The recent run of blue sky days saw attention fall upon the George’s Crack area in the Ogwen Valley. Pete Robins climbed a trio of lines immediately adjacent to the aforementioned monster offwidth. Most impressive was the brilliant finger crack on boulder behind; Pete’s Ogwen Crack rates a highball 7A and Pete reckons is so good it deserves three stars.

Pete also climbed Screach 6A, the little arete left of George's Crack (on its r-hand side, starting sat on boulder on the left). And lastly he did a neat slap on boulder left of George's Crack, with a bad landing. This 6C+ starts on a low jug/flake, then takes a crimp and makes a big move to a jug below top.

Pete also repeated The Spawn, reckoning that 7C+ was about right. He did mention that there were two ways of doing it: on the right with some fierce crimps or on the left with big moves on nice holds – both similar in standard.

On a previous visit Pete climbed The Cannon 7A – this is the short jutting ‘fridge’ (with a slender cannon protruding from above) situated right of Pete Burns. It goes from a low sitter (lying down really) to slap the lip then working towards grappling the right arete.

Steve Franklin also got in touch last week to report a problem he did back in 2010. Desmond 2:2 6C+ can be found approximately 20m right of Lily Savage.

“The problem starts matched on the obvious ledge that my heel is on in lower photo (not using any foot blocks for feet) and it climbs directly upwards, past the rock scar in the shape of the 'Radley' dog finishing by clamping the prow. I honestly thought that the problem was very good and a fine addition to the other problems in that area.”

Explained Steve.

The recently climbed Paul O’Grady has seen several repeats of late and the consensus seems to be that it is a superb problem, but only 7B from the sds. The left hand finish to Lily Savage was confirmed at a reachy 7B+; again very good quality.

All in all this is shaping up into a cracking little venue, well worth a visit by a team operating in the 7s.

Relevant links:
      Paul O'Grady news item
      Pete Burns news item