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Decision (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/03/decision.html)
18 March 2013, 11:00 pm
Sack off the PhD and go climbing?
I've never been very interested in having much money or a conventional career, I don't want to be rich or famous. I've always thought I'd be happy with an interesting life. I'd like to be able to look back and think "that was cool".
I'm sitting in my office, motivation to work on my PhD has dwindled to an all time low. It's not that I'm apathetic or depressed, in fact it's the opposite. I'm full of ambition and excitement, I'm probably enjoying my life right now more than ever before.
If I think about my heroes from the past 50 years, most of them lived on the dole and went climbing every day. Maybe I should just do that!?
"Its not the same these days, you can't just live on the dole."
This is probably true, but it's also the case that if climbing and adventure is what I want most, then there are many situations in which I could do more climbing and have more adventures than I'm having at the moment.
Currently looking at New Zealand work visas... :D
This is now.
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Shock Horror (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/03/shock-horror.html)
22 March 2013, 5:04 pm
Last week I set off up a little E6 at Ilkley called Shock Horror. It was cold, really cold. The problem with having more psyche than sense is that I often overlook small things like conditions and tactics. This can work in my favour sometimes. Not this time.
A full on blizzard started when I was halfway up the route! I was momentarily worried that I'd put myself in a pretty stupid position, but found I was just about able to reverse to the floor taking the gear out as I went. With numb hands and feet I skulked home with my tail between my legs.
A few days later we headed back for an early morning hit before uni, the sun was shining and the ground still covered in snow. It felt harder than expected and I had a pretty hairy moment at the top when the finishing jug was covered in semi-frozen green slime. Afterwards my housemate Jake decided to have a go, this was the first E6 he'd ever been on...
Shock Horror (http://vimeo.com/62432739) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/).
A few weeks ago I headpointed the route Deathwatch, an E7 6b also at Ilkley. I always find the process of headpointing a bit odd. We had a rope down it anyway and I was thinking about going for the flash after watching my mates on it, but basically got scared and had a go on the rope instead. Of course it went first time on toprope and I regretted not tying straight into the sharp end, but there you go...
Deathwatch (http://vimeo.com/62433506) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Good effort on Shock Horror! I like the pigeon too.
Next time you record onsights / flashes, could you zoom in a bit more so we can see the sequence, about 1/2 the screen space on your ascent and 1/3 on Jakes (I like the change in angle for this) was wasted on ground / sky.
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Dear Fiend,
Please desist on your current attempts to make everybody in the world video climbs exactly how YOU want. The sky/ground is not wasted space, it provides context. Your constant mithering about this subject is tedious.
Yours sincerely,
Sam
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Dear Fiend,
Please desist on your current attempts to make everybody in the world video climbs exactly how YOU want. The sky/ground is not wasted space, it provides context. Your constant mithering about this subject is tedious.
Yours sincerely,
Sam
:agree: He did it to my video as well :furious:
Nice one Jacob!
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Dear Fiend [insert name],
Please desist on your current attempts to make everybody in the world video climbs exactly how YOU want. The sky/ground is not wasted space, it provides context. Your constant mithering about this subject is tedious.
Yours sincerely,
Sam
:agree: Really see no point in commenting on production of videos in these forums, if you want to give feedback go and do it on the videos main page (i.e. YouTube/Vimeo).
Things like "I don't like [this|that|whatever]" are pretty damn pointless. If the video isn't interesting stop watching, go and find something that does interest you and post that instead of relying others to spoon feed you videos, pics and such like and then complaining you don't like it.
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instead of relying others to spoon feed you videos, pics and chicken McNuggets and then complaining you don't like it.
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Things like "I don't like [this|that|whatever]" are pretty damn pointless. If the video isn't interesting stop watching, go and find something that does interest you and post that instead of relying others to spoon feed you videos, pics and such like and then complaining you don't like it.
I come from the opposite end of the spectrum slackers, I can't stand it when people bang on about how good something is and there's post after post of people saying "I agree that was fantastic". How about letting 2or 3 people saying this was the best thing I've ever seen post then everybody else who was going to post the same can just shut the fuck up? Thats what the 'like' button on Vimeo n YouTube are for is it not?
I'll watch a vid n if I think it's shit I'll say so, conversely if I think it's good I'll say so. Dont worry i know this goes against my idea above. Freedom of speech has not yet completely gone from this forum.
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Sam that is a really off-target and pointlessly bitchy reply. I have NOT done any "constant mithering", I have just asked on two videos that I can remember - and I haven't slagged those videos off, I haven't said they were bad, I've just asked for a closer shot to show off the climbing better (in a reply that praised 3 other things in the video as well as having this request).
And this is NOT "pretty damn pointless", it's a request to the person to provide what I personally think is a better video - something that is completely valid if someone is posting a video for others to watch. If someone else wants to say "no I like a bit of space around the problem / driving to the crag / choppy editing" than that is totally fine - this is a public arena for public feedback and bitching about feedback is so inapplicable I'm struggling to believe some of these replies doing just that.
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And this is NOT "pretty damn pointless", it's a request to the person to provide what I personally think is a better video - something that is completely valid if someone is posting a video for others to watch. If someone else wants to say "no I like a bit of space around the problem / driving to the crag / choppy editing" than that is totally fine - this is a public arena for public feedback and bitching about feedback is so inapplicable I'm struggling to believe some of these replies doing just that.
Well apparently there is "no point in commenting on production of videos in these forums, if you want to give feedback go and do it on the videos main page (i.e. YouTube/Vimeo)... Things like "I don't like [this|that|whatever]" are pretty damn pointless." BUT I liked that. Good editing showing the problem well, good tune and title gimmick, and I like the tenuous stretch at the end.
No there isn't because you've no idea that the owner of the video is even registered on this forum.
Probably for the the "Non-Quality" thread the video owners will read the comments at some point (it is after all primarily for users videos), but the reverse is true for the "Quality" thread, most who produce them aren't registered here. This is the Blog Pile though, people don't explicitly post pictures and videos here.
For example I don't care what people thought of the Pirmin Bertle traverse I posted to it the "Quality" other week, I chose that thread because it was a hard & significant problem/traverse. There is zero point in telling me or any other forum users you thought it was a "Really bad edit (http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,4073.msg400333.html#msg400333)" 'cause I couldn't care less what you or anyone else think of it. Its not my video and if you don't like it, stop watching as GCW did.
You write " it's a request to the person to provide what I personally think is a better video - something that is completely valid if someone is posting a video for others to watch.". Yes it has some validity, but put it where the person who made the video is going to see it, which will always be the Vimeo/YouTube page.
In this instance its from the blog pile so "Jacob" didn't post the video there, they posted it to Vimeo, embedded it on their blog and the blog pile sucked it in to the forum, significantly different from "Jacob" posting it here for feedback. The videos themselves are hosted on Vimeo/YouTube and both have a "Comments" section to provide feedback to the people who made it so that they might consider alternative production in the future. They're only a click away (or in this particular case, leaving a comment on "Jacobs" blog itself). You're not an idiot and you know how video hosting and embedding in blogs/forums works, is it really that hard for you to go to where these videos are hosted and comment there, if you wish to leave feedback? I don't think so.
Also in stating this you overlook the fact that what you think makes a better video may well differ from what others think does so (e.g. not many were taken with your thrash metal sound track), and diversity is perhaps the best thing about life, it would be boring if everyone thought the same thing. So I'd actually question whether there is any need to give the feedback in the first place, there's tons of free videos/clips out there to watch, don't like something, stop and move onto the next one. If there's someone who's video you like, subscribe to their thread to get more of what you do like.
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Lord of the Swings (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/04/lord-of-swings.html)
26 April 2013, 12:30 am
11 Grove gardens has become the beating heart of unemployed and student climbers in Leeds. We currently have the 5 people with bedrooms, Ian Cooper has a den in the basement and Tom and Harry in the living room under the board. With various girlfriends this makes about 10 people at any one time. It's total chaos but a lot of fun. We've been going to Malham a lot and I've been trying Bat Route. The problem is what to do on rest days...
When we got to the bridge it wasn't clear whether it was on or not, it looked like the depth of the bridge might mean you just hit the water, but after an hour or so of rigging and chucking a rucksack off, it was definitely on. I was first in line...
Lord of the Swings (http://vimeo.com/64467019) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Gone West (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/05/gone-west.html)
24 May 2013, 5:42 pm
Firstly a massive thank you to Scarpa and the Mountain Boot Company. I'm really excited to have joined the Scarpa - UK team. I've been wearing the Vapour Vs for years now and think they are by far the best shoes available.
Almscliff is 20 minutes from my house. After years of living down south, 3 hours from the nearest crag, this still feels like a luxury.
One of my best experiences at "the Cliff" was doing Pete Browns Megadoom, ground up over a couple of sessions. This route feels absolutely nails for E5 6b! Featuring a desperate and awkward boulder above a large and kind of unpleasant fall. The guidebook warns that if you're off the last move you might "land in Caley", whilst this isn't true, you do go a long way!
It always struck me that to pack in a load of great climbing on this buttress you could link the whole of All Quiet E4 6a into the hard climbing on Megadoom.
The first attempt saw me out over the final roof, eying up the boulder on Megadoom. Without really pausing to think I had my right hand on the awful pinch on the arete and was rocking onto my left heel. Everything felt wrong, as I inched up I felt my right hand slip a fraction on the pinch and before I knew what was happening I was off. My leg caught behind the rope, I tumbled upside down and crashed backwards into the wall. Grim. Some cuts on my back and a sprained wrist... bring on round two:
All Quiet Megadoom - "Gone West" on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/66867044)
If it's worthy of a name I think I'll call my link up "Gone West" to be in keeping with the other names on this wall.
The next morning my wrist felt extremely weird. Fuck. A&E.
It's taken two weeks of bone scans to confirm that, I'M NOT BROKEN. Even so, I'm gutted to have put myself out of the game for a while. Especially given I was close to the form of my life. The day before the fall I managed to onsight Man With a Gun 7c+ at Kilnsey. Whilst not the highest number this was personally my best onsight performance to date. Being a vert/slab on british limestone, it features intricate and non-obvious sequences, bad footholds and hard to find hand holds.
Since I've been unable to climb or train, I put together some other footage I had of the cliff over the last few months. Here's a great day doing some of the classic boulders:
Almscliff Day Out on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/66829924)
And finally, one for the connoisseurs. Browns roof, the scrittly highball left of Syrrett's roof, would probably be more accurately graded E5 than 7A+! This video also features some reggae cows and Ian crushing Big Greeny as part of his epic day doing the four classic E3s at the crag...
Browns Roof on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/66866721)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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the noise you make when you hit that wall upside-down is absolutely epic.
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Good work fella. A friend used to have the All Quiet - Grand Illusion link as a project - I followed him up most up it (copped out by finishing up Western Front) and my god it was pumpy! Doing a run-out boulder problem after all that climbing must have been bloody terrifying!
Congrats on Man With A Gun too. I had a few goes last weekend - non-obvious indeed (and I personally think the grooves in the first half are harder for longer-legged gents like ourselves - felt very constricted with all the footholds too close).
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Ilkley Highline (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/06/ilkley-highline.html)
10 June 2013, 7:45 pm
I generally think of myself as being an optimist, I like to try and make the best out of any situation.
When I thought I'd broken my arm, with a trip to the Verdon Gorge booked in two weeks, it seemed like there were very little positives to take from my situation. There were so many amazing routes I wanted to try. I was also worried that my Greenland Expedition in 6 weeks would be affected. I felt stupid jeopardising so many amazing climbing opportunities for a bit of fun at Almscliff. After most of a day lying on my bed feeling sorry for myself, I was idly googling the Verdon when I came accross a sketchy video of someone walking a highline above an enormous void...
Plan.
There was only one problem... I sucked at slacklining!
I spent 10 days FRANTICALLY practicing, it was fun learning a new skill like this because I could notice huge improvements literally every day. The only problem being when I fell to the right I had to just land flat on my side because I coudnt put my injured arm out to protect myself!
Then, the weekend before I left, a sunny Saturday dawned and we decided to go try it out across Ilkley quarry. Aided by some seriously colourful clothes and a powerful hat..
Ilkley Highline (http://vimeo.com/68057701) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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A Gneiss Time on Lewis (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-gneiss-time-on-lewis.html)
28 June 2013, 11:13 pm
Without really paying attention to what was going on I found myself waking up at 6am to drive to the isle of Lewis in the outer Hebrides in a car crammed full of 4 housemates, ropes, tents, food and two surfboards! The day before, I'd talked to Ralph about trying The Scoop, a huge E6 climbing all the way out of the enormous overhanging Sron Ulladale, and he'd just gone and booked ferry tickets! However 5 minutes of googling at 5 45am as we were leaving revealed it was bird banned. Suddenly we were going anyway. I started frantically scanning Ralphs ancient 1996 guidebook to the Island trying to work out what we were going to climb. "Turns out there's some sea cliffs!"
15 hours, one ferry and one very sore arse later we were setting up camp on a deserted headland. We found a run down old world war two radar station to camp by which provided some shelter.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJiApF0aPyk/Uc3_ypL4BGI/AAAAAAAAACM/zz1ikNK7cU0/s640/P6151392.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJiApF0aPyk/Uc3_ypL4BGI/AAAAAAAAACM/zz1ikNK7cU0/s1600/P6151392.JPG)
MIDNIGHT SUN! Turns out we were so far north the sun barely even set each night.
Woke up the next morning and found the climbing. It was really good! The rock was Gneis which reminded me of granite but it had these weird quartz bands which were quite friable and made some of the climbs pretty scary!
The highlight of the first day was a smooth onsight of Goodbye Ruby Tuesday E5 6b. It was really nice to feel calm, collected and in control all the way especially since the last trad route I did I fell off and hurt myself (see this blog post (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/gone-west.html)).
At the end of the first day I stumbled upon another area: Aurora Geo. I was immediately drawn to a wild looking line going out over a roof crack and blasting straight up the left hand side of an amazing looking smooth, slightly overhanging headwall. This was Romancing the Moose E5 6b.
Unfortunately the roof crack was sopping wet. But I couldn't stop looking at the headwall. It looked as though another line was possible, climbing the right hand corner of the sea cave and then moving left to climb the center of this awesome looking sheet of rock. Here the line of Romancing the Moose is drawn in blue and the new line is drawn in green:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgjJ-KcckFE/Uc4QHSnjNCI/AAAAAAAAAEM/Gm9ga5V6RUI/s640/SHGTK-topo.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgjJ-KcckFE/Uc4QHSnjNCI/AAAAAAAAAEM/Gm9ga5V6RUI/s1600/SHGTK-topo.jpg)
Out came the ab rope! It was quite spooky swinging around down there on a gri-gri, totally alone until well after 10pm that night, but also really good fun. After an hour or so I'd pulled off some loose blocks, found some holds and... gear! It was on!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72K_r73syx4/Uc4Gla-zpGI/AAAAAAAAACk/tAPLAOva3MY/s640/P6141343.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-72K_r73syx4/Uc4Gla-zpGI/AAAAAAAAACk/tAPLAOva3MY/s1600/P6141343.JPG)
The next morning I woke up feeling nervous. I had felt the holds and inspected the gear but hadn't climbed any of the actual moves. But the lead went to plan and so was born "Should Have Gone to Kilnsey" which goes at E6 6b or f7b+ if you would rather pay in euros. Obviously the name is pretty tongue in cheek. Here's a video of the route:
Should Have Gone to Kilnsey (http://vimeo.com/69344284) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/).
