A few of the folk from the Uni club had organised a weekend winter walking trip to the Lakes. I was stoked to join and helped manipulate them into fully utilising the weather and location for some multi-pitch climbing. The hut was in Borrowdale, home to some of the most accessible rock in the Lakes. I had to work on the Saturday so drove over on the evening to join them. They had spent the day on Sharp Edge on Blencathra in classic Lakes conditions. It was great to see everyone and spent the evening catching up and organising the next days climbing. As it rained through the night I recommended Shepards Crag as I heard it was quick drying and knew it was roadside. So on the Sunday morning a few groups headed over to do Troutdale Pinnacle and Myself, Freddie, Cindy, Edwin and Andy headed to Shepards. Freddie, Cindy and Andy made tracks for Little Chamonix whilst me and Edwin went for a scramble up Jackdaw ridge. Upon return to the ground we headed to North Buttress to look for dryish rock unfortunately it was a little damp so we headed to Brown slabs. Arriving at the slabs the base was dryish so we set off scrambling up Brown Slabs Direct, a classically polished diff that became wetter the higher up we got adding for a spicy scramble indeed.
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| Majestic Borrowdale Photo by Me |
We decided to leave the climbing for a bit hoping the rock might dry out. After lunch and another run up Jackdaw Ridge to take photos of the group on Little Cham we decided to give Eve a shot. Its VS (5.7ish in American) which according to the guidebook was quite serious. But knowing we can climb a couple grades above we felt confident and the first pitch was dry. Edwin flew up it placing no gear and quickly established the belay, joining him I set off on the second pitch.
I ambled up the groove taking time to place gear due to the rumours of a lack of it on the slab. After placing a solid nut I embarked on the moves onto the slab a really cool little sequence . Once round the arete and on the slab I noticed the holds had the same muddy greasy texture I had found on Brown Slabs. Placing a very dodgy cam I looked to the point at which the belay was supposedly located and set that as my target. Moving across the slab something felt wrong maybe I was too low or maybe the wet rock was knocking my confidence. Sequence after sequence of utterly harrowing greasy desperate moves got me ever closer to the arete with the gear getting further and further away. Standing on a good foothold beneath an overlap I cautiously stood up, I was now in soloing territory. I couldn't fall. Feeling around for a crack or a pocket for gear I was utterly demoralised when the search became fruitless. The rock felt a little drier above the overlap but the moves looked awkward and my shoes were soaked from the slab. I headed towards the arete still beneath the overlap searching in vain for some gear. I reached the precipice looking down into this gully and with no gear within 10 metres and no good gear since the groove I stood there. Balancing one foot on the arete and with the other on a flat but wet hold. I broke down. I was done. I couldn't climb on. I couldn't fall. I was stranded.
After the mental torture of the slab I couldn't face anymore wet runout climbing. I just stood there on the arete contemplating my choices. One idea was to use the rope drag to lower myself down into the gully hoping the rope doesn't flick round and swing me to the ground. I looked up at the belay it couldn't have been more than 3 metres of climbing to the end of the pitch but I just couldn't take it. I have done bolder climbs, I have done wetter climbs and I have done harder climbs. But this is the only time I have ever got myself into such a situation of helplessness. It was not hard climbing just wet, greasy and insecure. Standing on the arete my mind was racing, one minute I was thinking this is safe this is chill the other oh shit I'm going to die. I tried placing some gear in my vicinity nothing was good or inspiring. So I stood there on my island of balance, fear and insecurity.
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| Freddie Cindy and Erskine on Little Cham Photo By Me |
Whilst I was having my mini epic Freddie was dispatching Adam the neighbouring well protected HVS. He had been watching me sketching my way through the wetness and by the time I was on the arete he was nearing the top. He offered to through me one of the ropes once he'd set up and anchor I quickly accepted. I don't know how long I stood there it could've been minutes it could've been hours it was tenuous just standing. Freddie pulled up one of his twin ropes attached a krab and started swinging it towards me. Try after try and it still wasn't within arms reach my position was so precarious I couldn't do anything to help. The pendulum of safety was swinging above my head, like a clock ticking, teasing me I couldn't reach maybe I wouldn't reach and my time was up. It swung left then right scraping the rock then it landed just above my head. I grabbed it. Clipped in. I was safe.
It was over. After a brief attempt at climbing the rest on top rope I asked Freddie to lower me down I was mentally exhausted. Standing on the ground my head was stirring I was feeling embarrassed that I had to be rescued on a VS, annoyed that I couldn't make it to the belay, relieved to be on the ground and thankful to everyone for helping me.
Like a crap version of the Avengers. The rescue team
Looking back on it a day later I am still unsure of what went on. I don't know whether its my recent lack of trad climbing, the wetness of the rock or I went off route. It may have been a combination of them all. It was a good life experience and I'm glad I made a good decision and didn't die. I'm still annoyed that I failed on a VS but it was a good reminder climbing is a dangerous activity and even easy routes can be sketchy. I am thankful I had friends to rescue and help and I will return to try the route again on a drier day. It was a very successful day of not dying and we all returned laden with more life experience. Isn't that what climbing is about?
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