Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
Apr 16, 2012 17:31:24 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on Apr 16, 2012 17:31:24 GMT 1
I've already sent a report to fairhead climbers for the weekend... didn't know what you and Kev had climbed yesterday though so didn't include it.
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owenl
Edward Whymper
Posts: 34
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Routes
Apr 16, 2012 17:41:16 GMT 1
Post by owenl on Apr 16, 2012 17:41:16 GMT 1
Another excellent fairhead trip.
Just a warning to anyone looking at Aoife; a large block came off on the first pitch (just below the flakes) and quite a few others felt like they were about to go. Good lead from Benoit. I did the 2nd pitch which was considerably easier.
Feeling good we decided on An Gobán Saor (the freemason?) as out next target. First pitch is nice but super long, and eats up the big stuff. Didn’t seem like I was being overcautious but I wasn’t quite running it out either. In any case I ended up with a hanging belay. This coupled with some stubborn hexes slowed us down. The second pitch was very short. Up another 7-8m up to the “ledge” (really a grassy slope) across which you crawl up and left to gain the final crack pitch. This didn’t fit the route description but was really the only way up we could see (or at least until the light faded). I have no idea how Benoit led the last pitch. I could barely see enough to aid my (lazy/cheating) way up it. Very sustained crack climbing all the long way.
Sunday called for the sunny walls of the prow but battered hands and tiredness had set in. Quite liked the sabre rattler/stone mad combination which felt more like VS (and involves no unprotected arêtes whatsoever). With that we called it a half day and basked in the sun till it was time to leave.
P.s. QUMBC? Ha. What have they got to do with it?
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Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
Apr 16, 2012 19:30:12 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on Apr 16, 2012 19:30:12 GMT 1
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Routes
Apr 17, 2012 12:55:43 GMT 1
Post by bojo on Apr 17, 2012 12:55:43 GMT 1
The best part of sabre rattler is the 12 metres of gearless climbing at the start! I Will send something in covering what kev, pete and I climbed
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Routes
Apr 28, 2012 23:41:29 GMT 1
Post by Browne-Bear on Apr 28, 2012 23:41:29 GMT 1
Got out today with Ronan, Conor, Benoit, Prebble and John (Begley) with Jonny Parr for a spot of multi-pitch ropework and rescue techniques workshop. Fantastic day out in the Mournes.
So meeting Benoit and Begley at the PEC with a large tea in hand to cure the lingering effects of the previous nights Guinness (standard Niall Browne pre Saturday climbing state...) we made for the Mournes to meet the rest at Trassey Car Park. Geared up by 10 o'clock, the seven muppets (aptley named by Jonny - though I don't tend to call myself a muppet) made for Bearnagh Slabs and Meelmore Buttress.
Kicked off the session with a bit of "escaping the system" both when you can reach the anchor and when you can't. Tricky enough in hindsight (grand at the time) - definately something worth repeating at the brick wall for practice, and definately something worth passing on.
This followed with a spot of releaseable abseil techniques building some incredibly bomber anchors. Was taught "y-hang" abseils and stirrup hoists for rescuing injured climbers. Very useful techniques (simple and easy to remember aswell).
Following this, alongside the usual banter between everyone, we retreated to the wall for a spot of shelter and a bite to eat. Here, we decided to apply what we were taught to an actual abseil descent of Grand Central. Brilliant craic, and great to actually apply what we were taught.
After, a route HAD to be done to justify carrying racks and ropes.
Hypothesis S 4a - Niall/Thomas (alt leads)
Fun fun fun slabby climbing. An absolute doddle of a climb - we placed a total of 6 bits of gear over 70m. Easy enjoyable climbing in a great surrounding. Hilarious descent down te slabs in one abseil descent. Wind catches ropes, making for lots of detanglement...
With that we called it a day. Ran down with Conor to the car. Roasting hot by the end of it.
Cheers to Jonny for the days instructing - extremely useful, great craic. A great day all round...
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Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
May 4, 2012 12:57:39 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on May 4, 2012 12:57:39 GMT 1
What with having a new car, and exams not featuring on the radar at all, went to Fair Head yesterday with John McCune.
Interesting weather, weird fog rolling in off the sea and a could inversion around Kintyre, glorious!
We headed over to the White Lightning Amphitheatre (easy to find because of the massive Hallowe'en block) and set up the abseil. John abseiled in to clean Crusader and I lounged about at the top for a bit then we went for it.
Crusader (E4 5b, 6a) 80m Rónán, John (alt leads)
First pitch is E1/E2ish jamming, similar in retrospect to P1 on Equinox. Slightly awkward start, watch out for loose blocks, nearly knocked out McCune! Hanging belay on an A4 size ledge just past an overhang which you turn on the right. Fog rolled in and the place took on a big wall kind of feel, with the ground and top becoming invisible! cool. John led the crux top pitch, described as a 'total sandbag E4' and he says it felt harder than Primal Scream. Start from the ledge up to a steepening handjam crack on the left. Move up right of it then traverse into it. SOmehow make progress upward then turn it into a layback. 02 or so metres of VERY sustained climbing form there brings you to a ledge and rest, then 1 or 2 hard moves to finish. Rests and cam pulling were very much necessary.
After that experience, I led
Equinox (E2 5b, in 1 pitch) Rónán, John
55m of the best Fairhead has to offer. Superlatively good, excellent jamming, pumpy laybacking, crimp pulling... with plenty of rests in between. Don't know how it works as a 2 pitch route cos the belay looks incredibly awkward. Was surprised to have so much gear left whenI reached to top. Rope jammed just as I topped out, had it jammed earlier I'd have been in trouble. A monster of a route and a must-do as a oner! Wrecked with destroyed hands at the end of it but very very happy.
A glorious day at the head.
