WARTON CRAG

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The Pinnacle– Gear Freak Slab The Pinnacle– End Roof The Pinnacle sector is reached by following the crag line for around 150m past a couple of high blocky buttresses and walls to an obvious perched block or “pinnacle” balanced on top of a craglet in a slight clearing. The last short, clean wall/slab past before reaching the Pinnacle contains a few neat additions: 1. Gear Freak (6C/V4) The centre of the thin wall, keeping a tight line up the middle to a hold just above the horizontal crucifix. 2. Xtravaganza (4+/V0) An easier line up the right side of the wall. 3. Stu’s Traverse (6B+/V4) From the crack traverse the wall left to right. Most of the problems on the pinnacle are fairly highball so a good crash pad is a must. Fortunately the crux’s are generally low. 1 2 Gear Freak Slab 10. Muscles Crack (4+/V0) The flared crack provides good, but high, jug pulling. 11. The Monkeys Paw (4+/V0) The undercut arête climbed mainly on the left is again decent and again high. 12. Beastmaster (6C+/V5) A fine introduction to physically basic roof climbing: tackle the centre of the roof and subsequent headwall without the block to the left or holds on the right arête. Rather good! * There are a few blocks in the trees below the pinnacle which host a few sit starts. However due to there situation these have become a little dirty 10 11 The Pinnacle– Main 12 The Pinnacle 9 4. Totally Focussed (7A/V6) The impeccable thin wall is climbed past an overlap before veering slightly left at two thirds height to meet a diagonal juggy crack. ** 4a. Totally Focussed SDS (7A+/V7) SDS With hands in the break climb p4 from sitting without the blocky foot flake just off the ground, over to the right. ** 5. The Pocket Problem (5+/V1) A local classic, claimed by many but probably first done by Bill Lounds. Start on a block and use an oval pocket and poor undercuts to move up and right to join the juggy diagonal crack. *** 8 7 6 5 4 The Pinnacle 6. The Crank (7A/V6) Start on the block with your right hand in the oval pocket and your left hand on one of any number of poor gastons/dinks. Stack your feet high and make long lunge diagonally up and left to a good but distant pocket. Not one to try unless you have a few pads and a spotter! * 7. The Octagon (6B+/V3) The wall right the deep crack without the use of the crack. 8. The Graunch (5/V1) The deep crack is far more awkward than it looks. 9. Block and Wall (4/V0) Onto the big block and direct up the wall above. Don’t fall! Black Buttress With its lush, soft mossy landing and remarkably clean rock, this fabulous wall is tailor-made for bouldering. The problems are thin and technical and most have just enough height to add a little spice. Image right: Black Light (7B) Approach: Around 35m past the Pinnacle, a path cuts through the crag line and a short distance further on a wire fence butts up against the crag. Climb over the fence and follow the crag line for a 100m (passing another small buttress - Aviary Walls) to eventually reach a 6m high wall with a perfect flat landing. 5 6
Black Buttress Peripheral Areas 8 As mentioned earlier in the guide there are a few more esoteric sectors dotted about the hillside. The next most easily incorporated into a trip to the Pinnacle Crag is the small jumble of blocks right of the stile you initially turned left at to reach Plumb Buttress. Stile Boulders Most notably here is a fairly large block on the level and a pinnacle at the rear of the jumble. There are a few short sit starts on the larger lower block but the Pinnacle hosts the best two lines: 1. Weather Wear (7A+/V7) SDS From a break up the centre of the narrow wall on lovely weatherworn holds. Both arêtes are out. The less eliminate version goes at about 6C/V4 but less good. * 2. Blunt Arête (6B/V4) SDS Start in the same place but move right to the blunt arête and finish up this. 1 2 Black Buttress 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The Pinnacle Upper Crag 1. Black Edge (3+/V0) Up a short crack and on to easier ground. Alternatively, after a couple of meters trend right toward the top of p2. Can be damp and a bit grubby. 2. Black Jack (6B/V3) The wall immediately to the right of the gapping pod-like break, climbed direct on sumptuous flowstone. 3. Black Magic (6B+/V3) Climb the wall just over a metre left of the central crack on impeccable small solution pockets. Committing. ** 4. Black Sheep (4+/V0) The central crack line is often damp but very decent when dry. 5. Black Light (7B/V8) SDS From a thin undercut crack pull up and swing left to a poor two-finger, first joint pocket (RH) and a gorgeous, slopey, flowstone crimp (LH). Now take a direct line up the wall 1m right of the crack trending slightly right to finish. The stand up, from the flow stone, is 7A/V6. *** The most prominent outcrop on the hillside (easily visible from the motorway) is the Upper crag. There is only one boulder-style problem, although even this is highball and a couple of pads are needed. This is reached in a few minutes from Pinnacle Crag by following the path (from the main stile) up the hillside to an old beacon at the summit. From the beacon the top of the Upper crag is 250m via the obvious easterly path. Johns Abomination (7C/V9) This is essentially a super direct (and better) version of an old micro route called The Original Abomination which climbs the distinct clean rib at the far right end of the crag. This harder line climbs the seemingly blank wall right of the rib on tiny holds to a highball and uncertain finish. * 5a. White Light / Black Light Variation (7A+/V7) SDS Start as per p5 but go up direct rather than swinging left to the flow stone. From the break move back left into Black Light. ** John’s Abomination 6. Black Russian (6B+/V3) Start in the middle of the section right of the crack and climb direct past a slight ledge and on up the wall above. * 6B. Black Russian Variation (6B/V4) Start as per P6 but at the slight ledge take a diagonal rightward trending line toward the deep narrow break. * 7. Black Hole (6C+/V5) The furthest right line. Up to a slopey ledge then direct up the wall above on small edges and a shallow inverted pocket to the deep inset break. Although there are holds under the ivy out right these have been intentionally left un-gardened, please leave them that way! * 8. Labyrinth (6C+/V5) On the left side of the crag, start at the right end of the shallow gapping break. Now traverse rightward using holds in or below the vague break to the central crack line. From here move up to holds above the vague break and follow a diagonally rightward trending line into p7. ** Taken By Surprise Buttress Finally for the super keen there is a hidden gem in the trees down the scree slope right from the Upper crag. This buttress is essentially a sub tier of the Upper Crag escarpment. It is approximately 150m diagonally down and right of the right side (as faced) of the Upper Crag. Taken By Surprise (7B+/V8) The centre of the bulging overhang climbed to a sloping section and small headwall. Due to the sometimes overgrown nature of the top-out it is acceptable to jump off once the bulge is FULLY surmounted. ** 9. Beneath the Labyrinth (7B+/V9) A good, hard eliminate traverse. Take in the entire wall from Left to Right using any holds below the vague break– i.e. stay below the vague break all the way to the right side of the crag. * Taken By Surprise 7 8
Page 1 and 2: WARTON CRAG BOULDERING By Greg Chap
Page 3: Plumb Buttress - Right Hand Plumb B

WARTON CRAG

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