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Despite the mini dramas of :-
‘How much rope is left?’ and my reply of ‘Em, not a lot.’, ‘5m?’, ‘Em, if you’re lucky, maybe…, just.’,
Said virgin rope being snagged twice,
Me sending one axe spiralling furiously downwards whilst attempting to dislodge rope (meanwhile Neil was precariously perched about 10m from last piece of gear)’
And me having to down climb what felt like 40m to retrieve it.
- I did it; my first proper winter climb, and it was brilliant!
The walk in was, well, okay. The path was in reasonable condition but my back and shoulder muscles weren’t. They hurt like hell. I have no idea how heavy my rucksack was, but it was heavy.
The weather was fine, a tad chilly but I soon warmed up and climbers are such sociable people, they all greeted me with a smiley ‘Good Morning’ as they jauntily strode past me in their hundreds. I was amazed at their sheer number; it was a busy as Sauchiehall Street on Christmas Eve.
After much faffing and hanging around waiting to start I was psyched. I was ready to go. ‘Climb when you’re ready.’ And I was off.
Easy I thought, no problem. Step, step, brake, brake. Step, step, brake, brake. I reached the end of the first pitch with a sense of elation. Okay, it was only a Grade 1 gully, but I did it.
Then it got harder. I mean how difficult can it be to remove gear and find the hook to put it on? My lovely, cosy, new belay jacket was so cosy I couldn’t see the hooks and my gloves meant I couldn’t feel the hooks. Much more faffing. Now I know why a sling over your jacket to put removed gear on is a good idea.
Then there was the long pitch. I’ve never heard my calves scream so loudly, but scream they did. Could I really take another step? Of course I could, it was just excruciating.
Then on the last pitch the rope snagged, again. ‘Stop’, I screamed. ‘Are you safe?’, ‘No.’. ‘Can you down climb a bit?’ ‘No.’ ‘Sh*t.’ I spent ages trying to whip the rope free, then I stupidly managed to dislodge one of my axes and off it went …
10 years later I scrambled over the edge of the top.
I did it and it was brilliant. As we walked off the sunset turned the sky a glorious red/pink and as my toes screamed at me louder than my calves had earlier I hobbled into the car park with a starry moonlit sky and a glittery procession of head torched climbers meandering their way down behind me.
Sorry if I bored you, but I did it!
‘How much rope is left?’ and my reply of ‘Em, not a lot.’, ‘5m?’, ‘Em, if you’re lucky, maybe…, just.’,
Said virgin rope being snagged twice,
Me sending one axe spiralling furiously downwards whilst attempting to dislodge rope (meanwhile Neil was precariously perched about 10m from last piece of gear)’
And me having to down climb what felt like 40m to retrieve it.
- I did it; my first proper winter climb, and it was brilliant!
The walk in was, well, okay. The path was in reasonable condition but my back and shoulder muscles weren’t. They hurt like hell. I have no idea how heavy my rucksack was, but it was heavy.
The weather was fine, a tad chilly but I soon warmed up and climbers are such sociable people, they all greeted me with a smiley ‘Good Morning’ as they jauntily strode past me in their hundreds. I was amazed at their sheer number; it was a busy as Sauchiehall Street on Christmas Eve.
After much faffing and hanging around waiting to start I was psyched. I was ready to go. ‘Climb when you’re ready.’ And I was off.
Easy I thought, no problem. Step, step, brake, brake. Step, step, brake, brake. I reached the end of the first pitch with a sense of elation. Okay, it was only a Grade 1 gully, but I did it.
Then it got harder. I mean how difficult can it be to remove gear and find the hook to put it on? My lovely, cosy, new belay jacket was so cosy I couldn’t see the hooks and my gloves meant I couldn’t feel the hooks. Much more faffing. Now I know why a sling over your jacket to put removed gear on is a good idea.
Then there was the long pitch. I’ve never heard my calves scream so loudly, but scream they did. Could I really take another step? Of course I could, it was just excruciating.
Then on the last pitch the rope snagged, again. ‘Stop’, I screamed. ‘Are you safe?’, ‘No.’. ‘Can you down climb a bit?’ ‘No.’ ‘Sh*t.’ I spent ages trying to whip the rope free, then I stupidly managed to dislodge one of my axes and off it went …
10 years later I scrambled over the edge of the top.
