My 2013 climbing year

So 2013 is now at an end an I think I can safely say that it is my most successful every year of climbing. I have managed to achieve personal best in all disciplines in climbing but also had some amazing days out and experiences.

Trying extra hard on Seal Song

According to my UKC profile I have ticked 459 climbs in 107 days out. The days out is definitely an underestimate as there have been a number of days when I have failed to climb anything at all!
2013 started off quite badly as I dislocated my elbow at the start of January and missed the Ice world cup! It could only really get better from here really.
Winter climbing is the way I usually start and end a year. This current winter season has been good for me so far. I have climbed personal bests with Cornucopia (VII 9) and Sioux Wall (VIII 8). My favorite winter day would have to be doing Orion Face and Tower Ridge on the same day back in April. I even managed a first ascent in Stob Coire nan Lochain with Alex McMillan in March, called Seattle Grooves.

Sioux Wall

Cornucopia

Ravens Edge

I have also done a lot of drytooling in 2013. Although I haven't improved my red point grade, despite being close, I have managed to flash/onsight a couple of M9's. I also managed to keep my hands on second place in the STS, loosing out to Peter Holder by one point!

Newtyle

I haven't really climbed too much trad this year but what I have done I have enjoyed. In May I managed to onsight my first E5, a route called The Quickening at Reiff in North West Scotland. In July I managed to climb another E5 at Dumbarton rock near Glasgow called Physical Graffiti. In June I made a trip to the Hebridean islands of Pabbay and Mingulay with some friends from university. I really enjoyed the trip and the highlight of it was climbing Voyage of Faith (E3) on Dun Mingulay on our last day. My favorite trad route of 2013 is quite close between Wuthering (Stanage), Empty on Endorphins (Reiff), Golden Fleece (Reiff) and Big Country Dreams (Cambusbarron).

The Quickening

Wuthering

I spent most of the summer driving around Northumberland bouldering, although I did manage a few trips further afield. The highlight of the summer has to have been climbing Sprung at Bowden Doors, my first font 7c! It is easy for the grade I know but you have to start somewhere don't you. I have done so much bouldering this summer so its hard to pick out my favorite problems. In June I managed to climb Spank the Monkey at Cambusbarron, which is one of the best boulder problems I have ever climbed, and its in a grotty hole in the ground which makes it even better. Similar in setting, but completely different in style, is Gloom at Rothely in Northumberland. I loved working this problem and was so chuffed to manage to climb it in July.

Gloom

I managed two problems this summer that I have tried a number of times before. These were Little Pixies (Back Bowden) and Si's Arete (Almscliff).

Si's Arete

Little Pixies

My last bouldering highlight comes from a crag just 15 minutes away from my flat. I finally managed to climb the Low Black Wall Traverse on Edinburgh Sailisbury Crags!
I have done a little bit of Sport climbing too, but this wasn't very impressive or interesting so its not really worth talking about. I even went to the Alps but its the same story there.
To finish of the year I have been selected to for the newly formed British Ice Climbing Team and will be competing at the 2014 Ice World Cup!

CAC Festival of Ice Final

I should also thank those who have supported me throughout the year. Firstly I should thank Outdoorkit.co.uk who have been supplying me with kit to test and review. I should also thanks Scarpa for some new footwear to see me through the coming winter season and Schmoolz for making me a pair of fatter indoor ice climbing tools. Red Goat and Rock City climbing walls, in York and Hull respectively, should also get a quick mention for supporting my climbing throughout the year. Also a massive thank you to everyone that I climbed with this year!
2013 has been my best year for climbing so far, and hopefully I can build on this for 2014.

Back to it

Its been over 2 months since I injured my elbow, and since my last blog post, and I have quite a bit to update you on.
My elbow turned out to be dislocated, although it popped itself back in. Its mostly back to normal now, although it still doesn't fully straighten.
Whilst injured I managed to keep fit by initially using exercise bikes in the gym, then going running and one handed climbing. This was all a bit boring really compared to normal climbing but it was something to do.
My return to proper climbing was during a trip to the peak district. The mountaineering club was supposed to be going to Torridon but the weather was bad, so it went south instead. I climbed mostly with Joanna and managed to lead Left Unconquerable (E1), Flying Buttress Direct (E1), Desperation (E1) and Wuthering (E2). I also had a good go on the green traverse, but kept on getting pumped just before the end.

Flying Buttress Direct

Wuthering

The week after I went to Glen Coe with Joanna, Jamie Sparkes, Claire Holland and Dan Tait. We climbed in Stobe Coire nan Lochain. I did Moon Shadow (IV,4) with Dan and Joanna and Twisting Gully (III,4) with Jamie. It was nice to be back in the mountains, and in amazing weather. My elbow survived alright although it did hurt a bit with the jarring motion associated with ice climbing.

Stobe Coire nan Lochain

In the last few weeks I have made a number of trips to Ben Nevis. My first trip was with Helen Rennard and Dave Macleod, where we climbed Left Edge Route (VI,5), a little repeated route in observatory buttress. Im not sure I can go as far as saying it was the second winter ascent, but I don't think its been done many times in winter.

Left Edge Route

My next trip was with Sinclair Cooper. We went to try Darth Vader (VII,8) on number three gully buttress. I led the first 2 pitches, which saw me belaying in the cave belay of the main chimney. Unfortunatley Sinclair couldn't second the second pitch so we abbed off. I then soloed South Gully (III).

