UKH

Last summer I started at midday with a hang over. I managed 40 routes by starting at the right hand end of stanage and climbing every route <severe. However, I was eventually stopped by blisters forming on the top of my toes from walking in climbing shoes. 

So other than a sober start early on a long day to give max time. What are some other good tips? 

I'm trying to decide between wearing very comfy climbing shoes and walking in them. The downside is they wont be great for climbing. When soloing I like the reassurance of a good shoe. Plus they need cleaning after the walk down. 

So my next thought was to change shoes at the top of the route. The downside with that is, lets say it takes around 30 seconds to change shoes. That is nearly an hour wasted faffing with shoes (reality might be much longer?) 

Other possible thoughts is to climb in a harness and leave an ab rope in situ and every now and then reposition it further along the crag to avoid down climbing routes? Downside is making a mistake when tired and falling off stanage. 

Anyone got any tips for high mileage days? 

Last year I went through a soloing phase whilst recovering from a finger injury. I managed a few evening sessions of ~50 short gritstone routes.

For me, wearing a good technical pair of boots, but in a full UK size bigger than my normal sport boots was the best choice of footwear.

I carried a beer towel with me for cleaning boots between routes, but in high summer mostly it was knocking grit off rather than drying boots, so wiping on trousers before setting off was just fine.

Staying mentally sharp and fully concentrating for 90min plus of climbing time was the crux for me. Getting up to 100+ routes would probably necessitate some breaks to recharge. Food and drink strategy could be a key considerations for this too.

Do everything in decent approach shoes? Let me know when you're going I'd be up for that. 

I did 44 solos in a few hours at Bamford on my 44th birthday last summer. It was a totally spur of the moment thing I went just to do a few and kept going. But from that and many sessions soloing at Stanage, Burbage, Baslow etc. I would say focus on short parts of the crag, possibly take a mat, wear crack gloves to maximise using secure jams, and I always solo in a helmet although others don't - but this seems particularly sensible on busy crags.

^^^

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I think I would need the confidence of a decent climbing shoe. Climbing all day in approach shoes it would be too easy for a foot to slip. 

if it was me I would have nice comfy rock shoes and take a pair of croc type shoes. Nice and light and they could be clipped with a single carabiner to the chalk bag loop. Dead easy to slip on and off and very good for negotiation of easy descents. 

I have started using them as my Crag approach shoes on nice days where the walk-in isnt too long.

Just wear a comfy pair of good fitting climbing shoes and carry a rag as suggested by Ally. If you are unsure about them being less technical than your normal shoe, try them out while leading / seconding harder routes than you plan to solo. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised!  The Red Climb X velcros from Go Outdoors are only £40 in the sale and very capable, there is also the La Sportiva Finale which are good for 15 hour alpine days. Or the classic Mythos which are good to about 8b if you are Alex Huber

Dumb question possibly - do you wear socks in your climbing shoes?  If not, you might find your "very comfy" climbing shoes are a snugger fit with, whilst still being relatively kind to your feet. 

It might be worth spending a bit of time finding the right pair of socks - if you're not used to wearing them in climbing shoes you might be surprised how many have an annoying bulky seam across the tops of your toes.  (I always wear socks - current favourites are a pair of Aldi mountain biking socks, sadly only available in the aisle of wonder that once and unlikely ever to be seen for sale again.)

I don't think there's any benefit to abseiling really, it would introduce a degree of faff of its own and it's not as if the descents are few or far between at Stanage. 

Do your solos all have to be upwards?  I don't see any reason not to count a downclimb as a solo if it's in the guidebook - choose wisely, but you might save a bit of time using Mods and Diffs for descent and counting those towards your total.  (That's not cheating is it?)

comfy climbing shoes sized up from your usual technical shoes so that you toes can lie flat not bunched and touching the end of the shoes. 

Tie a beer towel to a  length of paracord and tie that to your belt, so that after you have wiped your feet you can pull the towel up after you so you don't have to go back and retrieve it. 

Wear a small rucksack to carry some food, water and lightweight pair of trail running shoes that you can change into when you have to walk for longer distances.

When I did 500+ I wore a pair of Boreal Aces in a comfy size. Hardly the most technical shoe, but then I was never going to be on routes where I would need extreme precision. It probably would help to do a practice run one evening, soloing a selection of routes in your intended footwear just to make sure you're happy doing so, but on the day I hardly noticed what I was wearing and my feet were still fine 16 hours later.