The other highlight of the trip was doing the classic 3 pitch, E6 6b/c Screaming Abdabs, from the ground (or sea) up, in an evening with Ralph. This really is a 4 star route for line, position AND climbing. So good it's on the cover of Gary Latter's Scottish Rock North.
In fact it looked so scary we almost didn't set off! (the last two pitches are drawn on in blue)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkceFG3NyYk/Uc4Ti3IX3hI/AAAAAAAAAEc/SariYrZpVtQ/s640/screaming-topo.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fkceFG3NyYk/Uc4Ti3IX3hI/AAAAAAAAAEc/SariYrZpVtQ/s1600/screaming-topo.jpg)
Ralph put in a fantastic effort on the first two pitches. "The Yosemite Crack" 5c and "The Traverse of the Gods" 5b to leave us deposited under some enormous looking roofs in the most wild position I think I've been in on a UK sea cliff to date!
Here's Ralph on pitch two:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-869QmGjSiCw/Uc4H1QacEAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/cgFYqRvj1rQ/s640/P6151371.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-869QmGjSiCw/Uc4H1QacEAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/cgFYqRvj1rQ/s1600/P6151371.JPG)
The first go at the final pitch I took a huge lob from the lip of the crux roof, which was pretty scary since I wasn't sure if the first cam under the roof was going to hold... thankfully it did.
I lowered back to the belay and had a 5 minute rest. This is my thank god I'm alive face after the fall:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjETG_3F4zs/Uc4Hb42lW8I/AAAAAAAAAC0/K1lXqu6OjK8/s640/P6151376.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SjETG_3F4zs/Uc4Hb42lW8I/AAAAAAAAAC0/K1lXqu6OjK8/s1600/P6151376.JPG)
Then went again and managed to send the pitch by the absolute skin of my teeth! Getting over the crux 6b/c roof involved the use of knees, elbows and chin! Above this I got so pumped and scared trying to fiddle in some gear that I would have long since let go in pain had I been on a sport route and not scared for my life! Here's the only photo of me on the top pitch... it's not going to be winning any prizes!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8hQF90Hn0zU/Uc4MyzVpa5I/AAAAAAAAAD8/dHjrRAQsiVk/s640/P6151386.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8hQF90Hn0zU/Uc4MyzVpa5I/AAAAAAAAAD8/dHjrRAQsiVk/s1600/P6151386.JPG)
Thinking about it afterwards, it was actually a pretty painful and terrifying experience but I got such a huge kick out of it that I can't wait for the next time. Trad climbing is weird.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymqP2M0MGdE/Uc4LW61WXFI/AAAAAAAAADM/kVAoD48n9T8/s640/P6151395.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymqP2M0MGdE/Uc4LW61WXFI/AAAAAAAAADM/kVAoD48n9T8/s1600/P6151395.JPG)(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xpwNax_Qu_E/Uc4LeJbFVPI/AAAAAAAAADU/cHeU8JwQZww/s640/P6161426.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xpwNax_Qu_E/Uc4LeJbFVPI/AAAAAAAAADU/cHeU8JwQZww/s1600/P6161426.JPG)(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-UJ6CrL4o0/Uc4LjozDl1I/AAAAAAAAADc/Od6G1V32pE0/s640/P6161425.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-UJ6CrL4o0/Uc4LjozDl1I/AAAAAAAAADc/Od6G1V32pE0/s1600/P6161425.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTHWnggNv7I/Uc4LpobZniI/AAAAAAAAADk/DRa_7Zw1g20/s640/P6151377.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eTHWnggNv7I/Uc4LpobZniI/AAAAAAAAADk/DRa_7Zw1g20/s1600/P6151377.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fG-cQ-49Tx4/Uc4LvX3AXMI/AAAAAAAAADs/dMchDe-FMrY/s640/P6161414.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fG-cQ-49Tx4/Uc4LvX3AXMI/AAAAAAAAADs/dMchDe-FMrY/s1600/P6161414.JPG)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Spontaneous!
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Kilnsey (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/07/kilnsey.html)
7 July 2013, 12:52 am
Upon returning from Lewis, I took my own advice, and went to Kilnsey! Over the past couple of weeks I've had four of my best ever sessions there.
First off I managed the huge roof line, Mandela. I was really pleased with this because for me, it is without doubt the king line of the crag. Having done Totally Free 2 at Malham last year, this means I've ticked my own personal "King Line" at both crags.
Unfortunately they are by no means the hardest! As far as I can work out Mandela was originally graded 8b+, but it's fairly clear now that it's nowhere near that hard. Perhaps people have just figured out how to climb roofs since the 80s? I thought 8a+ was fair although it could be hard 8a, since half the battle is getting to the right places in the roof to work the moves (if you fall off you end up free hanging in space). The crux move in the center of the roof is a crazy rose move off a crimp to a finger lock in a pocket. The first couple of times I made it through this part on the link I actually fell off, only to find my fingers were still locked in the pocket and I was still in contact with the rock. This was quite painful and scary and I was glad when I found a way to stop this happening!
In the four sessions I also managed quick sends of:
Urgent Action 8a+
The Thumb 8a
Complete Control 8a
Over the Thumb 8a
A tiny bit of me is feeling like it's a shame that I'm off to Greenland for the next 6 weeks and won't be able to put my fitness to use on something a bit harder. But the rest of me is MASSIVELY EXCITED and at least my fingers shouldn't have problems with any of the moves on the granite slabs!
I'll make another post about this expedition soon but for now check out the website (http://oxfordgreenlandexpedition.com/) or facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WestGreenlandExpedition?fref=ts).
Here's a couple of snaps my mate Pete Wilkinson got of me setting up for the crux on Complete Control and boxed out of my mind about to fall off Urgent Action:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBUUTmm31t4/Udi6voTXLGI/AAAAAAAAAE0/zWgzQ9U2gAo/s640/complete-control.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBUUTmm31t4/Udi6voTXLGI/AAAAAAAAAE0/zWgzQ9U2gAo/s1600/complete-control.jpg)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjawbh63lEw/Udi6jQQ78II/AAAAAAAAAEs/6UCy8AAbCr0/s640/Urgentaction.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hjawbh63lEw/Udi6jQQ78II/AAAAAAAAAEs/6UCy8AAbCr0/s1600/Urgentaction.jpg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Expedition? What Expedition? (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/07/expedition-what-expedition.html)
9 July 2013, 12:20 am
10 months ago the plan was simple: "Let's sail up the west coast of Greenland and attempt some first ascents on huge granite big walls rising straight out of the sea".
Of course this sounded like a great idea, so when my friend Pete Hill from the Oxford uni mountaineering club asked me to join him, Tom Codrington and Ian Faulkner I said yes without a second thought.
Now, 10 months and literally hundreds of hours of planning later, I still can't believe it's actually happening! We've overcome many problems, not the least of which was finding a boat and someone to sail it! (up to now I've spent no more than about two hours on a boat in my life). The answer came from Clive and Angela Lilienthal who have kindly offered the services of their 38' yacht "The Cosmic Dancer".
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTTuVtRl1XM/UdtSG2N0cRI/AAAAAAAAAFE/ILxHPy6cYsA/s400/Cosmic-Dancer.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iTTuVtRl1XM/UdtSG2N0cRI/AAAAAAAAAFE/ILxHPy6cYsA/s1600/Cosmic-Dancer.jpg)
The Cosmic Dancer left Newfoundland in Canada nearly two weeks ago with Tom, Pete and the two sailors, tomorrow me and Ian are flying to Illusiat on the west coast of Greenland. Here we will wait (an as yet unspecified amount of time) for the boat to arrive. The last I heard the boat was "hove to" in a gale, I'm not entirely sure what this means but I'm pretty sure it's not good! So we could be there a little while. Not to worry, we've got plenty to be getting on with, such as sourcing mountains of food and finding a gun to fend off polar bears!!
I've always imagined that people going on an expedition like this would have everything planned, down to the last minute detail. Now, on the brink of leaving, I realise this can't possibly be the case. There are so many unknowns!
This is it. A real life adventure.
We will try and update our facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/WestGreenlandExpedition?fref=ts) and website (http://oxfordgreenlandexpedition.com/) periodically along the way if you're interested in following our progress.
Currently our expedition has kindly received sponsorship from:
Mammut (http://www.mammut.ch/)
Wild Country (http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/fr/)
DMM (http://dmmclimbing.com/)
Scarpa (https://www.scarpa.co.uk/)
Spinlock (https://www.spinlock.co.uk/)
RAB (http://rab.uk.com/)
Lyon Outdoor (http://lyon.co.uk/outdoor/)
The BMC (http://bmc.co.uk/)
The Alpine Club (http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/)
The Mount Everest Foundation (http://www.mef.org.uk/)
The Andrew Croft Memorial Fund (http://www.acmf.org.uk/)
The Gino Watkins Memorial Fund (http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/about/funding/ginowatkins/)
The Arctic Club (http://www.arcticclub.org.uk/)
Let's hope we can do some cool stuff to make it all worth it!
Here are a couple of the walls that have already received some attention over the last few years (hence the photos), to give you an idea of the kind of thing we'll be doing:
"The Impossible Wall" about 800m high:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3zmE7xl0cI/UdtU_eHGMGI/AAAAAAAAAFc/WFgx6WNfV7Q/s640/4+Impossible+Wall+(1).jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3zmE7xl0cI/UdtU_eHGMGI/AAAAAAAAAFc/WFgx6WNfV7Q/s1600/4+Impossible+Wall+(1).jpg)
"Red Wall" about 300m high:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jC-e-IgAiIY/UdtUWkPub8I/AAAAAAAAAFU/GC_MkHdw6_0/s640/greenland1.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jC-e-IgAiIY/UdtUWkPub8I/AAAAAAAAAFU/GC_MkHdw6_0/s1600/greenland1.jpg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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The Horn of Upernavik (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/08/upon-arriving-in-greenland-ian-and-i.html)
28 August 2013, 12:14 am
Upon arriving in Greenland, Ian and I spent a week sat on the dock in Illulisat waiting for our boat, the "Cosmic Dancer" to show up. Our friends Tom, Peter and sailors Clive and Angela had sailed the boat across the Labrador sea from Canada. Due to some small, pesky things like force 9 gales, they were delayed. We invented some jokes:
"Knock Knock"
"Who's there?"
"Not the Cosmic Dancer!"
After a week, the boat got to within five miles of us, only to be forced to turn back! Too many ice bergs had blown into the harbour and had effectively blocked it off. Ian and I decided some drastic measures were in order, we hitched a ride with some cowboy seal hunters. They drove at 40 miles an hour through the fog, dodging icebergs and laughing. Then me and Ian were left cowering in the front of their boat whilst they shot over our heads at seals!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9fjAYB0sbUw/Uh0zNw_WcxI/AAAAAAAAAFs/73uW_knLops/s400/P1080331.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9fjAYB0sbUw/Uh0zNw_WcxI/AAAAAAAAAFs/73uW_knLops/s1600/P1080331.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CD-PjWwglHU/Uh0zPnGuS8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/nwh9IPSa03U/s400/P1080343.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CD-PjWwglHU/Uh0zPnGuS8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/nwh9IPSa03U/s1600/P1080343.JPG)
The "Horn of Upernavik" was our first objective, the 1200m main face had never been climbed despite recent attempts by several expeditions. It turned out to be a pretty life changing adventure for me. Here is a piece of writing telling the story. I wrote it whilst still recovering from the ordeal so it gets quite dramatic in places:
Finally all aboard the Cosmic Dancer we motored through the fog towards the Horn with only the occasional iceberg appearing to keep us company. We’d been planning to try and climb the Horn of Upernivik for nearly a year but to me it still sounded a bit like somewhere out of Lord of the Rings, not like somewhere you could actually go. As we turned the corner into the fjord the fog lifted to reveal a thin strip of sea bounded either side by huge sheer walls of deep red and black granite. This was to be our home for the next 8 days or so. I found the fjord quite a spooky place to be, with a kind of silence I don’t think exists in England. Only punctured by the occasional rolling boom – you could never quite tell if it was caused by avalanche, rock fall, an iceberg collapsing or thunder.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xYf0zEept_w/Uh04sXeh3YI/AAAAAAAAAGI/9JR8vPDaGGQ/s400/P1080439.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xYf0zEept_w/Uh04sXeh3YI/AAAAAAAAAGI/9JR8vPDaGGQ/s1600/P1080439.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]First view of the Horn[/td][/tr]
[/table]The Horn itself looked different to the other mountains. Rather than the deep red looser rock, it presented a curving arc of golden granite that glowed in the sun. It was hard to get a sense of scale. It wasn’t until a few days later when I saw my friends as tiny orange specs halfway up that it really sunk in just how big this wall really was. 1200 metres high, taller than the highest faces in Yosemite and the height of several Verdon Gorges stacked one above the other.
The slab and upper headwall had been attempted at least 3 times by expeditions in the last few years but none had succeeded. The closest was an attempt by British climbers George Ullrich and Matt Burdekin in 2010 who got within a few pitches of success in a single alpine style push only to be forced to retreat due to reaching an impasse in the headwall and running out of food and water.
Ian and I decided to try their line for at least the first 600m or so and to try another crack system in the upper headwall. However, fearing that the same problem might befall us if we tried it in a single push, we decided to spend a day or two fixing ropes as high as we could up the lower slab and returning to base camp each day. So that we could quickly ascend these when we did go for a summit push. The 24 hour daylight meant we weren’t limited by light in how long a push could be, only by how tired we might become.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RQkuUwijMXU/Uh00M1RJ6jI/AAAAAAAAAF8/1-aLJpeuUw8/s640/Cosmic-rave-topo.png) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RQkuUwijMXU/Uh00M1RJ6jI/AAAAAAAAAF8/1-aLJpeuUw8/s1600/Cosmic-rave-topo.png)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The main face of the Horn - the line attempted by Ian and myself is drawn in blue[/td][/tr]
[/table] Day 1. We spent the day with me leading and fixing ropes. Ian followed jumaring in his trainers with a literally enormous bag on his back (that I don’t think I could actually lift) containing about 300m of ropes and enough water for a small fire engine. As supposedly the better technical climber the leading was my responsibility, I couldn't help feeling that Ian got a raw deal here, but he seemed stoically content with this arrangement. The first pitch gave an indication of the nature of the climbing ahead. Good solid granite with apparently no gear. Damn. I took out my nutkey and started gardening, finding that there was in fact plenty of gear underneath clumps of earth which filled the cracks. By the end of the first pitch my nutkey was worn sharp to a point. Not a good start.
