Dove Crag Girdle Traverse 166m E3? ☆☆
Posted by: Trevor Langhorne, 28.06.202003.10.1971, J Adams, C Read (Alt)

This route is almost certainly unrepeated as described here in this mostly original description, nor as described in the current 2011 Eastern Crags guide).

Starts in the South Gully at the foot of Inaccessible Gully.

1  36m 4b Climb up for a short distance then make a horizontal traverse right. At the end of the traverse climb up diagonal left to gain the foot of a large broken gangway. Follow this to a junction with Westmorland’s Route on a shoulder.

2  28m 5a Descend the gangway on the opposite side for 5 metres. Pull up the steep wall and traverse round some perched blocks to gain a small ledge. Straight up the steep wall until a swing right into a hanging V-groove can be made. Traverse right to gain another small ledge (peg runner up on right, in place). Descend for 3 metres to a continuation traverse line and continue to a junction with Dovedale Groove above the crack on pitch 2. Chockstone belay.

3  12m 5a Stride across into the crack and pull up onto a grass ledge. Follow the grass ramp to its base. Peg belay on Phobos.

4  15m 5a Go round the corner to the stance on Hiraeth, below the crux pitch (peg runner). Descend Hiraeth for 12m to the traverse of Aurora.

5  30m 5a Descend the steep groove for 3 metres, then traverse right to join Mordor on pitch 2. Follow this to the stance and continue traversing until forced to descend. Go round into the upper part of the chimney of Extol and follow it to the junction with Hangover.

6  12m 6a Step down and cross above the bulge of Hangover, to reach a wedged flake, pass an old peg to reach another spike, then step up to reach a second wedged flake and traverse the narrow ledge, continue to a small bay. Poor belays. (Note; 2 points of aid and a peg belay used on first ascent. This is now free as part of pitch 2 of Asolo).

7  11m ? Step down and traverse right to gain a peg combination below a small overlap use this and three more pegs to get around the corner (all pegs in place, in 1971) to gain a green spike and peg belay (hanging stance).

8  22m 5c Traverse right to gain a gangway/ramp to junction with and follow North Buttress. Climb the ramp past rusting pegs. Move up and right and climb the wall, traversing rightwards past a groove to a gangway leading leftwards to a tree and belays just above.

3 comments on "Dove Crag Girdle Traverse"

  1. This route has been badly reported by the various guides over the years. Missed out totally in the early 70’s and 77 supplement and the 79 guidebook. The most accurate being in the 92 guide.
    Some clarification from my experiences.
    Colin and John climbed the route in the style and line described above.
    Colin wrote an article on the route for the 74 Cleveland MC Journal. I have a copy if anybody is interested,.
    Bill and I repeated the first five pitches to Hangover in 83. As we had already previously climbed a combination of sections of Asolo , Broken Arrow and North Buttress that linked to the top of the crag, we finished up Hangover. E2 5a to Hangover, E3 6a on the NB. So our “ascent” would be a free way to cross the crag , that we probably spread over four days (and years ) !
    Pitch six of the 71 route has never been repeated, though occasional moves may be common with some of the newer routes.
    The line of Asolo does not show up well on the photos. The verbal description is accurate. The green line above is a better depiction of Asolo pitch two than the photo diagram line in the 2011 guide.
    Rick

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