El Chorro Jan 2013

Luckily the heavy snow didn't delay our flight out to Malaga - which went very smooth with even managing to get the clipstick checked in although it was sticking out of Pauls bag!  The train to Alora from the airport was so easy i don't think I'll ever hire a car for El Chorro ever again.  The first day we even managed to get 6 routes in over the road from the Olive branch at las enchantadas.

The second day we headed to sector Suizo on Frontales, one of my favourite crags and a nice sun spot.  The strategy was to play around on the 7s ready for Makinodromo the next day - I love the routes there - nice and slightly overhanging - perfect for me. On day 3 even though the police were around the train tunnels we managed to  sneak through the tunnels - but after the 2.5 hour walk to makinodromo Lourdes was seeping wet! A bit of a shame as that was my planned route of the trip. The whole crag was busier than I'd ever seen it so we headed up further to do a 6b warm up and then onto a section not even in the guide called Mini-Maki to try out some other routes.

Paul playing around at Mini Maki

Pauls 47th birthday was a pretty good day over at sector castrojo (day 4).  By not letting him know the grades he lead his first 6b+ and then I went onto get little brown baby clean (7a+)-I was particularly pleased given it felt something like 25 deg C.

Poema de roca is always a must but in the heat I felt like it was a bit of struggle  on day 5. I enjoyed getting on talisbana again the most achievable 7c I've ever been on a the bottom of the cave.  I also got back on slimbo a crack line (7b) I stuggled on this last year - and it felt just at bad!  Perhaps one to avoid on my next trip...

Wheres Wally? Poem de roca

Feeling a bit sunstroke on day 6 we headed up to the steps (escaler arabe) - a usually windy venue it was supsiciously still.  Therefore it was the perfect opportunity to get up on the pinnacle for a nice photo shot!

on top of the... El Ehorro

Day 7 we tried abercones a crag sheltered form the sun - this was some really nice rock - with the exception of an undercut snappin off on a hard onsite attempt.  By the time we moved onto sector Suizo for the afternoon my hands were battered, but still had a nice play on the slippy tufa routes in the sun.

Sector Suizo slippy tufas!

Nicking a November day at chedale

In light of my progression indoors I have been desperate to get some routing in outdoors, and although El Chorro is booked for the end of January I couldnt wait that long.  A break in the wet weather gave Paul and I a chance to head up to chee dale and start at the embankment again. Considering it was cold it didnt take too long to get feeling in the fingers!!!



Paul on 6c+, nice new jacket

We spent most the time just working routes on top-rope, particularly as the rock wasnt in perfect condition. Paul came really close to cleaning his 6c+ (cant remember the name), and i managed to clean a 7a+(cant remmeber the name) on the third or fourth attempt.

My new Beta-clipstick in all its glory

8a

I have finally reached a milestone in my climbing with a redpoint of an 8a route at pinnacle climbing centre and thought it was worthy of a post.  Having not really been outdoors much over the past few months due to house extension works and bad weather i have been getting quick sessions in down the wall as i can.  I first tried the 8a  route with a couple of stops in lead - and cleaned it on a second  the attempt on the second.  Two weeks later I lead the route with 1 stop.  Two weeks after this i cleaned the route on lead :).
Then with the 8a+ route left at the wall i managed to work all the moves and will be looking for a redpoint on this route on my next visit!

Chee dale: The embankment

It didnt take me too long after my first trip to chee dale to return - about 39 hours!  This time we ended up at Max wall for a warm up  - as the most polished route I've ever done and graded at just 6b this felt incredibly hard.  Trying to escape the polish we headed up to the embankment to tackle the very technical routes - although only graded at 7a+ these were really tough.  I dogged up the first route - Bream in black and managed to clean it second attempt.  The next route- The Barracuda bass sound along seemed much harder for the same 7a+ grade and took   3 or 4 attempts to get clean (I guess it did say high in the grade in the guide book...).  These routes are tough to read and to find the holds so it was great practice and I really need to start reading routes better.



The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+ looking friendlier in the photos

The Barracuda bass sound , 7a+, trying to sort those feet out after the relief of clipping the second bolt!

The intensity of the side pulls and crimps was greater than I have ever experienced on rock anywhere and I can see great gains to be made by getting alot more mileage in at this venue.  At Chee dale I have found that getting the first couple of clips is a bit stressful, so I think a clipstick must be on the shopping list and as Steve McClure (who was at the crag) said 'everyclimber needs one' - then I can really start pushing my grade further:)

Cavewoman tying on ready to crush...

Chee dale, the most idylic climbing spot in the UK?

Another break in the Brtisih summer and it was time to explore another area of my new peak limestone book.  I have always wanted to climb at Chee Dale but looking at the grades in previous years I had felt a bit imtimidated by it, with very hard overhanging limestone rumoured to be littered with tough side pulls and small polished crimps.  However if I want to improve my climbing it seems that this is the place to head to, and I wasnt dissapointed.  We headed to Blackwell Halt for a warm up before moving onto Max wall and the embankment.

Paul seconding the arapahoe collection, 6b+ at Blackwell Halt. I had taken a whipper on this after passing the crux and reading the route wrong at the top doh!



Side pulls forcing me into horizontal positions on Max pax em in, 7a



Technical on the footwork

Leading Max pax em in 7a, Max wall

All the routes ranging 6b-7a that we climbed were challenging and technical albeit with some very polished rock and dirty rock in parts.  That said, the limestone was still the best I have climbed in the peak (and the closest to home...) and with the routes currently in condition this is a venue I definatley want to continue to come back to with so many potential projects to focus on.  Areas such as max wall were very unique next to the wye river and make this place such a special setting to climb in.

Picturesque Max wall

Stanage July 2012 (with cavewoman)

Its been a good week capitalising on the break in the wet weather with a third trip out on rock in a week.  Ilona and I headed to the Stanage popular end as I still have a long list of  lines to tick off.  This includes the 'top 50' classic Inverted V, VS 4b.   Other good routes of the day included Heather wall VS 5a and right twin crack VS 4c.

Heather wall VS 5a

Inverted V VS 5b

Ilona seconding Inverted V

Recess wall HVD

Ilona seconding crack and corner S 4b

Having lost my nut key I was amazed we left with all the gear, thanks to Ilona (aka cavewoman!) being a great second - although next time no excuses she will lead some routes!

Masson Lees

I'd heard a rumour that Masson Lees quarry is the best quarry peak sport limestone, which usually takes until May to dry out.  Perhaps it was a bit too optimisitic to expect to find some of the overhanging walls to be dry given the wettest june on record last month.  Unfortunately we were unable to find any of the harder routes (in the 7s) in condition.  I found a couple of routes on the overhaning wall which were great but a little damp, dirty and loose - once conditions improve there are lots of great looking harder lines.

Paul on Pocket rocket, 6c on the overhanging wall

The black wall was had the type of routes I avoid,  holds were not positive and required open handed grips from what i could tell.  But with not alot of choice we did a couple of routes on this wall - and I was pleased with the 6c+ onsite of cattle mutulation expedition.  The red wall and wake up walls (south facing) had some good quality lower grades, but its the routes on the overhanging and black walls I would be interested in tackling next time!

The overhanging wall and black wall in the distance

The trip was well worth a days holiday off work, eleven routes done -and its always nice to go out with a new partner in crime, especially when they are as mad about climbing as me.