The guys who tried the same line in 2010 warned that the second pitch could well be the crux of the whole route. Sure enough the crack closed up completely leaving 30m of blank slab with only the smallest of ripples giving footholds. Ullrich had hand placed a bolt in the centre of the pitch whilst on lead. This provided the only meaningful protection. Full credit to him for this, the thought of standing precariously in the middle of that pitch for half an hour whilst hand drilling a bolt makes me shiver and I’m not sure I would have been able to do it. I set off with some trepidation and managed to find a sideways rock 2 five meters up, which might have kept me from falling directly onto Ian’s belay. Small downward pointing overlaps provided the only hand holds and sketchy smears gave enough purchase to continue rocking over and reach the bolt. Clip, thanks George. From here the climbing got hard. As the bolt got further and further beneath me, thoughts of how far away from any help I was began to surface in my mind and cloud my concentration. I was on the pitch for a long time, contemplating attempting to reverse or jumping off and taking the long, skittering whipper onto the bolt. It seemed like every time I finally came to the conclusion that it was too dangerous and I should retreat, I would spot a new ripple in the slab which would lure me one rock over further from safety. The pitch was probably stupidly dangerous and I actually have no idea why I committed to it. Somehow I arrived at the belay and spent the next five minutes yelling wordlessly at the top of my lungs as the tension left my body and I allowed the adrenalin to kick in. George said the pitch was E5 6a “if not a touch harder” I think what he meant here was E6!
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLcHCPN8zrU/Uh05Eg5yIxI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/jIq5ysIS4Zo/s400/P1010682.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hLcHCPN8zrU/Uh05Eg5yIxI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/jIq5ysIS4Zo/s1600/P1010682.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ian jugging the blank crux pitch[/td][/tr]
[/table]That day we managed to fix 250m up the slab before returning to base camp.
Day 2. We aimed to get halfway up the face to some “scree filled ledges” that Matt Burdekin had mentioned in his report, bivvy here, then go for a summit push the next day. We got another 3 pitches up the slab from the top of our fixed ropes to reach a broken ledgy section beneath some overlaps.
Still a good 200m below the ledges we had hoped to bivvy on. Ian was jumaring with the both bags (cheers Ian!) up a particularly nasty E4 5cish runout slab pitch. I heard an ominous buzzing noise above me followed by a sharp crack. Rocks started to rain from the sky. Big blocks fell to either side of me, any one of which big enough to kill a person. Ian frantically jugged the remaining 10m and we made a belay under an overlap for shelter. I was truly terrified. A kind of dull, hollow fear. Very different to the intense invigorating fear I had experienced on the lower crux pitch. I feel like I now have some idea of what it must be like being shot at, the randomness of it felt somewhat comparable. Five minutes later a 4 slice toaster size block landed exactly where I had been sat and shattered, leaving a cloud of dust and a dry acrid smell in the air. It seemed Peter and Tom who had been on the wall above us for about 36 hours had got bored on their descent and resorted to trundling rocks at us! They were at this point descending from their new route “Choss, the Universe and Everything”, up the more broken right hand wall, E2/XS 5c 1200m (nutters!). We waited for 2 hours beneath the overlap until our next appointed time to speak with Tom and Pete on the walky-talky. We told them to “not move!” and abbed back to the floor leaving another 120m of fixed lines on the harder sections we had climbed that day.
Day 3. Summit push. We decided to just go all out for the summit in a single push since we now had fixed ropes about a third of the way. Also this way we could travel much lighter, move faster and Ian could finally put his rock shoes on and do some climbing!
The sun had been blazing for 4 days so we decided to jumar at 2pm in the sun in order to reach the end of our fixed lines as the face went into the shade. This way we could climb through the cooler temperatures of the night and we would need to carry less water. Jugging 400m of slab in the sun was miserable to say the least! But after this we made good progress and by 2am we had covered a further 500m of ground, tavelling light and swinging leads. The climbing was never desperate but in some places it was extremely runout, probably up to about E4 5c. However as we climbed ominous clouds started to gather on the surrounding mountains and I became increasingly worried that a storm was brewing.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F4LZQGmaC8s/Uh05c4H7VAI/AAAAAAAAAGY/bbygQcMdy40/s400/P1010738.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F4LZQGmaC8s/Uh05c4H7VAI/AAAAAAAAAGY/bbygQcMdy40/s1600/P1010738.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJcs4gGCfS4/Uh05iGvRkeI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Z0FtKilY-Uo/s400/P1010727.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJcs4gGCfS4/Uh05iGvRkeI/AAAAAAAAAGg/Z0FtKilY-Uo/s1600/P1010727.JPG)
At 3am, maybe 200m from the top it seemed our weather window had closed as rain set in around us and the temperature dropped. Facing the prospect of a slippery 900m abseil descent, I was pretty scared at this point. Especially as if clouds moved in below us it would make navigating back to our fixed ropes extremely difficult. But being halfway up the headwall we were so close to completing our route that we decided to try and wait out the rain and see if we could press on for the top. We crawled under a fallen block which gave nearly enough room for the two of us to lie flat side by side, both still attached to the belay with slings.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fMfqdfSIeus/Uh051NaNg1I/AAAAAAAAAGo/2YtcNUSY02g/s400/P1010759.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fMfqdfSIeus/Uh051NaNg1I/AAAAAAAAAGo/2YtcNUSY02g/s1600/P1010759.JPG)
The phrase “shiver bivvy” is definitely appropriate for this one! We were supposed to be going “fast and light” so we didn’t have enough clothes. We got out a silver foil type space blanket and shared it. 4 hours later at 7am Ian was showing signs of being a bit uncomfortable, the prince biscuits were finished and the rain seemed to be stopping. We pressed on up the headwall trying a line about 50m to the left of the crack which repelled Ullrich and Burdekin 3 years ago. We got to the base of the most immaculate dihedral running up the final 100m. The granite looked so good it almost made the effort to get there worthwhile! The only problem was the lovely hand crack we had spotted from base camp wasn’t a hand crack at all… but a squeeze chimney! I really had to give these last two pitches everything, Ian later told me I sounded like I was giving birth, whilst I literally squirmed for my life. Not pretty.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6c2TgXUCoE/Uh06IY-rTuI/AAAAAAAAAGw/DWNRyaMmUYI/s400/P1010767.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6c2TgXUCoE/Uh06IY-rTuI/AAAAAAAAAGw/DWNRyaMmUYI/s1600/P1010767.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ERkr-e889dc/Uh06MRI4fUI/AAAAAAAAAG4/R0KVvmSjRmI/s400/P1010774.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ERkr-e889dc/Uh06MRI4fUI/AAAAAAAAAG4/R0KVvmSjRmI/s1600/P1010774.JPG)
We reached the top by 1pm, 23 hours after setting off, feeling pretty strung out, extremely proud to have made it and nervous about the descent.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pgwK3iq_LEs/Uh06gdNFIaI/AAAAAAAAAHA/ozrEtyb93RM/s400/P1080670.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pgwK3iq_LEs/Uh06gdNFIaI/AAAAAAAAAHA/ozrEtyb93RM/s1600/P1080670.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Wild eyed summit photo![/td][/tr]
[/table]
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6i9IvtXJlqA/Uh06k6Ta-lI/AAAAAAAAAHI/hEThc4fyS98/s400/P1080660.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6i9IvtXJlqA/Uh06k6Ta-lI/AAAAAAAAAHI/hEThc4fyS98/s1600/P1080660.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Stunning view from the top[/td][/tr]
[/table]We decided to try and follow Tom and Peter’s descent line down the choss and scree ledges to the right. As this would mean leaving behind less gear, plus, if we could find their ab tat we could hopefully get down relatively fast...
What followed was 7 hours of terrifying scrambling around on sloping scree ledges. As we descended the rain set in again and the weather window was firmly slammed and bolted from the inside. Any later and we wouldn’t have made it as the rain continued non-stop for 48 hours!
30 hours after setting off we hobbled back into camp.
The route took every ounce of strength, courage, intuition and luck that I had at my disposal and left me totally exhausted. It felt like every skill I have developed as a trad climber so far was tested and put to use.
Cosmic Rave – E6 6a – 1225m
I am both very proud of the line and very glad to be down. I wouldn’t go back up that mountain if you paid me!
When the rain finally stopped Tom and Peter kindly offered to go up and get the fixed ropes down. I was more than happy to offer helpful hints for them over the radio from base camp. It turns out every single rope we have was trashed by rock fall during the rain. Tom and Peter bravely jugged up and retrieved the trashed ropes which we later cut down to size. Instead of 6 60m ropes and 100m of static rope, we now had 55m, 52m and 51m ropes plus loads of ab tat! Wall rope anyone?
Luckily we met up with the Irish climbing expedition in the village of Uumanaq a few days later. They took pity on us, prized open a barrel labelled “fulmar most foul” and sold us some non-trashed ropes on the cheap. The only minor downside being the nauseating smell of fulmar vomit. Win!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvCH2KKnl7I/Uh06_AMeiDI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/anIr8g2EAfg/s400/P1080751.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvCH2KKnl7I/Uh06_AMeiDI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/anIr8g2EAfg/s1600/P1080751.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The Cosmic Dancer and the Irish boat "The Killary Flyer" together in Uumanaq harbour[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Great stuff Jacob, puts me off and inspires to the same degree
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Islands in the Sky (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/10/islands-in-sky.html)
4 October 2013, 3:40 am
The North summit of Uumannaqq mountain in West Greenalnd is guarded by a 400m smooth pillar of vertical granite. As Tom, Pete and I ascended the steep scree gully to reach the pillar I was feeling way out of my depth.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3OCibHPHm9c/Uk4XpOXgofI/AAAAAAAAAHk/nefmIj0pCEI/s400/P1000250.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3OCibHPHm9c/Uk4XpOXgofI/AAAAAAAAAHk/nefmIj0pCEI/s1600/P1000250.JPG)
Being in a big mountain environment in such a remote location was something I had very little experience with. I just didn't know if the massive perched blocks at the top of the scree gully were going to start rumbling down towards us. Tom and Pete seemed to be pretty happy with our situation, laughing and joking as we approached the route. I kept my fears to myself, happy to trust their experience of the terrain.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gCXeE2pBsVI/Uk4XztNB8MI/AAAAAAAAAH0/CsavqJelJU0/s400/P1000260.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gCXeE2pBsVI/Uk4XztNB8MI/AAAAAAAAAH0/CsavqJelJU0/s1600/P1000260.JPG)
As we racked up at the base of the pillar cloud formations swirled above, below and around us. One moment we were surrounded by a thick fog, the next we could see for miles; islands, mountains and icebergs appeared momentarily before being whisked from sight by the ever changing cloudscape. It felt atmospheric and otherworldly.
We started up a promising looking dihedral, which since we couldn't see more than about twenty meters up the face seemed as good a place to start as any!
Weirdly once we started actually climbing my fear subsided and I felt back on familiar ground. It surprised me how much feeling scared on the mountain came down to a lack of familiarity with the terrain. I would love to get to the stage where I feel at home in any kind of mountainous environment.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-novub7pj8DY/Uk4ZZTXvLnI/AAAAAAAAAII/dUSiEAaFLCM/s400/P1000277.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-novub7pj8DY/Uk4ZZTXvLnI/AAAAAAAAAII/dUSiEAaFLCM/s1600/P1000277.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7bmmhY7sMTg/Uk4abLAXZGI/AAAAAAAAAIY/DXftvndxL-I/s400/P1000314.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7bmmhY7sMTg/Uk4abLAXZGI/AAAAAAAAAIY/DXftvndxL-I/s1600/P1000314.JPG)(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HvXgd3G6m80/Uk4aqqxK7xI/AAAAAAAAAIg/XnsY25vMxqs/s320/P1000322.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HvXgd3G6m80/Uk4aqqxK7xI/AAAAAAAAAIg/XnsY25vMxqs/s1600/P1000322.JPG)
We climbed 5 great pitches on immaculate rock to reach a resting ledge, above this a left trending overlap feature was the obvious way to go. It also looked desperate! I fought my way up an unrelenting 60m pitch of fingerjams and tenuous laybacks. I placed every single runner I had and did a fair bit of shouting! A truly incredible pitch.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1hZ8_oWP8s/Uk4a_vBh-AI/AAAAAAAAAIo/rprtgu-kqWs/s400/P1010249.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-z1hZ8_oWP8s/Uk4a_vBh-AI/AAAAAAAAAIo/rprtgu-kqWs/s1600/P1010249.JPG)
I gave the pitch hard E4 6a, reminiscent of something like Resurrection at Dinas Cromlech, although in hindsight it was such a battle that it could well have been E5. Tom and Pete used a variety of techniques (and ascending devices!) to join me at the hanging belay.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lx39MuIq3tE/Uk4bXjrgFwI/AAAAAAAAAIw/uw0AmMeQYNo/s400/P1020032.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lx39MuIq3tE/Uk4bXjrgFwI/AAAAAAAAAIw/uw0AmMeQYNo/s1600/P1020032.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti-_iOlxhSg/Uk4b2Fh--4I/AAAAAAAAAJI/ALPLAAuKVeM/s400/P1020064.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ti-_iOlxhSg/Uk4b2Fh--4I/AAAAAAAAAJI/ALPLAAuKVeM/s1600/P1020064.JPG)
After several more tricky and varied pitches we reached the top at the stroke of midnight. We decided to call our route Islands in the Sky after the epic cloud formations which continued the whole time we were climbing.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saKi82mdeO0/Uk4Z2-4LCkI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/pmPAMrgrAbw/s400/P1000295.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-saKi82mdeO0/Uk4Z2-4LCkI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/pmPAMrgrAbw/s1600/P1000295.JPG)
I am pretty sure we were the second team to reach this summit, after George Ullrich and Matt Burdekin made the first ascent of their route Broken Toblerone in 2010. There is without doubt a whole load more lines to be done on this incredible face. We took some summit photos (decked out in our matching and extremely warm RAB (http://rab.uk.com/) jackets!) and got back to camp for a late dinner at 6am after more than 20 hours on the go. I could get used to this 24 hour daylight business!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EHgQYm5sxEU/Uk4b0wIZ6LI/AAAAAAAAAJA/NBFtSAd6xig/s400/photo-9.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EHgQYm5sxEU/Uk4b0wIZ6LI/AAAAAAAAAJA/NBFtSAd6xig/s1600/photo-9.jpg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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The Knifeblade (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-knifeblade.html)
8 October 2013, 8:52 pm
Tom and Ian had spotted an incredible looking knife blade feature from the boat. It looked like it might go, following the line of an enormous corner system and then moving right near the top under some capping roofs.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hkhA6VbIpc/UlRrAM_aSII/AAAAAAAAAJY/Jqs92K5Lnms/s400/photo-11.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2hkhA6VbIpc/UlRrAM_aSII/AAAAAAAAAJY/Jqs92K5Lnms/s1600/photo-11.jpg)Pete, Ian and myself were dropped off at the base at 4pm. The wall being North facing meant it got a total of about 3 hours of sun between the hours of 1am and 4am!