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Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
May 6, 2012 21:26:54 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on May 6, 2012 21:26:54 GMT 1
Hen today w/ Grew, Toni, Siobhan, Monty, Gra and Thomas, with a guest appearance later from Charbegs. Nice friction goodness.
Jump Route, bowldering to warm up then
Quare Crack (E1 5b) Rónán, Steve Tricky enough. Thoughtful gear.
73 Main St (E1 5c) solo, nose start Fun rockovery slabbyness
The One They Call the White Hair VS 4c Or something like. A daft version of it concocted by Steve. Quite fun and frictiony.
The Boys of Summer (E1 5c) Rónán, Steve Fell into the usual trap on this one and fell off trying to palce despite having already completed the crux. Ah well. Steep and well protected but shortlived, don't be a dafty and try and place a cam in the lovely crack at the end, you'll fall off. First fall on a nut, yay.
Miami Dolphin (E2 5b) solo cos there's no gear. Just sort of happened. Not bad really, crimpy but reasonably positive.
Hats off to the daft Steve for the 2nd ascent of Bumblebee Tuna (E3 6a... onsight solo, no pads). Mad eejit.
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May 8, 2012 12:08:24 GMT 1
Post by bojo on May 8, 2012 12:08:24 GMT 1
Only the second ascent of Bumblebee Tuna? Whos the FA?
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Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
May 8, 2012 12:20:36 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on May 8, 2012 12:20:36 GMT 1
John McCune
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owenl
Edward Whymper
Posts: 34
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Routes
May 8, 2012 15:44:44 GMT 1
Post by owenl on May 8, 2012 15:44:44 GMT 1
Hard to believe no one else has done Bumblebee. Is there not a picture in the guide of Dayle on it?
But back to routes-
A fine weekend was had at the seldom frequented venue of Slieve Beg. Following a stormier Friday night than expected (the Largey tent is a rough ride) myself and Thomas Prebble had a go at
Mourne Maggie HVS 5a- OL, TP, A good wake up and trickier than expected. Parallel lines HVS 5a – TP, OL, Doesn’t deserve all the dissing and smack talk that’s been going about. We both thought it was excellent. Although the jamming is optional. Shelob VS 4b- OL, TP, Haven’t a clue what this was like. Was distracted by the exhausted and overweight labrador that a group of lads were pushing up the Devil’s coachroad. “Shall we put it in a rucksack? Maybe we could borrow their rope?” They eventually shoved it by the arse up the tricky bit. Not a happy dog. Devils Rib VDiff- TP, OL, An excellent route and the perfect place to practice moving together. Bring on the Alps!
At this point Tim and Thomas had to head back to Belfast so I teamed up with Benoit and repitched the tent lower down in the valley. We then headed across to the evening sun of Annalong Buttress for a quick go on Hanging Corner S- OL, BD, Easy, fast and more fun if you jump Mind me on white E2- Attempted and then abandoned by Benoit due to gear concern. Good call.
Saturday night featured a huge full moon (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17972782) but being knackered we chose sleep rather than have some crazy barely visible adventure.
Sunday was taken up by one big multipitch on the South side. It could have been Daybreak Vs or the Fiddler E1, we’re not too sure. We had 5 pitches of fantastic climbing (between heather) and a short snow storm during the 4th pitch. Protection was good for most of the route but required a flexible approach.There were fine cracks, laybacks, jamming, big traverses to avoid heather, a short overhang, heathery gulleys, and then top out onto more heather. If you want an adventure then look no further.
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May 8, 2012 16:10:15 GMT 1
Post by bojo on May 8, 2012 16:10:15 GMT 1
Perfect write up there Owen! Dayle is soloing it in the guide book is he not?
Parallel lines is fantastic! good gear with a real mix of climbing. mournes slopers, foot jams, hand jams and laybacking then as the top section fell away a good few years back it gets less mournesy and more fairheady
Shelob ... I spend half the time crying about my numb fingers and the other half pittying that poor lab!
Lesson of the weekend: Just because someone else thinks it is a bad route, doesn't mean its a bad route!
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May 8, 2012 16:39:54 GMT 1
Post by Browne-Bear on May 8, 2012 16:39:54 GMT 1
I remember Parrallel Lines - was bad not because of the climbing, but because I was angry at the midges! Beg seems to be best climbed around now - less midge...!
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May 8, 2012 17:02:41 GMT 1
Post by bojo on May 8, 2012 17:02:41 GMT 1
midge level 0 last weekend ;D
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Rónán K
Anderl Heckmair
Piggly
President '11/'12
Posts: 180
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Routes
May 8, 2012 18:27:48 GMT 1
Post by Rónán K on May 8, 2012 18:27:48 GMT 1
Dayle is on it in the guide, but he didn't do the full route apparently.
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alek
Edward Whymper
Posts: 20
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Routes
May 8, 2012 22:54:23 GMT 1
Post by alek on May 8, 2012 22:54:23 GMT 1
Ah, Slieve Beg- one the core members of the family of intimidating crags...
Anyhow, a fine day's bouldering up at Churnit with a guy called Dave (who boulders in England and importantly drives), in my opinion the most Font-like (but nowhere near), bouldering venue in the Peak. The day started with going in circles around Alton towers until the car park was eventually found, and progressed to not being able to get off the ground on pockety madness. Following this, Alek sensibly suggested lunch, however, Dave's meal was partially stolen by a passing dog. After lunch there was the search for elusive Breath Block, which was found to be slightly damp, so more not being able to get to the top ensued.
After this misadventure, we resigned ourselves to bouldering at the main crag, which contained many fine [read: not quite possible for Alek] problems, but only after an amusing steep and muddy path which resulted in a road being temporarily blocked by a bouldering mat. In any case, an excellent day of sore fingers.
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