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New E7 6c in the Cooley Mts from Ricky Bell
Got out with Andy yesterday and climbed a new route in the Cooley Mountains just south of Newry. There’s this amazing little wall hidden away in the forest not far from the bouldering. It was cleaned a few years ago but never climbed and had become a bit of an open project. I tried it ground up about a year ago and fell near the top and pretty much ended up standing on the ground when the rope went tight. It’s a boulder problem to a big flake/ramp about half way up the wall. There’re good cams here, then some insecure climbing to a hard move right at the top. We bouldered out the bottom a couple of times last week because the top was wet. http://www.vimeo.com/7915834
Yesterday I managed to shuffle my way to the top. It was very scary. In fading light Andy got completely pumped and fell off the last move onto two sky hooks on a big crimp. They held. We were both surprised. Glen didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. http://www.vimeo.com/7916500
I brushed the line when I stripped the gear. I used pads on my ascent.
The rock at the Cooleys is Gabbro (or something very close to it) and has seen some properly bad brushing in the last few years and it’s pretty obvious on the blank wall that has been bastardized left of The Thing in the Forest.
The Thing in the Forest ** 15m E7 6c
R. Bell (ground up – mats were used) 30/11/09
Cooley Moutains Co Louth. Park at Long woman’s grave car park. There’s popular bouldering on the hill side east of the road. The Thing in the Forest is in an atmospheric opening about 50m into the forest and about 800m up the hill.
Climb the leaning wall to the ramp near half height (crux). Good small cams in low slot. Red Camalot in higher slot. Continue up and left over bulge to a flake. Sky Hooks are handy.
Ricky is sponsored by Marmot, Zero-G and Scarpa
Images are from - Craig Hiller www.hillerscapes.co.uk
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