"A few grade I/II routes under my belt and I felt ready for anything. That was until I found myself halfway up Taxus, tied to a knife-blade piton and ice screw..."
Pete Etheridge takes us up this classic winter route.
In reply to JoH - Editor: brings back memories of a day out with between exams & the start of the christmas holidays back in 1980. I think I was climbing with Neil Morrison (probably the first winter route we climbed together) along with Ian Duckworth & Pete Bilsborough. My memories have a move around a chockstone on the first pitch as the hardest move but I guess that banks out later in the season, the direct finish was the first time I'd climbed anything so long on water ice & the final pitch up to the summit was technically easy but seemed very insecure with no gear. Somewhere still have a photo of the sunset from the summit
> My memories have a move around a chockstone on the first pitch as the hardest move but I guess that banks out later in the season,
It still was that day - the seasons seem to be getting later. The harder finish looked a lot thinner than when I did it before, so took the easy option this time!
Brilliant route that one, worth every star. We took a variant on the waterfall finish - a full 60mtr rope length traverse to the right above the waterfall, then up a near vertical and highly fluted wall, leading to a crap belay at the arete to the right of the true finish...was bloody scary with no gear but great fun.
Press Release Alpkit and Outside Bank Holiday Hathersage Tent Show 4-5th May
Fri Night Vid Finding Focus - Life Behind The Lens of a Climbing Photographer
This week's Friday Night Video is a portrait of a prolific climbing photographer from Wedge Climbing. Sam Pratt is well known in both the outdoor and competition scene but if you haven't heard of him, you've likely seen...