Slabs - The Best (and Hardest)

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 StuartCJones 22 Nov 2019

Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate any recommendations for the best (and perhaps even some hard) pure slab climbs. 

 HeMa 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Being weak and fat, I've come to love numerous slabs (in all around yurp and scandinavia).

Even pure slabs are to my liking, while I do prefer cracks on a slab.

I think the the best line I have ever climbed is here in Finland, called Smooth operator (given the ego boosting grade of 7a,  but to be honest more like 6b/c). 
https://27crags.com/photos/93616

A meter or two the to left is another stellar line, with some harder climbing. https://27crags.com/photos/77604

And if yer legs are up to it, then not moving (or warming yer hands 'cause its darn cold) is not a problem. https://27crags.com/photos/91441

cb294 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

La Pedriza.

For multi pitch, Septumania at Eldorado/Grimsel:

Septumania (6b)

CB

 ad111 22 Nov 2019
In reply to HeMa:

 

> I think the the best line I have ever climbed is here in Finland, called Smooth operator (given the ego boosting grade of 7a,  but to be honest more like 6b/c). https://27crags.com/photos/93616

When it's 25 degrees and the sun is shining it definitely deserves 7a. It is a lovely slab though!

 tlouth7 22 Nov 2019
In reply to HeMa:

> I think the the best line I have ever climbed is here in Finland, called Smooth operator (given the ego boosting grade of 7a,  but to be honest more like 6b/c). https://27crags.com/photos/93616

Phwoar!

I climbed some very nice slabs on La Dent d'Orluthis spring, though they were running with water at the time so hard to appreciate fully.

 Grahame N 22 Nov 2019
 TobyA 22 Nov 2019
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 Simon Caldwell 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Hard to find any truly pure slab climbs at the grades I climb at, but Islivig Direct (VS 4c) comes pretty close - the best pitch is a cracked in a slab but the rest is mainly slabs. One of the best routes I've done.

 Rich2002 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Did some amazing routes here.  Sainte Victoire#photos

Sainte Victoire. Lots of climbs of all grades and re bolted in the same style as it was done originally ie run out to F@*k once you get a bit of height. Great fun. 

 HeMa 22 Nov 2019
In reply to TobyA:

Why yes, I had a ball retro O/S FA those some years later (they were full or sand by that time)... But to be honest, that place only started to shine after them bolts (bar the hardest trad line, E2'ish, the rest weren't that good).

As for Kitkakoulu, yeah it was ok but a tad uneven with them rests/ledges... with bolts Nalkkila was a lot better.

1
 petegunn 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Try the slab down at Armathwaite, all routes are pure friction moves.

Scallop (E7 6b)Lenny Limpet (E7 6b)

Andy's Slab (E4 6a)

One of the hardest I e looked at is at Larbrax, Elegance E7 from Julian Lines

Post edited at 10:46
Deadeye 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Some UK ones:

Satan's Slip

Smear test

Scavenger

Sacre Coeur

 Duncan Bourne 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Sacre Coeur (E2 5c) Blackchurch. Excellent climb on a great piece of rock.

Satan's Slip (E1 5a) Lundy bold and brilliant

Great Slab (E3 5b) Froggett. Very bold.

 Cusco 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Deadeye:

Sacre Couer's a crack climb albeit on a slab - and amazing and with great gear.

Some other nice ones down this way are American Express, Crinoid and Wreckers Slab.

1
 The Ivanator 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

I love slabs! A few I've done and rate (nothing super hard here):

Armorican (VS 4c)

Saxon (HVS 5a)Rock Dancer (E1 5b)

Golden Slipper (HVS 5a)

Moving Target (E3 5c)

Don't Jis on my Sofa (6a+) Possibly no longer accessible.

Terminator 2 (HVS 5a) even better than its neighbour Lakeland Cragsman, Aphasia @ E2 also meant to be outstanding on the same crag.

Another dozen will pop into my head as soon as I post this I'm sure!

 Phil79 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Not hard, but my favourite so far is probably Satans Slip.

 Martin Bennett 22 Nov 2019
In reply to pancakeandchips:

Hard to believe it took this long for someone to mention Trilleachan Slabs. Is it out of fashion these days I wonder? We went there and repeated Hammer and Spartan (after 40 years or more!) last year and there weren't many there on a perfect day.

 Tom Valentine 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Plenty to go at on Welsh slate. In fact, I think but one of the routes I've done on slate have been slabs.

Post edited at 14:20
In reply to Grahame N:

> The Best (and Hardest) slab climbs in the UK are on the Shelterstone Crag in the Cairngorms -  Shelterstone Crag

I didn't realise Meltdown was in Scotland! 

