UKH

Thinking of taking a first trip to Stanage this weekend, subject to virus situation and with a view to staying away from other parties. Will be climbing up to about S.

Looks dry and cold and easterly over the weekend; my understanding is that this is good for Stanage. Is this correct?

Also, I understand that it's a popular but large area. Does anyone have a feel for how rammed things can get on a nice but cold March weekend?  (I realise a lot of people are likely to have the same idea at the moment due to virus.)

Yes it'll be grand, just take a big coat. Stanage is indeed a large area, but only about 400m of it are ever what you'd call 'busy', especially at this time of year. The other 4.6k should offer a reasonable degree of solitude  

It's very difficult to predict which direction the virus might push things away from normality.

Maybe hardly anybody will venture out climbing at all. Maybe extra people will get out because they can't climb indoors or do anything else. Maybe people will go out but avoid an obvious honeypot like Stanage.

I think the only option, whichever crag anyone's got their eye on, will be to turn up and be prepared to move on if it's not quiet. If that's the case, it might well be that moving to Stanage North would be far enough to find it much quieter. It's often completely deserted when Popular End is rammed.

There will be loads of Stanage without a soul on it. Go for it, you'll be fine. Park at Hugn Neb, walk to the crag and turn left  

Thanks all! Yes the winter belay jackets will be in the packs for sure

Just seen you climb about vdiff. October Crack & Kelly's crack are great at that grade. Get stuck in! 

Glad Stanage is still essential travelling for you. Just don't fall off as A&E already stretched.

I'm only Just jealous. Have a good weekend.

Have a plan b and a plan c. Get them sorted before you get there.

There is places that hardly see climbers from 1 year to the next. A chance to seek out esoterica 

Second this, a great time for teams to walk out and clean off and climb old neglected routes, re-equip stuff and generally do something positive

Crag clean ups would be a good thing to instigate or even have a page on here where people can talk about things that need doing and agree on measures and timings to get it done whilst minimizing risk associated to corona

I'll be out moss brushing and replacing threads / fixed gear next week for sure as I'm in quarantine due to probably a common cold

We can't let this thing beat us 

Yes been eyeing those up! Thanks

Haha. Thanks. Joking aside, this hasn't escaped me; main tangle of whether we go is the ethics of it. Not falling off remains the priority!

Yep agreed. Never been to the Peak so all of it will be new.

This is true, but makes more difference to the friction on tenuous slabs. If you’ve got half your arm in a v diff crack, it might just feel cold. 

Has always been mine. 

Google  ZOOMTOPO.com  for Stanage. Really good close up views of routes.  

Enjoy.

Thank you, that's cool. Also seems to contain a timely reminder of the potential consequences of falling off...

Noted, thanks. Will be more likely the latter but I'll go with chilly in mind...

Thanks all for your input. Called it off after deciding it was inappropriate during virus times. Will save it for another day!

That'll be the sound of pitchforks being put down...! 

☺ 

Better that than the clanging of hexes at the moment