Just use a pair of reasonably worn in climbing shoes. Using approach shoes would be a nightmare in my view. If I had to choose between comfy walking and safer climbing then the latter wins easily.

Assuming stanage has enough easy routes it should be eminently doable. I did a century 10 years ago as a complete punter from Manchester on windgather, birchens and either bamford or burbage north. Had to drop off the kid at nursery at 9am and pick him up by 6pm and even with all that driving it was fine.

Oh, and solo down routes too. Abseling down just makes it far more time consuming. 

I did this a few years ago for fun and training for proper climbing.

I researched the guidebook prior to the day and wrote a list of possible routes - I think I had about 160 route listed knowing that I would wimp out of some and not like the look of others.

I started at dawn and tended to stick to areas where I would do a bunch of routes without changing my shoes(Anasazi Velcro, well worn and big) then put on some comfy shoes(Asics dweeb running shoes) and walk to the next area.

I had a small bag with shoes, towel, food and drink.

I found this really hard, and progressively so, I slowed down considerably throughout the day. Don't forget to eat and drink.  

I started at the End and finished at Popular. If you're interested, you can see my route list in my logbook - 13/09/14.

Good luck.

Duncan

My thoughts were you could count a downclimb as 1 route, but not every time it's done. 

Although I found even downclimbing a mod takes a bit of time, wheras if you slung a block to abb down the same route would take much less time just walking and you can switch off a bit. If your down climbing, it's essentially twice as far  

Fair play! Looking through you tick list for the day and you did plenty of e1/e2 routes onsight solo. I dont think I'm quite up to that!

In reply to

Hi mate.

I did this (100 solos in a day) eventually after I think three tries.

I think 1st time I did about 65, then dropped to about 35 then eventually did about 107.

I cocked things up for myself at the outset by driving up 1st time in the morning from Cornwall. Looking back on it now I'm amazed I did 65 routes that day, I then drove home that evening! Needless to say I soon scrapped that approach and just camped at North Lees. I don't know where you live but make sure you don't have to travel in the morning.

Do it somewhere you know well and preferably with routes you know well and that you are comfy soloing. For me that was starting at the far end of Burbage North and building and building so that I finished somewhere in Stanage Plantation. Never too far to walk, no navigation issues or problems underfoot and the climbs gradually build from an easy start. 

If there are any harder routes you want to do, do them in the middle once you're in the zone but not knackered. I onsighted an E1 on one attempt and an HVS on another - they were both in the middle and I felt it actually helped rather than hindered that I was out on a big day because of that, after all I don't ordinarily onsight solo E1.

Take enough water and enough food. It felt to me on a par with a 20+ mile cross country/fell run, so treat it as such fuel wise! 

Go when the temps are just right, not too hot and not too cold. Take a puffy jacket, a sun hat, sunglasses and sun tan lotion.

I also took Ibuprofen as my feet were likely to swell up regardless and they did!

Take something to keep your hands in good shape too.

Don't bother with running shoes as they're shit to climb in and you won't need them as you won't be hareing full speed down grassy hillsides. Do it in approach shoes or similar. Solo everything that you're happy to in those, but put a pair of comfy climbing shoes in the pack too do you have them for harder stuff as you will get bored just doing cliffs or easy stuff for your level and will likely want to solo harder.

Don't bother trying to video it yourself as you won't have time, just take a phone for the odd pic of you must. 

I had a few rules to keep me safe. Wear a helmet. I tried to fulfill at least two of the three following stipulations on any route I did. 

Only do stuff with good landings

Only do stuff 10 metres or under

Only do stuff that suits me

Tempting as it is to just take a selective guide you then don't know what half of the stuff you could be soloing is so I took comprehensive guides.

Have fun!

Presumably this is a risk that you're going to have to take into account however you do it, though?

Good luck, anyway!

I agree with Sparkass about slowing through the day. I think my 1st half dozen routes took about ten minutes and my last half dozen about an hour. To be honest I was sketching out a bit at then end too and did more than 100 as I wasn't sure of my total as mind and body were knackered. It's basically an El Cap day after all. 

When I did my 100 solo at Stanage my left foot was suffering so I was forced to wear a 5.10 approach shoe on that foot.  My climbing shoe was of the comfy variety.  I started early and was cruising until about 70 when the hot day, direct sun and dehydration started to take its toll, and crowds slowed me a bit. I think if a friend hadn't turned up at 80 I may have failed. So my advice is is start as early as you can  and choose a cloudy midweek day. Leave a bottle of good quality endurance isotonic about 60+ routes in or better still get someone to climb with or cheerlead (and carry food and drinks).

