Hart's Arete

Famous and rightly so. The starting footholds are poilished, but there is and easier version without the obvious (and painful) pocket. V4 to the break.
andy farnell - 10/Apr/03

The start is a 6b boulder problem and a good one at that requiring strong fingers, balance and good body tension on the side pulls.Awesome.Nuff said.
Jack Brunning - 18/Oct/04

The famous slot for your left hand which has been missed on many an attempt has been 'improved' by a well known local.
andy farnell - 11/May/05

The slot mentioned by Andy was exploded by a leader falling onto a shallowly placed friend. An object lesson - if you're going to lead at Pex make sure all gear is well in. On this route better to push on to a Rock 5 in the V feature and a f0 on arete before bomber f1 in top slot.
Pekkie - 19/Jun/05

definitely harder than V4 to the break unless you live at Pex everyday!
dave - 21/Jun/05

Agreed. Ive been working it for a little while and the start is rock 'ard. I blame my Scarpa Visions for not being able to utilise the left hand side foothold as you reach for second crescent.
willhunt - 01/May/06

Nailed the start today. Saw a guy working it in the wrong way (starting to the left and reaching onto Cardiac Arete to gain a pocket). Showed him the method Mark Hounslea had showed me and this time instead of foolishly going straight for the break popped up for a two finger pocket.

After a couple of trys we had both latched it and made the break. A very special day for him as he had first got on the problem in 2003. After working it for the whole summer and for 3 years he had finally done it within 10 mins of being showed the proper route.

Was also the first 6b move that Ive pulled off so was very proud. Nice when things come together.
willhunt - 12/May/06

E3 6b *** (OS Lead, no mats). A very fine route which is well worth leading. The start is reasonably tricky (I must confess I watched someone doing it at a time when I hadn't considered doing the route) but easy to work on. Above it's much easier, gear is limited but bomber, and protects a really good series of elegant rock-overs. Get to it.
Fiend - 02/May/07

I think the start of Hart's is one problem that demonstrates the differences in climbing styles and approaches probably more than any other at Pex. To use the side pulls exclusively or to use only the pebble/pocket combo. To reach for the left hand sub-pocket or reach straight for the break. Which little black pebble to place your right shoe on. First had a crack at this one in '95 but it was way beyond me. Was still too hard after I could piss up Black Magic. Now I've done it it's nice to know it's not just one of those 'one move wonders' as Pete Trewin would call it - has a nice 5c feel to the remainder of the route though I couldn't give an opinion on the lead.
Nicky Reid - 26/Oct/09