We scrambled up on the left and were able to gain a half height ledge system which took us back right and deposited us at the start of the corner. We began to climb through the night.
As the sun blinked onto the face at 1am I was leading an exposed pitch out on an arete, linking two crack systems via some airy face climbing.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aeUH9DtyIdc/UlRt0mIYrJI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Bl7e3N5zH5s/s400/sinking1.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aeUH9DtyIdc/UlRt0mIYrJI/AAAAAAAAAKU/Bl7e3N5zH5s/s1600/sinking1.jpg)
A few hours later I was at the end of the crack system under the capping roof at the top of the corner. The rock around me had begun to sport deep white scars indicating fresh rockfall and ledges were filled with gravel and dust, it was not somewhere I wanted to be for long. I knew that all I had to do was traverse about 30m to the right and we would be out on the easier angled "Knife edge" and could run up this to the summit. I placed a runner as high as I could and set off.
A balancy traverse 10m to the right gained a resting niche, but still no gear!
A further 10m traverse without a single good runner put me in a bit of a ridiculous position. I was now facing an enormous pendulum back into the corner. But I didn't fancy attempting to reverse and I knew that if I wasn't able to reach the arete our attempt was over and we'd have to go down.
It was a truly wild place to be, one of those times where you learn how you really cope under pressure.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ciBYcfLplw/UlRr0O7BH4I/AAAAAAAAAKI/jU3YGku-YCk/s400/sinking2.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ciBYcfLplw/UlRr0O7BH4I/AAAAAAAAAKI/jU3YGku-YCk/s1600/sinking2.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Looking up at the crux pitch; scary territory[/td][/tr]
[/table]Somehow I arrived at a belay and Ian and Pete figured out some elaborate ropework to allow them to follow the traverse without facing the prospect of the monster pendulum.
Sure enough we were able to scamper up the arete to the summit.
It felt great to be the first people ever to stand on top of such an inspiring feature and a fantastic way to end the trip. It was also cool because we could see for miles, all of our climbs from the trip were layed out before us. Ikeresak mountain in the foreground which Pete and I had climbed the week before, Uumannaq mountain in the distance where we had put up "Islands in the sky" and even, way off on the horizon, the entrance to the fjord containing the Horn.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4W6G7pkMWsY/UlRrvbYRajI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/4iqsd4NKLws/s640/photo-18.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4W6G7pkMWsY/UlRrvbYRajI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/4iqsd4NKLws/s1600/photo-18.JPG)
The knifeblade actually connected to the mainland at the top via a thin bridge of land. We opted for what turned out to be a 7 hour hike off the back rather than abseil back the way we had come up.
We named our route "That Sinking Feeling", in honour of how proud we were to have gone the whole expedition without sinking the boat even once! It went at around E5 5c.
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qzNxceQgeTo/UlRryErAeEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/t1aWQGJAhPk/s400/sinking3.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qzNxceQgeTo/UlRryErAeEI/AAAAAAAAAKA/t1aWQGJAhPk/s1600/sinking3.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]A Topo of the line.[/td][/tr]
[/table]On the way down we found some Antlers!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rdV9-V2iyOo/UlRrKsTlK8I/AAAAAAAAAJg/M96QeRffWDI/s400/Extra+photo+22.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rdV9-V2iyOo/UlRrKsTlK8I/AAAAAAAAAJg/M96QeRffWDI/s1600/Extra+photo+22.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]At the end of a 6 week trip, Peter was feeling pretty horny...[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Superb. Greenland has got to be up there as one of the best adventure rock climbing destinations on the planet.
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Cindy Crawford (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/11/cindy-crawford.html)
18 November 2013, 10:44 pm
After staying out until 4 in the morning the night before and having to eat my breakfast in the car on the way to the crag, I didn't have high hopes for my day at Ilkley. Josh and I had decided to have a go at Cindy Crawford. This John Dunne test piece blasts straight out the extremely steep valley face of the calf boulder and tops out at a dizzying 7 or 8 meters. The grade is around E7 or font 7C depending on which system you would prefer to use. Luckily we were able to stuff more pads into the back of Josh's two door Toyota Yaris than you might think!
It's a bit of a strange one because after Big John did it way back in 2000, it lay unrepeated for 13 years until Dave Sutcliffe ground upped it earlier this year. I have absolutely no idea why it's seen so little attention; it's a sweet line and well within the capabilities of quite a lot of climbers in the UK at the moment.
Out of nowhere I managed to flash the line, thus making the third ascent after John Dunne and Dave Sutcliffe.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PFYYAI8xOxo/UoqS65KjQrI/AAAAAAAAAK0/AvCXTtyclFE/s400/P1010462.jpeg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PFYYAI8xOxo/UoqS65KjQrI/AAAAAAAAAK0/AvCXTtyclFE/s1600/P1010462.jpeg)It was one of those rare moments in climbing where everything falls into place and hard moves feel effortless. I wasn't concentrating on anything really, how high I was off the ground, how small the holds were, exactly what sequence I was going to use, success, failure... It all just faded into the background. Until everything flashed back to reality and I was cutting loose with my right hand holding a green sloper on the lip of the boulder. Deep breaths. Take it easy. Over the top. A perfect climbing experience.
I remember reading a Johnny Dawes quote somewhere about how you can climb every day for a year and only get a couple of moments like that. I think I'd agree with him.
Still feeling warm and psyched I decided to try and repeat it five minutes later, this time with the cameras out:
Cindy Crawford (http://vimeo.com/79673832) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
And some more photos...
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5FzCHPjaI/UoqTQtROcdI/AAAAAAAAALE/-uVgHZ8zYDQ/s320/P1010470.jpeg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5FzCHPjaI/UoqTQtROcdI/AAAAAAAAALE/-uVgHZ8zYDQ/s1600/P1010470.jpeg)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNyOBtYfxkE/UoqTQoGMizI/AAAAAAAAALA/LtohBTJL384/s320/P1010471.jpeg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNyOBtYfxkE/UoqTQoGMizI/AAAAAAAAALA/LtohBTJL384/s1600/P1010471.jpeg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Desperate Dan and Guillotine (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/12/desperate-dan-and-guillotine.html)
2 December 2013, 12:59 pm
We had a great day up at Ilkley last week, finally putting the Grove Gardens pad stash to good use.
After warming up on Bernie the Bolt, a great highball 7B+. I managed a ground up ascent of the precarious Desperate Dan, E6 6b, and a headpoint of the chillingly bold Guillotine, also E6 6b. Rather than waffling about the climbs I'll just put the video up, here it is!
Desperate Dan and Guillotine, two E6s at Ilkley (http://vimeo.com/80787483) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
I think I'm starting to feel in the zone on the grit now. Last weekend I managed a lifetime ambition by making a ground up ascent of Ullysses Bow at Stanage, pads or no it was still bloody scary :p. No video of that one though.
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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The New Statesman (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-new-statesman.html)
6 December 2013, 8:23 pm
Firstly I'm really psyched to announce I've joined the Edelweiss (http://www.edelweissropes.co.uk/) UK team, they've been quietly making the best quality ropes for years and it will be great to be able to get out climbing on them.
Second, my ascent of the New Statesman at Ilkley last month has been made into a film by my housemate Kevin Fenemore who is the man behind Abstract Normality Media:
Jacob Cook climbing The New Statesman, E8 7A (http://vimeo.com/80585727) from Abstract Normality (http://vimeo.com/abstractnormality) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
I haven't blogged about this ascent yet because I've been waiting for the video to be ready.
Jordan Buys kindly posted an interview with me about the New Statesman on his blog (http://jordanbuysclimbing.tumblr.com/day/2013/11/28), rather than writing a lot about the route I thought it might be most interesting if I just posted that interview here:
Jordan: How old are you, where are you living?
I’m 25 and I’ve been living in Leeds for the last two years.
Can you give us a brief summary of your climbing life so far, highlights etc?I started climbing aged 7 in London, but something happened 4 years ago whilst I was living in Oxford and I became extremely psyched, I haven’t looked back since. Over the past few years I’ve undergone a bit of an apprenticeship into hard adventurous trad in the UK. Going from having no idea what I was doing and all my gear falling out, to repeating a bunch of trad test pieces onsight or from the ground up. Routes like Lord of the Flies, Ghost Train, Masters Edge, Positron etc. My climbing highlight so far was probably doing the E8 Point Blank in Pembroke ground up over a couple of sessions, a process involving some 20m lobs!
Over the summer I took the next step into adventurous climbing by going big walling off the west coast of Greenland. To be honest in terms of big walling I feel remarkably similar to myself 4 years ago starting to trad climb. But I’m really keen to put the time in and learn the tricks of the trade; Yosemite here I come. More big wall first ascents in adventurous locations is the dream.
Can you describe The New Statesman in three words?
Spicy Arete Burger.
Did you find it easy, scary or full of bird poo?I got completely shut down on my first session and thought I’d probably never do it. Amazingly on my second session I found some new beta and was able to top rope the route in a one-er, it seemed a shame not to go for it there and then! I was very scared, it was the first time I’d ever really headpointed a grit route (or any route!) so the whole process was a bit new to me
A trickle of bird poo actually served as a tickmark on the thank god jug near the top!
Why did you get on it in the first place?
It’s been on my mind that I had to try it ever since I moved to Leeds, such a good line and it’s only half an hour from my house! Also I’d been watching Neil Bentley on it in hard grit for the last 15 years.
How many times did you watch Neil Bentley on Hard Grit to get motivated?Many, many times! It wasn’t until I actually tried the route for myself that I realised just how bad his sequence actually was!
Do you rate the new cafe at the crag?3 quid for a coffee?! It’s a disgrace…
Did you wear your lucky underpants that day?
I wasn’t expecting to lead it that day because it was only my second session and I’d gotten spanked on my first. Luckily all of my underpants are tie-dyed anyway…
Have you any designs on other grit routes in Yorkshire?Yes! All of them. Right now I’m pretty psyched about Ilkley, my mission is to climb all the routes there. I recently did Cindy Crawford, Desperate Dan and Guillotine. Next up are Snap Decision and Milky Way, I may even have a play on Loaded; who knows, maybe I can lank my way past the crux on that one too! Unfortunately this may mean I finally have to do Botterill’s Crack as well, grim.
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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And now for something completely different... (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/01/and-now-for-something-completely.html)
17 January 2014, 2:07 am
The alarm went off and I felt as though I'd barely closed my eyes for a second. As I adjusted my balaclava and fitted my goggles I made sure not not to leave any exposed skin before stepping outside. It was -25°C, significantly warmer than the last few days, the sun was yet to rise.
A mere week before I'd never had a pair of skis on in my life but here I was shouldering a heavy bag setting out for a two day, 25km back country ski across a frozen lake. It was cold. Headlines in England described conditions in Canada as a "Polar Vortex", giving rise to some of the coldest temperatures on record. The previous morning the thermometer outside our cabin had confirmed this, registering a frigid -46°C. This meant we had decided to wait another day before setting off.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SLqWR90vvDI/UtiJ3-ruufI/AAAAAAAAANM/dKqA5ZXuzyo/s1600/trailbreak2.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SLqWR90vvDI/UtiJ3-ruufI/AAAAAAAAANM/dKqA5ZXuzyo/s1600/trailbreak2.jpg)
Skiing across the lake was not what I'd imagined skiing would be like. Rather than gracefully gliding over the surface with minimal effort, it involved what I can only describe as trudging, with long awkward pointy things attached to my feet. The four of us took it in turns breaking trail in the knee deep snow.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEmqVTzlrOw/UtiJ1UyUBCI/AAAAAAAAAM4/eQr5qE0XUM8/s1600/trailbreak.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEmqVTzlrOw/UtiJ1UyUBCI/AAAAAAAAAM4/eQr5qE0XUM8/s1600/trailbreak.jpg)
By mid afternoon we had skied just under halfway, we stopped to build "Quincy". A type of snow cave which Bron seemed convinced would keep us alive and (dare I say it) even warm during that night. The way they supposedly work is to have a raised platform inside that is above the level of the entrance, this allows bodies inside to warm up the air without the heat escaping. It sounded unlikely.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFr_n7ojOY/UtiJzLcyI1I/AAAAAAAAAMk/iVSsZeryFFs/s1600/quincy.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFr_n7ojOY/UtiJzLcyI1I/AAAAAAAAAMk/iVSsZeryFFs/s1600/quincy.jpg)
To my amazement I woke up the next morning still alive! However as I slithered out the door my heart sank, I was met by a full on blizzard, howling winds and a near total whiteout on the lake. Quite a scary place to be as we had no means of contacting anyone or calling for help and thus no option but to make it the remaining 13km to Temagami, the town at the end of the lake. Luckily we had a GPS allowing us to navigate during the whiteout. Skiing through the now waist deep snow drifts in the blizzard felt like being on another planet. My eyes were freezing shut whenever I removed my goggles. My water bottle was tucked firmly inside my crotch to avoid freezing.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbcMpYldrKU/UtiJx53lMGI/AAAAAAAAAMM/qoJ6hzcsBcY/s1600/bronwhiteout2.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rbcMpYldrKU/UtiJx53lMGI/AAAAAAAAAMM/qoJ6hzcsBcY/s1600/bronwhiteout2.jpg)
In winter the lake freezes so solid that they plow a road a couple of kilometers over the ice from the mainland to "Bear Island". Deeply exhausted and with frost nibbled extremities we staggered onto this as it was getting dark on our second day. God knows how people do extended winter camping trips!
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6CFjRJ2f-pM/UtiJ49FmLGI/AAAAAAAAANQ/sHS0yRrMyXs/s1600/winterman.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6CFjRJ2f-pM/UtiJ49FmLGI/AAAAAAAAANQ/sHS0yRrMyXs/s1600/winterman.jpg)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1I1pZ7bjks/UtiJ06IvgeI/AAAAAAAAAM0/RtnGyb1nxQg/s1600/coldfaceme.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S1I1pZ7bjks/UtiJ06IvgeI/AAAAAAAAAM0/RtnGyb1nxQg/s1600/coldfaceme.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X3jVKqaA7g4/UtiJyMuRxoI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/9Ul4B47bwS8/s1600/coldfacebron.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X3jVKqaA7g4/UtiJyMuRxoI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/9Ul4B47bwS8/s1600/coldfacebron.jpg)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYVuqxciB4I/UtiJyv1HnhI/AAAAAAAAAMc/o5UfLdLoxRU/s1600/footprints.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYVuqxciB4I/UtiJyv1HnhI/AAAAAAAAAMc/o5UfLdLoxRU/s1600/footprints.jpg)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ids6i5_oFyk/UtiJ1LaktoI/AAAAAAAAAMw/zT-L1BfP700/s1600/ski2.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ids6i5_oFyk/UtiJ1LaktoI/AAAAAAAAAMw/zT-L1BfP700/s1600/ski2.jpg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Yorkshire Sketching (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/02/yorkshire-sketching.html)
10 February 2014, 2:23 am
Last week I managed to sneak out to Hunter's Stones between rain showers and do the classic "Hunter's Roof". What a brilliant problem, I've never climbed anything like it in my life, double heel-hooks, double guppies, obligatory campusing, it's got it all! Here's a video:
Two Barden 7Cs, Hunter's Roof and McNab Sit. (http://vimeo.com/85910632) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Frustratingly I seem to have a bit of a finger injury, which has prevented me from getting as much training done as I would have liked. Instead of training I decided to finally sift through some footage that's been sitting on my computer for ages.
