UKC

As many of you will know a Christmas tradition in the Peak District is to climb Christmas Crack at Stanage, Derbyshire.

Dick Turnbull, conquerer of all the winter North Faces in the Alps, owner of Outside, has been a constant at this celebration for the last twenty years and if you have been there you will no doubt have been 'pushed' by Dick to make a speedy ascent.

Dick had a hip replacement this year, and there were serious complications. But he is a climber and he fought back.

Here he is leading Christmas Crack this morning, in great spirits and great company .

.... see the photos here http://www.fotovue.com/2063-2/

Happy Christmas,

Mick

In reply to Michael Ryan:
great stuff, it was the first year I'd done it on Christmas day and I couldn't believe how busy it was. Loads of fun. It must have had over a hundred ascents today.

In reply to Michael Ryan:
Good shots

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Thanks Mick - photos much appreciated and a great day!

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Looks like a brilliant time was had by all. Merry Christmas.

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Great crack up there today

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Brilliant you captured the day

In reply to Michael Ryan:
Lovely pics, thanks for putting them up.

In reply to deepsoup:

you are welcome

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Hey Mick, what a superb photographic record. Agree with Tony and Sarah, you've told the story beautifully. And what a great story – heartwarming to see so many people, of different ages, getting stuck in once again for the sheer joy of it all.

It feels as though we're witnessing the first generations of those determined to climb on into the sunset simply because they love it (Redhead's 'authentic desire') and it's such a life-affirming thing to do.

And Stanage... although I'm far away, it's still there in my heart, a love affair that's never quite ended.

All best wishes,

Mick

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Anyone here the lucky finder of the little bottle of JD I hid in a crack? Hope you enjoyed it, merry Christmas!!

In reply to wilkie14c:

No. Saw a Christmas card in there though.
Did you manage to get a belay easily?

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Google made me a gif of climbing at Burbage on Christmas Eve - https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ysIEU5tD-vc/VJsM1YhueYI/AAAAAAAAHag/V5B0... Despite being a bit annoying in the way gifs so often are you can see the clouds and vegetation moving, which gives a fair feeling of the brutal wind (and then snow and hail showers that followed!). Xmas day looked a lot nicer weather!

In reply to deacondeacon:
I did CC with Wilkie, ours was probably one of the last few ascents of the day as most of the crowd had drifted off for lunch or away to the pub by then.

Wilkie missed Doc Brown - looks like he'll have to wait for next year to get that flux capacitor recalibrated. Speaking of which, I was most impressed by the folks who turned up in fancy dress. I think my fave photo of Mick's is the reindeer half way up CC while Pingu is belaying in the background at the top of Black Slab.

@TobyA
The weather was much nicer than the 24th. Still pretty chilly in the wind, but none of the various showers that were blowing by came anywhere near Stanage. The crag was drying nicely by about 11am, and there was even a fair bit of sunshine. Would have been a glorious day to be climbing somewhere a bit more sheltered.

In reply to deepsoup:

I think it was about 1-ish when I did it, and there was a few people queuing but they let me and a mate nip in and scamper up it. Thanks a lot to those concerned.
I had my baby daughter with me, and It would have been too cold for her to hang around, but like you say a sheltered crag would have given great conditions.

Might try and do Bamford too next year. It has a whole buttress where every route is festive, and it's only round the corner

In reply to deacondeacon:

Ah, did see a very youngster, must have been you and daughterling. Bet it were 1300 went Deepsoup and I topped out and we left about 2. Great crack up there, enjoyed the buzz

In reply to Michael Ryan:

Thank you Mick . A great series of photos from a particularly special Christmas day in the Turnbull household !