Edge Hog 17m E3 5c ☆☆
Posted by: John Daly, 09.05.202308.04.2023, John Daly Start at the lowest point of the buttress and climb up to a ledge on the left. Place a nut in High Noon to protect the initial section. Climb up rightwards to reach the edge then up to gain a standing position on a vague round boss, pull up to the first short flake above (rock3), then further flakes and the right hand rib are followed making increasingly precarious layback moves to gain the top. Possibly 6a ?? See High Plains Drifter for photo-topo.
5c is fair.
The “5c” moves on Expulsion are harder and more sustained but fortunately with overhead protection.
NB we top roped this one , it felt too scrittly for comfort on the lead.
Gave it a quick brush beforehand but would recommend another going over before a lead.
Managed to forget the download , so just climbed the obvious lines without knowing the grades.
Edge Hog looked the easiest from the ground. It isnt!
Hi Guys,
This crag was unearthed by me in June 2022 & this route + two others were done & reported to the FRCC as ‘Long Crag South’ aka Indiana Jones Crag (due to the access!). For some reason my info never got published – I’ve a topo & some photos, how can I share it?
I thought this route E1 5b & called it Indiana Jones.
A rather scrappy line up the centre of the crag gave Lost Arc E1 5b.
And the leftmost line was my favourite Temple of Doom E2 5c.
But I’m rubbish at grading so defer to the better judgement of others!
Cheers,
DSM.
Grassguards Buttress, Duddon, Edge Hog, etc. Dave Scott-Maxwell route counter claim.
I am somewhat bemused by the counter claim made by DSM to some of the routes on Grassguards buttress. Firstly a colleague of mine (DG) visited the crag in late summer 2022 with an eye to doing some new routes, he thought the crag was too dirty to climb on without giving it a major clean up. I arrived at the crag in Feb 2023, photographed it in its dirty state, then cleaned and climbed all the routes. DSM reckons he climbed an E1 up the centre of the crag which has completely thrown me as the central area is where Expulsion crack and Expulsion Right hand are. Both were initially unclimbable, choked with thick heather and moss (see photo), after I cleaned them 2 technically hard routes were produced, as confirmed by Rick Graham who stated ‘HARD 5C’! As for High Noon it also had plenty of heather on it and the key finger crack oozed gloopy mud out to its lip ! In my opinion Edge Hog had never been climbed before, lots of crumbly toe smears needed rubbing off and the only protection in the first two thirds of the route was a rock3 in a tiny crack behind a small flake, surprisingly this was choked up with pebbles, so what protection did he use? E1 no way. Even after I had cleaned it Rick quoted ‘Too scritty for comfort on the lead’ ‘needs a brush before a lead’.
Hi John, thanks for your reply!
I’m not surprised the crag looked uncleaned when you arrived cos’ I did almost no cleaning on the basis that if it takes longer to clean than climb its too much bother.
I had also expected the RH route to be an easy starter – I was thinking/hoping HVS but as you & Rick confirmed it was trickier than it looked!
To be fair Andy who followed the ascent said it was more than E1 but I talked him down for some reason.
The middle route was climbed avoiding the heathery cracks which I guess you have cleaned off & it was a bit grim/snappy so I expect your new creations are a lot better.
The LH route was my favourite & simply went straight up middle of the clean LH slab using the pruned pine as first runner & cams / small wires thereafter.
Anyhow I’ll pop a few photos on UKC (Username: DSM) so you can compare.
Cheers,
DSM.
Hi everyone I can confirm and back up all Dave’s comments from our June 22 ascents of these routes – we went up on two occasions in June and Dave had been up before on recce. I agree your approach across the horrible bog and the non trivial pine bashing! The second time we went direct up the stream from the valley real Indiana territory. We did Edgehog first with pretty much no cleaning Dave made a composed but brave ascent as usual despite the scrittle with minimal gear I think the rock 3 way to the side you mention. I second anything and always claim to Dave he has undergraded things – this was ok to follow and great climbing but I wouldn’t disagree with E35c. We did HP Drifter which I thought a beautiful intricate slab climb quite close to the left gully but not too close – a bit of gear but still serious – anywhere else this would be a gem. We did High Noon – grubby and tricky at the top as you describe then did something grubbier around the Expulsion area but I can’t remember that so much. Great adventure – will never be popular – but I vouch that Dave led all the routes with minimal cleaning and a very steady lead ! I think he has the topo and photo write up that we submitted a while back. We are both local Duddon enthusiasts with a few new routes to our name in the valley since the new guide but I agree it’s a difficult place to grade as the pro is often poor. As comparison we did the Mtse Tong ( can’t spell it) slab routes recently and although cleaner they are at least as hard as the Grassguards routes. Overall though well done for everyone getting themselves into that Indiana terrain and surviving the flora and fauna and bugs ! Happy new routing. Andy Gittins
Thanks for the responses Dave and Andy, you wouldn’t recognise the crag now, ‘Immaculately clean’, Indiana Jones would be proud of us. I am slightly confused though, Andy implies 4 routes were climbed, Dave says 3. Andy suggests Indiana FA was in June 22 Dave says it was 15/5/22 on his photo. Anyway I think we need to clarify where your lines went compared to ours. I think an accurate Topo from Dave is essential. On our arrival Temple/HP Drifter was the only semi clean area of rock on the crag, An excellent bold direct line up the centre of the pillar finishes on a ledge on the right, is that the line of Temple of Doom? Or did you utilise the crack just left that we cleaned and used? We then finished direct over the unprotected headwall above. Do we have two separate routes here or just a variation finish?
My main concern is the central sector, I can categorically say nobody had previously climbed Expulsion crack because the upper crack and crux technical central finger crack were choked with thick soil and heather and the crack wasn’t even visible, only becoming visible after my major excavations. Likewise the Expulsion Right Hand section of slab because after heavily wire brushing it I tried and still failed to lead the really technical unprotected direct start decking out twice. I am just wondering if Daves central route ‘Lost Arc’ started off up High Noon and then headed back leftwards across the upper section of slab, perhaps one of you could advise and again show an accurate line on a Topo. In my opinion but subject to the line of ‘Lost Arc’ I would suggest that the 2 Expulsion routes now probably supersede anything else in that central sector since our major crag clean up. Congratulations by the way on some bold leading on mucky rock.
Thanks John / sorry I wrote the note quickly I mean the Year 2022 when I say 22 – all the routes were done in 2022 – Dave will clarify exact lines as he has a detailed topo and description of what was done – I remember the great route on the right and the great one on the left end but the middle is a blur probably because it wasn’t great – I wouldn’t overthink it as the crag can be climbed almost anywhere with not much division of the lines and some are escapable onto easier ground and interconnected at a push. As I say Dave has an accurate topo and is adept at bold leading on mucky rock as you say . I just happily follow !
Hi John,
I dug out some more photos from last summer & I can see that you’ve transformed the place – full marks for cleaning, awesome job!
I’ve added the central line of Lost Ark to your topo & dropped it into my DSM UKC gallery (hope you don’t mind).
And I agree Lost Ark is effectively rendered obsolete by your nicely cleaned & much better-looking crack lines [we only did 3 routes, not 4].
The LH route was climbed pretty much straight up the middle of the slab in the line of the ropes on the new photo without going near any cracks that I can recall so this may be different to your ascent? Our photos don’t really make it very clear – we need a keen drone pilot to help take crag shots I think!
I hope that helps clear things up. After all this banter & confusion I reckon I owe you guys a beer so if you fancy a pub catchup sometime email me via UKC & we can set something up.
Cheers,
DSM.