main feature of this route is the steep groove in the middle of the upper wall, which is gained by a fairly direct line. Start midway between No Blue Skies and the main diagonal fault taken by The Hybrid. Climb leftwards into a short, obvious groove with a tall, steep left wall. Leave the groove over a bulge and go left round an arete to more broken ground leading to the diagonal fault, which is followed to a large bay. Climb the overhanging groove then continue up the crack line to finish.
| The Hybrid | 100m IV,5* |
Makes use of the diagonal fault. Start as for The Message and climb the obvious diagonal stepped fault for a pitch. Continue up and left as for The Melting Pot to the ledge system below the top wall. Move awkwardly up right to a higher ledge or traverse out right at a lower level to gain the front face and go left and up to the big ledge. This is the crux. Finish up the top pitch of The Message.
| The Message | 90m IV,6*** |
A Cunningham and W Todd, 23 January 1986
A good, popular and well-scarred route which takes the deepest groove in the centre of the face right of diagonal fault. Start at the top of a large bay right of the lowest rocks and climb the stepped diagonal fault until the deep corner can be gained. Climb a short wall into the corner (this can be difficult) and follow the corner to the top, then go left then up to the upper ledge. Climb the right-facing corner to a bulge, then swing left onto the edge to climb cracked slabs to the top. Alternatively, climb the crack in the slab to its right.
George McEwan on The Hybrid
Sharks Fin Soup
| Pot of Gold | 90m V,6** |
J Lyall and S Spalding, 26 November 1988
An interesting if escapable route up the edge of the buttress right of The Message. Climb the first pitch of The Message until a traverse right gains cracks and a narrow chimney on the buttress edge. Climb up until near The Message then climb up right to a large ledge. Climb the wall above by shallow corners and flakes to finish up a shallow chimney.
| Mariella | 80m VI,7* |
C Forrest, G Ettle and A Nisbet, 6 January 1991
Takes the deep red groove capped by an overhang and is high in the grade. Start as for The Message and climb into the groove. Follow this to a swing left below the roof and continue up a crack line to a ledge shared with Droidless (30m). Continue up the crack line (15m). Move left and climb walls and slabs to the plateau.
| Droidless | 85m VI,6* |
C Forrest and G Ettle, 21 December 1990
The parallel crack line 3m right of the deep red groove of Mariella. It has a sustained first pitch. Start just on the right of Mariella and gain the main fault by a slanting corner just on its left, then follow the fault over the bulge to a ledge below parallel cracks (30m). Continue up the cracks, a difficult start, to an easing in angle in a bay below an obvious right-facing corner (20m). Climb the corner then easier ground (35m).
| The Messenger | 80m V,6* |
G Ettle and C Campell, 15 November 1991
Takes the obvious left-facing corner some 10m right of the previous routes. Climb the corner, pulling left past the obvious roof with difficulty (30m). Trend right into an open fault and climb this and then a steep right-facing corner (30m). Easier climbing leads to the top (20m).
| Sharks Fin Soup | 90m V,6 |
J Preston, G Ettle and I Taylor, 10 December 1999
Between the lines of The Message and Yukon Jack are two crack lines. The left one has an obvious huge flake at its foot (the right crack in Despot, V,7). Climb up onto this huge fin and up the crack line above. Continue in the same line to join The Haston Line and finish up that.
| Yukon Jack | 90m IV,5 |
M Sinclair and C Schiller, 30 December 1993
Takes the main right-facing corner in the lower slabs leading to the end of the diagonal fault of The Haston Line. It can ice up to give an amenable Grade III, but is usually a harder mixed pitch. Gain the obvious right-facing corner via a crack. Climb the corner and cross The Haston Line to the steep upper rocks and finish up a wide chimney in the same line.
| The Haston Line | 100m III,4 |
D Haston and party, 1965
The obvious lower left-slanting fault starting from the right corner of the buttress. There is an awkward corner moving up to easier ground and a choice of finishes on the upper snow slopes.
| The Slant | 150m I/II |
A diagonal snow line running left across the buttress. Start a pitch up Jacob’s Ladder at a big recess. Climb up and left by the obvious line to open slopes on the front face and continue going left to finish up the big upper snow field.
| Hidden Chimney | 110m III** |
Climb The Slant for about two pitches to gain the right side of the most continuous upper buttress. Climb the chimney on its right side to the top, passing over a prominent chokestone.
| Direct Start | 40m IV,5* |
A good pitch that can be climbed for its own sake. Climb the prominent right-facing corner starting from the toe of the buttress. Ice makes a difference to the grade, and it is getting harder as vegetation goes.
| Jacob’s Edge | 90m I/II |
Start up The Slant for about a pitch and a half then slant back rightwards to finish up snow slopes overlooking Jacob’s Ladder. Alternatively, go almost to the foot of Hidden Chimney and slant back right towards the edge.
| Jacob’s Ladder | 100m I* |
A Henderson and F Mitchell, Easter 1939
The straight gully defining the right edge of The Mess of Pottage is steepest at the top and the cornice can be large. In lean conditions there may be a short chokestone pitch.
Neil Johnson on The Lamp
Aladdin’s Buttress
NH 995 031 Altitude 1000m North facing
This is the obvious buttress in the centre of the corrie and consists of
