In the first of a new series of articles, Jesse Dufton of Climbing Blind writes about his favourite route...

Favourites are so personal: it can be about how the rock made you move, how it made you feel, what it taught you. For me, one route stands out, distinct from the rest, etched in my memory.

I'd never been to the crag before, I'd never heard of it in fact. It was only Charlie's recommendation that sparked my interest.

I tip-toed gingerly behind Molly, down the steep uneven stone steps that lead through the trees to the quarry. Trying to build a picture of the scene in my mind. I had no images to fall back on from before I lost my sight. I could only imagine the view down the steep hillside over Calderdale, with the river below and a distant chimney stretching up toward the cloud-streaked sky.

The anticipation was building, like static on my skin, as Molly led me down the wooded path to the grassy clearing at the mouth of the main bay as the birds chirped and warbled.

And there it is, resplendently dominating the bay, obvious to everyone but me. Forked Lightning Crack, the name says it all. 

A zigzag fracture streaks angrily, like its first ascensionist, down the steeply overhanging back wall of this sheltered grotto. 

Don Whillans had a reputation for being tough and uncompromising, attributes often reflected in the routes he established like Matinee, The Sloth and The Mincer, but few more ferocious than the one before me.

I would later learn that this was a "2 fag route" because, in 1961 it had taken 2 pre-climb calming cigarettes for the famously bold and abrasive Whillans to psyche himself up to tie in for the lead.

Molly described the route, and I felt distinct astraphobia roiling inside me, like churning thunderclouds, as I sat amidst the chaos of the rack, ropes and tape that had erupted from my bag.

Ben's words from our last conversation parted the clouds of my troubled thoughts: "If you save the hard routes forever, you will never get them done." My body hummed, electrified. My brain desperately engaged all my mental circuit breakers to try to calm down and tame the storm inside me. I scrambled with Molly up the blocks at the base of the route.

As I grasped the starting holds, the flash of realisation hit me. Only then could I appreciate the magnitude of the overhang and what would be required from me if I was to successfully non-sight this grit test piece. 

I climbed tentatively to below the wide section, reaching up to plug in a monster cam. Now, if I blew it, it would only be my ego that would be frazzled.   

Inching up into the crux, trying to gain height from my right hand and working my feet higher out to the side, I reached up to gaston the left edge. My body bridged the gap, and as if completing the circuit I triggered the surge. Discharging my stored power through my shoulder and core, it was like a current coursing through me,as I fought to gain the layback. Ripples of effort arced through my arms and core as I edged upwards, staving off the threatened barn door. Molly's encouragement in my ear barely registered. 

I remember reaching the horizontal break and placing gear. But the transition to the final vertical crack is lost in my mind. A blank black section between the illuminating lightning strikes. With the next flash of recollection I am thrusting my knee in, locking it and ignoring the discomfort and Molly's wise cracks about wearing shorts. I can feel the storm begin to dissipate, the moment fading, and I know I must get it done before the last peels of thunder die and the magic is gone. Lunging inelegantly into a closing bellyflop, with deep joy inside me as I crest the final lip, my ragged breath is the last of the dying storm.

At the time I could only partially process it. I needed other routes to compare it to. 

I generally value routes with a striking feature to follow, where I can trust my sixth sense to find the holds and when I climb them my blindness is almost forgotten. But also, the routes that push me physically and mentally stick with me: Left Unconquerable, Internationale, Illusion Dweller, The Bludgeon, Manzoku and Cool For Cats have all left their impression on my mind.

But amongst all the routes I've done, for me, Forked Lightning Crack is unique. 

Yes, it has a strong guiding feature, and I found the holds almost instantly, no fumbling to remind me of my ruined eyes, but that was also true of Elder Crack. 

Yes, it is physical and forced me to battle, but no more than Rock Idol. 

Yes, it tested me mentally, but so did The Sentinel.

What makes it unique is what it taught me. It was a breakthrough, the first E2 I ever climbed. Significant, not because of the number, but what it represented to me personally. When I could see a little, I had on-sighted E1, but then I had lost my sight, and my climbing suffered. But by climbing Forked Lightning Crack, I had climbed harder with no vision than I ever had when I could see. 

Critically, this was only possible because of the work I'd put in to prepare, the many hours spent getting stronger, fitter. It opened my eyes to what I could achieve if I applied myself. The route and the moment of climbing it encapsulated my realisation that there was no ceiling imposed by my disability. I could still be a better climber than I had ever been, I just had to put in the hard work if I wanted to successfully ride the storm.

Add it to your wishlist: Forked Lightning Crack (E2 5c), Heptonstall Quarry

Photo Gallery

© Molly Dufton

© Jan Witkowski

© PeteWilson

© rope.dangler

© Jessie Leong Photography

© Dave Foster

© Dave Foster

© Jessie Leong Photography

Kendal Mountain Festival — 21st-24th November 2024

Jesse Dufton is speaking at two events at Kendal Mountain festival 2024. In the Risk Sessions, presented by Mountain Equipment, climbing psychologist Dr Rebecca Williams discusses risk with author, alpinist, poet and Kendal Mountain Festival founder John Porter, plus husband and wife team Jesse and Molly Dufton. Buy tickets here.

Climbing Blind II: After the multi-award winning film 'Climbing Blind', comes a new story from Jesse and Molly Dufton, as the intrepid pair look to become the first blind climber and sight-guide team to ascend Devils Tower in Wyoming. Expect extreme rock, spectacular scenes, bloody-mindedness and bloody digits! Buy tickets here.

Guidebook

Northern England

The book is a selected route and crag guide although it still manages to pack over 2350 routes between its covers, spread across 44 crags. The main focus is on routes of all grades from Moderate to E9, but the best bouldering is also described. More info

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