Guano Chimney
Area | Sector | Pitches | FAGrade | Grade | Length | Bolts | Top | Setters | year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St Catherine | Rabba East Face | 7-9 | V+ | 6a | trad | Bruce Devens, Victor Kaftal, 1977 | 1979 |
Approach: The Guano chimney is the big chimney (on the right of Mickey chimney) that starts 30m above and 20m on the left of the col between big Rabba and Chupchik and ends by 2 chockstones - one medium and one big. 1st pitch: up 45m(IV) through diedre, left traverse up and diedre chimney till ledge. 2nd pitch: follow ledge to left, up diedre/chimney till corner, up on ledge and sloping slabs into the guano chimney to good stance (IV+) 3rd pitch: up diedre (5m, V) through tree into chimney (IV+, 30m) 4th pitch: follow chimney (30m, V) to good stance. Scramble to "cave" 20m (the "droppings found there during 2nd attempt are rocks!!) 5th pitch: up 5m (IV) on the lips of chimney to steep ramp entering the narrow part of the chimney. Follow it (IV+ tiring!) till the chimney gets larger and then up to 1st chockstone (climb it from the inside). Climb 2nd chockstone (hidden from below) from outside. It is possible from there to haul a rucksack. The climb from the cave to the 1st chockstone, on the outside part of the chimney has been attempted again with no success. 6th pitch: up, then into hole below big(3rd) chockstone; scramble up to wall(7m, V) avoidable on left. 7th pitch: Easily straight up to top (II-III) Descent: