Arquebus 35m E3 6a ☆☆☆
Posted by: martin bagness, 14.11.202411.11.2024, Martin Bagness, Pippa Archer The hard section involves intricate climbing on small holds and, unusually for this wall, is well-protected.
Climb Armalite to the first peg*. Make thin moves directly to the overlap about 3m above (good cam). Cross this (even thinner) at the short crack (wires). Reach right for good, obviously cleaned, holds on Fear and Loafing and follow this to the top.
*The 1979 Armalite peg is old and rusty. Another knife-blade was placed 20cm below it before this ascent. Both pegs now still in place.
Stuart Wood may have climbed the crux as part of a much harder route – or his line may be further left?
Just found a similar or identical route in the 1999 guide – Future Primitive E4? 6a 1990. Not sure who climbed it, but it seems that they are the first ascensionists, rather than myself and Pippa Archer. It just gets a mention rather than a full entry, and is missing from the subsequent guide. This is a shame as the climbing is enjoyable, (being thin and in-balance), well-protected and on clean rock. Given these qualities, the route could become a popular addition.