I did it and it was brilliant. As we walked off the sunset turned the sky a glorious red/pink and as my toes screamed at me louder than my calves had earlier I hobbled into the car park with a starry moonlit sky and a glittery procession of head torched climbers meandering their way down behind me.
Sorry if I bored you, but I did it!
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Weren't you getting hungry by then?
Not boring at all, so *well done*!
> 10 years later I scrambled over the edge of the top.
Weren't you getting hungry by then?
> Sorry if I bored you, but I did it!
Not boring at all, so *well done*!
In reply to absolutebeginner: sounds like a great day out plenty more to come in future and you will only learn and get better by little mistakes that are made!!!
well done!!!!
dan
well done!!!!
dan
In reply to absolutebeginner:
That's it, now you will be hooked for life!! Well done, and glad you enjoyed it. Where were you climbing?
That's it, now you will be hooked for life!! Well done, and glad you enjoyed it. Where were you climbing?
In reply to absolutebeginner: Awesome.
I took a total beginner to climbing up on saturday. A route up to lancet edge, not the ridge, but a new line up to it. Deserted apart from us. Climbing solo, because it's only about 40 degrees. We each had one axe, showed him how to stop himself first though and all that. After maybe 20m of climbing, it ramps up a little, to about 50 degrees, getting a bit more exciting now. Cross over some steeper rock easily enough. Continue on for another 10m, and it gets steep neve, about 60 degrees, now it's starting to feel good and exciting. Beautiful blue skies, but we don't notice. Continue climbing up, goes up to 75 degrees, definitely getting a bit nervous now. I look down, and realise I'm going to fall a long way if I come off, and the landing is definitely going to be a hard one onto rock. My partener is managing brilliantly. Cross a little crack in the snow, and get a short rest on the arms, before it collapses. Still I am fine. I look up, and about 5m above me, it goes vertical for a couple of metres, above it, I can't see anything. I think this is getting a bit airy, short exchange with my partener, something like, "****, we should have roped up."
All the gear is there in my sack, but there's no anchors anywhere. We'd left the deadman back at base, and everything else would have done nothing. So not much point in roping up I suppose. I put a bit more weight on one of my feet, and then it just goes. Still, my other foot is holding, and I kick harder in, but from that point on, there is very little at all, nothing will hold my weight so I'm trying to spread myself evenly on all the points of contact. My partener, who weighs almost 1/2 of what I do, is doing fine and having no problems. I reach an overhanging piece of rock, which has a gap of about a foot between it and the snow, so I wedge a foot into the gap, giving me something secure where I can stand and recover my thoughts. Finally, I spot a ledge about 5m to the right, looks like turf, so I think, lets go there, we can rope up there. Partener scoots across easily.
I step across and try to traverse. Feet and axe all pop out, and I slide half a metre, agonisingly slowly, before stopping myself, leaving a nice scar on the snow. Partener then asks, do you want the other axe, I say yes, so he scoots across the ledge, and leans, then throws it, I catch it, then try to climb across more, but keep sliding. Then, I have the idea to plunge the axes in, so I do, and they come out. Next, I try putting them in horizontally into the snow. This works well, so I put one axe in, step across, axe out, next axe in, step across, and so on, until I reach the ledge. I have never been so happy to reach solid ground. We rope up, no anchors for belay, but at least I know I can winch him up if neccessary. I start climbing, it's alot easier now, even though it's steep, because the neve is solid now. I reach the top of the short vertical section, and then it's just 20m of 40 degree neve, which I run up easily, reaching near the end of the rope just as I find the first bit of protection on the whole climb, a hex. I get another one in, and a warthog, and finally the axe forced into the snow. It's pretty solid, so I get him on belay, and up he climbs. I see the blue of his rucsac appear, and then, there he is, we've made it up the hard stuff. About III I would say, not hard, but conditions made it tricky.
I love winter climbing.
I took a total beginner to climbing up on saturday. A route up to lancet edge, not the ridge, but a new line up to it. Deserted apart from us. Climbing solo, because it's only about 40 degrees. We each had one axe, showed him how to stop himself first though and all that. After maybe 20m of climbing, it ramps up a little, to about 50 degrees, getting a bit more exciting now. Cross over some steeper rock easily enough. Continue on for another 10m, and it gets steep neve, about 60 degrees, now it's starting to feel good and exciting. Beautiful blue skies, but we don't notice. Continue climbing up, goes up to 75 degrees, definitely getting a bit nervous now. I look down, and realise I'm going to fall a long way if I come off, and the landing is definitely going to be a hard one onto rock. My partener is managing brilliantly. Cross a little crack in the snow, and get a short rest on the arms, before it collapses. Still I am fine. I look up, and about 5m above me, it goes vertical for a couple of metres, above it, I can't see anything. I think this is getting a bit airy, short exchange with my partener, something like, "****, we should have roped up."
