ALHAMBRA
thanks for a certain Dunedin-ite who probably wishes
to remain nameless, Alhambra now sports two pitons
for pro ('in the style of the first ascent'). How
well they'll actually hold a fall, and how long they'll
stay there before someone nicks em, is another question.
PARAPET
This is usually used as an easy descent route.
MARC BOLAN MEMORIAL ARÊTE
Everyone we know who's lead this, inists the hardest
moves are traversing to put the (marginal) pro in. You have been
warned.
ESCALADE
Going up the left side of the pedestal is lots
easier than going up the right.
RAMPART
You can place a very good #8 rock at the crux, little pro of
any real value beneath this. If you use
cams instead you will probably find your footholds blocked
as you move up. Above the crux you're faced with either
running it out to the belay (on moderately easy ground), or you can move
leftwards slightly to place pro on the horizontal above
Rawhide
SWORD IN THE STONE
Canty Rock insists there's a secret hold that helps
on this route - don't bother hunting for it, just jam and pull.
For a 'mere' 16 a lot of people fall off this!
UNCOMPROMISING VULTURE
place runners high in 'sword in the stone' before moving right
to reduce the risk of penduluming back into the cave (double
ropes very useful). If you're very tall you can place
a good small wire over the lip on the right before committing
to the crux - otheriwse it's hard to place until you're established
in the groove (and looking at a very good fall).
COURT JESTER
Falling on that wrist jam can really ruin your day.
BOW
when the crack becomes awkwardly off-width at the very
top, you can swing out onto good incut jugs on the left -
more powerful, but less tenuous.
ECLIPSE
place good runners in 'arrow' before moving out (double
ropes very useful) - all gear on eclipse itself is somewhat
doubtful (RPs, small wires, microcams etc), so you need something you
can trust in. Thankfully
it becomes easier the higher you go.
EAGLE CLEFT
Plenty of good threaded sling placements up in there if you don't mind
a bit of caving, but watch out for nesting pigeons.
MERLON
The hard moves are above the mantleshelf, moving left over the
bulge to end up beneath arrow or else going straight up to the left
end of the roof, in both cases with no nearby pro. You can chicken out
by stepping right into the aviary instead, placing pro then doing
the aviary traverse to get back to arrow, but it's not really cricket.
GARGOYLE
Since the big block in the groove was removed, the
sharp ledge left behind poses a real risk to your legs if you
fall low in the slot, so make sure you get some good runners in high and
early. The bottom groove is excellent fingerlock practice.
MIHRAB
Used to be all 16 until some vandals dug out the base. Those rusty old pegs
aren't as bad as they look (I've taken a drop on them on purpose to test
them and I'm still here), you can back them up with RPs and micro-cams if you're worried.
The direct start was given as 22 in Canterbury Rock - it's really impossible
to grade as it's only one hard move - you can either do it or you can't.
REPEAT DEFEAT
very contrived (since you have to actively
avoid using expedition crack) but good technical balance
climbing. Best bet is to put all pro in expedition crack -
#6 rock, #0 friend in undercling, #2 friend.
BUTTRESS CORNER
Used to only be 16 before the great excavation. You can
get marginal baby wires in before committing to the pull through
the bulge.
Falcon Crack
Hexes seem to fit better than cams. Powerful, but straight forward and short.
GIBBET
the awkward layback straight off the belay ledge is quite
powerful. Best idea is to place pro as high as possible, then
give it heaps. Falling will likely result in you hitting the
ledge back-first - not good! The hard section is quite short - above
this it's both easier, and the pro improves.
EXECUTIONER
not as bad as it looks - good bridging ability and a cool
head can make it quite pleasant. Pro is rather spaced - one
good medium size wire once you're out on the ledge at the base, then
you can get a small (#0/#0.5) cam in in the obvious finger slot - best
to place this after you've pulled up to the jugs (as without the slot for your hands
it's rather hard). Try to avoid from falling off the exit holds.
HANGMAN
solid jams make this not too bad - save your
strength for the top where it steepens. A definite classic with
ample pro.
PERREGRINUS
the crux is getting over the lip of the roof and established,
above that it's a stamina trip - the holds get steadily
bigger at the top, unfortunately the steepness increases at
the top as well. The key is to have the strength to hang
around and fiddle in the gear (RPs) or to have the balls to go
for it above the #0.5 friend at the roof until the #0 friend
placement in the horizontal crack 15' up!
FLYING BUTTRESS
take a #4 friend or #11 hex to protect the hand-traverse
under the roof - double ropes are handy to cut down rope
drag, alternatively very long slings. Once established
in the groove on the right it's straight forward crack
and face climbing to the top. You might want to sling the chockstones
at the top when the crack widens.
EX CATHEDRA DIRECT
definitely scary - unprotected grade 22 moves before the
first pro, a full body bridge to gain the 'thank god' jug at the lip
of the roof, then tricky crack climbing to the top (don't miss the #5
rock placement). You can climb the crack and series of good
holds on the left arete if you get desperate, but it's considered cheating, then
again dying can be unpleasant.
MOAT
To fully appreciate this route, you should attempt to lead
it in the dark during a rainstorm - then the meaning of the
name will become all too apparent.
ORGASM
if you have trouble reaching any holds up the groove, you
can always resort to a big move off the jug to the horizontal -
even if it does feel suspiciously like the crux on Petrel.
CYAN
Canty Rock seems to have lost 75% of this route in claiming it's
only 7m long - keep going, the roof at the top is worth it.
MAGENTA
Once again Canty Rock seems to have it's figures wrong on the length
of this one. Start just right of Cyan, move right to tackle the
lichen covered bulge and slab, the go straight up the stacked block arete.
Trully exciting climbing, just watch out for wobbly blocks.
SQUARE TABLE
The fact that you get to place absolutely bomber large stoppers
from good rests on the ledges makes this a good choice for your
first 15 lead.