Here's a video of some Yorkshire classic highballs and trad routes:
Some Yorkshire Sketching (http://vimeo.com/86271445) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Nice Yorkshire compilation there, some good footage!
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Meteora (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/02/meteora.html)
26 February 2014, 12:05 am
Just had a week climbing on the conglomerate towers of Meteora in central Greece with my girlfriend Bron. This place seems to be a bit off the radar for most climbers in the UK, which is a shame because it is, totally, awesome!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mphPIYITE9s/Uw0YiCbJbCI/AAAAAAAAANc/aBg-r1LDOlM/s1600/DSCN1871.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mphPIYITE9s/Uw0YiCbJbCI/AAAAAAAAANc/aBg-r1LDOlM/s1600/DSCN1871.JPG)
I felt like it provided quite a different experience to a lot of "clip and go" euro-sport holidays, which can feel a bit sterile. All the bolting was done ground up and as such it's pretty runout in places, definitely worth bringing a trad rack as most of the routes we did had an average of about 3 bolts per pitch!
Just looking around in the mornings at all these huge 300m towers filled me with childlike psyche to get out climbing, "I wanna go up there!"
This was my first time using the Edelweiss Oxegen II (http://www.edelweissropes.co.uk/products/ropes/oxygen-ii-82mm-unicore/) half ropes, I was amazed at how much lighter they were than my previous half ropes and after a week of heavy use they still looked like I'd just taken the out the packet, highly recommended.
Day 1: Obviously had to involve climbing this:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqVcey--5_g/Uw0Y1kKlAKI/AAAAAAAAANo/suNLWsysHGA/s1600/DSCN1891.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bqVcey--5_g/Uw0Y1kKlAKI/AAAAAAAAANo/suNLWsysHGA/s1600/DSCN1891.JPG)
Day 2: We decided to go straight away for the classic route of the area; Traumpfeiler or Pillar of Dreams is a 9 pitch grade VI in the UIAA scale, which corresponds to about HVS, sounds easy! Well it was, but I wouldn't have liked you to tell me that halfway up pitch one. I found myself adrift in a sea of mossy pebbles with not a bolt in sight above or below and no obvious trad placements except optimistically equalised slings on crozzle! Thankfully after this it was slightly safer, although pitch 7 also had 3 bolts in 40m! Here's Bron seconding pitch 4:
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RUfxoj8gqXA/Uw0cb9iWX5I/AAAAAAAAANw/Ux2nYr5tey0/s1600/DSCN1927.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RUfxoj8gqXA/Uw0cb9iWX5I/AAAAAAAAANw/Ux2nYr5tey0/s1600/DSCN1927.JPG)
In the evening I snuck in an extra cheeky solo up this huge block, it had a cross on top and I thought "if a monk can get up there, so can I!"
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--nQdATIxdLU/Uw0d21IuBaI/AAAAAAAAAN8/TbU4Ad6vAbk/s1600/meteorasolo.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--nQdATIxdLU/Uw0d21IuBaI/AAAAAAAAAN8/TbU4Ad6vAbk/s1600/meteorasolo.jpg)
Day 3: This perched block is still up there as far as I know!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mf8LeB8m6PY/Uw0e_dcSeyI/AAAAAAAAAOE/JQ7ikDU74oc/s1600/DSCN2009.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mf8LeB8m6PY/Uw0e_dcSeyI/AAAAAAAAAOE/JQ7ikDU74oc/s1600/DSCN2009.JPG)
Day 4: We decided to try and climb our two favourite looking towers in a day, both via 5 pitch VIIs (E3ish). First up was Teufelsturm, which I am unreliably informed means "devils tower".
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJQS02vUEuU/Uw0g4L3FvNI/AAAAAAAAAOc/tC1P3CpVyAg/s1600/DSCN2071.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cJQS02vUEuU/Uw0g4L3FvNI/AAAAAAAAAOc/tC1P3CpVyAg/s1600/DSCN2071.JPG)
A missed belay meant we simul-climbed a large section in the middle and the final pitch apparently had no bolts! Summit one:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G8gxNLU2mlc/Uw0gzapXwNI/AAAAAAAAAOU/5aRT84ECf_k/s1600/DSCN2061.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G8gxNLU2mlc/Uw0gzapXwNI/AAAAAAAAAOU/5aRT84ECf_k/s1600/DSCN2061.JPG)
Next up was "Kastrakiturm", the final pitch had some incredible exposure!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A7Vn4IPUVGQ/Uw0h8X_NyNI/AAAAAAAAAOg/UPNAhJ95Nqk/s1600/DSCN2105.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A7Vn4IPUVGQ/Uw0h8X_NyNI/AAAAAAAAAOg/UPNAhJ95Nqk/s1600/DSCN2105.JPG)
Ten pitches climbed, hi-five!
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fDrYTg-_C0/Uw0i8m36oGI/AAAAAAAAAOo/_Csd3xhviCA/s1600/DSCN2114.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8fDrYTg-_C0/Uw0i8m36oGI/AAAAAAAAAOo/_Csd3xhviCA/s1600/DSCN2114.JPG)
Day 5: A 6 pitch VII on "Dupianifels" had a SWEET picnic spot in the middle:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LhNnSPrXM_s/Uw0jZ7Kch7I/AAAAAAAAAOw/XO6SnHGQvvU/s1600/DSCN2122.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LhNnSPrXM_s/Uw0jZ7Kch7I/AAAAAAAAAOw/XO6SnHGQvvU/s1600/DSCN2122.JPG)
Also from here I had an hour and a half in which to attempt Meteoras hardest route, "Crazy Dancing" IX+/7c+ is a totally wild horizontal roof crack blasting straight out of the cave!
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--apI_qAR-xk/Uw0kXSGllPI/AAAAAAAAAO8/rHsmzgVWcZo/s1600/DSCN2129.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--apI_qAR-xk/Uw0kXSGllPI/AAAAAAAAAO8/rHsmzgVWcZo/s1600/DSCN2129.JPG)
Unfortunately I didn't quite send, but it felt hard to be upset in such amazing surroundings.
Day 6: Last day! We wanted to try a route imaginatively named "Action Direct" but it turned out to be wet. Instead we went for "Keisel Am Himmel" a 5 pitch VIII/7a. I linked the first two pitches to make a 50m 7bish monster pitch. It had a bit of everything, loose pebbles, crozzle crimping, running out of quickdraws... Here's Bron seconding the crux:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OsGfJcQoMw/Uw0oDzpo5JI/AAAAAAAAAPI/yKbxbTkvdnw/s1600/DSCN2164.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3OsGfJcQoMw/Uw0oDzpo5JI/AAAAAAAAAPI/yKbxbTkvdnw/s1600/DSCN2164.JPG)
All in all I'd definitely recommend the place if your looking for a different kind of climbing trip. Do get in touch if you want the beta on where to stay, what to climb etc!
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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That looks amazing!
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Fancy a UKB punters meet there Tomtom? ;)
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nice one Jacob, hadn't even heard of this place.
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Fancy a UKB punters meet there Tomtom? ;)
Are there any VDiffs I can do with Knee pads whilst wearing long red socks?
Looks cracking doesnt it!
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Jacob, it looks like you two had a great trip. Meteora has been on my bucket list for some time, ever since this:
http://youtu.be/g45crkaAR74 (http://youtu.be/g45crkaAR74)
(Too much driving to the crag for my tastes, climbing starts at 1.45)
It's much better known amongst German climbers. Much of the development was done by Dietrich Hasse of Cima Grande fame, hence the UIAA grades.
Access is delicate with the towers controlled by the local monastery. Apparently this issue has arisen again recently (https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Greek_Government_and_Greek_Church_Allow_Meteora_climbers_to_climb/?copy). Did you get any sense of this when you were there?
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Blimey - there was even some bobsledding to the crag shots in that short.
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Cheers for the enthusiasm guys!
Access is delicate with the towers controlled by the local monastery. Apparently this issue has arisen again recently (https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Greek_Government_and_Greek_Church_Allow_Meteora_climbers_to_climb/?copy). Did you get any sense of this when you were there?
Huh, no I had no idea about this. We definitely didn't get any sense that there was any issue whilst we were there. The only climbers we met the entire time were locals from the nearby town Kalambaka and they all seemed really enthusiastic about the climbing there, recommending routes etc.
As far as I'm aware the current agreement is that climbing is allowed except on the towers with monasteries on top, which seems fair enough.
It'd be a real shame if this came to the stage where climbing had to stop there, sign the petition (https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/The_Greek_Government_and_Greek_Church_Allow_Meteora_climbers_to_climb/?copy)!
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Scary Weekend (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/03/scary-weekend.html)
7 March 2014, 7:15 pm
My scary weekend consisted of headpointing two grit E7s. Paralogism at the Roaches and Snap Decision at Ilkley. The idea was to mentally prepare myself for the headpoint of my project by doing some easier routes.
Two grit E7s, Paralogism and Snap Decision (http://vimeo.com/88445669) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
I was thinking about going for the flash on Paralogism, but after my two beta monkeys failed to get past the initial moves I thought better of it! Thank god because I proceeded to fall off on my first go on top rope! It's not a case of if but where you would hit the floor on this one...
Arriving at Ilkley to find driving sideways hail did not bode well for the day. The route, Snap Decision, had several wet holds and was generally quite green. I chucked a rope down it anyway and somehow as the sun was setting I found myself tieing into the sharp end. I decided to put a single biner on the solitary peg runner to reduce the fall distance and took a rag to dry some key footholds whilst on lead. Topping out to a clear winter sunset and a familiar kick of adrenalin reminded why I do this stuff. (Euphoric pigeons!)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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The Lizard King (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-lizard-king.html)
14 March 2014, 3:20 am
I finally succeeded in leading my project at Ilkley!
I first tried it 4 months ago, a few days after doing the New Statesman. Basically I got on it because I'm not strong enough to do the crux of Gerty Berwick and wanted to find another way up the wall!
You do the crux of the New Statesman to a shake, then swing left and do a crazy rock-over move to reach a pod in the wall halfway up Gerty Berwick. You follow this route for a couple of moves before going left again with a cool cross over sequence on pockets, this part is a bit easier than the start but the gear isn't great and you're really high at this point.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kkU3Or_-0c/UyJp8McC6vI/AAAAAAAAAQY/AxM7o6u7058/s1600/lizard+topo+6.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kkU3Or_-0c/UyJp8McC6vI/AAAAAAAAAQY/AxM7o6u7058/s1600/lizard+topo+6.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Red: The project
Blue: New Statesman
Green: Gerty Berwick[/td][/tr]
[/table]By far the crux for me was the rock-over in the middle. It took me around 8 sessions to figure out, and even once I could do it consistently it still felt absolutely terrifying. The move involves getting fully rocked over on a heel and then just falling sideways and grabbing the next hold on the way past. I'm pretty sure this is the kind of move Dave Graham describes as a "drive-by"... Also you don't have any gear at this point and it's getting close to the limit of what could be called "highball".
The actual lead felt incredible. I don't think I've ever been so focused. It felt as though I was watching myself climb it, and climb it perfectly.
Yes it's a link-up and maybe not the most obvious line on the wall but once you've been on there it's actually the easiest way up that bit of wall. Anyway, I had a great time climbing it.
It's for sure the hardest thing I've done on trad and I think it comes in at about f8a+ but it's always hard to tell with these things. I've given it E9 7a and it's called the Lizard King. Partly as a Jim Morrison tribute and partly to draw attention to the fact that many of the current world leaders are actually Lizards (http://www.lizardpersonornot.com/). (Although the name "State Pension" was a clear front runner for a while.)
Abstract Normality Media (http://abstractnormalitymedia.com/) caught the ascent on film, here's a few screengrabs from that:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hGbYrzXWrps/UyJq-8qCZkI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/0kkbbdsXBy4/s1600/Lizard+King40.tif) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hGbYrzXWrps/UyJq-8qCZkI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/0kkbbdsXBy4/s1600/Lizard+King40.tif)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S3La2kw-4eI/UyJqfZkO3cI/AAAAAAAAAQk/-F0tIE52rsE/s1600/1.tiff) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-S3La2kw-4eI/UyJqfZkO3cI/AAAAAAAAAQk/-F0tIE52rsE/s1600/1.tiff)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noja9uS2Lpk/UyJq0ZcddMI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/sdkcYie_UIM/s1600/Lizard+King0.tif) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-noja9uS2Lpk/UyJq0ZcddMI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/sdkcYie_UIM/s1600/Lizard+King0.tif)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Good to see you get this done! Well done.
The Rickover move looks like the living end!
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That looks pretty not-shit for a link-up. Good use out of the remaining climbable features on the wall!
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Interesting! From my very comfortable armchair, would it be possible to climb up a few more moves on Statesman and reach left?
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New Statesman - Milky Way link?
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(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kkU3Or_-0c/UyJp8McC6vI/AAAAAAAAAQY/AxM7o6u7058/s1600/lizard+topo+6.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_kkU3Or_-0c/UyJp8McC6vI/AAAAAAAAAQY/AxM7o6u7058/s1600/lizard+topo+6.jpg)
It's a good start, but you still have some way to go before you become a master giraffe link-up artist.
(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk163/CyLwiki/bcdf0981-de8c-4067-b3a8-d6f39674af36.jpg)
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Desperate Dan - Milky Way link?
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Stubbs that would miss the point of the link - the current linking section sounds pretty significant.
On the subject of this area, the right arete of Galaxy taken on it's right was well chalked....?
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Interesting! From my very comfortable armchair, would it be possible to climb up a few more moves on Statesman and reach left?
There are, in fact, many possibilities on this wall. The easiest one might be to climb almost all of statesman to the big cam then go all the way left...
I'll make a giraffe yet! Reckon I'll call the next one "Kingsize Lizard Burger"...
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Malham (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/04/malham.html)
14 April 2014, 8:52 pm
I first climbed at Malham four years ago, we bivvied on the catwalk under the crag. It was February and -12°C. We were so psyched on that first night that we made a 1am ascent of Begozi and the Ledge lizards 6a+ by headtorch. That weekend I worked my way through some classic 7as, I remember being particularily chuffed with an onsight of Consenting Adults, the warm up route.
A year later we were illegally bivvying in the hay loft of a farmers barn opposite the crag. In the morning I slept fitfully, I kept jerking awake having dreamt I was hearing tractors and shotguns... I remember falling off New Dawn 7c a lot that weekend, I just couldn't seem to get my feet to stay on the glassy polished footholds!
