I often think of climbing as a puzzle, a problem that requires brain power to work out how to climb the sequence and create the correct body positions to make progress up the route, all the while wondering what do I do next? This is what draws me to on-sight traditional climbing, where every route is a different unique experience mentally as well as physically. There are no rehearsals like sport climbing or bouldering, where time can be taken to work sections or individual moves. A completely different mindset is required to dig deep and work out the puzzle before the lactic acid becomes to much, or is it the mind that fails before the arms.
Jon and I were driving up to the Lakes for the day opting for Shepherds Crag, Borrowdale to seek shelter and dry rock, now that the cooler temperatures and Autumn weather are almost guaranteeing numb fingers on the mountain crags. The short walk in is always a bonus as well. He asked if there were any routes I particularly wanted to get on; I’d already had a flick through the guidebook and replied: ‘Black Icicle, Brown Crag Grooves and maybe have a look at The Bludgeon.’ Jon calmly answered that he’d been keen to follow me up some E1s for a day, meanwhile I was slightly nervous of the day ahead, having not climbed many routes in the last couple months.
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| Jon following up Pitch 1 of Brown Crag Grooves |
We walked along to the far end of the crag wondering where everyone was hiding, not a single person at probably the most popular crag in the Lakes on a sunday morning. We started off on Brown Crag Grooves, on which I found good climbing, quite fingery from the off and slightly bold with a couple of crux sections in the first pitch. It certainly kept me thinking anyway. Jon finished up the easier but slightly mossy second pitch, we grabbed our gear and headed round towards North Buttress, past the swarms of people on Brown Slabs, seems like everyone had remembered where the crag was. After a couple of longer single pitch routes on North Buttress neither of us had climbed before, Evel Kineivel and Crunchy Frog, both containing really good moves and positions. After Jon’s next route on Fisher’s Folly Buttress he reminded me that we were getting close, we’d working our way back along the crag all day, Chamonix Buttress and The Bludgeon were next. I thought we’d give it a go, see what happens ‘ey.
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| Jon leading Kransic Crack Direct HVS 5a |
Jon lead the first pitch which felt surprising bold, and I was feeling pretty tired making quite awkward moves through the block towards the top, heading up towards the oak trees. Looking above to what lay ahead, the description of the lower moves didn’t quite make sense. I climbed where I interpreted the description, heading out left onto a bold rib leading upwards towards the pinnacle under the roof, thinking the crack above was to be the crux. Pleasant moves and solid gear lead to a niche to the side of the pinnacle with the overhanging roof moving out above me. place a couple of solid runners and began to think of what to do next, this was to be the start of my problems. I had underestimated this part of the route, thinking the difficulties lay above and the moves at this point would be fine, I was so wrong, the crack between the pinnacle and roof was around 6 inches, with featureless rock on either side. I somehow needed to get on top of this pinnacle. I was getting frustrated with the puzzle, trying different positions, not quite being able to get my feet where i wanted them and all the while hunting for something better for my hands. There was nothing, I had to just accept that, I needed to make it work. Both my arms and brain were tiring. I tried several methods, but couldn’t commit to them, no faith that they would work and unsure of what was to come and whether I could reverse it. I’d made the move, it had worked, I was now reaching reaching around both sides of the narrower top as my body now moved around the front of it, I had to think fast. One leg swung around the side and into the wide crack, I had just mounted the pinnacle and earned myself a no handed rest. I then shouted down to Jon: ‘What the f**k am I supposed to do now!’ The tanks were running empty and I stuffed another cam into the crack by my face. The crack above was narrower than I expected and I’d used that size cam lower down. I was safe here, I needed to chill and regather myself.
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| Moving around the front of the pinnacle on The Bludgeon |
The crack above was completely parallel, nothing to layback off, and I am rubbish at jamming. I reached to what looked like a sloper, just out of reach. What to do here, I now had to unlock the top section of the puzzle. I shimmied slightly up the pinnacle, the sloper was a good flatty, big enough for two hands. The key! I pulled and stood a top the pinnacle, hands moved right to positive flakey edges, I reached what looked like a good jug, but it was too far. My fingers were tiring, I was grasping at holds, technique was long gone, though none of the pitch had been very graceful. Feet up slightly and I reached the jug, ‘right, I can’t blow it now’ I thought. I pulled through larger holds and thankfully the angle eased taking the pressure of my arms. The whole sequence there can’t have been longer than 30 seconds. I gave a little shout of ‘Come on’ at the top, which is quite unlike me, and I’m not sure if it was relief or wanting the route a lot that produced it, probably a combination of the two.
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| Mounted the pinnacle wondering what to do now? The Bludgeon |
It is experiences like the one above that are the reason I trad climb. To put myself in these situations and have the belief I can do it, testing myself physically and mentally. There were points under that roof that I wanted Jon to take me tight on the rope, the route pushing to defeat me, I was quite frustrated by that point. Determination and stubbornness are pretty good attributes to working out the puzzles unlocking the route.
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