12? Years ago I did 100 stars in a day at Stanage. We counted descents but only once, repeats did not go towards the total. We mostly used a short rope and small rack. Footwear wise I wore the sadly no longer available 510 ascents, very comfy with a trainer like heel. Remember to eat and drink. 

Im also going to take some friends (non camming variety) for team morale. Definitelt taking lots of sugary and salty snacks! 

People have led 7c in approach shoes. I've been OK up to E3. That's the way to go and go steady don't rush.

Many years ago the Notts CC had a gritstone race starting at Stanage and you did 3 routes on every crag running all the way to Birchens and Chatsworth There were marks for stars and grades. Several teams included several E5,s in their list. It was great fun but the BMC were opposed to all forms of competition and forced it off the calendar. Obviously no money in it for them and not easily controllable!!

The BMC had a fun competition at Stanage a few years back. Times change...

Stanage has loads of low grade routes so 100 is easy to find to do.

Main thing is to watch out for when you're starting to get tired. I was moving well but after about 60 realised I was floating up routes without concentrating, would have been easy to slip.

At that point, slow down, concentrate and get very picky about which routes you do.

I did 100 (no downclimbs) punter routes in 7:30 without hurrying so there's plenty of time on a nice spring day.

Enjoy

I did the 100 in about 8 hours way back in 1976. I started at the popular end soloing routes up to VS and descending Diffs and V.Diffs. By the end of the day somewhere nearn High Neb descending Diff chimneys was considerably easier than climbing up them!  Great day out.

Can't remember what boots I wore but suspect I was happy to take em off at the end.

Beware complacency - I nearly got caught out by a terrifying Diff, a rushed descent and a frightening outbreak of flying ants on finishing holds! But make sure you savour the feeling of completing a great day. Good luck.

Don't fall off, especially from high up and not before you've done a good few, about 100 might be a good number.

I've never done an all-day mission, but have spent a lot of time soloing on Stanage. My tips would be:

 - wear comfortable climbing shoes, ones you can easily walk about in (obviously! approach shoes wtf...yeah and use chalk rather than mayonnaise for your hands). Just use your trainers for getting between 'bases'.

 - don't faff with any ropes, the descents are never far. I wouldn't lug a mat around

 - don't use the grades as much of a guide, use the look and style of the route. A dirty, low-grade thrutchy thing will be far more unpleasant, time consuming and potentially terrifying than a nice clean straightforward wall climb 3 grades harder

 - check the tops of the routes from previous routes where possible. Knowing where there's a puddle/big blob of birdshit/hideous scrittly slopey top-out of hell/nice little hold will be very helpful

 - do some really nice routes! It's meant to be fun, and there's nothing fun about climbing 4m long diff chimneys full of ferns all day

 - do it on a really good day. soloing in bad conditions is horrible and dangerous. soloing when it's great is pure joy

Abseiling 100 times in a day whilst getting progressively tired seems like a good way to fall off a cliff.

I started super early, started on the right at stanage and just climbed everything I fancied then moved left. Got to the unconquerables and finished up the chimney in light rain. I wore my usual comfy but good shoes and downclimbed. Carried bag of food water along bottom of crag and moved every so often. Got past 100 and didn't climb harder than Vs, mostly easier. Feet were sore by the end but not cripplingly.

Don't be afraid to solo back down a route if you get to a sketchy bit! 

If you stick to routes below Severe there are now 100+ on the Popular End.  I saw it as cheating to climb short routes or count down climbs or avoid a fight...my aim was everything up to and including VD and some choice HVD and Severe routes. Something to do on a nice day when a climbing partner had let me down and as a memoir for all the lower grade route checking. I knew everything pretty well as a very solid VS leader but quite a few of the routes were my first solo ascent. As for onsight soloing, even at these lowly grades I think you would need to be solid at extreme on such a mission and as a few have said: short clean VS climbs will be preferable and less exhausting than VD thrutchs ( like Curving Chimney or especially Helfenstein's)  I missed one VD by mistake, Black Hawk Tower... probably the hardest remaining VD on Stanage it feels airy and very uncertain as a solo.,... there are many VS solos I would do in preference. Hats off for anyone doing what I did with the '89 guide... there are some real brutes we cleared out for the newer guides.

Who suggested an abseil rope?

Numbers ,numbers...very silly.Wear some comfy crag boots,just enjoy the climbing.Beware severes on grit,some can be pretty gnarly,especially on Curbar.