4
 Fruitbat 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Blank and Blankist on the Rosa Slabs, Arran.

 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to The Ivanator:

Saxon (HVS 5a) is one of the finest routes in the country. Get's my vote

Steve

 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Martin Bennett:

Anything on the Etive slabs is worth doing. My personal favourite is Jaywalk (E2 5c)

The "one that got away" at Etive is Jackson (E5 6a) - the heart-stopping arete right of Pinch Direct. I fell off about 30' up it at least 25 years ago. Thankfully I didn't go over the edge. I don't think it has had a 2nd ascent....

Steve

Post edited at 14:38
 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

At the bottom end of the graded list (but well up there for quality), how about Arrow Route (VD)?

Steve

 overdrawnboy 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Martin Bennett:

> Hard to believe it took this long for someone to mention Trilleachan Slabs. Is it out of fashion these days I wonder? We went there and repeated Hammer and Spartan (after 40 years or more!) last year and there weren't many there on a perfect day.

I was thinking of Long Reach on there, one of my favourite memories over the years. Perhaps the midges have got more fierce over the years and scared people away!

 JLS 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Martin Bennett:

> Hard to believe it took this long for someone to mention Trilleachan Slabs. Is it out of fashion these days I wonder? We went there and repeated Hammer and Spartan (after 40 years or more!) last year and there weren't many there on a perfect day.


Surely the OP should be looking at...

Swastika (E2 6a) or The Long Reach (E2 5b)

 Rog Wilko 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Never heard of this route. Is it really 380m and 10 pitches?

 gooberman-hill 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

There's also  St. Loy Cliff. Some brilliant routes from E1 up:

Chlorophyll Cluster (E1 5b)

Finesse (6b)

The Baldest (E1 5b)

Also, The Damned (E5) - but the climb search is hanging right now!

Steve

 full stottie 22 Nov 2019
 The Ivanator 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=170

Not one of my lists (of which I've made a few), but a pretty good selection of the best slab climbing in the UK across the grades.

 m dunn 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Walk on the Wild Side and Midas Touch at Auchinstarry are worth a mention. 

 JLS 22 Nov 2019
In reply to JLS:

Oops! Just realised the OP’s E2 grade is “worked”. The Long Reach, as I understand it, is a kinda an O/S or else deal... The Pause was enough to terrify me.

 MischaHY 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Grahame N:

Not to talk down Shelterstone, but the hardest slabs are clearly elsewhere as well. I'd suggest such candidates as Once Upon a Time in the South West (E9 6c)The Walk of Life (E9 6c), The Zone (E9 6c) and The Meltdown (9a) as merely a taste of top end UK slab. 

1
 Tom Valentine 22 Nov 2019
In reply to JLS:

Took my biggest ever "fall" on The Long Reach. It seemed to last about ten seconds.....

 Andy Moles 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Rog Wilko:

> Never heard of this route. Is it really 380m and 10 pitches?

No. 270m.

 Andy Moles 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

What do you actually mean by pure slab? Lack of holds? Low enough angle that it doesn't feel like a 'wall' climb?

 Grahame N 22 Nov 2019
In reply to MischaHY:

My response suggesting the Shelterstone was slightly tongue in cheek. However, I'm no expert but I think the climbs you mention (although extremely hard) might actually be quite steep and rely on tiny crimps. The Shelterstone and Etive slab routes mentioned above are pure padding which is true slab climbing. Depends what your definition of a slab is I suppose.

 Smelly Fox 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Pure slab climbs for me are moves of pure friction with no holds. Most of the routes mentioned above have holds on the hard bits! Some superb ones that I’ve done over the years are, surprising few and far between...

Obsession Fatale (E8 6c)Dogleg / Blank Linkup (VS 4b)Chalkstorm (E3 5c)Solstice (E5 6a)Simulkrime (5.9)No match for climb id:50158

The best of this style are meant to be at La Pedriza, but I’ve not been there yet...

 profitofdoom 22 Nov 2019
In reply to Andy Moles:

> What do you actually mean by pure slab?

I thought it meant up to 70 degrees in steepness??

 Misha 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

The Very Big and the Very Small (8b+)

To echo your thread title...

A Widespread Ocean of Fear (E5 6a)

Just for the name...

 jrobinson 22 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

As a self-confessed slab and slatehead Llanberis slate quarries are slab central with hundreds of routes from 4-8b and HS to E8. It's thin, technical and delicate, requiring a steady head.

Australia

Heading the shot is a classic (bolted)  line at E5 6b or 7a+ish if you redpoint it. 

