Owl Rock
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Bard the Bowman
S 4a |
Seems like you get your money's worth for Severe! Nice line (slab
underneath the overhangs/bulges on the left of Owl Rock) and good situation
on the finish. Oh and did I mention a tricky crux?? Gear is
reasonable but not great.
CC (2nd) |
Elrond*
VS |
From the top of a "HUGE" flake some pleasant moves traverse the face
to the corner, which is ascended using the odd jam and one of those interesting
here's-a-huge-ledge-I-bet-you-can't-get-onto-it-though moves. Not
a bad little route.
CC |
Moments in Space
E2 5c/6a |
Climb the slab under the obvious white stained overhang on positive
holds with minimal protection. Carefully lean out to clip the rusty peg
just over the lip of the overhang, climb it direct on slopers to better
holds and a good friend runner. Continue up the slab above to tree belays
on the right. A scary E2, just not sure about the 6a bit...
SvZ (on-sight)
This route takes a bit of an artificial line to the left of the
obvious corner, but is nevertheless good and deserving of at least one
star. The crux is quite hard - hard 5c or easy 6a but well protected by
a peg over the roof and friends beneath it.
BM (on-sight)
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Gollum **
HVS 5b
(E1 5b?) |
Debate rages about whether this is E1 or not. I reckon it
is, but whatever it's a great route. About 40ft right of a huge detached
block is a shallow groove which looks easy.... Launch up this and after
about 10ft run out of holds! Somewhere in the bulge above is a huge jug,
but how do you a) find it, b) get it? Once you've got it you face the traverse
rightwards, which is best done by going high to a huge jug, then swinging
across to grab the flake. Arrange some gear then go, it's easy, but stopping
isn't really an option for about 10-15ft, unless you are very hard or brave.
Having reached the resting ledge some solid friends protect the easy romp
to the top, the intimidating move over the roof being trivial compared
to what you've already done.
OW (on-sight)
A great little route. I would definately upgrade this to E1
though (I saw three parties fail on it on the day I climbed it!). The
start is quite bouldery and then placing the gear at the base of the
layback flake is strenuous, but if you go for it from here, you'll be
rewarded with excellent holds.
BM (on-sight)
|
Smaug the Dragon **
E2 5c |
Probably quite high in the E2 grade, as there isn't much gear low down.
Set off directly below the undercut flake right of Gollum, it's not too
hard, but a friend 1 is handy. After moving leftwards a friend can be placed
under the undercut, before moving up and clipping a peg to the right. Moves
off the undercut lead to tiny crimps. At this point the tall can slap for
a jug, the short might have to think a bit. Nifty footwork then puts you
below a groove, a tricky move into the groove leads to a suprisingly necky
traverse until you finish as for Gollum.
(Actually, I have changed my mind, it's a piece of piss for E2, just
a bit bold low down. But the crux may still be very tricky for the short.)
OW (2nd)
Another excellent route at Goblin Coombe. It looks intimidating
but is actually quite easy. I thought you'd have to climb the shallow
corner containing the peg, but I went off the big undercut to a small
but very positive pocket on the face left of the corner, and then from
this pulled through to good holds.
BM (on-sight)
|
The Goblin King **
E2 5c |
One of the best routes on Owl rock. It takes the obvious
crack in the middle of the cliff then heads left at the break. Take the
steep wall above on good holds and lovely moves to arrive slightly pumped
at a good ledge. Have a shakeout then throw yourself at the crux, hard
5c, overhanging about 50 degrees! A bit of cunning here enables you to
do the move with overhead gear, it's just a couple of powerful moves 'til
you reach the belay. Absolutely awesome, quite high in the grade.
OW
Probably the best route I have done at Goblin Coombe so far.
High in the grade. The middle section through the bulges is pretty
sustained and pumpy but there is plenty of decent gear. I think getting
through this is the crux. There is a no hands rest before the
'guidebook crux' overhang at the top. Gear can be placed overhead and
the moves are not that difficult if you use your feet well.
BM (on-sight)
|
Bullroarer *
E1 5b |
Far better than Gundabad, but be a bit careful with the
rock. It shares a start with the Goblin King, but head right at the break
and take a slightly less steep line to the good ledge. Traverse right on
slightly doubtful rock until you are below the final blocky overhang. The
rock here is very suspect, so handle with great care. Trying to climb overhanging
rock without weighting it isn't easy, but give it a go! Excellent route,
good gear, all you need.
