UKC

Two of us went out yesterday (Sat) morning to Kinder Downfall. It was -6 on top of Snake and the Downfall was frozen but dripping with water. Although it was pretty lean, it was good enough to make a complete line on ice all the way up for what I think I can claim to be the first ascent this winter! Grade IV probably. The ice was pretty bubbly in places with air pockets everywhere an probably won't be improving again now - more like falling down. Well worth the walk in yesterday though - nobody else there! Sorry folks, you'll probably have to wait till next time now! Merry Christmas

In reply to 5finger:
well done; Im very impressed since I was there, all tooled up,late a.m. on the same day(Sat before Christmas)! but didn't climb at all. The direct rout on ice just wasn't there. The indirect rout(following the line of the mod' rock route)was doable but was not complete by a long chalk ...

MMMMmmmmm??

Who's telling the truth?

Any photos?

In reply to CENSORED and his dodgy cookies:

I don't doubt the claim. Once the sun hits the west-facing downfall at about 11 am, it starts to go; and fast. I climbed it yesterday (31.12.01)with Liz (it was about 3/4). A second party retreated, having waited too late. Early bird gets the worm!

If pics of conditions on 31 Dec 01 are required I'll send some; (photos curtesy of Alan O'Brian)

In reply to pete bannister:

I've lost count of the number of times I've flogged up there (including very early 5:30 starts) and found it still not to be in nick!

Photos would be nice to see, not because of doubts, just because they'd be nice to see?

Happy New Year!!

In reply to CENSORED & his dodgy cookies:

Is it ethical to use ice tools on grit? It seems to be allowed on Kinder but if I tried dry-tooling up "Wellington Crack" at Ilkley I'd be shot. What do people think?

In reply to 5finger:
Was up there new years day and watched two guys climb up the downfall. There was a column of ice for the first 30 feet but the downfall was not frozen all the way (ice solid on ledges but fragile icicles hanging down). You could only climb from top to bottom taking the ledges off to the left after the first 30 foot section (i.e. the continuous line was not there at all - looked about grade III to me!). Good sport for those who had a go!

In reply to nick u:

I wonder if the two guys on NYDay were the two who backed off after us - I heard them say they needed to get there earlier....
Yes, we had to move left, but it was good fun all the same! About III/4, and a brilliant way to end the year

Anyone else manage to do it this week?

Liz

In reply to LizS: I saw a party on the downfall at 11am approx on the 2nd Jan. - gutted I didn't have my kit with me!

In reply to 5finger: Sorry I haven't contributed further to this for a while - been in Scotland for the week. We did take pictures at the downfall the Saturday before Christmas and I'll put them on my website this week when I get the film developed. As for Pete Bannister, we were there until about 1pm but there were only a few walkers knocking around - no climbers. If your late am happened to be the early afternoon then I reckon you probably were too late - the ice was dripping wet by midday and deteriorating rapidly.

In reply to CENSORED & his dodgy cookies: Apologies for bringing this topic to the top of the list again, but I have put some photos of climbing the downfall on my website at www.5finger.co.uk/winter

In reply to 5finger: There's a couple of guys from our uni did it a year or two back...