Extracts from Newsletter 5
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....Silver Crack, I think that's what it's called; a severe, If I remember correctly. You see these points are a little hazy since I tippexed it out of the guide book. I do know it's at froggats.
I've been climbing for a year and a half now and will admit my knowledge and experience is limited but I challenge anybody to come up with a climb as unbelievable as Silver Crack - 'unbelievable in the ghastly / unpleasureable / lacking in any redeemable feature sense of the word. Let me run through it - it won't take long.
The start is not so bad, interesting even, if you are under 5'2", employing the "Oh God, I'm running out of leg length" bridging technique as you move up to the first (and only) ledge. For a while you are happy. Above you is the crack - too narrow to squeeze into and of a width too large for any part of your body to successfully jam. Watersports' begin to appeal. But you can see an indentation in the rockface and a small, wedged boulder far back in the crack so you're fooled into continuing. Several expletives later you stand with one foot on the boulder, your body pressed tight against the corner of the crack, your left hand trying to maintain some grip and your right leg superfluous to requirements. Two thirds up and the will to live starts to fade. If you wish to progress form here (and it is hard to find the will), forget technique, disregard self respect and realise the quality of life can only improve once you are back on terra firma. From here it is a thrashing, slipping, lurching, unfulfilling battle to the top.
Yet the most startling experience is still to come. As the bad taste of Silver Crack subsides, so bad was the episode that it is blanked from your psyche and you start believing it is worthy of another attempt. IT IS NOT. Take advice, talk to the self-help group and tippex it from your guide book.
Anje.