Went to holyhead mountain at the weekend and got spanked! I climbed some S on the left hand side of the crag and was totally uninspired. So thought I would have a go at King Bee Crack, a classic HVS.
I got about half way, came off boxed and just couldn't be bothered with evening trying it from there. I lowered down and thought I'd go again. The climbing wasn't that hard, sustained but still HVS. I just couldn't be bothered. Psyche is at an all time low! Thinking about why this might be has lead me to ask why my mindset has changed from the start of the year - feeling confident - to now.
With such a crappy weather this summer, whenever it's good I've 'had' to get out. This requirement has turned climbing into a chore again. It's not fun and I've started to place an outcome on day. e.g. if I don't lead at least 1 HVS it's been a waste of a day.
I've also stopped training which has left me feeling weak and unfit. I'm not sure if this is actually the case, it must have some effect but not sure if it's as big as I'm making out. And falling, I just won't at the moment. All in all my head is in an awful place. So it's time to have a break from climbing, this is probably only a few days where the weather is good and I don't go out climbing to get the desire to go and and just climb for fun - not just because the weather is good.
I also want to get fit! With winter approaching (seems a long way off but it will be here sooner than I think) I want to feel at fit as possible. I've been reading Mark Twight's book Extreme Alpinism and it's got me psyched for training and getting seriously fit! So I'm going to join the gym again and start weight training to work on some aspects of my physique which are causing me problems. I'll also be training at the wall. The final update is that I'm moving my blog to here. So check back for updates if your interested.
Fingers crossed normal service will resume soon!
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
A Few Classics
It’s been a while since I posted
anything so I thought I’d better get back to it. I've been out reasonably regularly despite
the weather but not often enough to feel comfortable. Since my last post I’ve managed to get out
for 11 days’ worth of climbing. That’s only 20% and for a few of those days we
ended up just walking as the weather crapped out on the walk in.
Despite this lack of good
weather, and an over-riding lack of psyche to get out, there have been a few
more memorable routes.
Tremadog is owned by the BMC and
sits on the road between Caernarfon and Beddgelert. Arriving at Eric’s café and camp site, a
traditional stopping place for climbers which has been written in to climbing
folk law, the best of the crags, Craig Bwlch y Moch, towers above. As you make your way up, you might be
deceived in to thinking you’ve arrived at the wrong place or you’ve been
sand-bagged by a fellow climber. The
trees hide the great lines above, instead a series of ugly looking grooves run
upwards through overhangs. But do not fear, the ochre slab and the line of
Vector giving some indication as to what waits above for the intrepid
leader.
Craig Bwlch y Moch (Tremadog), with the imposing Vector bu tress in the centre. Image taken from here. |
Christmas Curry/Micah Eliminate.
With the weather looking good for
Tremadog Hannah, Ben and myself decided we’d head out. After having to turn
round after about 5 miles due to Ben’s shiny new half ropes still being in his
bedroom, we made our way under some dark rain clouds, and through an utter
deluge just past Chester. Arriving at
Eric’s Café, paying our £1 parking fee and gearing up, we headed up to plum
buttress and the start of Christmas Curry
Wanting to lead the crux pitch
meant I’d be leading first. Going
slightly past the belay, the other two followed quickly and Ben carried on to with
2nd pitch quickly.
Off up the first pitch of Christmas Curry. |
Ben leaving the belay. |
A final look at the guide book,
taking note not to take the initially easier, lower, traverse as this leads to
the 5b crux of The Plumb. It all looked pretty thin for HS 4b but I made steady
progress. Looking at the higher traverse
I elected to stay a little lower. After traversing for a few meters I realised
this was the exact description the guidebook suggested I avoided – I did get a
good look at the 5b crux of The Plumb though.
After making what feels like some
thin moves for 4b, you head right for the Micah Eliminate finish. This comprised
of climbing the arête to the top. On a fine day a lovely prospect, on a windy
day a little less so. I always find arêtes a little scary and this one was no
exception. The holds are positive and it was a joy to climb, perhaps retrospectively.
Whatever grade you climb, I think this should be on everyone’s tick list. It was great to tick and a route I’d been
waiting years to do.
Stepping on to the arête, the exposure getting the old ticker going! |
One Step in the Clouds
After a spot of food we headed
off to Vector Buttress. One Step is a classic VS 4c which finds a line of
weakness up the Vector Buttress. The
first couple of pitches follow a series of short groves, past a large tree to a
prominent V groove. I lead the first, making my way up an award V groove to the
tree and the best runner on the route.
Next a crack bars progress. A few slippery hand jams and some torquing of the feet lead to a massive flake belay. I thought the jams were great, the crack
providing the most interesting part of the pitch! Hannah and Ben elected to
ignore the crack and use some small crimps and bridge the corner – more jamming
practise for these two! At this point,
the upper section of the climb is still out of view. After swapping gear and checking the guide
Ben lead off. Even after a few meters
are gained, all does not become apparent – Ben asking for the description again
just to double check. The good initial
rightward crack peters out and your left looking at a rather blank and featureless
slab of dolerite – are you sure this VS?
