Thursday 22 March 2012

Craggin' Close to Home

As the arrival date gets closer, I am trying to tick off the last few starred routes that I have not done locally.  This pretty much means Heptonstall.  Phil had to work this morning, so we only started climbing at 1ish,  Never the less, we got a few routes in.

We warmed up on  the usual VS's, before I climbed Cream E4 6a* to get the fingers going.  It was a little warm through the crux, as the rock is black and had started to hold the heat,  I then had a go at Badlands E4 6b*.  This used to have a lot more holds on it when I first started climbing here 11 years ago.  Climbing what's left, it is still the same grade, but there is one really hard move halfway which I fell off a lot.  I like to think it is just early season, but I have climbed a few routes and problems already that have been 6b, and this felt hard.  If I was 6 foot though, it would not be as bad.  Eventually, I made it past that move and climbed the route ground up, which is some consolation.

We rapped things up with an ascent of Thin Red Line E2 5b***, which is much pumpier with the rope on.  No pics again today, sorry.  I will try tomorrow to get some of the new, very bright orange trousers.

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