King Rat Gully

King Rat Area - Bermuda Triangle marked at far left, along with other features.

Wet weather options: Yes, probably quite a good option - Glory Rodent, King Rat and routes further R would withstand moderate rain, as would Skydiver Wall. Style & Length of Climbs: Vertical and overhanging trad, 15-25m. Available Grades; Best Grades: The Details: Slap Strafe Jerk looks a ridiculous jump start - I doubt I could jump that far even with a flat take-off....and in reality it involves a leap off a pointy boulder! Access: 10min walk. Walk up from the Pines, heading L of the Atridae, past Pilot Error and Cobwebs Gully, and the cavernous mouth of the gully will appear. Apart from Lizard Procrastination Pinnacle on the R side of the mouth of the gully, most routes are a 3min walk up to the top of the gully. The gully splits at the top, with a dark cool chasm on the R being the home to King Rat and many other good steep routes, while the L fork has Scylla, Asteroid et al. The scramble up the L fork to the base of Asteroid is tricky - I would not recommend soloing it.

Looking up King Rat Gully - Skydiver Wall on the R with the chalked line at far R being Beside Myself (** 23) with Skydiver (* 21) just L of it, Glory Rodent (** 22) is the steep crack on the R side of the central buttress, while Asteroid (* 18) and Dinosaur (* 18) take the nice sunlit vertical face at top left.

Descent(s): Triple rap rings above Asteroid and King Rat - please toprope off your own carabiners to reduce the wear on the rings or else they won't last long! Wear can also be reduced by abseiling off the rings rather than being lowered off. A 60m rope and rope stretch will just/almost get you all the way down to the base of Scylla off the TRB above Asteroid. Looking up King Rat Gully - a different angle to show the narrow chasm, with Glory Rodent (** 22) the steep crack at its entrance, and King Rat (** 18) a few metres further in. Asteroid is at top left again.

Looking down King Rat Gully - Skydiver Wall on the L, with Lizard Procrastination Pinnacle down the bottom.

Described L to R.

* I'm a Little Dinosaur 18m 18 (YP) Takes the arete which hangs over the upper part of the L fork of King Rat Gully. Up the slab/corner on the R, then commit L onto the wall. Straight up the wall until the holds run out, where a lovely thinky sequence on opposed sidepulls/gastons allows a step L onto the arete, then it's all over with steep jugging in a nice position leading to the top. Traverse R to the TRB above Asteroid. Leaders at their limit should be aware the gear is good but occasionally small. * I'm a Little Asteroid 18m 18 (OS) Takes the yellowish rock up the middle of the vertical wall R of Dinosaur. Stem against the slab for as long as you can, placing fiddly gear as you go. Then commit to the vertical face where good gear then appears. Excellent sustained vertical moves on good holds leads 10m up the wall to a small juggy overlap then the TRB. . . . . . . . .

I'm a Little Asteroid - is on the R. I'm a Little Dinosaur is on the L.

* Scylla 15m 15 (OS) A lovely steep fingercrack, though it is more of a stemming problem than a crack problem. Starts at the base of the chimney/gully below Dinosaur. The gear is great (loads of wires) so fully recommended for those at the grade. Some steepish moves off the deck lead to regular stemming stances with tricky moves between. #2-3 cams for the belay. If you're going to continue up Asteroid/Dinosaur, walk L along ledge and step down to good belay spot in gully. Ben on Scylla.

** King Rat 12m 18 (OS) Described as a handcrack but with only 2 jams on it I was rather disappointed! Instead it's a great steep jugging problem. The first move is probably the technical crux, place a high #1-1.5 friend on the R wall, then crank steeply up to the roof. #3Fr (extend it) then step L to loose-looking jug in roof and clip piton (probably worth backing up!). Swing up L into a good handjam/undercling and using good feet on the L face, move around the lip of the roof to a massive jug/horn (sling). Easier jug moves for a few metres then step L to the TRB. Ben on King Rat.

© 2004 Will