Then I moved to Leeds and didn't have to doss at the crag any more, this definitely helped my climbing! I started to get the hang of moving efficiently over the rock, I started to see footholds where before there had been only blankness. That year I climbed lots of the classics, Raindogs, Zoolook, GBH, Overnite Sensation, Predator... Culminating in making the third ascent of Totally Free II, the 70m 8b super route climbing all the way out of the cove.
A lot of people find the climbing at Malham frustrating, every hold is either a sidepull or an undercling. Often the crux of whole routes is a foot bump, or swap. For me this is what makes it great, it's all about tactics. Climbing well there is like playing a game of chess with the rock, often 5 moves go by and you haven't made any upward progress at all, just moved you hands and feet around!
In the last year I've been more focused on trad climbing and expeditions so haven't spent as much time at Malham, but a couple of weekends ago I went back for a play. I surprised myself by making a 3rd go ascent of Energy Vampire, a short bouldery 8a+. You can see my sketchy ascent in the video below, I totally forgot my sequence on the top wall! I also included some footage of the quiet crusher that is Jacob Handyside sending Overnite Sensation 8a+.
4 Bolts - Malham (http://vimeo.com/91956876) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Finally I'm proud to have become a BOB HATS (http://www.bobhats.com/) sponsored athlete! (this means I got a free hat :D) I can confirm that they are both extremely warm and extremely stylish! Also entirely handmade by a pair of loveable climbing/slacklining bums, what more could you want!?
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Yosemite part 1 (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/06/yosemite-part-1.html)
11 June 2014, 12:39 pm
Day 1: The pitch is labeled with an innocuous sounding “5.8 fist”.
“well that’s about VS, I could probably solo this blindfolded”, I think to myself.
I put my fist in the crack.
I take it out and look at it.
I put my fist in the crack the other way up.
I take it out and look at it again.
I put my other fist in the crack.
Hmmm.
10 meters later I’m a gibbering wreck, desperately trying to make the crack wider with one hand on either side. My lone blue camalot is the only thing keeping me from a 20 meter screamer. Above me 5.8 fist crack stretches on indefinitely. “HOW DO PEOPLE DO THIS?!?”
Well it could only get better from there!
I just got back from a month in Yosemite with my girlfriend Bron.I was super excited to learn how to climb big walls, which was the aim of this trip: figure out big wall, aid and crack climbing. These are some highlights from the trip:
Big Wall Number 1: Our first step towards big wall glory was the south face of Washington Column. On dinner ledge, our first bivy spot, we were joined by a guy who told us his name was Joe-semite. He appeared to be climbing by himself, had long straggly black hair, tiny John Lennon sunglasses and reggae blaring from the large boombox hanging from his harness. Occasionally he would yell “YEAH FUCK YEAH” at the top of his lungs. He seemed to be having a good time. Later two friends joined him having hauled a case of beer, whisky, rum AND vodka up to the ledge. Party! Not what I was expecting for my first big wall bivy!!! The next day we climbed and hauled to the top, Bron put in a great effort leading the last scary loose pitch by headtorch. We pulled our haulbag over the top and collapsed where we stood.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsiq9Fk4G_A/U5dxSrDdBLI/AAAAAAAAAS0/vko_PyDlTS0/s1600/2a.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsiq9Fk4G_A/U5dxSrDdBLI/AAAAAAAAAS0/vko_PyDlTS0/s1600/2a.JPG)[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPFfCeKkwCo/U5dycEGB3mI/AAAAAAAAAS8/XBNDjkHqzG8/s1600/joesemites+photo.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rPFfCeKkwCo/U5dycEGB3mI/AAAAAAAAAS8/XBNDjkHqzG8/s1600/joesemites+photo.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]"Everything is clipped to everything else, what is aid climbing anyway!?"[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cz8x-A-Fd5c/U5dxTegm1fI/AAAAAAAAAS4/hPgUPFLDp-A/s1600/6.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cz8x-A-Fd5c/U5dxTegm1fI/AAAAAAAAAS4/hPgUPFLDp-A/s1600/6.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Topping out in the dark from our first big wall![/td][/tr]
[/table]Royal Arches Solo: Royal arches is a classic 16 pitch 5.7/severe-ish, my time was 1 hour 55 minutes valley to valley. Running down I was laughing to myself, this much fun shouldn't be legal.
Astroman: Alex from Montreal had slightly crazy eyes and pretty much told me I was climbing Astroman with him. Astroman is THE classic free day route in the valley, it's about 12 pitches long and at 5.11c it would probably get E5 or E6 in the UK. The crux pitch is the terrifying Harding Slot, an E6 squeeze chimney! I knew my friend Steve Dunning had got benighted on the route last year so we started early, really early. By 7am Alex was leading up pitch 3, the Enduro Corner, an incredible pitch of unrelenting thin hand-jamming. Or frantic laybacking in my case! I climbed the corner like any self respecting sport climber would, shaking out, chalking up and not a single jam. A pitch or two higher my foot pinged and I was suddenly aware of an awful lot of space underneath me. My stomach stayed where it was and the rest of my body came to a halt 15 meters lower. I did some adrenalized shouting, pulled back up the rope and finished off the pitch. I could actually feel myself learning how to jam, on the route! Unfortunately I fell a few more times getting into the Harding Slot so the 100% free ascent was blown, it really is rather hard. I wasn't bothered though, it was amazing to be finding pitch after pitch of incredible climbing. Every pitch on the route would be at least a 3 star E4 in the UK! Higher on the route I started to get into my groove, onsighting the E5ish changing corners pitch and the ominous sounding 5.10dR last pitch. We were on top by 2pm so probably didn't need to start quite that early![tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcovaJP4EDk/U5d8QOtJ6OI/AAAAAAAAATU/2FKPmcJOxVM/s1600/23.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcovaJP4EDk/U5d8QOtJ6OI/AAAAAAAAATU/2FKPmcJOxVM/s1600/23.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Entering the Harding Slot[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mv_GIIb9Xsg/U5d8QvG5srI/AAAAAAAAATc/mh28bYwhllU/s1600/24.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mv_GIIb9Xsg/U5d8QvG5srI/AAAAAAAAATc/mh28bYwhllU/s1600/24.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]"I can't breathe!"[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-779sIFqKcWs/U5d8Qo_XrpI/AAAAAAAAATY/ZPwmtLpupVc/s1600/25.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-779sIFqKcWs/U5d8Qo_XrpI/AAAAAAAAATY/ZPwmtLpupVc/s1600/25.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The incredible Changing Corners pitch.[/td][/tr]
[/table]
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tacyckhJBPo/U5d8jyMTc4I/AAAAAAAAATk/ImsJfePbV04/s1600/25a.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tacyckhJBPo/U5d8jyMTc4I/AAAAAAAAATk/ImsJfePbV04/s1600/25a.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]ASTROMEN!!![/td][/tr]
[/table] The Nose: We climbed the world's most famous big wall route in 4 days and 3 nights. It's popular for a reason, the climbing is SO GOOD and the exposure is out of this world. Vertical camping! It felt totally surreal waking up each morning and looking down at the valley below. Like being in space. Somehow everything clicked and big walling started to feel manageable. Our ascent was a leisurely one, I think we could have done it in 3 days at the speed we were going, but instead it was nice to stop well before dark each day and have time to chill out on the incredible ledges. I can't wait to get back there and try my hand at some of the harder big walls in both free and aid style.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7DiZvfvy4s/U5eVDdsuyJI/AAAAAAAAATw/qkFi3bqhzF4/s1600/27.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7DiZvfvy4s/U5eVDdsuyJI/AAAAAAAAATw/qkFi3bqhzF4/s1600/27.JPG)[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6W1F33UNeE/U5eiLq6a-xI/AAAAAAAAAUg/whGWZ3e9cw8/s1600/30.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n6W1F33UNeE/U5eiLq6a-xI/AAAAAAAAAUg/whGWZ3e9cw8/s1600/30.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The Great Roof[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IyZ7EUgYL98/U5eiP7gaqnI/AAAAAAAAAUs/6C3vI23FTuE/s1600/31.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IyZ7EUgYL98/U5eiP7gaqnI/AAAAAAAAAUs/6C3vI23FTuE/s1600/31.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron seconding the Great Roof.[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0MEjRlVv5mo/U5eiPd6XMKI/AAAAAAAAAUo/5fXszjvKXRQ/s1600/32.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0MEjRlVv5mo/U5eiPd6XMKI/AAAAAAAAAUo/5fXszjvKXRQ/s1600/32.JPG)[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKkVHdJby1c/U5eiYYpH7SI/AAAAAAAAAU4/1bYxfUWMYjQ/s1600/33.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WKkVHdJby1c/U5eiYYpH7SI/AAAAAAAAAU4/1bYxfUWMYjQ/s1600/33.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The Pancake Flake[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e_WyMwKwB1g/U5eVFvlI7XI/AAAAAAAAAUI/jHEfAcKvXjc/s1600/34.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e_WyMwKwB1g/U5eVFvlI7XI/AAAAAAAAAUI/jHEfAcKvXjc/s1600/34.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Camp VI, our final bivy on the route[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j92I_X6XbY/U5eikjGt20I/AAAAAAAAAVE/zha-QscCQ7Q/s1600/36.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--j92I_X6XbY/U5eikjGt20I/AAAAAAAAAVE/zha-QscCQ7Q/s1600/36.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Some Italians we met on the final day[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Rab (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/06/rab.html)
19 June 2014, 12:08 pm
I'm really excited to be working with Rab (http://rab.uk.com/), my new sponsor. Over the years the brand has made a name for itself by creating the top quality gear for the mountains.
They supported our West Greenland Expedition (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=5840) in summer 2013 and I was really impressed with the gear they gave us. Ian Faulkner and myself were around ¾ of the way up the then unclimbed 1200m main face of the Horn of Upernivik (http://www.cosmic-dancer.com/news.aspx?ItemID=685). As we climbed clouds were swirling around the surrounding mountains. When the clouds moved in around us and it started raining we crawled under a fallen block. All I had with me was a slightly older version of the Strata (http://rab.uk.com/products/mens-clothing/synthetic-fill/polartec-alpha/strata-hoodie.html) jacket. I’m not going to lie and say I was warm! But after a night of shivering I was very much still alive and able to take full advantage of a small window of sun to blast to the top before the weather closed in again. Since then I’ve stuffed the jacket in the bottom of the bag on every multi-pitch route, just in case.
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bio6OQpwF8c/U6IvbLYzvjI/AAAAAAAAAYE/UYsrUbqfaMo/s1600/P1020092.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bio6OQpwF8c/U6IvbLYzvjI/AAAAAAAAAYE/UYsrUbqfaMo/s1600/P1020092.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Team RAB at the north summit of Uummannaq mountain, Greenland.[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nuzoCg_YM5w/U6Ivb2_aUbI/AAAAAAAAAYI/6B1HBsoGX0s/s1600/P1020468.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nuzoCg_YM5w/U6Ivb2_aUbI/AAAAAAAAAYI/6B1HBsoGX0s/s1600/P1020468.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Find the people![/td][/tr]
[/table]Back to the present I spent last weekend on the South Coast, the highlight being an onsight of Privateer, a spectacular 7b+/E6 deep water solo off of Funky Ledge, Swanage. The slappy compression moves high above the sea required full commitment and left me with an enormous grin on my face, I love this stuff! I’m so excited to be in the UK for a summer of adventure climbing…
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Summer! (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/08/summer.html)
1 August 2014, 12:18 pm
The last month I've mostly been climbing with the mentalist that is... Ian Cooper.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s2PtRZ9_K6w/U9rCJZjuEGI/AAAAAAAAAYw/0dPjBUic4Rw/s1600/Ian.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s2PtRZ9_K6w/U9rCJZjuEGI/AAAAAAAAAYw/0dPjBUic4Rw/s1600/Ian.jpg)
This is a collection of our best days in July.
Hindenburg:
Arriving at the top of Hindenburg E7 6c at Mother Careys Kitchen in Pembroke it looked steep and terrifying. Not least because the guidebook warned of crucial pegs rotten or missing and that it may not have been climbed in it's current state. The fact that Caff had told me it was fine only served to make me much more scared!
We went down in trainers on two separate ab ropes and back aided into the massive overhang. We found some gear and replaced a few threads. Doing this turned a potentially life threatening onsight attempt into something much more enjoyable.
I managed a flash, doing some shouting as I passed the second bouldery section. This left Ian to test the peg (it held) and he managed to send on his third go. We ended the day on an HVS called "Inner Space". Calling this a climb would be misleading, it's more of a tunnelling and sideways chimneying exercise. The crux is not being too intimidated by the horrific sounds made by seabirds in the depths of the cave!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsmPjXSZgnc/U9rD9LF-_II/AAAAAAAAAZU/8--a2PPJMMc/s1600/DSC01066.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsmPjXSZgnc/U9rD9LF-_II/AAAAAAAAAZU/8--a2PPJMMc/s1600/DSC01066.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]back-aiding into Hindenburg[/td][/tr]
[/table]Staffordshire Nose Challenge:
The challenge is to climb all 31 Brown and Whillans routes in Stafforshire as fast as possible. The difficulties lie in the fact that these routes happen to be excruciatingly painful and horrifically awkward, you can view the full list here (http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/set.php?id=653). We finished in 9 and a half hours, both having to redpoint the desperate Ramshaw Crack. Other gems were Crack of Gloom and Masochism, routes to do before you die! Speed attempt next! Since we're competing against the Wideboyz we obviously need a team name, I'm pushing for "Jacob Cook and the Disasters" but for some reason Ian isn't happy with this... weird.
John Dunne has been making noises about creating a Yorkshire version. This is still in the pipeline but I've tentatively named it BIG JOHN'S YORKSHIRE HARD-MAN CHALLENGE and it's going to be beefy...
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eYPEB-SA5KQ/U9rDzGLFNoI/AAAAAAAAAZE/zQ_RNVkTSyM/s1600/DSC01127.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eYPEB-SA5KQ/U9rDzGLFNoI/AAAAAAAAAZE/zQ_RNVkTSyM/s1600/DSC01127.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxeTlm1XSNY/U9rDy_Qj07I/AAAAAAAAAZA/h_P7ynJqEXo/s1600/DSC01132.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxeTlm1XSNY/U9rDy_Qj07I/AAAAAAAAAZA/h_P7ynJqEXo/s1600/DSC01132.JPG)
Verdon Gorge:
My PhD supervisor made the mistake of telling me he was going on holiday for the last week of July and somehow I found myself in the Verdon! The best route was "Alix Punk De Vergons" a 10 pitch 7b/+ up the mighty, overhanging and tuffa infested Duc. Ian and I were both surprised and chuffed not to fall off, team free onsight, booya!
