by Chris Parkin click to enlarge Time to hit the ´Big Wall ? California? No, not El Capitan – California USA, but California in the North Wales Slate Quarries. All the big routes on California Wall have been sorted, new bolt belays, new bolt runners – chunky 12mm Stainless! Friday before Easter Chris Parkin and Mark Reeves did the deed: big ropes, big drill, big swings ? done and dusted! A visiting Peak team bagged ascents the next day, thanks to a verbal update picked up in the V12 Coffee bar. See a photo of one of the old bolts pulled here. California is one place for the E4 – E6 boys and girls: Esprit de Corpse: 30m – E4 6bSimply Peach: 30m – E5 6bSad Old Red: 25m – E4 6a Spider Pants: 90m – E6 6b, 5c, 6b Central Sadness: 65m – E5 6a,6aSombre Music:40m – E6 6bThe Big Sur: 45m – E6 6cWaves of Inspiration: 45m – E5 6aStairway to Silence: 40m – E6/7 6b, 6b One Big Wall, NINE BIG routes all bolts replaced and one rusty peg replaced with a bolt (with thefirst ascensionist´s approval). This brings the total of re-equipped routes in the Slate Quarries to over 100! – Since September 2006 ? astounding effort!The money everyone has donated has not gone wasted!! The re-equipping has stimulated local activists in to action and several new routes have been done ranging in grade from VS to F8b New routers include: John Radcliffle´s – Wish You Were Here F7c, Pete Robins – Tamborine Man F7c+ and the ultra-committing sport route from James McHaffie – Serpent Vein F8b. Plus loads of easier routes like Catrin E2 on Bella Lugosi Slab. Please note that no donation money has been used to fund bolts on new route or even the few additional (retro) bolts. These have been funded by contributions from the two previous Slate Guides and private funds from the activists. Visit slate.wetpaint.com for details and space to comment and provide updates on your findings and any routes that you re-equip of put up.
![[VIDEO] Generations: Fred Nicole](https://www.climbing.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/youtube_NzeIvqQeGpc2-150x150.jpg)
