Thursday 3 September 2009

Back to the Moors

The peak trip was over, and we wasted no time climbing back in the North East - First stop, Raven's Scar. We went with the idea of doing Gangrene - E3/4 6b but the rain soon put a stopper on that, so we decided to just spend the time bouldering on the overhanging nose underneath Ahab. The 6a's and 5c and a 6b being a good train, plus some bizarre reaches off ankle locks and an attempted Campus of the entire nose. Probably like V9 or something?!
This wasn't the final action before the weather well and truly crapped out.
Roseberry was the plan for the next day, with me wanting to repeat Franco's bold solution to the main wall of Roseberry.
One of the most impressive bits of rock on the moors, has an unfortunate reputation for being loose on every scale. I guess it is true, but i've only ever seen rocks in cracks and boulders at the bottom. Pulling holds off the main wall would be very hard, its all pockets, monos and crimpy rails, the only problem is the rock is sandy.

The old aid line, forces its way up the centre of the tall sandstone outcrop and has apparently been 'looked at' in the past. Franco climbed the line after Abseil inspection in July and i seconded him. His ascent was in the Dark.

He gave a grade of E5 6a, which was met with some questioning, but having now completed the second ascent i can agree. This would be a pretty intense onsight.

Franco and I walked up to the main wall very windy conditions and i instantly decided i probably wouldn't be able to lead the wall in the conditions. However, i was planning on putting a rope down it anyway, so i did so. When i seconded Franco, i decided the crux was a sequence moving left to an eventually juggy rail. While working though, i decided the technical crux was pulling on the mono to the crimps. The onsight crux is this entire sequence - pulling up off a hard to notice mono to a couple of crimps then heading left to a slopey but ok rail.

The E5 comes from the fact that we think this would be fairly 'interesting' to onsight, what with the sandy nature of the rock and when combined with the fact there is one piece of gear, (0.75 camalot) in a shallow break in snappy rock... If this pulls there is nothing to stop you before hitting the column below, or worse the ground below this.

I didn't want to top rope it to death, so i roped up for the lead, earlier than expected! The wind was off putting but not too bad. I made my way up to the cam and then made the crux moves. There was a heart in mouth moment as i launched left to the slopey rail and missed the decent sloping section, instead getting a significantly poorer part - something i hadn't noticed on the working session!

I did the final moves placing enough gear at the top to make up for the lack of it in the crux section!

At E5 6a 'The Pasghetti Alpinist' is by far the hardest route at Roseberry Topping and it takes a line of weakness up the Main face. Really good line by Franco and he named it after Ian Jackson (he would say Pasghetti instead of Spaghetti) who had roped it in the past.

Couple of Video Stills, of me climbing 'Time for Tea' at Millstone.


3 comments:

swatson said...

Hi I found your blog on the internet while looking for some info you may be able to help me with.While at Settle on wednesday 2nd september I was watching for a cafe window as a climber went up the crag above settle(sorry dont know its name)While watching I was distraught to see the climber fall and watched as the emergency services including the mountain rescue worked to take him to safety.I was wondering if there was anyway I could find out if he/she survived.I cant get this sight out of my mind and may be able to put it behind me if I knew it had a positive outcome.As and older person I am in awe of your adventure but cannot see past the danger.Take care and safe climbing.I will watch your blog to see if you answer.
Sheila

Dave Warburton said...

Sorry, i have been on holiday.
Im not familiar with Settle but that crag (Castleberg) was recently developed as a sport climbing crag.

My guess would be to check google for the local news in that area. Generally speaking though, i would very much doubt that someone would have died in a situation like that, so i´d guess whom ever it was will be ok. The M.R.T are absolutely brilliant in the UK!
I checked the UKClimbing forums and there was no mention of any such accidents/fatalities.

Cheers, Dave.

swatson said...

Thanks Dave for replying I found a link to cave and rescue http://www.cro.org.uk/2009.
This gives a record of their rescues and found that fellows accident,it tells of head,chest and suspected pelvic injuries so hopeful that he survived his injuries,thank god.
Please take care in all your climbs.
Sheila