Ill Concieved Plans Poorly executed

EGCC Newsletter Thirty

Lake District Here We Come

Lynne, Harvey and John T

On a phone call from John "The weather forecast is great for the next few days fancy climbing, Wales or the Lake District?" (Now there's an offer a girl can't refuse) So 8am Friday morning found us loading up and heading for the m25. By the afternoon we were on Scout Crag doing some low-level single pitches. This was Harv's first climbing in seven long months and his leg held well so he was chuffed.

Saturday dawned with a beautiful mist in the valley and we were up and off to do Troutdale Pinnacle at Black Crag in Borrowdale 105m.S.

This is a tremendous location, across fields over a stream, then rising through woods where the buttress looms majestically. Troutdale pinnacle is a popular classic route so on arriving at the bottom of the crag we found that we'd been beaten by two young men. Never mind, time to sort out the gear. I popped round the corner for a pee to discover on my return that the lads had a debate in my absence and voted me to lead, all six pitches!!

By the time the other climbers had got under way another group had arrived and John was hurrying me to get started. I've never climbed in a queue before, what with my own nerves on leading and the pressure from having others waiting for me, I made a complete pigs ear of the first lead, getting myself in a right pickle with a holly tree!! Anyway brought the lads up and moved on to the second pitch. I had by now put everyone else out of my mind and was concentrating on getting gear in up some slabs. Pitch two done. Pitch three needed a bit more thought as this followed up a steep corner then on to a stance left. At this point I'd caught up the first two climbers and as the second was on the stance I had to make myself safe behind his legs. (Some women will do anything to grab a young mans attention!) I had time here to enjoy the scenery, a great view across the valley and over to the lake. Pitch four was a 21m traverse, carefully does it. After this you have to move down a bit to haul yourself up a steep wall in an exposed position, scary stuff, need a bit of protection here! I managed to put a sling over an accommodating bit of rock and went for it. The sling did me no good at all as it followed me up, but it made me feel better! On to pitch five, this was a comfortable bit of climbing. Below I could hear John kindly informing the following climber that all his gear had come out, like trailing Xmas decorations! This stance was on a very exposed pinnacle, sheer drops down one side, but the view, wow just breath taking and as I was in the sunshine I took my time setting up the belay. Pitch six, nearly finished, yes!! Another exposed bit, good stuff this, then on easily to the top. I struggled to find placements that I was happy with, so I was fluffing around for a bit. Eventually two pieces of gear were placed but I would have preferred three. Brought the lads up where we all enjoyed the view and sunshine. Then trundled back down to our kit to pass friendly abuse to yet more climbers waiting to ascend. I'd done my bit, whew. Thanks for the opportunity John, a really enjoyable classic climb.

Lynne

The Last Day

A mornings climbing in the Lakes and we are back on the M6 heading south. The sun is shining and this prompts a sudden right turn at junction 35 to Trowbarrow quarry. Sheltered, south facing, this place is heaven. "Jean's Jeanie" it is, have I spelt that right? I didn't see the guidebook that John was holding. In any event I am sure it was written in "olde" English. VS 4C of close to vertical rock with a crack like a lightening strike straight down the middle. John led followed by Lynne and I hopped on behind on my one good leg. A "thugish" route all hand jambs and foot jambs, hard work in the beating sun. Couldn't spit sixpence at the top, but boy were we pleased with ourselves. A great way to finish a great 4 days. To be recommended.

