UKC

Talking about the route(s) you always wanted to bag, but now know you never will. Mine was Orion Face winter. Had the chance to do it some years back, while spending a week at the CIC hut on an Alan Kimber course with a pair of super guides. Great conditions and weather saw us ticking off several classics and by Wednesday we were on Observatory Buttress when a poon or axe popped and I bashed a few ribs in what was a seemingly innocuous minor contact. Agonisingly painful night meant that even I had to be sensible and rest up the following day when all the others went on to bag THE climb of the week.

In following years either conditions weren't right or I had become too slow and unfit. Biff-chance gone.

In reply to Ann S:

Great Wall Cloggy.

Was possibly on my way to getting good enough to giving it a go when I was an E2/3 leader about 10 years but then lost the ability and i'd even find doing Great Slab up there daunting now.

In reply to Ann S:

I'm sure if you got back into the winter stuff (?) you'd second Orion alright. I thought V,4 - the climbing isn't that hard, just a bit serious in places.

In reply to Urgles:

Commiserations-just read the logbook comments about it and seen the photos. Can see why you wanted to tick it.

In reply to Urgles:

Any route on Cloggy is daunting. The scope for epics is much greater there than anywhere else I've climbed (admittedly my logbook isn't the fullest).

In reply to Michael Gordon:

Regretably I had to say a final goodbye to Scottish winter a few years back when I just knew I was no longer fit and fast enough for the Ben; starting from the CIC hut was my best chance of getting it done.
Tebay icefalls are about it now.!!

In reply to Ann S:

Great topic.

I'm sure I will get another chance but...

About 4 years ago we went up on the Kinder Plateau thinking that only a few basic gully lines were in. We took only kit for soloing grade I. Kinder Downfall was not only in, but was a very short walk away and we would have had it almost to ourselves but didn't have the kit. It was a crisp, still and clear day - beautiful conditions.

Doh.

In reply to Ann S:

North face of the Dru, retreated from near the niche as conditions were poor (quite a bit of ice/verglas) & stonefall was getting bad. That evening there was a big storm & we watched the Dru acting as a lightning conductor & were glad not to be on the summit or nearby. Then, for a mix of reasons I never went back to Chamonix in summer for 20+ years & I'm now far to unfit

In reply to Ann S:

don't knock costa del tebay - great scene when in and a busy evening!!

In reply to Rampikino:

Nowadays you could just send a camera drone up to check out conditions. Come to think of it you could send a donkey drone up with all the kit you need and arrive fresh as a daisy.

In reply to woppo:

Tis indeed a great venue which can form stonkingly thick ice. I considered leading some of the routes but reckoned that if I fell off, I would probably decapitate myself on the traffic barriers so just stuck to top roping.

In reply to radddogg:

I did a few things up there including White Slab

In reply to Ann S: Made a very half hearted attempt at Troach, which I should have cruised. But I won't be going back.

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

you ever finish left wall ?

In reply to Ann S:

Left Wall. I could have done it during any one of my "purple patches" in mid 70s, mid 80s and mid 90s when 5c leads came within my horizon but it somehow eluded me.

And the 13 routes on Cloggy that I was aiming for to make 50 - mind you I reckon I'll still get three more to make forty.
What should they be, now that I'm long in the tooth and my "e" days could be behind me, bearing in mind I've done most of the major rotes up to E2?

In reply to Ann S: Bonnatti Pillar on the Dru. Started it several times. Either weather, or partners or me, not being right meant retreat. Last time the comment as we started to ab was "Never mind, it will still be here next year.) Oooops!

In reply to johncook:


That was, rather spookily, exactly what I said about the WTC when leaving New York in April 2001.

In reply to Rampikino:


Yes!

I've not reached the stage of letting anything get away yet but have definately considered the prospect of this eventually happening from not taking opportunities. It's easy to keep saving a classic route for the next visit when hopefully stronger and more likely to onsight but there is the risk of never trying the route as a consequence. I may NOT get better! I've definately reached the stage where I would rather try and fail at a route than never to try. Particularly if safe.

In reply to Ann S:

Like Big Lee, I'm not sure I'm ready to say anything has got away yet, but I did all my hardest climbing nearly 20 years ago! I then had a lengthy layoff due to work / location etc, but back into it now and not climbing quite as well as I used to, but can't be far away strength wise, but time on the sharp end and stamina aren't what they used to be.

The one thing that did strike me after doing a tricky route up in Northumberland in about 1998 (and my hardest route ever), after the initial buzz, was a huge sense of anticlimax as I thought it was very unlikely that I'd ever climb anything as hard again. 18 years later and I'm still not sure I will, but there are a few on the wishlist for the winter

In reply to Mr. Lee:

Spot on there BL. Strike while the ironing's hot as my granny might have said.
I've had the Fang at Gouther on my list for so long it will probably be a set of dentures by the time I get to do it.

