UKH

Hi

I have heard a couple of people's opinions on cams in winter. Just thought I would get a few more before packing them in my kit for next weeks Scotland trip! Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

In reply to wolfy1987: Seen them used, but don't carry them myself. Quite like tri-cams as they have no mechanism to freeze/jam. Take them with you though, you can always leave them in the car.

BW

In reply to wolfy1987:

Expect some contradictory opinions. Everyone has their own pet theory, some folk don't take them at all but others wouldn't be without them. I find they get used quite a bit on Cairngorm granite, and I might take up to 5 on a mixed route, but elsewhere I'll get by with 2 or 3, usually the wrong ones.

In reply to Baron Weasel: it's not the cams freezing which normally causes the issue on icey or frosted rock they don't grip nearly as well. That said if the rock is dry and clean they work fine.

In reply to Jamie B: i think the smaller the rock crystals the more likely they are to be scatey too. Im sure weve both in winter had bomber cams, cams that scate where they wouldn't in summer and tricams in places a cam wouldn't work due to icing.

In reply to wolfy1987: There has already been a fairly similar thread this season, although it was asking specifically about mixed routes around grade V - http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=530546

FWIW, the advice about cams for mixed routes from Martin Moran's Scotland's Winter Mountains is:
Grade II-III - useful but not essential
Grade IV-V - 3 or 4 of sizes between 1 and 3
Grade VI+ - full set 7 from 0.5 to 3.5

In reply to wolfy1987:
There's some useful advice in this video at about 7:52.
youtube.com/watch?v=uxtg7raPDYo&

In reply to wolfy1987:


Cams in winter are called "Hexes"

In reply to wolfy1987:

On mixed routed in the Lakes or Gorms I often take friends 00 - 2.5 all inclusive and a 3 camalot, on ice routes on the Ben I don't take any, for other stuff it's somewhere in between but typically 0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 & 3 camalot. Also carry three hexes - not sure on the size but basically the ones that are bigger than a wall nut 10 placed sideways.

In reply to wolfy1987: Thanks for all you replies. I'm heading up to the Ben for a week. So might not bother. Ill be sticking to the 2-3 grade unless I second some one on slightly harder routes. Thank you again!

In reply to Exile:


One of the belays I found on Orion Direct was markedly improved by a small cam!

In reply to wolfy1987: I take dragon sizes 1 and 3, that covers quite a large range for not much weight,

In reply to Jamie B:

We only placed three bits of rock gear in the ten pitches when we did it - all the rest was on screws. I think from memory the belay before the crux was on in place pegs though.

In reply to wolfy1987:

The ice routes I was talking about on the Ben are the late season Vs really. If you're not sure what you'll be climbing I'd stick two or three in. (0.5, 1.5 & 2.5?)