UKC

http://www.buxtonweather.co.uk/

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In reply to Siward:

Correction - It *was* in, but it's now been hacked to pieces.

In reply to Clauso:

Yet each man kills the thing he loves...........

In reply to Clauso:
That should win pun of the year!!

In reply to Siward:

Looks like a nice mixed icy corner up the left hand side.

In reply to Siward:
anymore updates from anyone ? looked at weather & temperatures seem to be below 0 oc up until Friday am anyway....I can imagine its had some traffic by now so wondering what condition the ice is in.....

In reply to Siward:

Well if it wasn't hacked to to death before it certainly will be over the next few days....

In reply to Siward:

I'm heading there either tomorrow or Thursday anyway to see what I can do while there ice some ice around, looks like temperatures are rising a wee bit from Friday so I will see If I can get something done. Whats the easiest & quickest way to the downfall, I've walked to it once before from Edale via Jacob's Ladder.....just wondering if there is a quicker way ?

In reply to Siward:
I feel smug now that despite the ubiquitous in- joke the majority here seem clueless in predicting when it will actually arrive. Which is great news for those who got it fresh. My mate Ian did try to pursuade me to take Monday morning off but even academics can't easily escape important scheduled events.

In reply to mick taylor:


I'm being really thick. What was Darren's pun?

In reply to Siward:
according to Outside on FB there's still a fair bit of water flowing and it still needs a couple of days. Of course that may just be someone trying to discourage someone else from arriving before they do

In reply to Simon Caldwell:
It freezes then flows a bit as it warms then freezes again. Any significant flow trashes it as effectively as the incompetent ice climbing queue. Wind is good as the spray formed hits the rock/ice and freezes when conditions are right. The direct line (clearly not yet formed) is really good, as are the two smaller icefalls which form to the left but the wandering line of the mod is maybe best bypassed for better things elsewhere. Climbers should obviously not be 'drytooling' moves between ice patches on the established rock routes.

In reply to JJL:

'hacked' to pieces.........the fact that the press (hacks) have told every bloody tom, dick and harry that it is in, so they can go and 'hack' it to pieces.

Very clever, whether it was intended or not.

In reply to Siward:

How long before Kinder gets frazil ice? youtube.com/watch?v=9V9p4mFEYXc&

In reply to nation1:

Walk in from Bowden Bridge

In reply to Clauso:

Nothing brings out the climbing hipsters quite like a Downfall discussion. "I climbed it before it was popular..."

In reply to planetmarshall:

Few here are that old.

In reply to imkevinmc:


Or the Snake Inn - assuming your navigation is good.

In reply to Tony the Blade:

Bowden Bridge is half the distance and takes you in to the foot of the falls

In reply to imkevinmc:
Its not half the distance. Snake Pass is closer but you need to navigate over the top so its about the same time. Upper Booth is the other possible if the snake is closed and you are coming from the east side: a bit further but you get the short Crowden beck grade 1 fall as an approach warm-up.

In reply to Offwidth:

...some of us are.....did it in 1975...no-one..........still, I know why I moved from Keighley to Scotland now.......

ANdy

In reply to Andrew Mallinson:

I said few

In reply to Offwidth:

...aye.....when I were a lad...... (cue Monty Python Sketch......)

In reply to Offwidth:

Taking what seems to me to be the most sensible route from the Snake Pass (Snake Inn, Fairbrook naze then a cut over the top directly south to the Downfall - Although if I were planning this I'd go via the Sandy Heys Trig for a shorter crossing and a navigational feature, so longer! ) is approx. 4.8 Km with 300 m of ascent to the top of the fall.

Taking a sneaky(ish) way from Bowden Bridge is approx. 5.2 Km with 400 m of ascent to the bottom of the fall.

Considering there were places with at least 34 inches (My inside leg measurement!) of powder snow on the plateau on Saturday, I really wouldn't want to try crossing it at the moment!

In reply to Dan_S:

The poster I replied to said the distance was half as much when in fact its longer and takes about the same time. There is often a path of sorts in snow conditions from the end of Fairbrook across to the Kinder river before the downfall and the cloughs and drifts are usually nothing like as bad (and water hazzards are much less of an issue) compared to the Crowden approach.

As of ~ 3hrs ago, bottom section of the LHS/Central route is gone, RHS is still climbable upt to the large icefall. From there it's either up the icicle, Left to finish up a rather slushy corner and slab, or walk off right to the boulder and ab off. Some guys were climbing up the icefalls round to the right (don't know the route but looked ~V/VI). It's about 2hrs trek from Hayfield in current conditions.

Was there today, the original was in but drippy, not hacked up much. Fun to climb but you wouldn't trust screws much The direct wasn't even close. There were also lots of rare other lines to toprope with delicate icicles and 'spray on' style neve. (careful to not scratch up the rock)

In reply to Dan Arkle:

Agree, there is plenty of ice around but it is of fairly dubious quality, possible to get some rock gear in the original line. Loads of running water last night not sure what will be left this morning. Did my best to hack to to pieces but I think its more than a one man job. Great to see loads of people out last night!

Oh yeah and if any of the guys who were taking photos of me and Rog about 11 last night are reading this, pm me, I would love to see them as my iPhone didn't quite do it justice

If you were on the harder stuff round to the rightat about 2pm on Wednesday, I managed to get some (long distance) footage of you on the 2nd pitch: youtube.com/watch?v=DqOZJGVziYc&

In reply to mmmhumous:

2nd pitch? Thats the short, II/III start to the easy line.

In reply to mmmhumous:

Brilliant video, absolutely superb.

That's me in the top right corner (leading). Blimey, midweek "sick day" and I get some fantastic pictures from Joe and an indirect video, good times!

Coincidentally I don't know the route either, wasn't in the (far from extensive and obvs not a winter guide) Rockfax Western Grit. The route is to the right hand side of Downfall South Corner and follows a short thin section of ice (alternative to the r.h.s.) with poor placements to a snow scoop under a lovely little icefall and a slight overhang, some ice steps above. Ice all the way, no rock contact.

As to the grade: Definitely not a VI, maybe around IV? Was excellent fun, I'd thoroughly recommend it! Doesn't suffer from being blasted by the sun.

Might make a separate post on UKC later to find out if anyone knows the route...

In reply to GermanAlex:

If you want it, I've got you climbing the bottom section of the pitch too, so and add an (unedited version for you to nab). Looked 'fun' whatever the grade

In reply to Offwidth:

We traversed left to try and finish up the central route as a 2nd pitch (start had gone by the time we there), . But it was somewhat slushy.