In reply to Ann S:

Cave Crack at Froggatt, and Quietus. They both require moves that I can no longer do due to a permanent wrist injury. Hey ho, I shall admire them from afar.

In reply to Mr. Lee:

You've hit the nail on the head re. just getting on safe but ambitious stuff there Lee. I recall your mission to tick loads of UK multi pitch classics at VS/HVS before your move to Norway. When we did Exposure Explosion (HVS 5a) you'd just returned from doing A Dream of White Horses (HVS 4c) along with a host of Lakeland and Lundy classics in the preceding weeks!
The one that got away - round that time we were laying plans for Skeleton Ridge (HVS 4c) but timings and availability never quite aligned, with parental responsibilities now a priority my inclination for such an unstable route has declined considerably, so perhaps that bird has flown!

In reply to Ann S:

Lord of the Flies - Would never headpoint it (what's the point?) and although I'm probably physically able I'm not sure I've got the bottle to try anymore.

Walker Spur - Never been in the right place at the right time and unlikely to get another alpine summer in in the next few years.

In reply to Ann S:

I have a few.

Great Wall on Cloggy - last tried in the 70's but bottled out after pitch one. Never managed to get partner and weather together since then.
Dream/Liberator at Bosigran - Never tried it but always thought it looked good.
1938 route on North Face of the Eiger - Had a near death epics on this back in the 80's but would have liked to do it to have completed 6 Grande Courses in Alps.

I'm 67 now so I may have left things a little late.

Al

In reply to Ann S:

Some great stories coming out, with a distinct Cloggy theme.

Grid north- the chap who taught me to climb was all set years ago to do the 38 Eiger route but broke his leg in a car smash just before going out and his chance never came again.

I could have easily blown my chance to get on Dream some years back doing it with two lads who were going to swing the lead with me along for the ride. I was second to ab down and as I moved into position to clip the belay plate, I remember thinking 'you can still pull out, it wont spoil it for the lads', took a deep breath and headed for Wen ledge. I knew if I did wimp out that I would never ever get the chance again. That perfect combination of the right people at the right time and perfect conditions.

In reply to Ann S:
Tantalus on Craig Y Castell at Tremadog. Three times I've gone to lead it, three times I've clipped the peg on pitch two, three times I've had my left hand on the arete afterwards, three times I've not done the move to go round the arete and backed off, tail between my legs.

So I still haven't done it. Never wanted to do it as a second as after that first failure (when there were three of us climbing and neither of my partners could do it) it became something of a personal goal; one which I now, because of age, decrepitude and illness, never shall attain.

I still wonder what lay beyond that arete and whether backing off was a wise move because what followed was yet more taxing, or whether a land of sweetness, delight and fabulous holds lay just round the corner.

T.

In reply to The Ivanator:

Sounds like you have given up the chase rather than the bird flying

In reply to Ann S:

Eroica because the peg's gone its outside my ability now.

In reply to Ann S:

The ones that got away - great thread.

For me there are quite a few, but the ones that rankle most are :-

Colton Mac on the Jorrasses - got 3 pitches up it when partner got hit by stonefall. Might still have another crack at it, though maybe this winter is the last realistic opportunity?

Eiger NF - nearly killed me twice.

K2 - broke leg a couple of weeks before departure.

Rooster Comb & Mooses Tooth, Alaska - bad weather stopped play on both, before we'd even started - same with Denali. If the weather had been good, I think we'd have managed all three.

Cave Route Right Hand - Gordale.

The Naked Ape - Creag an Dubh Loch - is it still in one piece?

Edge of Extinction - The Brack.

Midnight Lightning - Yosemite - nearly got it once, though it was probably more fluke than a realistic chance of success.

And of course the Cloggy ones, which I should get back and do whilst I still can?

In reply to Mr. Lee:
Still chasing (in a modest way), just not directing the chase towards rickety chalk cliffs!
Another that has slipped through my fingers twice is Diocese (VS 5a) at Chair Ladder, once abbed in to find several teams queueing and opted for Aerial (VS 4c) instead. Returned, geared up at the base only to see a storm approaching from the Atlantic, decided Terrier's Tooth (pre-2014) (HS 4a) was a better bet in the conditions - the rain and wind hit us big style on pitch 3, so a wise decision in retrospect. Still intend to get the elusive Diocese tick though.

In reply to Ann S:

Once arrived at the foot of Diabeg Pillar on a sunny day having warmed up on a few ego-massaging routes on the main face. I was psyched up when some kind of climbing club turned up and in 10 minutes the crags echoed to the shoutings of twenty be-helmeted boffins. Allergic to crowds we went off in a huff, vowing to return another day, and spent the rest of the day Munro bagging in Fisherfield.
That was twenty five years ago and I never have returned to that particular road-end. In the sun. With a climbing partner. Silly really.

