Great Gaol
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“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” - Ed Viesturs |
Great Gaol is a Severe peak from the Advanced book. It is the second Advanced peak in the game. This peak is notable for its inclusion of seagulls, tumbleweed and branches, as well as being considerably more difficult than previous peaks due to its long and punishing route, as falling often results in returning to the beginning.
About Peak
The Gaol appears to be a series of three massive sea stacks somewhere in the waters off the coast of The Great Gales. The seas surrounding them are rough and foggy, and the calls of gulls can be heard everywhere. The faces are marred with several tumbleweed and branches. A large swatch of crimps can be seen on the face of the starting rock, and a jagged patch of branches and roots can be seen on the second rock. The third rock contains a long route covered in bird nests just before the final stretch to the summit.
"Gaol" is a dated spelling of the word "Jail", common in the British Isles and Commonwealth countries at its time. This name was possibly chosen to show the opinions of climbers on this peak as well as its foreboding, stark appearance and isolated position compared to the other peaks.
It has two cruxes: the Inevitable Soak and The Nesting Place
Strategy
The Great Gaol, as listed above, pushes several concepts to the limit. It is recommended to get as many ropes as you can, since it is usually very hard for beginners or even adept players. One thing of importance is that it is important to not to rush and to have patience. It's also recommended that you practice crampon jumps and swinging, since climbing the Great Gaol requires frequent use of both techniques. This means you have a high chance to fall if you don't know how to preform those techniques. During the climb you will encounter several birds, that are either nested among the holds or circling certain sections. However, the ones that constantly attack you are only present at the cruxes. To get past the cruxes, you should be wary of the birds and use their audio cues to tell when they will attack.
It is important to know that some birds hide in the tumbleweed, so take care not to accidentally slap them. The best tactic to deal with them is to either backtrack or quickly ascend until you're out of their range. However, the latter technique can be risky at points.
The most notable parts of this climb are the two leaps between the sea stacks. The first leap is from high up on the first stack to a branch-covered face of the second sea stack. This is by far the longest mandatory jump in the entire game. The best technique is to rope yourself to the starting outcrop and swing over that way. The second leap is a precarious jump between two long branches/roots between the second and third sea stacks. If done slowly, this part can be navigated with ease.
Crux: The Inevitable Soak
The inevitable soak is the first crux the player will come across during the climb. It spans from the point where the player rounds the inner corner of the first sea stack all the way up until the player grabs a hold after ascending a large, vertical root.
As the name implies, it is quite easy to fall here, but with caution, it can be navigated with little strain. The first set of holds are slippery rocks and crimps with seagulls nesting atop a several. However, at nearly every point where the player needs to move vertically, there is a normal hold where they can rope in if needed.
The next notable section is a series of vertical leaps around some rock outcrops, with a leap to a branch put in with them as well. This is followed by a large, smooth face of rock covered in crimps with a few normal holds sprinkled in. After this, a final branch section will bring the player to the aforementioned root where they will be able to leave the crux (and the wrath of the seagulls)
Crux: The Nesting Place
The Nesting Place is - as the name implies - a place where several seagulls nest. Furthermore, their nests are depicted in game with tumbleweeds and even a few thorn bushes here and there. The climb up is rather direct, but nearly every hold has a gull perched upon it. Furthermore, there are a handful of birds circling the area as well, so the player should take caution here not to invoke their ire. Roping here can be done liberally, providing the player has enough, as this is essentially the final stretch of the climb. The crux ends around 20m from the final hold.
Tips
YFYD Tips
Go at any pace, its very hard to die since there is water below, however, the beginning does not have any water, which may lead to your death. If you are having trouble with the seagulls, bait them to one of your hands and continue.
Speedruns
Pocketwatch%
leader board: https://www.speedrun.com/Peaks_of_Yore/leaderboards?h=great-gaol-pocketwatch-1-5-4&x=l_xd47ypqd-9d8zw9wd
Pocketwatch% Pipe Only
leader board: https://www.speedrun.com/Peaks_of_Yore/leaderboards?h=great-gaol-pocketwatch-pipe-only&x=l_xd47ypqd-mke168n2
Crux
Inevitable Soak: 36.14m - 83.49m
Nesting Pass: 124.97m - 145.99m
Collectables
Picture Frame
- Description
- "A small frame fit for a photograph. It would look better with an actual photograph in it."
- Location
- https://youtu.be/tFoUmRcqOMk?t=1631
Rope
- Description
- ?
- Location
- https://youtu.be/tFoUmRcqOMk?t=1763
Rope(from summiting)
- Description
- ?
- Location
- At the end the OAS president gives you a rope when summiting.
Bird Seed
- Description
- ?
- Location
- https://youtu.be/tFoUmRcqOMk?t=1897
Gallery
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