Monday 22 April 2013

First day back and a first accent

Saturday was finally the day that i got to actually lead something at the quarry I've been developing over the past few months, as I've been going there on my own cleaning and climbing the routes by abseil and on a ropeman.
I was mega psyched to finally get on the rock and lead the routes I've been cleaning and getting ready for so long. Especially one of the routes I knew hadn't been climbed before, so that would mean my first first accent. Whoop whoop.

The first route we did was around the vs mark, I'm not sure for definite as I've not got the guide with me at the minute.
It's a great climb with loads of gear after the start moves which are unprotected but big ledges and a good stretched move, followed by nice climbing to a large flake which is negotiated very differently to what you would expect as for the lac of foot holds on the opposite wall. All of the top outs at the quarry are sketchy at best as the grass and foliage has taken back the crag. So it makes for interesting finishes.

Next after warming up and in the ZONE I wanted to do the new climb. I'd abseiled down it a few day earlier to clean it as it was covered in ivy and you could really see any detail on the climb. Once I'd abed down it and started to rip all the ivy off it a nice route started to emerge. Once tied on I set off and as I went i was clearing the soil and grit which lay on the holds from all the ivy I had ripped off. The climb consists of two small ledges spaced apart to give you a nice balancey mantle shelf move so you can reach the next ledge and move onto the second small ledge using two small sandy krimps. Once stood on the second ledge you place you're first geared and the three pieces of gear you can place are one number 1 nut then micro wires.which are all on the edge of the crack. Once you have placed the gear you are onto the final slab and the crux moves which are also the last set of moves to. With the top moves you have to get it in the right sequence and you're away any other and you make it really hard for yourself as I saw with ed seconding as he fell on it.
I was mega happy to do the route and named it Little monster and gave it E1 5c due to the unprotected start thin gear, crux moves right at the top and Krimpy climbing.





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