Having been leading and climbing indoors for a whole 2 years, I felt it was time to move from plastic to the real stuff! I had been told about anchors and gear placements by an old chap who got me interested in climbing whilst in the 6th form at school. Although I was interested in the theory, it was the experience I wanted next.
After joining my University Mountaineering Club I signed up straight away for the first climbing trip of the new year. Stanage - on a cold and crisp Wednesday morning. On the weekend before we visited a local crag to go through gear placements and anchors for real, but did no climbing, and climbing was what I wanted to do!
Having only been used to climbing at a local wall, I had no idea about the procedure at a real crag, did you leave you bags at the bottom? Take them up with you? Where did you leave your approach shoes? After a few moments watching what everyone else did, I racked up and me and a friend were recommended a good bet for our first lead. Black Hawk Hell Crack. Looking back, it was the slowest climb I've ever done, but by far the most exciting. Recalling the tales and facts I'd been told over the years, I tried to ensure everything was as bomber as the bolts I'd been used to climbing on indoors. Not technically challenging I seemed to cruise up, at my own steady pace, feeling a great sense of achievement, after having done something that had taken 2 years to even attempt!
When I topped out, my hands were numb, and the disco leg had slowed slightly, but when I turned and looked down at what I had climbed, and took in the view, I was amazed. You didn't get this indoors! I stepped away from the edge and took a seat, and just smiled looking at the wonderful scenery I had immersed myself in. The tips of my ears were numb, and my face tingling somewhat. I don't remember how long I sat there for, but it was my second shouting up saying "Alex are you safe?" That seemed to bring my attention back, when I made up something about not being too sure about an anchor placement.
That belay was the most enjoyable belay I'd ever had, no neck braking belaying you get indoors, just brilliant views and a great location. I wouldn't say I was scared moving above a runner, I would say excited, because as far as I was concerned, I trusted the placement, and I trusted my belayer. To this day, I still say those are the two most important things in climbing.
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