The Climbing Year

 

By Richard Kinsman

 

 

The routes climbed over the last year have been varied, and I have been able to climb a number of routes which have been on my hit list for sometime.

 

2004 climbing year started off with a very wet visit to the Moelwyn’s where Tony & I climbed Usher’s Dilemma (HS). This was on the Chapel weekend at the end of Jan, the weekend before the big floods in North Wales.

That next week Mike Dagley, Chris Russell, Tara (Mike’s friend from Dublin) & I were in La Grave ice climbing. The weather was not that great for ice, but the skiing was great.

 

The next outing was on the weekend of the Annual Dinner.

Bryn, Tony, Mike D, Chris C & I went down to Tremadog on the Saturday. Bryn & I did Scratch Arete (HVS) and the others did the classic rock route Craig du Wall (HS).

I lead the second pitch of Scratch Arete, which had a excellent crux move. The next day Tony, Alan (Bob)  & I did Lavaredo (VS) at Carreg Alltrem. Tony had wanted me to climb this for a few years and I can see why. The second pitch is very steep, but the holds were great. It’s one of the best VS routes in North Wales.

 

Two weeks later Tom Brodie came to stay for a week. The weather was not great, but we managed to do a number of routes. Including Belle Vue Bastion (VS) on the East Face of Tryfan. This was only the second time I’d climbed this route, the first being my first outing on real rock with Andy Williams & Martin Stanley. We had a day cragging at Pot Hole Quary. We then went over to Gogarth and climbed Lighthouse Arete (VS). We were the only people on the cliff and that was not surprising, as it was very windy and the sea was running somewhat. We stayed at the Chapel that night and then drove down to Cader Idris and climbed Obsession (VS). The route was a little damp and loose, but was very enjoyable. I would recommend abbing off the route, as the section up to the summit ridge looks very loose.

 

On the 25th April Tony and I went to Gogarth again. Only did one route - Blanco HVS 4c 5a 4a. The second pitch (5a) was a bold lead, it was steep and I was unable to get much gear in.

 

The 15th May was the weekend on the Bombay Bivy. The 5 of us who came out for the weekend (Tony, Paul J, Alan, Chris C & I) had a great time. After dumping the bivy gear on the summit of Tryfan we made our way round to the east face and climbed Gashed Crag V Diff. I think this was Paul’s first outing on rock for sometime. You would not have known it, he climbed like he did this every weekend.

 

The weekend of the 5 & 6 June, I climbed with Andy C and his friend Steve. The Saturday was at Tremadog (Craig Y Gesail) (first time I had climbed this section).

We did Javelin HVS and Acropolis HS. Both routes were 3 pitches. The Sunday we were in the Pass and climbed The Cracks HS a classic rock route.

 

The weekend of Hux’s 60th, Bryn, Mike D and I went to Carreg Alltrem. We climbed Lavaredo VS again & Lightning Visit VS 4c. Then rushed back to meet the rest of the Club for the party.

 

The end of August Melinda, Rob Platt, Mal & Rob Pickering (friend of Rob’s) went to Lundy for a week. We all met near Ilfracombe and planned to do some North Devon routes before going over to Lundy. The weather was a little poor so the 4 climbers drove down to Plymouth and climbed at the Dewerstone. Got 2 routes done, Climber’s Club Ordinary VS and Central Grove HS.

The week on Lundy we had the best weather of the summer. We climbed every day. Melinda spent the week snorkelling with grey seals.

Text Box: Formula One The routes I led were

Cable Way V Diff *

Formula One HVS 5a *** See photo.

Shamrock VS 4c 4a 4c ***

Horseman’s Route HS 4a *

The Obverse Route VS 4b *

Invincible VS 4c *

Integrity Severe ***

Stuka HS *

Ligamentum Flavum Severe *

Nonexpectis Jugsimisius VS 4c **

The Devil’s Slide HS ***

Albion VS ***

Walrus Severe **

 

 

I also got to climb in the Peaks in early October with Tony, Andy C & Helen B.

I climbed Mayday HVS 5a & Embankment 2 VS at Millstone Edge and Meringue HVS & Three Tree Climb at Lawrencefield.

 

Tony and I had a number of outing to the Pass during the year .

The routes done were some classics, which I have done before as well as some new one’s.

 

June

Phantom Rib VS

Nea VS

Both excellent routes with some good exposed climbing.

 

September

Crackstone Rib S

Shadow Wall VS

We arrived about an hour after the rain stopped. The sun came out, dried the crag quickly, and I think we were the only people climbing in the Pass that day.

 

December

Flying Buttress V Diff

Parchment Passage V Diff

A warm day for Dec. Parchment Passage had a very steep second pitch for a V Diff.

 

 

The end of February Melinda & I went to Thailand for three weeks. We were staying at Railay Beach, which is known for it’s climbing. Excellent weather, very hot. Luckely most of the climbs get some shade during the day. All the routes climbed were bolted or with threads in situ.

The climbing highlights were

On 1 2 3 crag

We Sad 6a+ *** (E1 5b) (very hard start as you start up a stalactite who’s base is 5feet off the sand) see photo.

Make a Way 6b *** (E2 5b)

On Thaiwand Wall

Fit to be Thaid 6a+ *** (slightly over graded would give it 6a)

First pitch of Lord of the Thais ***

On Fire Wall (Ton Sai Bay)

The Groove Tube 6a ****(E1 5a) (a classic at Ton Sai. Over graded would have it at 5+ (HVS)) see photo.