Not sure why you think this Paul.... Curbar is a bit harder graded than Stanage but we carefully checked everything there to clear sandbags. Any remaining accessible large grit grading anomalies at Severe will nearly all be on the obscure crags of Peak Moorland, Lancashire and Yorkshire or places that are banned and/or overgrown.

You can disparage numbers all you like but the day I did 100 on Stanage was one of my most enjoyable days of climbing ever.  You get to sample unusual things....things like: the beauty of the place in early morning...the kindness and enthusiasm of those letting you jump in front of them when they know your target.... the joy of sustained movement in focus...memories of past movement shared with friends... in all, many of the best things in climbing. You keep focussing on numbers being a problem if you wish. It's just a means to an end like a grade.

• I backed off soloing a severe last week, C.B. Variant (S 3c) 3c is a joke!!! The step down to reach Oak Tree Groove (VD) must be about 5b or I really missed a trick. The corner (Oak Tree Groove (VD)has been cleaned extensively recently and now make a 1 maybe even 2* vdiff was ace though the froggatt guide says it is best avoided and isn't fully listed

I just climbed til I got tired! Many were on sight. Was just trying to get fit in a fun way!

Nothing wrong with a decent pair of approach shoes if you're climbing well below your grade. Lead VS in my oversized bendy as sin Adidas/Stealth rubber ones and happily soloed countless routes up to VS. 

Notts Uni MC used to do the "Gritstone Challenge" - 10 routes in pairs (experienced climber teamed with novice), 3 on Stanage and 1 each on Burbage North, Burbage South, Froggatt, Curbar, Baslow, Gardoms Edge and Birchens Edge, ending up in the Robin Hood pub. Points awarded for grade and number of stars all added up and subtracted from time taken in minutes - lowest score being the winner. First year I did it, I won it - admin error put me in the wrong hat and paired with a much better climber than me, who soloed and then dragged me up several mid-E grades!

The second year, it was such a hot day most people gave up at Froggatt and stayed there.

I thought a pair of velcro sandals would be a good option for slipping over rock boots. The down side would be the possibility of falling off and having them dig in somewhere nasty.

Yep you,re correct, thanks for that. It was a long time ago though and very good fun. I don't know how, but we visited every crag doing starred routes nothing below HVS and up to E4 and still didn't win. We weren't,t slow either as previously we,d won The Karrimor mountain marathon elite (vets). Mind you I once entered The Mynydd CC handicap fell race and although first over the line came third. We worked out on the handicap I,d have had to run 4 minute mile pace!

My thoughts, though I've not done nearly so many.

Short routes are nice because they are easier to back off.

Socks and comfy rock shoes are a good idea. Use trainers that you don't need to tie for the longer walks between.

Making any kind of anchors for abbing will take too long.

Preparation can help. After having soloed it, I know that Crack and Corner with the straight up finish is awful at the top.

I've done 100+ a few times at several crags but mostly at Stanage. One thing that works for me is to start in the middle of the crag, work to one end then change into trainers, walk back to the middle and start again going the other way. That way your feet get a reasonable break from being in rock shoes.

I usually do count descents (but only once), and do whichever routes I feel happy with at the time. "If it doesn't feel right, don't do it" is always a good motto for soloing.

Funny, that route was a must do for my 100 !

In reply to Graeme Hammond

Either something broke off or got overgrown or you are missing something. Last time I did it was around 2012 and it was fine.

Me too. But I think it's a dreadful idea for a day's soloing as it'll simply be much harder and more tiring. There'll be hundreds of moves that would have been piss in rockshoes that end up strenuous or sketchy.

And it's so much nicer to do some good routes with more technical climbing than just doing stuff that feels alright in approach shoes.

You could probably do some routes in mittens if you wanted to, but it would be a pain in the arse. 

Totally agree with John.

Climbing boots are great for climbin.  Approach shoes are great for approachin...

Or perhaps chop and change as the route looks to dictate rather than commit to one shoe all day! Some might find even a comfortable shoe to become uncomfortable after a days wear. I know my slipper-esque Jokers eventually start to rub.

Yes of course, obviously each route can only count once regardless of which direction you climb it.  I wouldn't downclimb the same route each time.  Up that Severe, down that diff, up that HS, down that other Vdiff, up that severe down that  ...etc 

Climbing up 70 routes and down 30 is far less distance than climbing up 100 and walking across to some abseil or scramble down.