Monkey-Bar Kid M6+, Never Never Land
More development on the Ibex Wall at Never Never land in the slate quarries. Torquil Bennett has added Monkey-Bar Kid M6+ to the left of The Deerhunter.
“At around M6+, Monkey-Bar Kid is the warm-up that both Ibex and Deerhunter were intended to be. The Deerhunter (M7?) is a pumpy route with a great crux sequence; more sustained than Ibex but easier to onsight as the hooks are all deep and easy to see. Ibex Direct (M8?) has a bouldery start across and out of the tunnel linking into the slightly sketchy left-hand footholds of Ibex. So far I’ve only top roped this but I’m happy for anyone to jump on it and go for the first ascent. A Bambi/Ibex link up should also now be possible. The left-hand corner is a project I’m working on with Rhys Huws. It will hopefully climb with few (if any) drilled hooks and is really techy and tenuous; potentially the best route on the wall. There is room for another line between Bambi and The Deerhunter.”
V12's very own Keith Scarlett cruising The Deerhunter M7 - his first time in crampons! Photo: Torquil Bennett
Explained Torquil, before adding:
“For those who don’t know, the wall stays dry and is sheltered in most conditions except a N or NW wind. All the routes have 4-6 bolts plus lower-offs and can be climbed with a 30m rope. The lower-offs can’t really be reached from above without abseiling over loose, sharp slate. Top-ropes are easier to set up by clip-sticking from the ground up. There is also the quarryman’s clip stick lying around that will reach the first bolts.”
Ibex Direct M8 ? – 2m inside the tunnel on the left there is a small ledge for your feet and a drilled side pull, start here then lock off and swing over the roof on a large thread hole. Side pulls and steinpulls take you out of the tunnel to the lower shot-hole. Powerful moves from the shot-hole bring you out onto the wall; pull your way past two good hooks until you reach the marginal left-hand footholds of Ibex. Follow these up and join Ibex between the 4th and 5th bolt. No new holds were needed after the initial two hooks so Ibex remains the same. 6 bolts.
Monkey-Bar Kid M6+ – start on the ledge to the left of The Deerhunter. Good hooks, no big reaches, few hand changes and close bolts make this about as easy as a route on this wall will get. Cunning axe-work will even reward you with a hands free rest when you’re standing in the shot-hole. 6 bolts. [Torquil Bennett 06.12.11]
