Centurion Take 2

A very icy pitch 1

Matt and I walked back up the Ben today aiming to have another bash at Centurion VIII,8***.  It was clear as we approached the route that it was even whiter than last week, and getting gear was going to be challenging as it was pretty icy.  We opted to take the same pitches as last time, hoping that a bit of familiarity would speed things up.  This definitely worked and we where through the crux pitch quickly.  After consultation with a guide book it appeared I never went the right way on the 3rd after all.  This time I did, and it all went to plan across the thin and bold traverse, as we continued to make steady and relatively speedy progress.  Matt then dispatched the steep crack on the 4th pitch.  We then just ran the rope out up the rest of Route II, which was plastered in a mixture of neve and cruddy ice.  This put us on Ledge route in good time and we walked down that.  It was nice to be back down to the van in day light after a stella day climbing.

As a picture paints a thousand words, here a few.

Matt making speedy progress despite the mass of clearing needed

Still hard going even after Matt had cleaned it

The wild and thin traverse on pitch 3

Matt approaching the belay on pitch 3

Charging up the overhanging crack on pitch 4

A cheecky photo as we reach the easy ground on Route II

centurion take 2 from Adam Hughes on Vimeo.