Wednesday 17 August 2011

Ticking Classics at Stanage

Above: Tony on the Tippler

I met up with Dan, Pete and Tony and headed to Stanage today. After digging out a few to many tree stubs over the last 2 days, I was not holding out for a big day. As always, my desire to get the best routes I can done took over.

Dan started us off nipping up Good Friday HVS 5b*, which was one of the few routes at the grade he had not done. It had some nice climbing and good gear and started things off nicely. Pete and Tony climbed Rubber Band VS 4b** which looked pretty good for the grade. I then led Wuthering E2 5b***. This is an outstanding route and takes in some awesome ground, without ever being too tricky.

Dan and I headed down to the Unconquerable area whilst Pete and Tony dispatched Cave Arete HVS 5a*** and BAW's Crawl HVS 5a***. Dan had unfinished business with the Left, but it was taken. I got a bit over excited and onsighted Calvary E4 6a***. This is an amazing route with hard won gear and sustained technical climbing throughout. Dan the cruised the Left Unconquerable E1 5b*** and Monday Blue E2 5b*.

We made are way back to find the Numbers and Tony and have a look at Black Hawk Bastian E3 5c**. Dan worked pretty hard, but could not work out the best way to round the roof and eventually binned his attempt. I took advantage of Dan's gear and did the route. It was really awkward, but short lived once you worked it out. Tony worked hard and climbed the Tippler E1 5b***.

For some strange reason I then did the Unprintable E1 5c**, which was an awesome battle. Pete led the Dangler E2 5c**, and Dan put in a superb effort in at the end of the day to flash it as well. Fully battered, we retreated content with a few E points in the bank.

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