleu groove and traverse easily left to belay below the big groove right of Falls Road. Big spike belay which often has slings on for abseiling off.
4.15m. 6a. Climb the big groove for a few metres, then move up and right. A hard move leads up and right to a small corner/crack. (Huge block just to the right overlooking Rat Race groove). Pull round right and make a hard move up to a slab. Climb up the slab till a 2m stretch right to the top of the Gogarth big groove pitch. (Best to just continue up the next pitch without stepping right).
5. 15m. 6a. Take the steep crack directly, just left of the belay. At its top, swing left and climb the vertical garden till a big boulder emerges!
Mike Twid Turner and Dai Lampard, on-sight (AL) 18/8/14. Plenty of sport and moments of fine climbing. Well protected and of good rock quality. Now the lichen has been removed its pretty damn clean.

Mike Twid Turner and Dai Lampard 18/Aug/2014.

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User	Date		Notes
Misha	16 Jul, 2024	Show βeta βeta: It’s best to split the last 2 pitches unless you have 60m ropes as the belay is far back. At the end of the difficulties, trending right and up on suspect but solid enough rock is possibly a better bet than straight up - there is still some steep heather to negotiate but less compared to going directly. You end up at a good belay above the exit of Gogarth.	βeta?
Show beta βeta: It’s best to split the last 2 pitches unless you have 60m ropes as the belay is far back. At the end of the difficulties, trending right and up on suspect but solid enough rock is possibly a better bet than straight up - there is still some steep heather to negotiate but less compared to going directly. You end up at a good belay above the exit of Gogarth.
Misha	16 Jul, 2024	Show βeta βeta: Confused by the P2 description above. There’s an obvious widening groove above the belay but there are no wild moves there, just a bit of techy groove shuffling before it eases off. The groove then gets very overgrown, so it’s best to traverse right for a few metres to a line of weakness which leads to the bottom of the Rat Race corner. Go up left easily to the spike belay. This can be done comfortably in one pitch. There may have been a more direct line going up a short steep face and onto the slab from part way across the traverse but it’s overgrown.	βeta?
Show beta βeta: Confused by the P2 description above. There’s an obvious widening groove above the belay but there are no wild moves there, just a bit of techy groove shuffling before it eases off. The groove then gets very overgrown, so it’s best to traverse right for a few metres to a line of weakness which leads to the bottom of the Rat Race corner. Go up left easily to the spike belay. This can be done comfortably in one pitch. There may have been a more direct line going up a short steep face and onto the slab from part way across the traverse but it’s overgrown.
jonnyridleylogan	9 Aug, 2020	Show βeta βeta: First crack felt hard in conditions and then all great after that. Top pitches were mine and were excellent.	βeta?
Show beta βeta: First crack felt hard in conditions and then all great after that. Top pitches were mine and were excellent.