Hall of the Mountain King to Peterson Pot Exit

From Ease Gill

Hall of the Mountain King to Peterson Pot Fourth Pitch[edit | edit source]

There are two routes from the Hall of the Mountain King into Peterson Pot. Both start at the balcony overlooking the chamber.

  • A traverse to the left leads to the bottom of a 20m pitch (rope of dubious quality in situ, February 2018). At the top of the pitch, the passage soon reaches a junction, where the two routes re-unite.
  • Directly opposite the rope is the start of a muddy traverse, Wellington Traverse. This soon leads to a clamber up muddy boulders to the right, just before some stal bosses. Ahead reaches a 2.5m climb up (scaffold bar stemple in situ). Continuing leads to a climb up a muddy, steeply ascending tube. This emerges at a window overlooking a chamber, reached by a muddy 4m climb down (rope in situ, February 2018). This regains the pitch route.

A 7m pitch ascends from the chamber (rope in situ, February 2018). Round the corner, a 3m climb up enters a rift, which soon leads into a boulder chamber, Svengland. The way on is to the right, soon after the highest point of the chamber, a short climb down and then a wriggle forward. This emerges at head height in a 2m by 1.5m chamber, at the base of an 8m aven. [Alternatively, a muddy crawl leads from Svengland to the same place.] A short muddy crawl leads to a window above the fourth pitch of Peterson Pot.

  • Descending the fourth pitch (P3), requiring a 5m rope, leads immediately to the fifth pitch (P6), requiring a 12m rope. Below, the passage soon gets too tight.
  • Traversing to the right (rope rigged to bolt, in situ, February 2018), leads towards Peterson Pot Exit.

Peterson Pot Exit Series[edit | edit source]

A traverse leads across the top of the fourth pitch, and through a narrow section into a chamber. From the chamber, the third pitch (P8) ascends a rift (12m rope, in situ, February 2018): the pitch is a reasonably straightforward free climb.

Above the pitch, a 3m climb leads into Roly-Poly Passage (hand line in situ, February 2018). Roly-Poly Passage is an awkward crawl-traverse in the top of a rift. The passage takes about 15 minutes — sometimes much longer. The top section of the rift is not much larger than body size; below is narrower, and 1-2m deep. The rift contains a series of sharp bends, for which it is necessary to approach facing the correct way. There are several double-bends, but in each case it is possible to turn over part way round.

Eventually the passage reaches a 2m by 1.5m chamber. Ahead is a small tube, starting with a tight double bend. This emerges at a junction; going left leads through a slot to the bottom of the second pitch (P4). The pitch ascends a chimney, but is climbable with care. A route between boulders leads into a chamber at the bottom of the entrance pitch (P4). Again, the pitch is climbable with care (rope in situ, February 2018), but is slippery; caution: there are lots of loose rocks above the pitch.