Harvey

A November Experience

I suppose that I am old enough to know better, but once again I fell for John Temple's line that Soap Gut (VS, 4c, **) on the Milestone Buttress is the crag classic and that it is nowhere near so bad as it used to be. Maybe so, but it still didn't look too good when we approached and saw the green dripping slime oozing down the sharply cut corner. Classic it looked indeed, but I'm not sure about in condition, and I'm also not sure that it was any better than it had ever been! But with increasing admiration for the first ascentionists I took the lead. Not only did it look slippery, it certainly was, and it was not long before things were looking a bit desperate. Fortunately the pro is bomber, and frequent. Gradually getting the hang of gripping slimy holds I inched up to what would normally be the first belay. To get to this involved a mantleshelf onto a very slippery ledge and it took some convincing, backed up by the choice that it was either that or be rescued, before it was successfully completed. Staying on the shelf was none too easy either, and I even tried John's suggestion of taking off my boots and climbing in socks. All very well this; it certainly provides excellent grip on slippery surfaces, but the toe jam needed for the next move back onto the righthand face was too painful to be accomplished. So, back on went the boots, and with it the manic dance necessary to stay put. Lots of gear placements later and I was on the wall after having made yet another committing move and marvelling once again at the skill and tenacity of the early climbers. A few more moves and I was at the second belay and ready to bring up John. What seemed like ages later he arrived, muttering something about good leads, and it was his turn to attempt the next pitch; the Chimney Route continuation round to the right.

Well, this was exciting. We were both slipping and sliding all over the place, and even belaying was a major problem. John grovelled in the damp corner and began a crazy foot shuffle while I desperately tried to stand upright. The problem wasn't helped by the fact that the next move needed a friction (what a laugh!) move across the slab to gain an unprotected corner. John was having no luck at all so very inelegantly we changed places to let me have a go. I fared even worse than John, so there we were both jigging about back on the slippery belay. All was not lost though since the spike to which we were belayed also offered the opportunity for a face-saving retreat. The excitement was not yet over, however, since it wasn't only our little corner that was slippery - the whole b***** face was! But at least I tried to use my feet on the abseil. John, on the other hand, rather dirtied his nice white trousers by using them as a cleaning cloth on the way down, and I am sure that he never used his feet once. Had I known I would have gone second since the rock would then have been much cleaner ……!

Derek 24th November 1999

Xmas North Wales Bash

It's a satisfying feeling waking the whole hut up at 6am. No matter how quiet you are you're going to wake everyone up no matter what you do, so you may as well do a thorough job of it.

There are several advantages to getting up before dawn when you're winter climbing. Yes there's all those falling rock/frozen snow, short daylight things, etc, but surely the best point is that you don't have to pay for parking at Llanberis Pass. Newall and myself left the car at 7am in seriously high spirits. Snowdon here we come. The snow was down to 2000ft, the sky was clear and the temperature cold. Perfect.

By 8:30am everyone in the hut was just crawling out of their pits whilst we were gearing up for the first route of the day and glancing over at the sunrise over Cader Ideris. Cave Gulley, a grade three winter route reputedly grade fourish in lean conditions was what we were heading for. No guidebook but I have done it a couple of years ago so we should be alright.

Angling up the approach slopes we came across the first major gulley line to the right of the Trinity snowfield and up we went alternating leads on easy ground. Newall belayed at the base of a narrow chimney which formed the crux pitch. I climbed through armed to the teeth with sharp things and proceeded to try and hook a sling over a flake that was behind me, awkward when your wedged in a chimney, have a rucksack on and can't quite see what your doing. I continued up on ice that wasn't really that interested in staying on the mountain and therefore had to seek out small ledges and cracks for my axes and crampons. After a short section with little in the way of anything anywhere other than thrutching chimney moves up iced rocks (yes I thought I was going to fall off too) and little in way of gear to protect it the angle eased. Now for belaying in that cave. What cave ? Who's pinched the cave ? There's not that much snow ?

Absorbing though the climbing was I had this nagging thought that it all wasn't quite as familiar as it ought to have been, it turned out that we had done Ladies Gulley. Oooops. A rather tenuous belay for Newall but luckily he didn't know that at the time. A couple more pitches and we were at the summit for a bite to eat and a gaze at the wonderful views of snow capped mountains. Love it.

