Craggin' Close to Home

As the arrival date gets closer, I am trying to tick off the last few starred routes that I have not done locally.  This pretty much means Heptonstall.  Phil had to work this morning, so we only started climbing at 1ish,  Never the less, we got a few routes in.

We warmed up on  the usual VS's, before I climbed Cream E4 6a* to get the fingers going.  It was a little warm through the crux, as the rock is black and had started to hold the heat,  I then had a go at Badlands E4 6b*.  This used to have a lot more holds on it when I first started climbing here 11 years ago.  Climbing what's left, it is still the same grade, but there is one really hard move halfway which I fell off a lot.  I like to think it is just early season, but I have climbed a few routes and problems already that have been 6b, and this felt hard.  If I was 6 foot though, it would not be as bad.  Eventually, I made it past that move and climbed the route ground up, which is some consolation.

We rapped things up with an ascent of Thin Red Line E2 5b***, which is much pumpier with the rope on.  No pics again today, sorry.  I will try tomorrow to get some of the new, very bright orange trousers.

CWA Training

Yesterday I was working with Dan on the second day of a CWA Training course at Harrogate Wall.  The 8 candidates had already covered the personal aspects of the course at Leeds Wall, so the focus of this day was working with groups and the abseil module.  All the candidates left with lots to think about, so a good course all  round.

I managed a quick boulder afterwards on problems up to V7.  The problems are very well set and offer a good variety of climbing styles.

Golden Yorkshire Gritstone

After returning home from my winter season early, moving house and spending time with Em.  I managed a few hours at the crag today.  There are still a couple of starred routes at Heptonstall I have not done, so I was keen to tick a couple off.

I have not done any of the routes in the lower quarry, so Sunstroke Slab HS 4a** was the first to be soloed.  Next up was an excellent Triplex Direct E1 5b**.  Out on a Limb E3 6a** looked quite exciting, but had a good number of pegs in it.  I pre placed the runners on the pegs, then led the route whilst I belayed myself as well, much like you would do if you were solo aid climbing.  Poundstretcher E3 5c has the same start as the previous route, then escapes before the crux into Triplex Direct to finish.  As I had already climbed the other 2, I soloed this as well.  To rap things up here I nipped up Heatwave E2 5b**.

Satisfied with my lot in the lower quarry I went into the main to solo Thin Red Line E2 5b***.  This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, and the sun came out just in time to make it perfect.  Pretty  tired, I finished off doing a few laps of Demarera E4 6a** on a rope.  It is fair to say that hanging around on tools for the winter has not taken away all my summer fitness, but a lot is needed to get it back up to were it should be.  With baby due anytime now, it is going to be hard to sustain the level I have managed over the last couple of years, but time will tell.

CIC Week

This week I have been staying in the CIC Hut working for West Coast Mountain Guides.  I met Craig and Andy on Sunday.  We chatted to establish aims and organise kit etc. before heading up mid afternoon.  A glorious day on Monday brought us some fantastic ice on Comb Gully Buttress IV,5*** and some mixed climbing on South Trident to cover some skills to help through the week.  The rest of the week had a changeable forecast, so a suck it and see approach was taken.  Up and out early on Tuesday, some avalanche activity and we had to be sharp to pick the right route and approach.  We climbed an awesome Green Gully IV,4***, which had 2 mixed pitches starting from the bottom, before good ice at the top.  We stayed low on Wednesday and made the most of the day on the SW Ridge of the Douglas Boulder IV,5**, getting back to the hut before the real wet weather arrived.  The forecast for Thursday was apocalyptic after midday, so the early risers seized the chance again.  We topped out of Central Gully Right Hand IV,4*** by 11am.  The temp rose around 10:30 and we heard avalanche and cornice collapse in and around the No.3 and 4 areas.  Today was a real ming fest, so we walked out early and made our journeys home.

I am now back in Yorkshire awaiting the arrival of baby Hughes, so my season is over a little earlier than usual.  Hopefully thing will improve and folks can keep going a bit longer up there.

Winter's Back!!!

Stob Ban this morning

There has been fresh snow on the hills today down to approx. 600m.  With the cold weather due to hang around until mid week, this will open up a number of climbs across Lochaber and Glencoe.  A little riming had started yesterday on the Ben, so by tomorrow things should hopefully have improved a lot.  The ice routes will still take a while to recover and we would need this cold spell to continue for longer than the forecast suggests it might to repair all the damage.

I will be heading up to the CIC for a week this evening, so may not be able to update, but willbe trying to pass info down to Alan Kimber so he can keep folks posted.

Ropework in the Glen

As the routes are very limited on the Ben at the moment, we opted to cover a range of multi pitch ropework in the Glen.  Starting at Pinnacle Ridge, we looked at belaying 2 seconds and managing change overs.  We then moved up to The Gutter Diff***, to put the systems into practice.  Dave and Colm broke the route down to maximize the pitches and get as much practice in as possible.  An ascent of the classic Resurrection Vs 4c***, although a bit wet was a good way to wrap up the day.

John went back up to the Ben and climbed North Gully II with Ronon, Robbie and Eoghan, which has a big gap at the start which is much harder than grade II.  Jonny climbed Good Friday Climb III with Ronon, commenting on the ques for Tower Scoop.  There has been  few things falling off Tower Scoop, so standing around the bottom is not recommended.

Ben Nevis in a Sorry State

I have been back up on the Ben today with Colm and Dave looking for something to climb.  The weather over the last week has really took its toll, leaving the majority of the line broken and hollow.  We climbed a varied No. 3 Gully Buttress III***, which was broken on the first pitch, a good ice pitch on the second, then very alpine mixed through the traversing pitches.  Colm and Dave led the route between them, looking at using half ropes and different belay methods as they went.  We descended No. 4 Gully which is firming up, but has a droopy, collapsing cornice.

Colm leading up Pitch 1

Dave on good ice, Pitch 2

Dave leading to the top

Mike Pescod climbed a combination of Good Friday Climb and Indicator Wall to avoid the ques on a hollow Tower Scoop.  Smith's is still complete, but will most likely be detached for a few days at least until a period of cold weather.