Extracts from Newsletter 10
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The trouble with today is that you can't rely on anything to be accurate. Time was, that if a route was graded 'severe', you knew it was actually severe - except in Scotland where everything has always been 'Very Severe', for a reason only known to the Scots. Now take, for example, the weekend of the club meet to the roaches (back in October), where on one day Pete and I decided to climb on Hen Cloud. Now the problem lies in the fact that I have an original guide book (pub. 1973) - no need to buy a modern, revised copy as VS is my top whack, or so I thought. Pete had 'On Peak Rock' and the latest Climbers Club guide.
"Lets start off doing K2" Unanimous agreement. We both had always wanted to climb K2 and this was as close as we were going to get! All went well and the grade of Severe 4b, we and all the guide books agreed, seemed to be about right. A nice climb incidentally. And so we were beginning to be lulled into that false sense of security that starts at the beginning of the climbing day and intices you into believing things will not cause you problems for it's remainder. The trouble is (a) you get more confident as the day wares on, and (b) you get more tired as the day wares on, and (c) you don't realise it until it's all too late.
Next we went for Central Climb. "O.K, Pete, I've done this before so no problems". Again all went well; and then we compared grades, Severe in mine, HS 4a in the climbers guide and VS 4b, 5a, 4a, 4a in On Peak Rock - in that case I'll tick On Peak Rock, thank you.
Later Pete decided to go for a route called Hedgehog Crack, the description being '11m VS 4b. The vertical widening crack .... gives a non prickly affair thanks to may years of ware". We should have smelt a rat, especially as two unknown but friendly climbers commented "umm.. yes", "ha, ha, ha", "interesting climb", "you'll have fun on that one", "no intention of doing it again" etc. etc. just as we were starting out. Even more suspicious was Derek's quip of "Go on, you'll get up there, no problem; it's just a bloody scramble." So off we went, Pete in the lead (thank God). Grunt, Grunt, squirm, followed by "that's better, I've got a runner in"; followed rather swiftly by "Hello Pete, Why are you looking at me eye to eye? and thanks for the warning that your peeling". A slightly pale Pete was even more determined to complete the climb especially as his first (and only) runner was twelve feet above us. Off he goes again, past number one runner and on another 4ft where runner number 2 is inserted, before whoosh, fuck, shit and "why are you next to me again, Pete?" - the second runner hadn't stayed. Most normal and sane people would have given up there and then, but not Pete. This had made him more determined than ever to complete the route and not be out done by a piece of rock. More grunts and heaves followed. The high point was reached again, what ever Pete wasn't doing before, he was doing it now (if you follow my meaning). Crux surmounted, the rest was a push over and a delighted but knackered Pete arrived at the top like a beached whale. "O.K safe, taking in". "That's me" and off I go to perform a very similar rendition of Pete's performance. First runner just reached and ..... I'm off; followed by the same again and rapidly diminishing strength. And that first runner will not move.
Pete was very insistent about wanting his gear back. So onto the scene arrives our Capt'n Fantastic, who having previously announced it as a 'bloody scramble', was sent on this runner removal mission, ably assisted by Nick with a strategically placed hand. The offending gear was removed, but without dignity.
Afterwards the guidebook was consulted. The original description put up sometime between 1947 - 51, read: "Hedgehog Crack is beset with thorny problems, all off which can be solved if the hands can be persuaded to stay jammed." TYPICAL BRITISH UNDERSTATEMENT IF EVER I'VE HEARD IT.
Steve.
Lying on the floor of the Gydor Hut helped me to recollect the events of last year, piecing together the fragments of distant memories I vow to avoid any skunks, Hamsters, beavers or other small mammals this year.
Various activities were attempted in the rain on Saturday, even rock climbing, Richard, Sam, Craig and Myself slid our way up some diffs (with an E1 descent route) on Mile End Buttress. Martin gave his knee a good pounding round Llynn Idwal. Pete and Anje Crib Goch'ed it up Snowdon for that windswept look. Derek, Nick and Robert looked at Cloggy. Andy and Janet went large on the 3000's with old 'One Eye' the dog, Toby and Barcode got on some serious slate at Llanberis.
But I digress, the whole point of the Christmas trip is the curry. Once again Toby did us proud. A Thai meal consisting of lamb curry, chicken curry, nutty noodles, fish cakes, fried bananas, fluffy rice, chilli sauce and larger. A truly magnificent feast, if you could have tasted that lamb curry... The EGCC retired contentedly to the parlour for evening drinks.
Having drunk copious amounts of cheap whisky I babbled on in the corner with my new friend old 'One Eye' the dog. Several people commented that it was a shame that I couldn't have repeated my party trick of last year. The evening passed without too much outrageous behaviour (although Derek got a bit leery with a beer bottle in the kitchen).
Breakfast was not an option for me on Sunday morning. It was decided that I was not to be allowed to wallowing in my own self pity. NO ..... instead I was to climb on slate.
Slate must be good. Severely hung over and frozen to the depths of my bones I still enjoyed the route. Seamstress HVS 5a in the Serengeti area of the Dinorwic slate quarries. This route is no stitch up though (Barcode will tell you), a bold lead by our slatehead curryhero Toby. Slate is sexy in a kind of black P.V.C thigh length boot sort of way, leading on in looks a bit marginal in a kind of black P.V.C bag over the head with a satsuma jammed in you mouth sort of way.
I don't know what the rest of the gang did that day bur rumours abound. Derek looking at the Indian Face, Robert looking at his watch and Nick looking at the sheep... Pete and Anje staged their own version of the U.K indoor climbing wall championships at the beacon (winners to be announced soon, T.V coverage on Channel 5). Trevor, Suzanne, Graham and Danielle indulging in some special stage rallying in a stolen car, Andy and Janet winning the final of one man and his one eyed dog and the Brighton explorers had to be rescued from Pete's Eats after being cornered by a large mushroom omelette.
Don't be disappointed, book early for next years curryfest.
Ian.
Everyone seems to know Cloggy since it is one of the premiere climbing venues in Snowdonia. We hadn't been there, however, and sought to rectify this omission during the club's November meet at the Gwydyr Hut. Barcode seemed to think we were nuts when we told him we were off to Cloggy to have a look see and climb one of it's V.Diffs, but he never did explain why, so off we went. A bit damp underfoot perhaps, and a bit misty higher up, but at least it wasn't raining. Leaving the Victoria Hotel in Llanberis we were soon on the well defined track up Snowdon, and then on the traverse leading to Cloggy. Mist was a bit thicker now and the full aspect of the cliff could not be seen. Moreover, the rock was a bit greasy. Perhaps we wouldn't do a VD after all, but content ourselves with a grade 2/3 scramble up the central butress. Another group we met wisely chose a grade 1 scramble, but then we were climbers with ropes and harnesses and things! Rob started with Nick following and myself at the rear. Didn't feel good to me since boots seemed to have no permanent hold on the slippery rock and at this height it was a bit chilly on the hands as well. Fortunately Rob also seemed a trifle unhappy and suggested leaving Nick and me to continue. A quick remembrance of Barcodes ' incredulity, and we all decided that today was not the day to try out Cloggy so the change of plan was to join the Snowdon Ranger path and get to the summit that way. So, we saw Cloggy, we know were it is, and we know that you don't want to climb it in the wet. I pass the warning on to others - take heed when Barcode thinks you're mad!
Derek 17th Nov. 96