All the gear is there in my sack, but there's no anchors anywhere. We'd left the deadman back at base, and everything else would have done nothing. So not much point in roping up I suppose. I put a bit more weight on one of my feet, and then it just goes. Still, my other foot is holding, and I kick harder in, but from that point on, there is very little at all, nothing will hold my weight so I'm trying to spread myself evenly on all the points of contact. My partener, who weighs almost 1/2 of what I do, is doing fine and having no problems. I reach an overhanging piece of rock, which has a gap of about a foot between it and the snow, so I wedge a foot into the gap, giving me something secure where I can stand and recover my thoughts. Finally, I spot a ledge about 5m to the right, looks like turf, so I think, lets go there, we can rope up there. Partener scoots across easily.
I step across and try to traverse. Feet and axe all pop out, and I slide half a metre, agonisingly slowly, before stopping myself, leaving a nice scar on the snow. Partener then asks, do you want the other axe, I say yes, so he scoots across the ledge, and leans, then throws it, I catch it, then try to climb across more, but keep sliding. Then, I have the idea to plunge the axes in, so I do, and they come out. Next, I try putting them in horizontally into the snow. This works well, so I put one axe in, step across, axe out, next axe in, step across, and so on, until I reach the ledge. I have never been so happy to reach solid ground. We rope up, no anchors for belay, but at least I know I can winch him up if neccessary. I start climbing, it's alot easier now, even though it's steep, because the neve is solid now. I reach the top of the short vertical section, and then it's just 20m of 40 degree neve, which I run up easily, reaching near the end of the rope just as I find the first bit of protection on the whole climb, a hex. I get another one in, and a warthog, and finally the axe forced into the snow. It's pretty solid, so I get him on belay, and up he climbs. I see the blue of his rucsac appear, and then, there he is, we've made it up the hard stuff. About III I would say, not hard, but conditions made it tricky.
I love winter climbing.
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Fantastic story! Thanks for sharing! I'm heading north of the border a week on Monday for a very long-awaited first winter season, so this is some excellent inspiration to take with me. Well done for today (?) and keep up the good work!!
Rich
Fantastic story! Thanks for sharing! I'm heading north of the border a week on Monday for a very long-awaited first winter season, so this is some excellent inspiration to take with me. Well done for today (?) and keep up the good work!!
Rich
In reply to absolutebeginner:
sell the house, sell the car, leave work.........
you're hooked.
Well done.
sell the house, sell the car, leave work.........
you're hooked.
Well done.
In reply to fishy1:
Sounds very familiar... we've all been there. I can distinctively remember that moment when I thought to myself "you tw*t, shoulk have geared up on the flat". It had to happen at least 3 times for me to take the hint :0)
Sounds very familiar... we've all been there. I can distinctively remember that moment when I thought to myself "you tw*t, shoulk have geared up on the flat". It had to happen at least 3 times for me to take the hint :0)
In reply to absolutebeginner: Well done! I got my first proper winter route in the day after boxing day, felt brilliant!
In reply to absolutebeginner: Reading this reminded me of one of my first winter leads - Right Twin on Aonoach Mor. Four of us as two teams of 2, with me leading the 2nd rope. To save time it was agreed that I use the runners left behind by the first party. Fine. When the 2nd of rope 1 (getting complicated I know) who was on his was his first ever climb summer or winter, had reached the belay at the top of pitch 1, off I go.
I clip the first runner (which I could see from the stance) and then get into the gully proper so I can now see him and ask him where the next runner is. He, not knowing what a runner is tells me it's 'up here'. Ok, let's just get up the gully, straight forward II snow plod. 30m up with no runners I ask him again, just before he's about to set off on pitch 2. 'It's here' he says meaning the belay point. Oh right, now realising he thinks a 'runner' is actualy the belay point and I've climbed past the runners.
A bit run out now but may as well get to the belay and take it from there.
