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Top roping at Buffalo

gfdonc

19-Jan-2011
5:08:45 PM

On 19/01/2011 gordoste wrote:
>On 19/01/2011 gfdonc wrote:
>>Fantasies of Gail (15) on the South Side near the waterfall was a pleasant
>
>Yes this is a really good route. However it is very squishy with 2 people
>on the tiny ledge (not really a ledge, just a shelf) at the start of the
>climb.
Yep. Actually it's not very squishy (depends on your standards) but I'd wonder why both of you would be on the ledge anyway - you'll be toproping from above.

> Also, the climb does not go straight upwards. If you were toproping
>it, I would recommend having the belayer perched at the top of the slab
>so they can see the climber. You would just need a short rope (10m or so)
>to go from the anchor down to the belayer.
Yep, good point. You could do as you suggest. What I was trying to convey instead, though was that you would rap down the slab but toprope from the trees to the left (facing out). You might swing a little if you fell off the early moves, the remedy would be to preclip the rope through the bolts down there (which might be hard to do from the abseil line).

gfdonc

20-Jan-2011
12:53:32 PM

Here's a pic of the route to whet your appetite:

You rap down over the dark bulge to the top left of the photo.

As indicated you might be better off to lower down the route and clip the bolts along the way, but you can see from the photo where your poor second will end up if you lower too far.

Also be warned with the noise of the waterfall you won't be able to communicate easily.

I can't help you any more. Have fun.


cruze

20-Jan-2011
1:26:29 PM

I must admit that I didn't rate Fantasies of Gail, but that might have had something to do with the lichen and dirt that was all over it. Pretty much from the climber onwards in that photo. Nice position though but because of the rising angle the climb takes, and the undercut beneath the fall line, I wouldn't go suggesting it as a user-friendly top rope. Also I think that the top 3-4 m to the tree anchors was vegetated and covered with leaves, dirt, etc.

Cam McKenzie

20-Jan-2011
2:27:22 PM

Yeah, top was a bit dirty when I did it. Character building...

kieranl

20-Jan-2011
2:54:21 PM

It was even more interesting just after it was first done. The route was written up without mentioning that the final bolt wasn't actually in the hole at the time and Meg got quite a shock to get to the finish and find a hole but no bolt.

juanes

20-Jan-2011
3:13:32 PM

On 18/01/2011 PhilB wrote:
>Thanks all! I said they were new to the sport but I should have said new
>to outdoor climbing. We all can easily climb up to 16-18 but Buffalo seems
>to be harder than the grades indicate (exposure and so on from what I know)
>so we're looking at lower grade climbs on which we can walk up the climb,
>set up a top anchor (off trees, boulders...), and then belay either from
>the top or from the bottom of the climb. Abseiling down, I agree, is risky
>as it means the only way out is up.
>
>Looks like Catani Crags could do.
>Also, seems like the easy, less than vertical slabs, haven't been listed
>in the topo guide so I may have to look for those and go for it.
>
>Oh, and yes, climbing is dangerous but i) that's part of the excitement
>and ii) I'm level enough not to do anything I am not happy with.

If your climbing experience is limited to the inbreed homogamy which makes up gym climbing. Buffalo is going to be an eye opening experience. Pick some really easy routes and get a fill for the rock, who know you might end up finding that slab and cracks are you cup of tee. Good Luck.

Wendy

20-Jan-2011
7:09:20 PM

On 20/01/2011 davidn wrote:
>You know, when I see pictures like that I still wonder about anyone who
>*really* loves climbing slab. It's a sickness, I tell you, like specialising
>in off-widths.

It's far worse than offwidths. Offwidths vary. Offwidths are hard work. Offwidths use 3 dimensional problem solving with full body workout. Slabs on the other hand have only 3 moves. They are a mental work out though - trying not to die of terror. Or possibly of boredom.

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