OW |
Mithril *
E4 6a |
This route starts at the thin crack above the path up to the
centre of the cliff (Owl Rock). The crack is followed easily and good
nuts can be placed at its top. Move up to the first bulge, clipping
the peg on 'The Oh No Zone' to the left if you like (though there's a
decent friend 0.5 just above making this unnecessary). Now launch
boldly up the thin looking wall above the bulge. Its not actually as
hard as it looks and you are rewarded with a good small nut at the
base of the next roof. Pull aver this determinedly trending leftwards
to reach easy ground. To finish continue moving up and left to take in
the crux finishing crack of 'The Goblin King'. A good route but if
approached confidently probably only deserves E3 5c.
BM (on-sight) |
The Wargs *
E5 6b |
This takes a line through the left-hand side of the big overhang 50ft
up Owl Rock. Technical climbing on the lower wall on small but positive
holds leads to a no hands rest beneath the overhang. Arrange your gear,
power through the overhang and finish up the top wall watching for some
loose holds. This used to be E4 6a in the old guide, so go bag it now.
TL
An intimidating looking route up the left hand side of the
steep grey wall under the roof and then through the centre of the roof
itself. Starting from a block easy climbing takes you up to a large
pocket, from here you move left, reach up to place protection in the
crack above, and then commit to climbing the grey wall just on the left
hand side of the crack, aiming for the in-situ tat at the top of the
crack. The holds are hard to find but good when you find them making
the climbing more commiting than exceptionally difficult. This is the
crux of the route and is definately only 6a in my opinion. Once through
this section there is a no-hands rest below the roof. Place loads of
gear from here and then power over. This maybe tricky for the short but
for myself this wasn't harder than 6a and it is extremely well
protected. A really good route but a bit overgraded - probably more
like E4/5 6a.
BM (on-sight) |
Gondolin **
VS 4b |
Nice line up obvious left-slanting crack to the right of the Owl Rock
roofs. Gear is good. Crux is at half height - fist jam/finger
lock/balance/spot the crimp to step onto a sloping ledge which isn't much
of a rest - then big holds above lead to a larger ledge and the top.
Pay attention to the footholds. Polished, but good fun.
CC (on-sight) |
Gundabad **
E1 5b
(VS?, HVS?) |
This has got to be, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the easiest E1 in the
whole world. I can say, without fear of contradiction, that it is an absolute
path. I've done harder DIFF's. Its probably worth doing but only as a warm
up to one of the Hard Severe's to its right. I advise anyone of ANY standard
to do it as it is the the worst example of overgrading I have ever seen
in my life. Frankly, its Bobbins.
Guide Book grade: E1 5b ** , Chris Grade: VS 4b *.
CS (on-sight)
I thought that I should add a few comments to this review. Perhaps
the previous reviewer kept straying off to the right - or I kept straying
off to the left. What isn't clear from the above is that it's actually a
good route, and well worth doing. The lower wall provides pleasant
climbing, but the steep grey wall above the break is superb. The gear is
good, the rock is sound, and the moves are really nice - who cares how
hard it is?
Jim Grade : HVS 5a ? ** (although I still claim an E-point)
JB (on-sight)
Two points to add:
1. It's not clear from the above that the crux is not the smooth, exposed
wall at the top (which is fun) but comes before the break at half height.
Imho.
2. It's not clear from looking at the route that there is any gear at
all,
but it is reasonable! (Double set nuts in 1-3 range preferred though).
Good route.
CC (onsight)
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Necromancer *
VS 4c |
This route takes quite an obvious line up the chimney to the right
of gundabad. I think it's a great route, probably because this is one of
the few routes where it is a positive advantage to be short. Tall people
have to fold up their extensive limbs to fit into the chimney, whereas
short people, like me, fit it just right. There are two ways to to attack
this climb:
Method 1) Wedge your self in and gibber. This can be quite easily
achieved because there are plenty of places to stop.
Method 2) Climb straight up trying not to stop, remembering
to put friends and rocks in the ample cracks as you go (There are several
Herbie placements on this route). [Herbie is a sadly missing HB Quadcam
5 - JB]
It would be a good idea to have a number 10 nut to put in at top under
the final ledge, otherwise you are going to need some balls to do the last
rather exposed maneouvre.
GE |
Treebeard *
VS 4c |
A truly excellent route! Follow thin parallel cracks past a
shallow corner and overhang (crux) - step right and then straight up
to finish. If on a single rope, be prepared for it to zigzag from
crack to crack. Good moves: steep and fairly sustained - first run out
of handholds, search around for pockets/cracks/pulls each side and
then use upper arm or shoulder against the rock to hold you while gear
is placed... look at it afterwards from the ground and realise that
you underestimated the thing.