Continuing rightwards, small holds
present and the line becomes clearer.
Again the exposure arrives quickly, the pitch below giving no indication.
This section of bold climbing is broken by a large flake and a moment of
respite, giving you chance to look at the expanse of space between you and the
ground below. A look further up reveals
more apparently blank rock.
A positive approach is rewarded
with some holds and a good runner or two. For those who cannot stand the
intricate and intense climbing any longer, an escape into Hail Bebe can be made
but composure will be rewarded; if
you’ve made it this far the climbing above is no harder. Keep breathing and the sanctuary of the belay
arrives, giving you time to savour experience sat on the edge of the mighty
vector buttress.
The final pitch shares the same
ground as Hail Bebe - a quality, if much more amenable, VD. Pad up the slab to
a large diagonal flake, place a runner, and romp along this to the final
belay.
Heading back down, having climbed two classic routes – beer o’clock
was called and we headed to the pub to bask in our glory.
BAW’s Crawl
Gritstone at the best of times
has some very esoteric routes and moves. If you haven’t climbed on it ‘easy’
routes can be very perplexing, especially if you haven’t learnt the mystical
art of jamming.
I hadn’t climbed on the grit since April/May
so decided that a steady approach was the way to go. After climbing Flying
Buttress (3* VD), Holly Bush Crack (3* VD) and Balcony Buttress (3* S 4a) we
headed to BAWs Crawl (3* HVS 5a). Stood
at the bottom, the roof looks pretty intimidating, but I had an idea of how to
Climb it.
Baw's Crawl (3* HVS 5a), the dotted line shows the line the route takes. Image taken from here. |
After placing some gear I tried
to hang on and heel hook my way along the shelf below the roof, eventually,
lying feet first on the shelf and shuffling my bum along until I hit the flake
and stepped out on to the final slab. This is certainly a move I’ve never done
before and not sure how often I will in the future but it’s a great climb and
the crux is well protected!
Light House Arête
Gogarth is a very unique experience. It is generally bold, sparsely protected with
some suspect rock. This results in
climbers needing a cool, controlled approach – not a place to hammer out the
basics. The first time
I climbed here,
with Andy, can be described as nothing less than an Epic. After being told A Dream of White Horses was
too much too soon for us, we headed there to prove the doubters wrong. In hindsight, what a wonderful thing it is,
it most certainly was. After leaving one rope at the Ab station, dropping gear
and eventually escaping at the penultimate belay the experience left a rather
salty taste in my mouth.
Since then I have wanted to go
back and give Gogarth another go, to conquer the fear that it left me with.
After two more years of climbing, and lots more
multi-pitching and learning the ropes (every pun intended), I thought I might
just about to be ready to face my demons.
This was perhaps further compounded as it was going to be Hannah’s first
sea cliff experience – a good choice? Only time would tell.
Getting there early, the weather
looked good so we parked up and headed down.
We picked lighthouse arête as it was described as the first route that
should be done in your Gogarth career. It was also surrounded by other routes
which we could have a go at afterwards.
Setting the abseil up, the
adrenalin was coursing through my veins.
Memories of Dream surfacing, more like a distant nightmare. Abbing in things only got worse, but at least
we had both ropes this time and I knew how to set-up a hanging belay! After a short breakdown in communication, our
‘numbered pull on the rope system’ worked and Hannah headed down to the sea
level ledge and we sorted ropes.
Setting up the abseil to get to the starting ledge 50m below. |
The abseil in, not psyched! |
Starting out, the route traverses
left from the belay and up to the arête proper.
This was fairly easy and it was good to be climbing, good to stop thinking.
Hannah followed and we swapped at the belay – her enjoyment seeming a lot more
than mine. Was I enjoying it? Doesn’t
matter, got to climb it now.
The view from the first belay, the rest of Castell Helen round to the Left. |
The next Pitch looked a little
more spicy. From the belay you traverse right and enter a crack. Gear is all
good and you belay just below a roof, which looked like the crux. Now I was starting to flow, things felt in
control again, I was enjoying it again.
The demons were being banished.
Hannah making her way to the first belay |
At the belay (right), showing sign she might enjoy this sea cliff malarkey! |
Hannah arrived, smiling as always
and giving positive encouragement. It’s good to have someone who continually
gives you a boost when your climbing, tells you your OK when you get a bit
panicked. From the belay a roof and corner wait above. Place some gear, pull
through the roof on good holds and bridge up the corner, savouring the wild
exposure and awesome position – not bad this for VS. The final pitch is a plod back to the abseil
point.
As we arrived a number of people
were just abbing in. We called it a day
as they were going on the route we were going to do next, Rap VS 4c, and we
were off for a Sunday roast at my sisters just outside Bangor.
If you want a route that’s fairly
easy but with all the exposure that both Gogarth and sea cliff climbing brings,
then this route is certainly recommended!
Hannah seconding pitch 2, loving the exposure and the climbing. |
We headed to Cornwall last week and Moonraker, listed as possibly the best HVS in England. I'll write a separate post for this one as it was such an awesome route.
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