Roaches 22nd- 24th November 2013

The Met Office promised cold but crucially dry weather for the weekend so we set off in high spirits, only slightly delayed by the non-appearance of Damian, who it later transpired, had somehow managed to get his dates terribly wrong and forget about the trip. You tool! We made it to the hut in double quick time, stopping only for a shopping trip at an Asda that you could get lost in, it was that enormous. Having chucked all our bags in the hut we got the pads out and started some bouldering. V0’s were sent before Jack and I started working the V3, eventually getting it. Perceived crack master Jack then failed miserably on the V2 offwidth which Ellie proceeded to flash- WideGirlz? After getting cold we decided to knock off and get some sleep.

Jack knocks down the V3 arete

Ellie stuck in the offwidth V2

Because the crag was so close we got up at 8 and were climbing by 9. Jack started up Valkyrie Corner HS 4b with David and Josh, while everyone else headed to the Upper Tier. Peate started up Black Velvet S 4a with Dave, while Amy and Ellie did Kelly’s Shelf S (with the desperate caterpillar move) and I started up Technical Slab HS with Charlie and Katie. Despite the name the moves were piss but the lack of gear was alarming. I had originally planned to do the Neb Finish at VS but bailed at the final move when the greenness became too much. Meanwhile, Peate was working his way up Black Velvet and Ellie led a Severe somewhere round the corner. James M also climbed Right Hand Route VD with his friends Doug and his girlfriend Sorsha. Back at the base of the crag, Ellie, Amy and Katie headed up the classic Severe Black and Tans, Jack K led Tech Slab and I headed off to do Kelly’s Shelf with Charlie. Several leads also took place over the course of the day, with Josh leading Kelly’s Shelf and Black Velvet, nailing his top setup in the process- good stuff! Charlie tried a lead but bailed off her route after a complete failure to read the guidebook description and topo, resulting in a miniature epic. The half hour of fail was continued by Dave bailing off Right Route due to in his words ‘being a pussy.’

Ellie and Katie on the classic Black and Tans belay

Josh leads Kelly's Shelf Severe 4a

I get in position to watch Jack on the Sloth

With Jack having spent a while teaching top setup, he was due a lead and geared up for a go at the classic Sloth, HVS 5a. It really is intimidating. All went well to begin with. Jack powered up the slab and placed the cheeseblock sling (just as well as it turned out). He then launched into the roof and placed a cam….right in the good jamming spot rather than next to the flake. Even an amateur jammer like me could see this but Jack did it anyway and made the next moves completely impossible as a result. Every several failed attempts to campus to the next flake he was off.  However, fair play to him, he got back on it, removing and replacing the cam, badly as it turned out. He went past the lip and seemed to be through the difficulties, however in attempting to place the big blue cam he was getting more and more pumped. It was at this point his replaced cam in the roof fell out, leaving only the cheeseblock sling 15 foot below. Jack shouted to Peate to take in, at which point we panicked and pointed out to him his cam had gone. He said was aware, at which point I replied ‘oh that’s alright then’ and he took the fall. IT WAS MASSIVE. Check the video which should be up on FB shortly, it’s the best fall I’ve seen in ages. Or it was, until the next day…

Good fall form

Dreadful fall form!

With a badly bruised arse (and ego) from the fall Jack was fucked for the day, so we headed down to get on Elegy E2 5c while there was light. We saw Pete Whittaker at the bottom of the crag, which was a bonus, casually soloing HVS’ crack lines as you do. Apparently he has a project in the area- I think it might be the Headless Horseman arête the more I think about it.  Meanwhile, Peate started up Valkrie Corner and Amy came to spectate on (and criticise, no doubt) my attempt.

Ellie on a very dark looking Valkyrie Corner

 The start was hideous and the crux even harder, a horrible fridge-hugging move that I don’t really know how I stuck. I filled the flake with gear and hit the slab, running it out further with every move. After a few deep breaths and giving myself ‘the chat’ I finished the route and after deliberating how to do the final short bit opted for a stress free finish up the arête. Jack failed hard seconding, nearly crushing my ribs and forcing me to ab the line to retrieve my gear. At this point it was now dark, so we retired to the hut. Frosty arrived and sent the kitchen boulder problem (previously thought impossible) and graded it ‘at least V10’- all that fingerboarding is paying off clearly! Mason however disappointingly bailed- you’d better come to Christmas meet! After an evening spent picking various objects out of my beer courtesy of Amy and Ellie, it was time for bed.

Me engrossed in the horrible wide crack start of Elegy

Tasty runout...

Sunday dawned greyer than previous but after a quick hut clean we got on it. Jack took Josh and James to destroy their hands on some jamming cracks at the Skyline, while Dave, Charlie and Katie got some leading mileage in behind the hut. Meanwhile peer pressure was proving useful, as me and Ellie bullied Amy into getting on Via Dolorasa VS, with Amy doing the 4c pitches and Ellie the middle one. They made it a proper expedition, posing for photos at each belay but seemed to finish it with minimum fuss despite a brief wobble from Amy on the top pitch due to the horrendous greenness. Meanwhile, I had through sheer force of character convinced Peate to get on Valkyrie, the mega classic VS. Frosty led the first pitch and set up camp in the corner. After placing the bomber sling and calling me a prick for getting him on it, Peate started descending the flake, eventually finding the hidden footledge and sighing loudly with relief. He read the crux flawlessly in about 30 seconds and did it, making it look like piss and much better than when I did in the summer. He topped out completely psyched and actually thanked me for peer pressuring him- it works! We tried to ring Brad from the top of the crag but couldn’t get through regrettably :p Two classics VS’s for Amy and Jack- good effort. 

Valkyrie Buttress

Ellie and Amy after topping out Via Dolorasa VS 4c,4a,4c

I had been mincing hard and brought David up Prow Corner VD, before grabbing a visibly cold Frosty and forcing him to get on Elegy as well. Unfortunately there was already someone in it, so we watched for beta. After faffing for ages the stranger made the fridge move, before powering up the slab in double quick time. However he started blowing it hard and made a bit of a flail for the top and fell. All of the cams in the flake blew, which made me very glad I hadn’t fallen the day before. Without the massively high side runner he would have decked out and really hurt himself. Fortunately he only bruised his ankle badly and the new club first aid kit got an immediate outing! (we need a new crepe bandage James!) At this point it started properly raining and the decision was made to bail and go to the pub. After some of the best chips ever and a passionate discussion of climbing ethics between me and Frosty it was hometime. Everyone was knackered but weirdly we were home by 6. Hopefully everyone had a good weekend- you won’t see two whippers as good as that in while! Bring on the infamous Christmas Meet…