Sentinel Standard Route

Landed up doing McLeod's Variation a week ago, after other climbing plans got botched by an ill-timed snowfall. All the recent talk of this variation made me take note of what I placed this time.

Approaching the chimney that is known as McLeods Variation:



The variation starts off immediately with some stemming moves before the chimney opens up into a wider recess where you can stand fairly securely. Before you reach this wider recess, you can place a BD C4 #1 cam (which I used previously), or a Wild Country Rockcentric #8 (ie pretty big clunking hex) which I used this time. I think a cam is better because the direction of pull could wrench the hex out. You don't need to place anything while in the wider recess unless you are feeling really insecure. Thereafter you start the chimney in earnest and the walls become increasingly more blank, needing more and more chimnying technique. About half way up the pitch, on the right (if facing into the chimney) there is a good nut placement. You have to look carefully for it. A BD Stopper #6 worked beautifully for me. Previously Ive commented that this placement was not that great, but this time round my impression was that it's pretty good. Maybe I'm less fussy now. Thereafter the crux begins. I was surprised to see a piton which has now been placed about a meter and a half after the nut placement. I don't recall this previously and it looks pretty new. It certainly makes the crux a whole lot safer! See pic below:



After clipping into the piton the chimney becomes easier as your approach the big chock-stone. You could just go for it and exit to the right without further placements, but you will be happier either throwing a long sling/cord around the chock-stone (even if you are not within direct reach - which is what I did previously before the piton was there), or there are various good cam placements in the crack which splits the chock-stone, if you are right there. I put a DMM Dragon #2 cam in this time.

So all you need is 4 placements. The piton makes a big difference.

The big belay peg is still at the top which I mentioned previously. It has a whole lot of messy tat on it now, and a non-climbing biner, which should actually be removed on second thoughts. I think folk have been abseiling off this pitch. Further away from the peg is a solid boulder which can be slung too. Someone tried to hammer in an iron rod behind it, but its pretty loose.

Pic was taken more or less in the crux, looking down onto the worst of it.