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f3zKajCSmoI/U9rHns_13TI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/44pdlxn23LQ/s1600/DSC01235.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f3zKajCSmoI/U9rHns_13TI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/44pdlxn23LQ/s1600/DSC01235.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]I may have to report this to Jens...[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ_KlEtTaJM/U9rHa0iEFFI/AAAAAAAAAZs/fjPEiWoWChs/s1600/DSC01240.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ_KlEtTaJM/U9rHa0iEFFI/AAAAAAAAAZs/fjPEiWoWChs/s1600/DSC01240.JPG)
We also tried the crux pitch of El Topo, an epic 14 pitch voyage up the biggest bit of rock in the Verdon, ending in an 8a at pitch 13! The style is pockety slab climbing with bad feet, Verdon at it's finest. We both had a bolt to bolt before being suddenly, unexpectedly caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. Unsure whether to cower in the cave or jug out to the lip as quickly as possible we opted for the latter. As I manicly jumared lightening struck the rim of the gorge about 30m from me... a close call.
El Topo clip (http://vimeo.com/102285154) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Unfortunately I tweaked a finger so never got to have a redpoint and had to stand and watch as Ian went for glory and sent the pitch. Here's some photos from the glorious 8a 13th pitch, I'd love to go back for the whole route...
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzZscjMZck4/U9rJYgh2b-I/AAAAAAAAAaE/gAmRyMq7TNA/s1600/DSC01339.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mzZscjMZck4/U9rJYgh2b-I/AAAAAAAAAaE/gAmRyMq7TNA/s1600/DSC01339.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYNq1HTqBtk/U9rJZHLn7fI/AAAAAAAAAaI/HQY4t8Jqkwk/s1600/DSC01347.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BYNq1HTqBtk/U9rJZHLn7fI/AAAAAAAAAaI/HQY4t8Jqkwk/s1600/DSC01347.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YFVwRx0KSNs/U9rJZsKuh6I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/sWmdje_fRDY/s1600/DSC01357.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YFVwRx0KSNs/U9rJZsKuh6I/AAAAAAAAAaQ/sWmdje_fRDY/s1600/DSC01357.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TONzp3xVBwM/U9rJZ7p110I/AAAAAAAAAaU/mkjzqqbsf8I/s1600/DSC01368.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TONzp3xVBwM/U9rJZ7p110I/AAAAAAAAAaU/mkjzqqbsf8I/s1600/DSC01368.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J3ov-MK9yww/U9uDTl6YxAI/AAAAAAAAAcc/LUy7jlYoWj8/s1600/DSC01385.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J3ov-MK9yww/U9uDTl6YxAI/AAAAAAAAAcc/LUy7jlYoWj8/s1600/DSC01385.JPG)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxeTlm1XSNY/U9rDy_Qj07I/AAAAAAAAAZA/h_P7ynJqEXo/s1600/DSC01132.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nxeTlm1XSNY/U9rDy_Qj07I/AAAAAAAAAZA/h_P7ynJqEXo/s1600/DSC01132.JPG)
This is a great picture: Was that the only bit of gear you guys placed on the sloth (it is the sloth isn't it?)?
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If there's a thunderstorm in the Verdon going to the rim is a terrible idea. Sadly people have died like this (certainly one Brit).
Nat and I went looking for one route around Tobogan de la Mort and couldn't find it, oddly finding the surrounding routes / anchors. Talking in the bar that night it turned out the top pitch had been struck by lightening and was no more.
El Topo looks amazing but I wouldn't fancy it in July!
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So if you're caught in a storm midway up a route, what is the best thing to do? There's a small sheltered cave you belay from, and I was wondering if sitting on the ropes in that scoop and waiting for the lightning to go away would have been a better idea...
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Either that or getting to the deck and walking out via the tunnels? Topping out would be last on my list given you instantly become the highest point and you'd often have lots of railings surrounding yourself!
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Agree climbing out would be worst idea. Railings, plus edge of gorge would be most exposed point. I'd be timing gaps between thunder and lightning and if it gets too close for comfort sitting tight and riding it out rather than putting hourself at the mercy of fryable gear when abseiling back down.
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Does that mean fryable as in getting zapped or friable as in gear ripping out of the rock?
Anyway, like the man says. Jacob Cook and the Disasters. I can very distinctly picture Jacob, with that wide-eyed look of wonderment that he so often has, saying to Ian, "Look Ian, the Sky Gods are calling to us. We must run to them", before joyously jugging rimwards.
I love it.
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Either that or getting to the deck and walking out via the tunnels? Topping out would be last on my list given you instantly become the highest point and you'd often have lots of railings surrounding yourself!
We had an ab line fixed from the top of the cliff to our belay though so we were already attached to the top of the cliff by a long length of wet rope!
On reflection, I think the best advice might be 'don't get into that situation in the first place'.
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Anyway, like the man says. Jacob Cook and the Disasters. I can very distinctly picture Jacob, with that wide-eyed look of wonderment that he so often has, saying to Ian, "Look Ian, the Sky Gods are calling to us. We must run to them", before joyously jugging rimwards.
I love it.
So true - it's disconcerting enough belaying Jacob on sport routes, let alone accompanying him up a committing climb. What with his predilection for responding to feeling pumped by refusing to clip anything until he falls off and near scrapes the ground. I remember belaying him up Totally Free in a storm using a rope that barely reached the top. I asked what he planned to do if he fell off Breach of Peace / the top of Free and Easy, and ended up dangling in space with insufficient rope to get back to any rock (even if someone could be persuaded to lasso him from the mid-height ledge). He just grinned and laughed.... still it all ended well (although I nearly got pneumonia helping him retrieve his drawers from the Groove).
As an aside... definitely not a good idea to read Jacob's blog when you have had a terrible start to the working work.. suffering from urge to go all Peter Finch in Network I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkUl-zn27ps (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkUl-zn27ps)
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Was that the only bit of gear you guys placed on the sloth (it is the sloth isn't it?)?
Yeh, ran it out a bit on that one! It was the last route of the day so was feeling pretty in the zone at that point. More gear than this time though :2thumbsup: http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=193410&lgn=102129 (http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=193410&lgn=102129)
I remember belaying him up Totally Free in a storm using a rope that barely reached the top. I asked what he planned to do if he fell off Breach of Peace / the top of Free and Easy, and ended up dangling in space with insufficient rope to get back to any rock
I'm pretty sure I had a prussik for that exact situation! (still feel bad about how soaked you got lowering me down the Groove! :sorry:)
Either that or getting to the deck and walking out via the tunnels? Topping out would be last on my list given you instantly become the highest point and you'd often have lots of railings surrounding yourself!
We had an ab line fixed from the top of the cliff to our belay though so we were already attached to the top of the cliff by a long length of wet rope!
It sounds as though our best bet would have been to jettison the fixed line to the rim and sit it out in the cave. You live and learn (luckily!)
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I nearly got pneumonia helping him retrieve his drawers from the Groove
How on Earth do you get pneumonia from helping a friend remove a wedgie? Come to think of it, why couldn't he do it himself? :shrug:
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Does that mean fryable as in getting zapped or friable as in gear ripping out of the rock?
It's a pun, you know, a play on words!
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Does that mean fryable as in getting zapped or friable as in gear ripping out of the rock?
It's a pun, you know, a play on words!
Fryable being a gastronomic definition where you live Chris ;)
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Everything is fryable.
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I nearly got pneumonia helping him retrieve his drawers from the Groove
How on Earth do you get pneumonia from helping a friend remove a wedgie? Come to think of it, why couldn't he do it himself? :shrug:
No, no Andyd, you're confused! I regularily leave my underpants stashed halfway up routes I'm projecting... helps with the psyche.
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Was that the only bit of gear you guys placed on the sloth (it is the sloth isn't it?)?
Yeh, ran it out a bit on that one! It was the last route of the day so was feeling pretty in the zone at that point. More gear than this time though :2thumbsup: http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=193410&lgn=102129 (http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=193410&lgn=102129)
I have heard tales of pillowbag-on-head solo ascents of the sloth, so there is still room to push the boat out further.
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Don't spose you've got a pair of roller skates and some boxing gloves I could borrow??
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Films (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/08/films.html)
14 August 2014, 1:13 pm
I've put together a short film of climbing The Nose on El Cap with my girlfriend last May. This was our first proper big wall and we had a lot of learning to do on the way. Hopefully it comes across how much fun we had up there!
The Nose (http://vimeo.com/103421464) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Also I realised I never posted this nice short film by Abstract Normality Media about a first ascent I made last March (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-lizard-king.html). Apologies if you've seen it already! (You can watch this in HD if you click the link and go to the Vimeo website.)
The Lizard King (http://vimeo.com/91808015) from Abstract Normality (http://vimeo.com/abstractnormality) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Films (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/08/films.html)
14 August 2014, 1:13 pm
I've put together a short film of climbing The Nose on El Cap with my girlfriend last May. This was our first proper big wall and we had a lot of learning to do on the way. Hopefully it comes across how much fun we had up there!
The Nose (http://vimeo.com/103421464) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Also I realised I never posted this nice short film by Abstract Normality Media about a first ascent I made last March (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-lizard-king.html). Apologies if you've seen it already! (You can watch this in HD if you click the link and go to the Vimeo website.)
The Lizard King (http://vimeo.com/91808015) from Abstract Normality (http://vimeo.com/abstractnormality) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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El Topo (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/09/el-topo.html)
2 September 2014, 2:12 pm
"Eeet iz errrr... how you say?... F*cked."
Said the French mechanic. We stood looking forlornly at the broken Landrover. We'd made it about 700km down France to just North of Lyon. Ian and my epic Verdon adventure plans were rapidly collapsing before our eyes.
The plan was a good one. El Topo is a 14 pitch route up the biggest bit of the Verdon Gorge that was yet to see a one push free ascent. The crux being pitch 13, a f8a slab, it was going to be a challenge. Whilst the weather in August was far too hot (and our fingers far too weak) for 'in-a-day' attempts, the wall goes into the shade at 2pm. Our plan was to make a free ascent, over several days, with a portaledge, climbing only in the shade between 2pm and nightfall.
Steve (the owner of the broken Landrover and our lift to the Verdon) looked at us like we were completely insane when we told him our new plan.
"We're gonna leave the stuff and hitch-hike 700km back to England, pick up Ian's car and drive back..."
Pro hitching tip: Look as crazy and nonthreatening as possible. I donned a tie-dye vest and some pelican sun-glasses, Ian a Hawaian shirt. We had the inflatable palm tree as a last resort if it came to it.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izbAgLQ2EgU/VAS7JRI6_eI/AAAAAAAAAcs/sWA_94qJtL8/s1600/hitch.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izbAgLQ2EgU/VAS7JRI6_eI/AAAAAAAAAcs/sWA_94qJtL8/s1600/hitch.jpg)
It worked! We managed to hitch from Lyon to Calais in an afternoon! Arriving back at the ferry port at 11pm.
The woman at the ferry desk looked unimpressed.
"No foot passengers on the ferry at night, you'll have to wait until tomorrow morning"
Ian and I were on a roll at this point. We walked out, then drove our imaginary car back up to the ferry desk. The woman started to speak but I mimed that I couldn't hear her, wound down the imaginary window and stuck my head out. Ten minutes later we were on the ferry back to England!
Back in Lyon the following afternoon we picked up our food, haulbag, gear, ropes and borrowed portaledge and continued to the Verdon. We joked that the detour made it feel like we were approaching a real remote big wall. Except we could ab off and get baguettes at any point... perfect!
I don't think people go big walling in the Verdon very often, we got lots of confused questions in the campsite.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n6RWsYUN0w/VAS7balJICI/AAAAAAAAAc0/f51p0NWd2-Q/s1600/eltopotopo.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n6RWsYUN0w/VAS7balJICI/AAAAAAAAAc0/f51p0NWd2-Q/s1600/eltopotopo.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]El Topo topo[/td][/tr]
[/table]Since we'd already tried the 8a pitch 13 on a trip the month before and to make the hauling easier we decided to ab in from the top and leave a stash of food and water at the bottom of pitch 13 and then try the rest of the wall "ground up" to reach our stash.
Day 1.
We walked in to the bottom of the route with all our stuff including ~28 liters of water. Humidity seems to just sit at the bottom of the gorge and we were both totally drenched in sweat. I ran the first two pitches together, Ian got off to a bad start by taking a groundfall on rope stretch from the first bolt! What are we doing!? The hauling was hard work. Everywhere the bag could get stuck it did get stuck. Ian abbed down next to the bag and helped it past obstacles whilst I space hauled from the belay. We had a worrying five minutes where we couldn't get a knot undone and thought we might have to go down or cut the rope. Then to both of our surprise I onsighted and Ian flashed the 7b pitch to get to our bivi ledge at pitch 4. No portaledge necessary! I managed to bivi on an ants nest.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JeoJzmTd028/VAS97m0bhbI/AAAAAAAAAdA/-M_DWXywFdY/s1600/DSC01508.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JeoJzmTd028/VAS97m0bhbI/AAAAAAAAAdA/-M_DWXywFdY/s1600/DSC01508.JPG)
Day 2.
Ian smoothly sent the 7a pitch 5 as a warm up to arrive at the first 7b+ pitch. "It's completely blank" was the helpful piece of beta I had from Dan Mcmanus who had tried the route earlier in summer. It looked it! A smooth slab traverse of grey Verdon limestone with no visible hand or foot holds. My heart sank, what made us think we could do this?
It's not so much the grades of the pitches which make this route really hard but the style that those pitches are in. Smooth grey slab with no chalk on any of the holds... if there are any.
I set off on the pitch without any expectations. Something clicked and my self doubting internal chatter stopped, and I was just climbing. My body seemed to know what to do! I was dimly aware that I was pulling off "impossible" moves, fingernail crimps and sideways, directional smears connected by improbable, contorted shapes. Like a slow motion dance off with the rock. I reached the belay having onsighted the pitch and my thoughts immediately turned to Ian, how had I just done that? How on earth was Ian going to do it?! The pitch was so traversy that working it on top-rope would be next to impossible. He managed it as well! Both of us agreed afterwards that we had no idea where that kind of form came from.
Blank grey slab stretched on above us, it felt cool to be out in the middle of nowhere on such a huge featureless wall. I managed to flash the 7b+ above, Ian getting it second go before doing one more "6c" pitch before dark, nothing is a pushover on this route!
This was to be my first night in a portaledge. Setting it up in the dark at a hanging belay proved somewhat tricky.
"Is it supposed to be this wobbly?"
I asked nervously whilst semi-sitting on the ledge, still gripping the attachment point for dear life with one hand. Portaledges are not relaxing things! During the night it somehow slipped and I ended up lying very downhill with all the blood at my head.
Day 3.
We sat on our wonky portaledge sipping coffee under an umbrella whilst the wall around us baked in the morning sun. "This is the life!"
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KuuBflTSy4M/VAS-ScQP84I/AAAAAAAAAdI/VoTAg89DByQ/s1600/DSC01520.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KuuBflTSy4M/VAS-ScQP84I/AAAAAAAAAdI/VoTAg89DByQ/s1600/DSC01520.JPG)
The 7a off the belay was short, powerful and a bit chossy, I did some power whimpering and onsighted it by the skin of my teeth. The 7b+/c pitch above looked steep and powerful, a nice change from the blank slabs below. Unfortunately we didn't account for the obligatory slab crux by the first bolt...
