Guest Editorial: Winter Lines
by Steve Ashworth  Jan/2011
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Steve Ashworth is a keen winter climber and Lake District winter expert. He has made many first winter first ascents in the Lakes and he often shares his local conditions knowledge through updates on the UKC Forums and on the Epicentre Blog.
In this guest editorial article, he gives his opinion on the ethics of climbing popular summer rock climbs in winter.
 
Steve Ashworth making the first winter ascent of Snickersnack - Gable Crag
UKC Articles, Jan 2011
© Steve Ashworth Collection
Rich Cross climbing Engineer's Slab, Gable Crag
UKC Articles, Jan 2011
© Steve Ashworth Collection
Having done new routes and first ascents of lines that are both established summer
rock routes and winter only lines, I am always surprised to see how much debate and
argument can be generated by what some people feel acceptable compared to others.
Environmental arguments and ethical arguments seem to be important.
I am talking about routes on mountain crags in winter condition here, not "dry
tooling" which seems to confuse people. I'm not going to enter a debate on what
constitutes winter condition as I think that decision lies with the climber. You know if
the route you did was a winter one.
What captures me as a climber is a line. A lot of the best lines for winter also happen
to be the best lines for summer, Gimmer Crack is a prime case in point, a three pitch
corner system, the winter line differs slightly from summer. Ascents in both summer
and winter are equally as enjoyable and rate as being as good as anything about.
The 2 styles can coexist and do in many places; Scafell, Bowfell, Gable, Ben Nevis,
Shelterstone, Beinn Eighe, Cairngorm, Lochnagar, Glen Coe, The Cobbler the list
goes on. If a line is truly great then the climbing and positions will capture you, if in
summer you are distracted by a few scratches then you have missed the point.
The Rock Climbers environmental argument against climbing established summer
rock routes in winter is seriously flawed and dangerous. What the argument actually
is about is aesthetics, it is a selfish argument deployed by hypocritical rock climbers
wishing to preserve what they think a rock climb should look like. This environmental
argument is not about protecting fragile ecosystems. It is an argument that worries
me as a rock climber, the ultimate extension of the environmental argument is that we
should all stay at home.
Chris Stirling on Bowfell Butress, Langdale
UKC Articles, Jan 2011
© Steve Ashworth Collection
The first winter ascent of D Route, Gimmer, Langdale
UKC Articles, Jan 2011
© Steve Ashworth Collection
Gable Crag is a great case study, the ascents of summer lines on the Engineers slab
face have generated endless criticism. When Brian Davison climbed Engineers slab
in 1985, routes such as Snickersnack hadn't been done in summer, Brian bore the
brunt of criticism. Nearly 20 years later when I climbed Snickersnack I encountered a
huge amount of mostly anonymous criticism, a major theme was that I was destroying
the Environment, and that the crag couldn't support this style of climbing. Gable
crag is at 900m is North facing and is micro granite, this makes it a fairly robust
environment. The main protagonists behind the development of the crag from a rock
climbing perspective were also it's strongest "environmental" supporters in the light
of this winter "destruction." The same people had poured petrol down the crag and
set fire to it in order to prepare the lines for summer ascents. Ice axes are a popular
tool in the gardening repertoire of summer activists. Who should receive criticism
for damaging the environment? As climbers we seem to have forgotten what we are
about.
When C.S. Worthington climbed Engineers Chimney in winter condition in 1909,
now graded V 6, and at the time a winter ascent of a summer VS ( about as hard as
any rock route in the world at the time) they were out climbing and having a good
time, I'm sure they didn't court wide scale criticism. This answers another question
posed of this style of climbing, namely that it is a passing fashion, Rock routes have
been climbed as cutting edge winter lines for over 100 years.
In answer to a pure environmental argument against climbing established rock routes
I would put forward a counter argument that says you should only climb established
classic summer lines in winter. On these lines the environmental damage has been
done; vegetation removed, drainage altered, approach paths eroded etc, climbing them
in winter and scratching the rock generates a mineral flush which can help stimulate
lichen growth to cover up the polish. Chalk changes both the Ph and moisture content
of the system, which in terms of stimulating vegetation regeneration is bad. Winter
climbing on summer lines can be shown to be a good thing from an environmental
stand point
Encouraging winter climbers to climb winter only lines on winter only crags is
environmental terrorism, lets all go to pristine untouched ecosystems and interfere
with them, incidentally this destruction is the same when a new untouched line is
gardened in summer, in fact winter is probably the best time to interact with these
untouched ecosystems as a lot of the vegetation is dormant.
Pitch one of Gimmer Crack, Langdale UKC Articles, Jan 2011© Steve Ashworth Collection
Woody on Asterix
UKC Articles, Jan 2011
© Steve Ashworth Collection
Basically from an environmental point of view we can't stop winter climbing on
established classic summer lines, if anything less damage is done to these ecosystems
in winter than in summer, just as we can't stop the development of new crags. We
have to accept that any interaction with an ecosystem will have an affect and try our
best to limit how serious this is.
So it boils down to aesthetics. When it comes to a question of aesthetics what
we are doing is putting a higher level of importance to one set of climbers values
than another. I would say that the visual damage that chalk and erosion does to a
bouldering venue such as Langdale boulders is far worse than a few scratches on a
high north facing mountain crag. Not only does it spoil the appearance of the rock
for other climbers but it spoils what is a very picturesque view for a much wider user
group. I don't criticise the use of chalk, I don't try to limit visitor numbers etc. It is
not up to me. I go bouldering at Langdale and I am happy to climb 3 star summer
routes in winter.
The ascent of summer lines in winter is not new and is not going to disappear because
a few rock climbers think it is bad. Just as rock climbers are not going to stop
gardening pristine crag environments and using chalk. We have to accept that this is
the case, this is climbing, and get on with enjoying ourselves on the crags.
Steve Studied Ecology, Environmental Management and Geology in the Mountain
Environment whilst at the University of Cumbria in Ambleside.
Steve Ashworth on pitch three of Moss Ghyll Grooves. UKC Articles, Jan 2011© Steve Ashworth Collection
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