OK, so if we didn't do Cave Gulley first time around we'll do it next. Romping down the path to the top of the Pyg Track is always a laugh in these conditions. Trainers, shorts and worse were making their way up. I was thinking "Just look at those ill equiped plonkers". No doubt they were thinking "Crampons and Goretex ? Poofs".

Just below the Pinnacle we met up with our a load of our crowd, a quick chat but the climbing beckoned and we traversed across to the base of the gulley and pushed on up. The crux of Cave Gulley is once again a chimney with smooth iced up walls and bugger all places to stick sharp bits in to hook and torque an axe or front point. One of the classic ways to fall off on ice is to over stretch yourself, standing on tiptoe to gain more height. This has the somewhat unfortunate effect of making your front points break out of the ice - not pleasant believe me. So I'm 20ft up and I've got a good foot placement. That was all. Just a foot. Kind of critical path. But with my back against the opposite wall of the chimney it was cool, I could stand there no problem. Unfortunately, the bomber gear placement was just beyond my reach. What a dilemma. Do I stretch and risk that foot peeling off or do I resort to slightly unorthadox tactics ? Well, this is winter climbing and anything goes in my book (apart from standing on someone's shoulder!!). Selecting a hex I start throwing it upwards, swinging it in an arc in an attempt to get it wedged, swinging it repeatedly until it finally gets caught on the lip of the crack. But it is poorly seated and needs a tap with my hammer to get it in position. There that's better. Now I can teeter expectantly upwards, thriving on the tenuous holds, playing a balancing game, controlling the fear. Past the cave on good ice and a pitch or two more to the summit once again.

In descent we traversed Crib Goch, an old favourite but highly entertaining in winter conditions. Excellent nosh from Martin, involuntary chilli eating by Lynne and silly party games galore rounded a superb day which also saw a stack of climbing in the warm sunshine of Tremadoc - E grades and all !!

Sunday wasn't quite such an early start - three guesses why. With the weather warming by the hour (boo hiss) Newall and myself once again headed for the gulleys. With the tough walk up to the base of Parsley Fern Gulley out of the way (hungover ? no not me) we traversed across to the base of Sinister Gulley a grade 3, alas with the main pitch just out of condition. Plenty of ice but all frustratingly out of reach to enable me to get started. Fortunately there is an alternative and by stepping to the side and around a nose of rock an awkward series of rock moves on snowed up rock got the adrenaline surging nicely.

Newall lead through, testing a rock spike to destruction as he went - good job he had only taken a single loop of sling around it otherwise I think it would have pulled him off. Moving together we topped out half way up Crib Goch, continued our ascent and then slithered down Parsley Fern Gulley and out.

A tough but thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

Trevor Dec '99

Letters and Replys

To the editor, East Grinstead Climbing Club Magazine,

As a veteran multi-activist from the Cornwall Bank Holiday weekend I feel compelled to object to the derogatory remarks in your magazine about surfers. Surfing is not an 'easy option', only undertaken by members of the club who fail to climb a VDIFF before the tide comes in.

May I remind you that not one member of your club was to be seen riding the Sennen waves on a full length Malibu. Rather they'd sit on the beach eating ice-creams... Not for them the icy waters, the Atlantic swell, the rocks, the currents, the rip, the Great White Shark that lurks off the Cornish Coast....

For the sake of your club, and its reputation in Redhill, I must insist that you publish a full and unreserved apology in your next edition.

Yours

Disgusted of Redhill

Alastair

The Editor Replies:

Dear Disgusted,

Thank you for your letter pointing out how difficult surfing is, all that splashing around in the sea and applying sun block does really take it out of you. I whole heartily apologise for calling surfing the easy option but there is one point I would like to clarify. The reason we where not to be seen riding the mighty breakers of Sennen Cove in a Hawaii stylee is because we are CLIMBERS in a CLIMBING CLUB. In the same way you are Multi Activists and I would expect you to do a variety of activities during the day such as eating and drinking

Yours

Smug of East Grinstead