Climbers have been out in force this spring after a somewhat wet start. Eridge has seen the most activity with eight new problems and routes including the addition of its hardest problem to date. Happy Valley has predictably been back in the spotlight with climbers enjoying the West Valley Boulders and the addition of one new problem. Toad Rocks and Mount Edgcumbe Rocks have also seen new problems added as well as Harrison's Rocks.
Your new routes and problems are important!
Your first ascents are part of history which is why it needs recording and protecting. This is whyrecording them on UKC is the best way forward. This can be done from anywhere, using a personal computer or mobile device. It's more beneficial to the sandstone climbing community who can instantly see if a route or problem has been done before. The information is checked by voluntary moderators, and those who submit new routes can be contacted for further clarification if needed. New route data on UKC is digitally backed-up and also listed on the Sandstone New Routes Page. Recording your problem and uploading to YouTube also helps clarify your ascents. The information can be used by guidebook authors and climbers alike and is available to all.
It's worth noting that paper new route books (globally) are in rapid decline, rarely used these days and are a very localised thing. They are unfortunately only situated in one location, often with restricted access between certain opening times. They are vulnerable to being lost/stolen or even worse destroyed in a fire of which years of hand written records are lost. Also, information recorded in these books can sometimes be ileligible and no forward contact information left, as well as only being checked once in a blue moon.
Recording routes on other websites is possible but is potentially risky, as more often that not, these sites are poorly maintained and information is often overlooked, resulting in lost first ascent data for future guidebooks.
If you do record information elsewhere for some reason, then please also ensure you list it on UKC to help other climbers know about your ascent and keep the information in one place. Unfortunately, if not then we won't know about it for quite some time, resulting in someone else potentially registering the first ascent of your route. Also it won't show up in the new routes list here for quite some time.
Does UKC own new route information?
Alan James - Managing Director of UKClimbing Limited had this to say on the subject.
UKClimbing Logbook data comes from a variety of sources and the copyright of that data remains with the individual, or company, that originated it. The grades and star votes are decided by user votes and have no overall copyright. Some logbook entries have a description field marked ©Rockfax. This means that the data came from a Rockfax guidebook author. It also has a second description field which is where users upload descriptions. This data remains the property of the person who uploaded it, and that information is retained in the database administration fields, but in reality user uploaded descriptions have no overall copyright. Recently a new system has been established to allow us to attribute a third party to the main description field with a copyright symbol. This is so that we can work with third parties and protect their copyright. We are working towards establishing a proper Creative Commons licence for UKC logbook and hope to have this properly established in the next year.
HAPPY VALLEY
I Can Only Imagine - f6C - Climber: Tom Gore
Earlier in the month as the sun finally came out in the south east, Tom Gore sprung into action at Happy Valley and added I Can Only Imagine - f6C on the Hidden Gem buttress.
ERIDGE ROCKS
Eridge also began to dry out and saw a good number of significant ascents in May. Ben Read sprang dramatically into action with the addition of four new routes, three of which were climbed on the same day. Eridge Lip Traverse - f7A+ - traverses left across the lip of the cave from '6:00 a.m Route' to finish up Parisian Affair (RF p124). Additionally Ben added Eli's Wall - f6B which is behind Boulder Chimney at the Equilibrium Wall area (RF p119) and also Velcro Reach - f7A on the Velcro Boulder (RF p130) of which videos are below.
Eli's Wall - f6B - Climber: Ben Read
Velcro Reach - f7A - Climber: Ben Read
Rhys Whitehouse also turned his attentions to Eridge and added a hybrid problem called The Phantom Shitter Strikes Again - f7B+ - which start as for 'Yankee Affair' (RF p124) but then heads right across the lip towards the corner and finishes as for 'Even Shorter Mention' without using the side wall.
Peter Wycislik who is well known for his hard bolder problems added two new problems to Eridge's now expanding portfolio of climbs and problems. The first one is perhaps better described as a route. Located on the Mammoth Wall, this new route 'Darkness - f7A' links the start of 'Diagonal' into the final section of 'Wall E Mammoth' (RF p111)
Darkness - f7A - Climber: Peter Wycislik
Finally on the same day Peter added Brutus - f7C+ - at the Parisian Affair Area. This problem just scraps half grade past 'Judamondo' to become the hardest problem at Eridge. This powerful problem climbs the right side of the cave without touching the side wall and finishes up 'Even Shorter Mention'. Video at the top of this article.
More recently Harry Westaway added a nice finish to Snail Bail (RF - p128) called Dinky Arete - UK 6b on the 14th June which finishes up and left of the large pocket out toward and then up the arete.
TOAD ROCKS
Tom Gore started the season early by climbing Cub Arete - f7B back on the 15th April which was also reported here. Tom returned there recently and added Spicy Chilli - f6C+ - which is located around the back of the Bishops Head (RF - p 416).
Spicy Chilli - f6C+ - Climber: Tom Gore
Staying on the Bishops Head, Jack Shewring added It's Easier Round the Back- f5 which goes up the face between Mole's wall and The Willows just right of the gap (RF - p416).
Tom in good fashion continued his development of Tom Gore Rocks, sorry Mount Edgcumbe Rocks, by adding yet another powerful problem, The Press - f7A.
The Press - f7A - Climber: Tom Gore
HARRISON'S ROCKS
Even Harrison's has seen some attention with Rhys Whitehouse innovating on the Grants Wall (RF p.256) by putting up a mild eliminate, RSVP - UK 6a which goes up the face avoiding both adjacent cracks on Thingamywobs and Whatsname.Last but not least, Gwain Plenary has made the first ascent of Gwains' Awete - F6b+ which goes up the right hand arête of the slab that is situated between Fingernail Crack and Dinosaurus (RF p185). This is a good little addition to the area and a great find, also due to the fact that space for new climbs at Harrison's is somewhat of a challenge these days.