Heading the Shot (E5 6b)

If you ever come, give me a shout


 

 Mark Collins 23 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

I'm not sure but Endless Nameless might be the hardest slab in the UK.

 jezmartin 23 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

How about The Devil’s Slide on Lundy .. “Classic Rock”

 fmck 23 Nov 2019
In reply to Fruitbat:

Arran is absolutely teaming with lovely granite slab climbs. I first climbed blank before blankist existed and the guidebook stated at the time the slabs were climbable anywhere. I always thought blankist was pretty much a non line and probably wouldn't of been listed had it not been done and listed in the guide book by the SMC boys club. An outstanding Arran slab climb "line" and extremely under rated is the nearby "Angels pavement" It packs a lot in its short length.

> Blank and Blankist on the Rosa Slabs, Arran.

 mike barnard 23 Nov 2019
In reply to Andy Moles:

As Grahame says, 'pure slabs' are when there aren't usable hand/footholds and you have to rely on pressing and padding. I'm not great at pure slabs, partly due to lack of practice but also they're too scary! Gimme some holds.

1
 mike barnard 23 Nov 2019
In reply to gooberman-hill:

> The "one that got away" at Etive is Jackson (E5 6a) - the heart-stopping arete right of Pinch Direct. I fell off about 30' up it at least 25 years ago. Thankfully I didn't go over the edge. I don't think it has had a 2nd ascent....>

I think the minimal write-up in the guide has probably ensured a lack of interest, but the latter is surprising if the line is as good as your link suggests. I don't have the guide to hand, but UKC seems unclear whether the FA was 1983 or 1989?

In reply to MischaHY: The Zone?? Do you mean Knockin’ on Heavens Door? To me the Zone is very much a wall... and in fact is described so in the UKC logbooks.

 Alex@home 23 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Nobody's mentioned Leicestershire's finest slabs yet - Charnwood Quarry.

Charnwood Quarry

It may not be to everyone's taste but there are some memorable experiences to be had there. Fourth Protocol, for instance, is well worth it's rather unusual grade of E2 4c.

 Andy Moles 23 Nov 2019
In reply to mike barnard:

> As Grahame says, 'pure slabs' are when there aren't usable hand/footholds and you have to rely on pressing and padding.

That's how I would define it too, but if that's what the OP was asking for then lots of the responses are not relevant.

The Meltdown, for example, is about 88° and frictionless, so hardly a pure slab.

Post edited at 11:23
 alan moore 23 Nov 2019
In reply to fmck:

I've been turned away from Blank a couple of times now by the wet. Is it a drainage line?

Blankist was good and bone dry when the other was a stream bed....?

 Martin Bennett 23 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Surely I must have missed it? I can't see a mention of Tuolomne Meadows.

 MischaHY 23 Nov 2019
In reply to Duncan Campbell:

You're correct of course, I got confused. I'm a foreigner these days... 

 studgek 23 Nov 2019
In reply to fmck:

As far as I’m aware the SMC is open to both sexes and there are quite a number of female members. I also understand that boys are not admitted - only adults. 

 mbh 23 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Helluva Slab, Hella Point, West Penwith

Worth it just for the fun of the approach and your start position.

 JimR 23 Nov 2019
In reply to mbh:

Remember doing pothole slab on the ne face of chir mhor on arran many moons ago, great route .. overshadowed by a summer ascent of bell’s groove... a true mountaineering experience 😀

 fmck 23 Nov 2019
In reply to alan moore:

> I've been turned away from Blank a couple of times now by the wet. Is it a drainage line?

> Blankist was good and bone dry when the other was a stream bed....?

On your original post you state "Blank and Blankist" on this thread for best slab lines. But your above post seems to now place "Blank" on the opposite end of the scale. It evens hints that you haven't actually climbed the route you previously gave your recommendation for!

"Blank" was always considered to be the best route on the south slabs. As I stated earlier the slabs are climbable anywhere. I've climbed everything on that slab including the scrappy routes and of course the girdle. If you get a wet smear just step left or right. I once climbed "Blank" the morning after a tent bound pissing wet day. I still have the old photos and only the first pitch has a wet smear to our side. The upper pitches are dry although a bit of avoidable damp at the scoop. To be honest I don't believe anything on the South slabs is a contender for the best Arran slab climb never mind in the country. I am very biased as well as its my back door climbing area for nearly 40 years.

 fmck 23 Nov 2019
In reply to JimR:

> Remember doing pothole slab on the ne face of chir mhor on arran many moons ago, great route .. overshadowed by a summer ascent of bell’s groove... a true mountaineering experience 😀

You should try it in winter. It's an impossible greasy pole!