Darth Vader, Pitch 1

Darth Vader

My latest trip was with Cassim Ladha, Craig Holden and Alex Toomey. It was the weekend of the mountaineering clubs Ben Nevis trip, but unfortunately there wasn't a mini bus driver so I took some extras in my car. We made quite a later start on friday night, as we needed to wait for Cass to drive up from Newcastle, and so didn't get into our tents next to the CIC hut until at least 2am.
On Saturday Cass and I attempted Hobgoblin (VI,7), also up number three gully. I actually intended to climb Gargoyle Wall but I didn't read the guide properly and so climbed direct to the Gargoyle, which is the line of Hobgoblin. After the 3rd pitch, which were the amazing Gargoyle Wall cracks, we abbed off ass Cass was too cold. On Sunday I went by myself and soloed Vanishing Gully (V,5), South-West Ridge (IV,5) (although probably III,4 on the day), and Observatory Buttress (V,4).

View from the tent Saturday morning

Tents and Carn Dearg

 

Hobgoblin, pitch 1

 

Cass seconding pitch 1

  

Vanishing Gully

Back in time for tea

The weather was looking good everywhere this weekend so after much umming and arrring I decided to drive down to the Peak district with James Lismore, Mark Olsthroon, Joanna Lisowiec and Joseph Stearn. We all stayed at James's house near Chesterfield.
On saturday we awoke to some quite foggy conditions but went to our crag of choice, Millstone, anyway. Millstone was once a quarry. The rock quarried here was used to make millstones, amongst other things. I started by climbing Embankment 3 (E1 5b), which is a steep slab with a finger width crack up it. I found it hard going to begin with as I had never really finger jammed before, but once I got used to it I found it abit easier. Joanna seconded in good style until she reached the top cruck, which is climbed on lots of small pinches. She did it in the end and we moved further along the ledge which the first pitch finishes on to do the second pitch of the route. I had never done a multi pitch grit route before, and I usually wuss out of doing multi pitch trad routes, but the huge belay ledge made it all alot more friendly. The top pitch was over pretty quickly and we met Joe and Mark on the top, who had just climbed Great North Road (HVS 5b).

Joanna seconding Embankment 3

We all returned to the ground and I belayed Mark on Embankment 3. He unfortunatly fell, after getting pumped whilst trying to place an extra piece for gear, but did it fine after that.
It was my turn again and I decided to have a go at Time For Tea (E3 5c). The route takes a thin finger crack till about 2/3rds height where it runs out and you have to traverse off to the left using some small crimps. The guide says "place enough gear, then some more, and make scary moves to the top of Embankment 3". I tried to jam some gear into the top of the crack but I had placed what I needed lower down so decided to make do with an "OK" wire and a dubious micro wire. After quite alot of hesitation and chalking up I made it across the traverse and brought Joanna and Mark up after me. From the top I watched James fall off Embankment 4 (E1 5b) a number of times.

Time For Tea (Photo: Joanna Lisowiec)

It was Joannas turn to lead something next so I pointed her towards a number of nice looking VS's, although they all looked quite poorly protected. In the end I convinced her to give Embankment 2 (VS 4c) a go. After a few failed attempts she addmited defeat and let me climb it instead.
I was happy to see an old face when we returned to the base of the crag. Clare Muir, a university friend who had graduated last year, had just turned up with a group of her Sheffield based friends. It was nice to catch up and find out what she had been doing, alot of travelling it turned out. Joanna and I joined her and Malcolm Scott, the brother of Frances Scott, who is currently at edinburgh, for a boulder. With some helpful beta from Malcolm I managed Technical Master (font 6b), a lay back arete problem.
I finished the day by leading Embankment 4, which I found quite hard.
We all returned to James's house for food, we cooked bolognese together, and merinque with strawberries and cream.
On sunday we climbed at Stanage. We parked on the road side outside of the plantation parking, to avoid paying. Joanna and I headed up to The Strangler area and Joanna began by climbing Pizza Slab (S 4a). I then tied into the bottom of The Strangler (E4 5c), and attempted to make the precarious lay back moves up the arete. I couldn't find a way through it so I down climbed, removing gear, and decided to save it for later in the day when it was abit cooler. I instead climbed Tower Face Direct (E2 5b), which had a tricky move standing on a pebble, but was over quite quickly. Afterwards I climbed Fairy Steps (VS 4a) and followed Joanna up Hot Spur (HS 4b). Joanna and I decided to go down to Hathersage to try on shoes and have a drink, and head back up when it was a bit cooler.

The Strangler (Photo: Joanna Lisowiec)

Tower Face Direct (Photo: Joanna Lisowiec)

Joanna on Hot Spur

For the walk back up to the strangler I only took what I needed which were 3 cams, 2 slings, a harness, shoes, helmet, chalk and 2 quickdraws. I didn't really need the draws I just like having them. Joanna was very nice and carried the rope. I tied back in and set off up to the crux arete of The Stangler. I worked out the moves for a while, trying to decide on the best foot sequence. I had to really convince myself to go for it. I knew the gear was good and the moves aren't too hard. I made a couple of decent attempts which I reversed back to the good break. After composing myself I made my final attempt. This one was going to be all or nothing. I worked my feet up the blank slab and my left hand up the arete. "I can make it. If I just reach out my right hand. Oh no my feet..... TAKE". I came off and took a large head first fall off the slab ending up underneath a small roof. Joanna did a good job taking in the slack, as I could have fallen much further.
It was starting to get late so after some food in Sheffield we made the long drive back up to Edinburgh, returning at about 2am. All in all a good weekend!

And thanks to James's mum for providing us with beds to sleep in, tea to drink and food, which I really wasn't expecting :)