Streaky Desroy snatched the first ascent of an amazing slopey traverse on The Shelf boulder up by the side of Cyrn Las.

Si Panton had climbed the obvious sitting start central line (a rather excellent V4) back in the summer of ’97 during an exploratory walk through the upper regions of Cwm Glas, but had never gotten round to returning for the main event. Panton showed it to George Smith one day this summer when they were out new routing and despite the oppressive heat, he nearly did it. When Streaky heard of George’s near miss, he belted up the hill (a good 45 minute walk!) and snatched the first ascent for himself.

Shelf Life is a classic of the slopey ‘n’ sustained genre, and probably of a similar grade to Fear of a Slopey planet (i.e. baby V6). If it were situated roadside it would be permanently chalked up: an apprenticeship test piece. As it is you can savour the solitude and dramatic position, and there is always that harder diagonal line breaking round the steep right side to come back for.

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