Friday 1 June 2012

Paying Back the Numbers

Pete (the numbers) Harris made the journey from York to come and tick some classics at Heptonstall.  This is a crag that Pete has done very little at, so his usual encyclopedic knowledge of the routes and their runners was missing.  I however, have a large debt to pay for all the pointers that Pete has passed on, on so many routes.  With the rolls reversed.  I pointed Pete and some pleasant routes to warm up on.  As Pete is still on the road to full recovery, we started easy.  Pete cruised Main Line VS 4c** and Curving Crack VS 4c** and then proclaimed he was warm.  Next up on the PGH hit list was a Thin Red Line E2 5b***.  Again this was dispatched smoothly.
Pete cruising Thin Red Line
 
Pete chilling at a rest on Forked Lightening

With Pete wanting a break, I decided to have a go on Orange Crush E6 6b**.  I had been up to the peg a couple of times before and reversed down, so the flash was still on.  As I launched up the very steep wall, passing the pegs and entered the crux, I was suddenly air born.  After four falls from the same hold that I could just not get properly, I finally got my heel in the right spot to make the move easier.  This meant I was suddenly on the hold and through the crux.  A few steep, exposed moves on good holds up the arete and I was done.  Awesome wild climbing, and another classic Heptonstall route that didn't disappoint.

Pete was now rested and set about cruising Forked Lightening Crack E3 5c***.  He wrapped his day up with a swift ascent of Brown Sugar E2 5c**.  A pretty good haul for the man that said he was not sure how it would go.  It's good to be out with Pete again and hopefully there will be more days like this to come.

Pete sets about dispatching Forked Lightening

The Numbers is back!!

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