Ash Tree WallRoute Grade Votings
Total votes cast 76
Adjacent Routes 14m. Climb the grim fist-width crack to its end then traverse left to reach the pleasant right-trending groove. USER COMMENTS
The crack is a bit more than fist width!
Polished by generations of top-ropers and the start crack was always at least 4a.
I don't think it deserves the stars. didn't find it that good.
Undergraded unless perhaps you have massive fists and wear big boots. It's fun watching first time visitors, E1 leaders, trying to warm up on this route. But it is worth a hard fight - a fine route. Chris FitzHugh
Ooh, nasty. Be careful on the polished offwidth. Needs upgrading to Severe.
Useless crack followed by dodgy traverse. An OK route at best.
A great root, solid HVD, use a spotter for the start, and double ropes
Fist width? OFFWIDTH! skidded of the polished holds and was quite glad to have been walking a size 4 friend up the crack, just brushed the ground.
After the first move up the crack there are huge jugs. A size 4 cam will fit nicely in the crack if you need it.
I think Severe 4a seems fair, bit too strenuous and tricky for a HVD I feel. the traverse is a doddle if you bother to look for foot holds. A nice climb which get's easier every time you do it.
We found the start harder than Hollyash Crack, fewer holds and more polished. It's just narrow enough to be protected by a big friend though. S 4b or maybe HS 4b IMO.
Didn't jam the crack, face climbed outside with a bit of lay-away'ing. Would have been desparate to jam this - my hands are far too small. I really enjoyed the rest of it too - almost like a real "route". Great fun IMO.
Easiest way up initial crack is to arm bar / udge. Certainly don't think this route is worth HS 4b at all, S 4a is about right.
Fists? Managed some foot jams, and the odd knee...
Woker In reply to nutkey:
The crack is bigger than a no 9 rockcentric, at least at the start. I didn't have much job placing it at the top either, and didn't need to, as there was enough choice of other placements.
number nine rockcentric ?!? really old chap that is not a big hex, for easy grit routes you need to be carrying the largest hex in the camp range, which is quite a lot bigger and fits I can assure you.
Bottom crack takes a camp 11 hex nicely.
Not that hard.
Couldn't fit even a No9 Rockcentric in the vertical crack, only a dodgy side-wire in the left break at 3/4 ht. Unfortunately not tall enough (I'm 5'6) to reach anything into the large horizontal crack above the traverse. Only small runners in the small roof at the top of the vertical crack so the traverse, even though pretty straightforward, felt a bit uncomfortable, particularly with a single rope (despite good advice above !!).
A willingness to foot jam makes the start a bit more do-able, but it is still nails for the grade. S4a, or maybe even 4b at a push.
loved this route, not often that I get to do elbow jams.
I enjoyed this route. The start crack is easily protected with a cam and you don't have to jam it at all as the good handhold on the left of the crack is only one move from the ground. I found good pro all the way up.
A lovely climb, but fist jam? Try a few delicate bance moves laying away on the left. Good S4b.
This is a good route but why is everyone trying to overgrade it? The crack has excellent foot jams (and I'm not that good at cracks), the pro is more than adequate if you are using a modern rack and the hand holds in the break are massive (especially further left). The hardest move probably is 4a (just) but thats all there is to it. After the break it's a scramble.
Agree with some of the above comments especially No.11 camp hex in the bottom offwidth (or no.10 placed sideways). Arm-bar and leg-jam got me off the ground and udging up to the break.
If you intend to protect the top section and a nervous second, then twin ropes a good idea. |