Thursday 31 May 2012

Kilnsey - Trad/Sport (Dodger Direct and WYSIWYG)

I was stoked to get back into trad after forgetting my origins recently; a quick look at the forecast and it was for showers, so we chose Kilnsey. We arrived at around lunchtime as a three and made fairly slow progress for the first hour or so. I ran up 'New Mystique' (F6b) for a warm up and then Huw and Bojan toproped it too, before Bojan took his time putting the clips in 'Comedy' (F7c) - his first time using a clipstick.

After he had a play, i asked for a belay on 'Dodger Direct' (E3 5c) and i racked up some wires. Setting off up the steepish cracks, i found the gear placements came fast and obvious. My major concern was that i would struggle to see placements and select the correct wire, but nothing of the sort happened really and i was soon at the belay with a mild pump in my arms. Lowering down, i decided the route probably just warrented the grade. However, it is perhaps not too far off 'Brutus' (E2 5c) at Attermire Scar or even 'Crossbones' (E2 5c) at Malham, so perhaps a wee bit soft for E3. Nice route though, climbs better than it looks.

Dodger Direct - E2/3 5c**


After yet more Comedy action by Bojan i tried 'Optional Extra' at E4. Long story short this is not really a trad line anymore and after clipping the peg and trying to go to the right of the bolts, i was told by Matt Troilett what the actual craic was (i.e the lower off was gone) and i was soon clipping bolts and shedding my trad rack as i climbed the 7a+/b continuation above resting here and there. I stripped it on the way down, but might have another blast on it in the future?


Towards the slightly scrappy, but still enjoyable, upper wall and lower off

Huw and I then had a look at WYSIWYG, which gets 7c in the guide but is believed to be more like 7b+. Huw had a go at the shortish line between the overlaps and said the climbing was steady, when i arrived and quizzed him on it. I had a flashburn after receiving some good beta from a local wad and found myself failing at the very top (crux) when i didn't quite get a side pull right, not a bad effort for me. The humid, windless conditions made it pretty grim when climbing. I pulled on a draw to the flake and lower off and lowered down. 
After a rest and another go from Huw, i was pulling back on and was soon at the rest (after finding the start a bit harder this time). The brushed holds felt better but it was still a bit greasy and i fought my way into the undercut. Closing down stupidly hard on the undercuts i skipped the last bolt and reached around to the massive flake and belay. Cool route, really glad i got on it. Probably 7b, especially on a cooler day as it felt pretty similar to Wasted Youth (7b) at Malham and only a tiny bit harder than Cold Turkey (7b) at Trollers' Gill, and i wasn't miles off a flash. Perhaps i should try one of the extensions? Perhaps not. 

2 comments:

Adam Hughes said...

Think you are climbing better than you realise. Wysiwyg is pretty steady at 7b+, definitely a bit harder than wasted youth etc. As dodger direct is f6b+, a good E3. Crossbones is easy with no hands rests. None of that on dodger.

Dave Warburton said...

Confidence boosting!