 RM199 23 Nov 2019
In reply to Alex@home:

I’ve done that.

it is indeed a very good journey. Make sure you take skyhooks

 gooberman-hill 23 Nov 2019
In reply to mike barnard:

I'm pretty sure it was 83 - simply because I knew about it when I was at Uni in St Andrews from 85-90.

It's a frightening line. The arete is very sharp, and there is virtually no gear. Worst of all, the arete (a right arete) leans rightwards, so if you fall you could easily go over the edge and tear your ropes on the edge as you go.

When I tried it, the granite was a little bit ball-bearingsy. I ended up losing my footing and coming off, thankfully only about 30' up it, and not too far above a very small wire, so I stayed on the slab rather than going over.

Steve

 Tom Valentine 23 Nov 2019
In reply to profitofdoom:

Me too. My old schooling was that up to 30degrees was a glacis, between 30 and 70 a slab and beyond that a wall.

There seems to be a modern trend to classify a slab as anything less than vertical and Wikipedia supports this. But it then goes on to say that slabs are " often not leadable" followed by a load of other guff, culminating in  " slab climbing is a relatively new area of climbing .........  last thirty years...." 

I'm left wondering what Arthur Birtwhistle  would make of that.

Anyway, to add to the list of venues I propose Carreg Y Barcud as a controversial suggestion: often described as slab climbing but steeper than my idea of the style.

 alan moore 23 Nov 2019
In reply to fmck:

Sorry fmck: I think you might be berating someone else!

I never made the 'original' post you mention ;I was just inquiring as to the normal conditions of Blank. 

Thanks for the information anyway.

 Wicamoi 23 Nov 2019
In reply to MischaHY:

> Not to talk down Shelterstone, but the hardest slabs are clearly elsewhere as well. I'd suggest such candidates as Once Upon a Time in the South West (E9 6c)The Walk of Life (E9 6c), The Zone (E9 6c) and The Meltdown (9a) as merely a taste of top end UK slab. 

You forgot Die By The Drop (E10 7a)

 fmck 23 Nov 2019
In reply to alan 

My mistake and my apologies. As wee bit more info. South slabs only had two scrappy rock routes on it "route one and two" when "Bugs McKeith" as a teenager visited the crag and picked the best plum line. "Blank" 

 mike barnard 23 Nov 2019
In reply to gooberman-hill:

Thanks for the info. At least a sharp arete may give some OK holds, though as the guide notes, falling into Agony sounds horrific enough without the rope cutting! It's miles beyond anything I'll ever consider, so thankfully my interest is purely academic. 

 Alex@home 23 Nov 2019
In reply to RM199:

I did. I'm not sure they'd have been much use but it was nice to look down and see what looked like gear. I've done 4 or 5 of the routes on that slab. Find them strangely appealing. Maybe it's for those rare moments when you actually find some worthwhile gear!

 The Ivanator 24 Nov 2019
 Tom Valentine 24 Nov 2019
In reply to fmck:

I think Blank was the route on the slabs where I reinforced some sort of belay by sitting on a tape loop; sounds iffy but the angle is amenable enough to get away with almost anything.

cb294 25 Nov 2019
In reply to The Ivanator:

There is similar but slightly easier stuff just across the Senes plateau on Seekofel South face, including a few sparsely bolted routes.

CB

edit: link to one of the routes here:

https://www.alpintouren.com/de/touren/klettern/tourbeschreibung/fotos_24735...

Post edited at 08:02
 Simon Caldwell 25 Nov 2019
In reply to Rog Wilko:

> Never heard of this route. Is it really 380m and 10 pitches?

I can't remember to be honest and don't have the guide to hand. I do remember the first pitch was slightly over 50m as my partner had to start climbing before I could get to a belay (contrary to what the recent SMC guide says, there is one) and there were some other very long pitches. Based on the OS map it's probably more like 280m so perhaps a typo.

Rigid Raider 25 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Bow-Shaped Slab, Pembroke. Lovely.

Bow-Shaped Slab (HS 4b)

 Toerag 25 Nov 2019
In reply to Tom Valentine:

> Me too. My old schooling was that up to 30degrees was a glacis, between 30 and 70 a slab and beyond that a wall.

My opinion is that you should be able to stop 'holding' the handholds on a slab, lean on it not fall off i.e. stand there with your weight on your feet.

> There seems to be a modern trend to classify a slab as anything less than vertical and Wikipedia supports this.

Foreign guidebooks often class walls as slabs. B'stards!

 mrphilipoldham 25 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Endless Nameless (V13) at  Stanworth Quarry surely has to be up there? Surely!

 HansStuttgart 25 Nov 2019
In reply to StuartCJones:

Self Control at Val di Mello is utterly horrendous, probably what you are looking for!


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