Climbed yesterday in what must be perfect conditions for this route, in that it was snuff dry, which must be a rare occurrence. To be fair the guidebook (I am referring to the Wired Guide), does say that it is ‘one of the greatest of classic struggles’, and it lives up to that billing.
In the main the guidebook is pretty accurate, but pitch 1 is way out. It is described as an ‘awkward crack’, but we both found it completely impossible, despite numerous attempts, and we had to circumvent it, via the buttress on the right. The chimney/crack is so tight there is little room for upward movement. This pitch certainly deserves a technical grade, thought what that might be I don’t know, as we both failed to climb it.
One further point – I can’t imagine any circumstance in which you would do pitches 4 and 5 separately – they logically flow into one pitch.
I led this in order to access Eliminate C and found it thrutchy and needing some thought to succeed. Convinced I had found the only possible way, I was then surprised that the other 2 members of the team each used a different method! How does one grade something that has different ways to do it? Having said that, I think it is technical enough to require a grade.