2m from the belay ledge and my rope goes tight. Expletives times many as I realise team 1 have a 60m rope and we err.... don't. I'm now run out about 35m with no rope left, no gear on me and my 2nd is out of sight! We now revert to 'moving together' style with about 40m of rope between us and one runner about 35m below. Dialogue went something like - 'Safe' (ha), 'Climb when your ready' (cos I'm not!), 'Thank f*ck for that' when I at last clip in to the belay.
Winter climbing - don't you love it.
I clip the first runner (which I could see from the stance) and then get into the gully proper so I can now see him and ask him where the next runner is. He, not knowing what a runner is tells me it's 'up here'. Ok, let's just get up the gully, straight forward II snow plod. 30m up with no runners I ask him again, just before he's about to set off on pitch 2. 'It's here' he says meaning the belay point. Oh right, now realising he thinks a 'runner' is actualy the belay point and I've climbed past the runners.
A bit run out now but may as well get to the belay and take it from there.
2m from the belay ledge and my rope goes tight. Expletives times many as I realise team 1 have a 60m rope and we err.... don't. I'm now run out about 35m with no rope left, no gear on me and my 2nd is out of sight! We now revert to 'moving together' style with about 40m of rope between us and one runner about 35m below. Dialogue went something like - 'Safe' (ha), 'Climb when your ready' (cos I'm not!), 'Thank f*ck for that' when I at last clip in to the belay.
Winter climbing - don't you love it.
In reply to absolutebeginner: fun, wasn't it?
In reply to absolutebeginner: Well done and welcome to REAL climbing and mountaineering!!
In reply to absolutebeginner:
I'm still on a high and I'm hooked!
Going back out and looking for advice, hints, tips and suggestions.
My feet were fine - until the down. I nearly passed out and had cold sweats the whole way down because the pain was soooo excruciating. At one point I thought I was going to have to crawl off. I'm not being a wuss - I usually have quite a high pain threshold. It seemed to be from the ball of my foot to the tips of me toes, on both feet. I don't think that I was gripping with my toes.
Anyone experienced this? Any idea what it is and what I could try?
Many thanks in advance.
Wendy
I'm still on a high and I'm hooked!
Going back out and looking for advice, hints, tips and suggestions.
My feet were fine - until the down. I nearly passed out and had cold sweats the whole way down because the pain was soooo excruciating. At one point I thought I was going to have to crawl off. I'm not being a wuss - I usually have quite a high pain threshold. It seemed to be from the ball of my foot to the tips of me toes, on both feet. I don't think that I was gripping with my toes.
Anyone experienced this? Any idea what it is and what I could try?
Many thanks in advance.
Wendy
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Cramp?
> (In reply to absolutebeginner)
>
> > Anyone experienced this? Any idea what it is and what I could try?
>
>
>
> > Anyone experienced this? Any idea what it is and what I could try?
>
>
Cramp?
In reply to Removed User: If so, then drinking more could be helpfull
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Didn't feel like cramp. At first I thought it might have been hot aches (I'ver never experienced them) because it seemed to dull after about 5 mins and then I tried to walk with my toes curled up, which helped a bit but it kept coming back.
Didn't feel like cramp. At first I thought it might have been hot aches (I'ver never experienced them) because it seemed to dull after about 5 mins and then I tried to walk with my toes curled up, which helped a bit but it kept coming back.
In reply to absolutebeginner:
I used to get this in my feet when I first started winter climbing. I think that when you start off, you tend to tense up your calf muscles more (hense the screaming calfs) and this causes your feet to tense also. Then, when you walk out, your feet/toes just want to stretch out and move about but they can't as they are confined to super rigid boots. I can remember walking along for over an hour in shear agony once, not nice. The thing with climbing with crampons on is that you need to keep your heals low, but it feels like you need to use your muscles to do this, when all you need to do is RELAX!!! Once you learn to do this, then the screaming calfs go away and you'll have nice comfy feet too. The other thing that will make your feet ache is heal lift in your boots, but lacing them too tight will cut off the blood supply and you'll get really cold toes so good fitting boots are key.