CC (on-sight) |
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The following routes are on The Obelisk, right of the descent gully
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Bolg *
S 4a |
This is the large layback crack that you see just to the right
of the descent gully at Owl Rock. Nearly half of the climb is
scrambling up to the tree just under and left of the crack, but the
moves above are excellent (the scrambling is fun, too). Short, thuggy
crux...sink large cams (2, 3, and 3.5 BD Camelots)...great climb.
Probably the most vertical Severe I've climbed. Enjoy!
JPC (2nd) |
Brandybuck **
VS 4c |
Very cool route. This is the plum line that shoots through the bulge
split by a finger crack to the right of Bolg. It is deceptively
steep. After you climb up to the niche under the bulge, place a
couple of directional nuts (essential -- out of five pieces I placed,
I zippered two when I fell from the crux). Best thing to do is slot
a bomber nut in the bottom of the bulge, then finger jam the next
fifteen feet of crux to reach easier climbing without stopping to
place more gear...very pumpy as well as fairly technical (as many
steep cracks are). As a final note, this was the hardest VS 4c (5.8)
climb I have ever done. Maybe I just suck right now, but my second
said that Brandybuck is much harder than Disaster Area. Excellent
route, though!!!
JPC (ground-up) |
The Arkenstone
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Disaster Area *
HVS 5a |
Soft touch HVS as it's a slab, compared to the strenuous VSs on
Owl Rock. A pleasant, technical finger crack (good gear of course)
until the top wall, which is slightly runout but then your last runner
was a huge tree and the moves are easy. Recommended.
CC (on-sight) |
Esgaroth *
HS 4b |
Pleasant climbing, one tricky move at 2/3 height which is a little
trying for HS but well protected. If you're tall you can reach straight
past the crux.
CC (second) |
Orthanc
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Dain
S |
The crack on the left side of the buttress - none too hard except
for one move near the top.
CC (2nd) |
Gandalf *
VS |
This was hard. Maybe I strayed off onto the E1 direct start, maybe
it's just limestone VS. It was dark by the end of it so we couldn't
check. (NB benightment is not really a risk unless you set off at 4pm
when sunset is 3.55pm). Anyway a number of epic moments ensued...
1. [the flake] - I pulled up onto this flake (more of a pillar) and the
whole thing (8ft high) moved about an inch. Or was I imagining it?
Disconcerting anyway.
2. [the central bulge] - tricky, and run out with the last decent gear
being a wallnut 1. I overcame this by some sustained laybacking, without
hanging around to place gear. Surely there was a better way (and I was
being cr*p)? If not then it's harder than VS.
3. [the top section] - clip the tree at half height and offer a
prayer to the deity of your choice. The top section is only Severe
territory. Except that 50% of holds and gear placements are loose and
not to be used.
The route is, however in a stunning situation up the
front of this isolated buttress! I'd give it three stars but reccomend
it to no-one. You know what I mean. Simultaneous abseil descent is
possible, and reccommended!
CC |
Eagle Rock
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Black Riders *
E1 5b |
A bit of a trek to get to, but worth it for the 20ft of evil
laybacking. This route takes a curving crackline on Eagle Rock, about
1/2 mile right of Owl Rock. Step out of a grotty gully and as quick as
possible stack some wires, as it would be a painful tumble if you fell
early. Then attach the crack above using dodgy fingerlocks, face holds
then finally an incredibly strenous and insecure layback. Sadly it's
over all too soon and you just have the blocky trot to the top.
OW (on-sight) |
The Israel Blues
E3 5c |
Climb the large flake on the left side of eagle rock on
good friend runners. Step out right (in situ wire) to a good undercut
just under the roof. Climb the rightward tending groove on sharp holds
through the overhang to beter holds above. Finish easily to the
top. Arranging gear in the overhang can be difficult as the holds are
also the nut placments.
SvZ (lead on pre-placed gear,
after failing to onsight) |
The White Tower **
E4 6a/b |
A powerful little number. Mostly nut protection which is all
bombproof. Make some really technical moves up to the visible thin crack
where you can reach a perfect finger lock. Make sure you get your right
foot established on the polished but good hold right underneath the
cracks. Get *one* number 5 nut above your hands - slots right down to form
the perfect placement. Don't waste time on more gear - this one will hold
you, and time is precious at this stage. Now somehow get your feet a bit
higher (tricky), and reach/dyno (!) for an sideways undercling for the
left hand in the grove bit, and - here's the main secret - then really go
for it and dyno/reach for a totally hidden sideways jug quite far out on
the right. As soon as you get this, you are sorted. But you still don't
want to hang around here - get some gear in further up (either friend or
threaded nut), and get yourself up in the groove and enjoy the rest and
the remaining climb.
MW (redpoint) |