In reply to Ann S:

I reckon all the Cloggy dodgers on here should get together for a 'Chimes at Midnight' meet next summer.

In reply to GrahamD:


Ah. Me too. The peg was there when we tried it but our purism let us down - couldn't do it without, wouldn't do it with. It'd be a different story now, mind!

In reply to Ann S:

Good topic, and one I confess I often return to, in the endless work and stuff that has to be done. But my take is slightly less accepting, for me I still think of the Cave Routes at Gordale. Could have done them once and in my heart of hearts I still think I will, despite being north of 50.

In reply to robate:

50! That the new 28.

In reply to johncook:

What about Main Wall at Malham John. On aid. I remember you and I biviing on the ledge and only managing one pitch.

Al

In reply to dashed:


Which route out of interest? Poseidon?

In reply to Goucho:


As far as I know, it's still there! It's mainly Cougar which has suffered.

In reply to Ann S:

hope so

In reply to Michael Gordon:


Thanks Michael. Though it's a bit of a slog from Dorset to get there

In reply to Michael Gordon: Peak Technique (E6 6b)

Still don't think it gets many repeats. Video of Robbie Phillips decking on it on YouTube...

In reply to dashed:

Ah yes, sounds familiar. Doesn't look like it gets many onsights! (presumably it has been done though?)

In reply to Ann S:

Left Wall, Cromlech, 1983. I was going quite strongly at E1 and thought I could manage it. The biggest problem was that I had never been on anything so big and relentlessly sustained. (The first half of the route, almost all on side holds, felt about a full adjectival grade harder than Cemetery Gates. ... that was a bit of a shock ... it was much harder to rest on than the Gates, for starters.) I got into trouble on some difficult moves to the right to gain the niche below the crux ... and suddenly bottled out. A year or two later I started climbing on the huge Birmingham climbing wall, and am quite sure, that had I had that extra training experience, I would have got up it quite easily.

In reply to GridNorth: I did manage that eventually, on aid, I think with gibby! Oh the joys of failure! I have now failed on so many and seen so many that I want to climb, that my hit list is bigger than the Stanage guide!

In reply to Ann S:

Wouldn't say I won't be back but walked away from the following, vowing to return

Zero Gully - was on the first pitch, searching for a belay when heard a noise, two parties following me up - feck that, managed to find old rope left for a rescue the week before so backed off / down climbed attached to the abandoned rope by reverse prussik type action, crazy having three parties in the one gully

The Curtain in great condition, got there to find two parties on it and a further 3 or 4 parties waiting so flecked off to do something else (not that we achieved much but that's a different story)

Both routes will be there again, will get round to them, and probably enjoy them more as a consequence

In reply to Martin Bennett:


So what did you do? If you couldn't get up without using it, how the hell did you get down? It was there when I did it but I certainly wouldn't have abseiled from it!

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Ouch-missing that one must have hurt. Given the number of people who have put it on their UKC wishlist they're going to have to issue tickets to control the queue in the Pass.

In reply to Ann S:

Regular Route NW Face Half Dome

Made that bloody great flog up there 4 times over several years and have been a few pitches up before throwing in the towel realising that it was just too hardcore, too strenuous for me.

Scrambled to the base of the route and then onto the summit this July and looked wistfully up at my scene of epic failures all those years back.

Bittersweet.

In reply to Ann S:

Right wall - a couple of years back, got off route just below the girdle ledge, pumped out and whipped off rather uneventfully. The only E5 I've tried and would love to get back on some time.

In reply to Dave Garnett:


Good question. I'm trying but can't remember. I'm here and we definitely didn't complete the route, ergo: we musta got down. This was in 1980, looked it up in me diary. It just tells me: "First pitch only, tremendous. Couldn't do 2nd pitch free so abbed off. Jim cut his hand". Maybe that peg was in better nick back then?

In reply to Martin Bennett:

I know the consensus is not to replace it, but I'm pretty sad about it. I was staying in Polzeath with family over the summer and would have loved to have done Eroica. At E2 with the peg I'd be totally up for the adventure. At a now bold E4, it's a bit beyond me at present. Seems a shame to miss out on what previous generations of punter have enjoyed....but such is the advance of climbing ethics.....

In reply to Ann S:

Hubble. 1987. Before it was Hubble. The gravity at Raven Tor was shocking that day, it really got me down. Did the next 100' free though...
Sorry, I'll go away now.
Interesting thread.
AP.

In reply to VHAS:

Sounds like Babylon dude...hi Andy

In reply to alan moore:

Go back, The Pillar is worth it.