I used to get this in my feet when I first started winter climbing. I think that when you start off, you tend to tense up your calf muscles more (hense the screaming calfs) and this causes your feet to tense also. Then, when you walk out, your feet/toes just want to stretch out and move about but they can't as they are confined to super rigid boots. I can remember walking along for over an hour in shear agony once, not nice. The thing with climbing with crampons on is that you need to keep your heals low, but it feels like you need to use your muscles to do this, when all you need to do is RELAX!!! Once you learn to do this, then the screaming calfs go away and you'll have nice comfy feet too. The other thing that will make your feet ache is heal lift in your boots, but lacing them too tight will cut off the blood supply and you'll get really cold toes so good fitting boots are key.
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Thanks Liz - it was Northern Corries btw.
That makes sense. My boots are laced loose across the front of the foot (I've got a stupid, useless, deformed bone there that sticks out - yeuck, I know!) but I've laced them much tighter at the ankles to stop the heel lift which gave me blisters. Maybe I should take off my boots before the down to stretch my feet out? And relax!
Ta.
W
Thanks Liz - it was Northern Corries btw.
That makes sense. My boots are laced loose across the front of the foot (I've got a stupid, useless, deformed bone there that sticks out - yeuck, I know!) but I've laced them much tighter at the ankles to stop the heel lift which gave me blisters. Maybe I should take off my boots before the down to stretch my feet out? And relax!
Ta.
W
In reply to Removed User: You forgot to mention the divorce lawyer.....good luck 1st time out...you will need it for any future man or women in your life!!
In reply to absolutebeginner: Wait until you get the "proper" hot aches. My climbing partner borrowed some Berghaus gloves of mine and I warned him they were not that warm but he thought Berghaus and gore-tex...they must be okay. We did the 1st pitch on Tower Scoop (April 08 and it was pretty bruttle) and he was 3rd climber after belaying...he nearly vomitted becuase of the pain when he reached the 1st belay. Lesson learnt after he had claimed only puffs (his words, not mine) get the hot aches. We showed sympathy by struggling up the second pitch in howls of laughter!!!
In reply to Duggers71:
Hot aches are probably the worst pain that you can have without being seriously injured!! The funny thing is that as they subside, there is a moment when it actually becomes a pleasurable sensation.
Or am I just wierd!!!
Hot aches are probably the worst pain that you can have without being seriously injured!! The funny thing is that as they subside, there is a moment when it actually becomes a pleasurable sensation.
Or am I just wierd!!!
In reply to liz j: i found it funny but then again i wasn't nealry being sick...i have had them in a mild way and the cold finger sensation lasted a couple of weeks. I'll stick to my liners and over glover rather than fancy all in ones.
In reply to Duggers71: i need spell check on this!!??
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Hi Wendy,
Did you take the time to loosen your boots after the climb?
Well worth it! I always tighten my boots hard before the climb and it would be crippling for the walk out, so no matter what, always take that 5 min to loosen the whole thing when I top out.
That could still be a problem even if tight only round the ankles, blood supply, tendons sheath hindered...
Good luck next time, a lot of it is trial and error to suit your feet.
Some people on the Path have feet issues you should ask there.
Hi Wendy,
Did you take the time to loosen your boots after the climb?
Well worth it! I always tighten my boots hard before the climb and it would be crippling for the walk out, so no matter what, always take that 5 min to loosen the whole thing when I top out.
That could still be a problem even if tight only round the ankles, blood supply, tendons sheath hindered...
Good luck next time, a lot of it is trial and error to suit your feet.
Some people on the Path have feet issues you should ask there.
In reply to fishy1: So, are you the 'extreme' sledger and firework maker who writes about boring entries in the Culra bothy book, or are you the extreme sledgers mate who had his boots carried out for him?
In reply to absolutebeginner:
Hi Wendy well done on you first route, now ur not an absoulutebeginner.
i got hot aches on Saturday five Min's of pain ouch.
C u at the wall next week?
Hi Wendy well done on you first route, now ur not an absoulutebeginner.
i got hot aches on Saturday five Min's of pain ouch.
C u at the wall next week?
In reply to Donald M: Preparation for shiting all over the base of the crags me thinks :oD
In reply to SonyaD: Well, I'm not so sure I should tell you that. Although I'll make sure he knows that you seem to have remembered rather too much about him.
In reply to fishy1: It's amazing the things you learn about folk when staying in bothies. If you were mr sledger's mate then you missed out on the worlds loudest snorer the night after you left, and the charming company of yours truly. Tis a pity you weren't around, the bloke and I could have done with a burger and cup of tea after descending Beinn Bheoil in the dark :oD
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