Avon Route Guide

Upper Wall

The cream of Bristol climbing - steep, powerful moves on excellent rock. There are several well protected crack climbs in the lower extremes, together with many of the Gorge's hardest routes. Basically, it's great. Unfortunately, those leading below E2 are not catered for - we'd review more of the routes here, but we're not good enough (yet).

New Horizons II * E2 5c**	Undoubtedly one of the best pitches in Avon, combining steep technical climbing with an enormous pump potential and stacks of gear. Start the route up the rightwards facing flake near the top of upper wall. Don't muck about on the lower section, the gear is easy to place and the climbing is positive, though powerful. About 30 ft up you arrive at a scoop where the brave can take a hands off rest, or for the meek a one finger rest! A bomb proof hex or big wire can be arranged above your head, then launch up the next section. Those who trust the friction will find this part easy(ish), those who don't will get hugely pumped hanging off tenuous finger locks. After a few moves the crack peters out to give the fingery crux. This requires both stamina, a cool head and good footwork to reach the continuation crack and bomber friends. Those who still have the energy can then try the 6a stretch (dyno?) for the top, those without can scuttle off rightwards and bless the day they bought their size half friend. The finishing ledge is satisfyingly juggy. All in all a brilliant route. OW (ground up)
Bold as Love * E6 6b	OK, so I didn't get the crux, or get to the top without a million rest points, but there's got to be some kudos in reviewing an E6. This climb is nails, it takes the blank wall just right of New Horizons II. It is strenuous, fiercely technical and requires a 10 ft arm span. Start off up the wall on fingery crimps heading straight towards a peg. The climbing is hard but there are one or two chalking points. Don't worry about placing gear as there isn't any. After the peg you will be tired. Trend rightwards to a scoop and reach up to another peg. Two good finger holds in a break here enable you to attack the crux. By rocking up rightwards and straightening you left arm completely behind you, you may almost be able to reach the next hold, which is crap. A traverse leftward then takes you to a roof. Surmount this with considerable difficulty (in situ hex) then grab a huge jug and then the top..... You would have to be mad to lead this. OW (2nd with rests)
Mirage * E3 6a/b**	A superb route that packs most of it's punch into a few crux moves. On-sighting the crux is not easy, but there's lots of gear so go for it. Start up the rightwards slanting crack line left of Arms Race and make quick progress until you are standing on a foot ledge just below a small roof. Due to the angle of the crack you have to undercut it, which makes gear placement strenuous. It's worth making the effort, though, as the crux is next! Having laced the crack, aim yourself at the holds above and slap through the crux. Once you are standing above the roof you have done it! Amble off rightwards and belay on bolts. Ab off. OW (ground up)
Arms Race * E4 5c**	OK someone had to do it, so here is my review of one of Avon's most famous and best routes. It's not technically hard, never more than mid 5c, but you have got to be FIT. Reachy moves at the bottom lead to a strip roof and the technical crux at the base of the crack proper. If you are well equipped with rocks 6 and 7 you will have much bomber gear. But don't even bother trying to place friends, they explode beautifully out of the crack as you plummet. The moves are suprisingly varied up the crack, with all sorts of crimping, rocking over and laybacking. OK now for the psycological crux; at the top of the crack DON'T GRAB THE RING BOLT! Instead swing left on your withering arms and sink a fantastic jam. You should be in lots of pain by now! Belay on bolts above. OW (Ground up after many long and swooping falls)
	Arms Race © J Brooke '97
Us * E2 5b,5b	Good climbing taking two completely different pitches. The first takes the steep double x-shaped cracks on the right hand side of the upper wall. Here the climbing is steep but not that technical. Just above the point where the cracks intersect you can place a small friend. Above here placing gear is quite tricky due to the angle. It's probably worth the effort as racing towards the top can lead to some anxious moments later. The second pitch has a poorly protected start but some gear can soon be found. The climbing above is surprisingly hard but (from what I remember) the gear improves. In all, quite hard work. The first pitch can be done on its own if you rap from the bore hole. CS (on-sight) One of the first routes you come to approaching the Upper Walls up the ramp. The first pitch takes a rightwards trending crack-line up to an open area below the obvious corner taken by the second pitch. The first pitch is quite serious because of the initial softness of the rock in the crack. Although runners can be placed, there is nothing that I would trust until about 15 or 20ft above the ground. From this point the rock and protection get better. The climbing is steep though and coupled to the dodgy initial protection this means a confident approach is required. There is a good threaded sling belay in a borehole above though this is easy to miss if you forget to look for it and there aint much else up there. The second pitch is much better than the first in my opinion. The climbing is technical with good footwork required. There is one section where protection could feel a bit far away if you don't have a small cam (TCU/alien etc.) to remedy the situation. BM (onsight)
Rancho Cucamonga * E3 6a	Although this is a bit of a tight line squeezed onto the lower section of the wall it has a pretty distinct feel about it. It's a damn sight steeper than Banshee, so be prepared to get pumped! The gear is probably better than most other gorge E3's, but do you trust those pegs? The crux is the obvious blank bit in the middle but if you can yard up to the big flat hold on the left all is well (shorties beware). The breaks above take size 2.5 friends well, but are a bit dusty. All that remains is to crank on the red rock above. These last holds look great from below but are surprisingly bad once you get there. Haul yourself onto the belay and feel good about climbing in the open air. RS (on-sight)
Banshee * E2 5c,4c	A great introduction to the style of climbing required on the upper wall. This is the classic route for the E1 leader trying to push his/her grade. The climbing is very positive with good protection and only has one hard move. Unfortunately this move is at the top and it is not uncommon for the said E1 leader to be seen taking to the sky. Steep climbing up the furthest right crack on the wall leads to a shake out and a fingery traverse past two pegs. A bomber (I personally have tested it several times) rock 6 out left protects a long reach up right and a final mantle shelf. This bit is much fallen off. Screwing up the final mantel leads to either a large (but safe) reduction in altitude or a rather poor impersonation of someone drowning. There is a second pitch but it's crap so you may as well ab from the bore hole. CS (ground up) The first crack is easy and to avoid getting a pump don't place too much gear as there is a solid peg to the left as the crack peters out. Keep the peg at head height otherwise getting to the next peg is a real sod. Clip the this peg and make a committing move onto the sloping ledge. At this point it would be reasonable to deflate your arms as it is quite a pumpy route and the final part of the route isn't the kind that can be done on failing arms. Move up and grab the good holds and make your way over to the top. It is considered acceptable to do some free fall peg or nut testing at this point. Top out and ignore the second pitch as it is pointlessly dangerous and crap climbing. Recommended (although make sure that you are feeling fit). Doing this pitch in the rain is also one of the best cures for over confidence I have found. PH