Ian did some swearing and dogged the pitch to get the clips in and the haul line fixed. This was going to be tough. Again something happened and I was watching myself climb, perfectly. I need to find a way of switching this kind of focus on and off. I flashed the pitch, no falls so far! Ian got it first try on second.
"It's really hard and thin, me and Callum Muskett thought it was harder than the 8a pitch"
was Dan's helpful information about pitch 11. I fell off the crux. I fell off the crux again. I repeatedly fell off the crux for about twenty minutes "Oh dear, what if we can't even get to the top! Who could possibly think this is 7c!?!!"
In desperation I crimped down on a two finger dimple and rocked over on a non-foothold. Extending my go-go gadget arm I was able to reach a sidepull 20 feet to my left. A bit of a riverdance cross-over foot sequence saw me clipping the next bolt.
"I'm not sure if I can redpoint this pitch Ian."
I went to the top which proved sustained even after the crux, I would say the pitch was comparable to something like Zoolook at Malham. We decided to press on with one more pitch before it got dark so we could reach our stash underneath the 8a and go back down to redpoint p11 the next day.
Dinner was two packets of Uncle Ben's rice, a luxurious cold tin of ratatouille followed by an extravagant Nuttella binge!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZHwVDRRu88/VAS_m2nLQ4I/AAAAAAAAAdk/AEjSwWG9IW4/s1600/DSC01556.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZHwVDRRu88/VAS_m2nLQ4I/AAAAAAAAAdk/AEjSwWG9IW4/s1600/DSC01556.JPG)
I went to sleep worrying about the pitch below us, I could see myself repeatedly falling off that slab crux...
Day 4.
HAWAIIAN LEDGE PARTY!
We reasoned that whilst we may or may not be the first people to get a continuous free ascent of El Topo, we would DEFINITELY be the first people to have a Hawaiian party up there!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FWo5OUKKe64/VAS_-8bWk-I/AAAAAAAAAds/QbYnp3CLELo/s1600/DSC01570.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FWo5OUKKe64/VAS_-8bWk-I/AAAAAAAAAds/QbYnp3CLELo/s1600/DSC01570.JPG)
Once the sun was off the wall we went down to try the "7c" pitch 11 again. Both of us now convinced it was more like 8a. (We found out afterwards from local Alan Carne that someone broke a key hold at the crux of that pitch, which explains a lot.)
I found the crux slightly easier without the weight of the haul-line on my harness, and did the pitch next go! But as I was doing the final moves to clip the belay I felt a familiar pop in my ring finger. 4 days on a big wall doing very fingery climbing had taken its toll and my collateral ligament was partially torn. Ian lowered me off the pitch and I proceeded to terrify him by screaming in frustration and kicking the rock for 5 minutes.
I really really wanted the climb and all that stood between me and success was the 8a pitch 13.
Aware that it was a totally stupid thing to do I mummified my injured finger in tape so it couldn't bend and then strapped it to the fingers either side, effectively turning my left hand into a flipper.
Somehow by sheer determination and stubbornness I managed the 8a first go and then lead out on the final easier pitch to the top of the crag. Managing a complete free ascent with 12 of the 14 pitches onsight or flash.
I stood in the last rays of the sun totally exhausted, unsure whether to be ecstatic at having done the route or furious with myself for getting injured again.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcwUiWMwQbg/VATAZ7D4rHI/AAAAAAAAAd8/_0Ac1qQCaqg/s1600/DSC01633.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gcwUiWMwQbg/VATAZ7D4rHI/AAAAAAAAAd8/_0Ac1qQCaqg/s1600/DSC01633.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Success![/td][/tr]
[/table]Ian was yet to redpoint pitch 13 and also wanted a continuous free ascent so I descended to join him on the portaledge for another night.
Day 5.
We woke up very early to black clouds and the sound of thunder, we quickly decided to abb off for baguettes! Having been caught in a thunderstorm in the exact same place a month before it was not something either of us wanted to repeat.
It was odd after spending 4 days getting up there to be back on the ground again in just over an hour. The baguettes and coffee tasted amazing.
That evening I was having a nap and enjoying terra-firma when Ian stuck his head into the tent. His eyes were wide and he had a familiar insane grin on his face.
"The weathers cleared up and there's still an hour of light! I'm gonna have a redpoint and err... if I can't do it... I'm gonna spend a night on the portaledge by myself!"
Eerr ok Ian, sure, whatever :).
We abbed back in and despite a valiant attempt Ian didn't quite send. I jugged back out at sunset to leave him looking very zen, sat on the portaledge reading "The Rock Warriors Way"
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qs-4PvqcZfA/VATAk2FmVqI/AAAAAAAAAeE/6UBMx_h5Aqw/s1600/DSC01639.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qs-4PvqcZfA/VATAk2FmVqI/AAAAAAAAAeE/6UBMx_h5Aqw/s1600/DSC01639.JPG)
Day 6.
The next day I went back down and this time he managed a successful redpoint! Also completing a basically continuous ascent minus abbing off for a few hours to get baguettes. A phenomenal effort. Ian also gets extra style points for picking up hitch hikers during his ascent.
I'm gradually learning that the main obstacle to having really great adventures is dreaming them up in the first place. This whole trip took the same amount of time and money as a regular euro sport-climbing holiday but it's definitely something I'll remember. Bring on the next adventure!
Some more photos:
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lko4y9JSTE/VATA1LTFlJI/AAAAAAAAAeM/-qyutbFAP3Y/s1600/DSC01581.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6Lko4y9JSTE/VATA1LTFlJI/AAAAAAAAAeM/-qyutbFAP3Y/s1600/DSC01581.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6XbrB6CzHhI/VATA1bOao4I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2XjKkWYSFjo/s1600/DSC01582.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6XbrB6CzHhI/VATA1bOao4I/AAAAAAAAAeQ/2XjKkWYSFjo/s1600/DSC01582.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYRmwV1ipN0/VATA1mFceEI/AAAAAAAAAeU/7IiAdC2s8YY/s1600/DSC01589.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYRmwV1ipN0/VATA1mFceEI/AAAAAAAAAeU/7IiAdC2s8YY/s1600/DSC01589.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNIs_pzOp9E/VATA2bK6y7I/AAAAAAAAAeo/wVnHS6630aE/s1600/DSC01610.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hNIs_pzOp9E/VATA2bK6y7I/AAAAAAAAAeo/wVnHS6630aE/s1600/DSC01610.JPG)
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLPNA9XhvSI/VATA217EnmI/AAAAAAAAAeg/7GLE6M1mKJs/s1600/DSC01650.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SLPNA9XhvSI/VATA217EnmI/AAAAAAAAAeg/7GLE6M1mKJs/s1600/DSC01650.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]You can see the portaledge top-right.[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4mIz5QqkXA/VATBIJ3TSsI/AAAAAAAAAe0/78tuVC1R_Vc/s1600/DSC01653.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_4mIz5QqkXA/VATBIJ3TSsI/AAAAAAAAAe0/78tuVC1R_Vc/s1600/DSC01653.JPG)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Rope Solo 1.0 (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2014/12/rope-solo-10.html)
27 December 2014, 1:57 pm
When I climbed Zeppelin in El Chorro gorge 4 years ago my eyes were drawn to a series of enormous roofs to my right. Los Tres Techos (The Three Roofs) is a 300m aid route which blasts straight out of these tackling the final dizzying roof head on. This year I decided to attempt it as my first rope-solo. I was nervous but excited for an adventure. The thought of spending two days up there completely alone was something I found quite hard to imagine.
One of the things I love about climbing is how multifaceted the sport is, I’m constantly finding new ways to enjoy myself on the rocks.
I mostly used a method of rope soloing called the continuous loop method (http://www.andy-kirkpatrick.com/articles/view/rope_soloing_101_part_4), with my 80m Edelweiss Curve 9.8 (http://www.edelweissropes.co.uk/products/ropes/curve-98mm/). I had a gri-gri, backed up by a clove-hitch with a big loop of slack between. Before setting off I spent a couple of days going up single pitch sport routes by myself. I practiced paying out enough rope on my gri-gri to free climb to the next bolt, where I would clip in again and pay out more rope. I practiced taking progressively bigger and bigger falls to convince myself that the system worked.
I spent Friday night between 9pm and midnight fixing the first pitch. It was spooky hanging by myself in a near horizontal roof that late at night in the gorge, especially when trains would roll past directly underneath me every hour or so. Most of the pitch was a bolt ladder with bolts of varying quality, although there was a short section in the middle with some uninspiring rusty pegs. The next morning Bron came to see me off and took a photo as I jugged up my fixed line from the night before:
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJtl46eejdA/VJ627zEsQLI/AAAAAAAAAgo/rLXIKg9FiOo/s1600/bhcBg.jpeg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EJtl46eejdA/VJ627zEsQLI/AAAAAAAAAgo/rLXIKg9FiOo/s1600/bhcBg.jpeg)
Rope-soloing is slow, mostly due to the fact you have to ascend each pitch twice, once on lead and then again to clean the gear. I aimed to bivy on a ledge above the second roof and complete the climb over two days. Instead of hauling I opted to clean each pitch with a backpack containing my sleeping bag, food and water. I coiled my rope into an ikea bag so it would feed out nicely with no-one at the belay.
I got to the bivvy spot and had enough time to fix three pitches up the wall above before dark. Actually the process of climbing alone was a lot less nerve-racking than I expected, absorbed by the moment I didn’t have much time to get scared or over-think things. That night I listened to my ipod and stayed up late reading Lynn Hill's book Climbing Free, I tried to keep my mind from worrying too much about sheathing my rope over a sharp edge or dropping something crucial. The next day I woke early and continued upwards, every now and then I would stop and look around me, just empty air and vultures below my feet. It was extremely windy for the last two pitches, any strand of rope I dropped would blow out almost horizontally to my side. The final roof was wild!
Rope Solo 1.0 (http://vimeo.com/115444882) from Jacob Cook (http://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com).
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cnEqpjg0cfU/VJ6zItG7inI/AAAAAAAAAfM/_JmYkOUI7Nc/s1600/DSCN4291.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cnEqpjg0cfU/VJ6zItG7inI/AAAAAAAAAfM/_JmYkOUI7Nc/s1600/DSCN4291.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqZw4ViR2UY/VJ6zFMC-V1I/AAAAAAAAAfE/D9YfzIRv598/s1600/5xUhU.jpeg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qqZw4ViR2UY/VJ6zFMC-V1I/AAAAAAAAAfE/D9YfzIRv598/s1600/5xUhU.jpeg)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IwUdusb4Hqo/VJ6zQbRTp0I/AAAAAAAAAfU/hoSlhpipXr4/s1600/DSCN4340.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IwUdusb4Hqo/VJ6zQbRTp0I/AAAAAAAAAfU/hoSlhpipXr4/s1600/DSCN4340.JPG)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aFZqljKBxHw/VJ63U2xAMVI/AAAAAAAAAgw/Yj7GMuYkte0/s1600/DSCN4347.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aFZqljKBxHw/VJ63U2xAMVI/AAAAAAAAAgw/Yj7GMuYkte0/s1600/DSCN4347.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAngx3GS8-k/VJ6zcX9G_pI/AAAAAAAAAfk/lWPU6p9TQkg/s1600/DSCN4366.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TAngx3GS8-k/VJ6zcX9G_pI/AAAAAAAAAfk/lWPU6p9TQkg/s1600/DSCN4366.JPG)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eaCRbzC1mro/VJ62cCg1wOI/AAAAAAAAAgA/D1QgO8CMpDo/s1600/DSCN4374.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eaCRbzC1mro/VJ62cCg1wOI/AAAAAAAAAgA/D1QgO8CMpDo/s1600/DSCN4374.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQ3DWwac2Ew/VJ625m7RdzI/AAAAAAAAAgg/wrELL3eY40k/s1600/best1.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oQ3DWwac2Ew/VJ625m7RdzI/AAAAAAAAAgg/wrELL3eY40k/s1600/best1.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73LFtqZqonc/VJ62vMwYWuI/AAAAAAAAAgY/iAFYJkYNjVw/s1600/DSCN4412.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73LFtqZqonc/VJ62vMwYWuI/AAAAAAAAAgY/iAFYJkYNjVw/s1600/DSCN4412.JPG)(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuCeRwBu0Q4/VJ62mflxZII/AAAAAAAAAgI/qq9gLDOUk_Y/s1600/DSCN4428.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuCeRwBu0Q4/VJ62mflxZII/AAAAAAAAAgI/qq9gLDOUk_Y/s1600/DSCN4428.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMgno9wvms0/VJ62rmuTooI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/6gVm5Usnodk/s1600/DSCN4433.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KMgno9wvms0/VJ62rmuTooI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/6gVm5Usnodk/s1600/DSCN4433.JPG)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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2014 In Pictures (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-in-pictures.html)
3 January 2015, 7:14 pm
2014 was an amazing year for me, I've had the opportunity to go on some incredible trips around the world and it's cemented in my mind that I want to base my life around climbing and the adventures that come with it. Below are 12 of my favorite photos from the past year roughly in the order that they happened:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq9SIlyGByI/VKgt-_VoXsI/AAAAAAAAAjA/xuVpmvozzhA/s1600/1.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aq9SIlyGByI/VKgt-_VoXsI/AAAAAAAAAjA/xuVpmvozzhA/s1600/1.jpg)
1. Cross country skiing (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/and-now-for-something-completely.html) on the frozen lake Temagami, Ontario, Canada. We skied for two days and slept in a snow cave called a quincy, by far the coldest temperatures I've ever experienced. It was great to do something completely different and learn some new skills to use in the outdoors.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkFLXgRPK7M/VKgCzNWGfTI/AAAAAAAAAhk/k_0RmtJLJA4/s1600/2.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nkFLXgRPK7M/VKgCzNWGfTI/AAAAAAAAAhk/k_0RmtJLJA4/s1600/2.JPG)
2. A pleasant evening solo in Meteora, Greece. Climbing on the conglomerate towers was adventurous with an average of about two bolts per pitch. We saw one other party of climbers during our entire ten day trip (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com.es/2014/02/meteora.html).
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWZ8z53TDJ0/VKgCzpC3UbI/AAAAAAAAAho/ctrvUV6JgPc/s1600/3.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QWZ8z53TDJ0/VKgCzpC3UbI/AAAAAAAAAho/ctrvUV6JgPc/s1600/3.jpg)
3. The first ascent (https://vimeo.com/91808015) of The Lizard King E9 7a at Ilkley. Photo courtesy of Mike Hutton: http://www.mikehuttonphotography.com/.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d-ZPg39ZSOw/VKgC4CK4BUI/AAAAAAAAAh0/wvOIgVRtkjM/s1600/4.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d-ZPg39ZSOw/VKgC4CK4BUI/AAAAAAAAAh0/wvOIgVRtkjM/s1600/4.JPG)
4. Climbing the Yosemite classic Astroman with a crazy French-Canadian named Alex. Here he is seconding high on the route.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0KNhy8tkFgs/VKgC9vdvHwI/AAAAAAAAAiE/XcTUmlafRU8/s1600/5.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0KNhy8tkFgs/VKgC9vdvHwI/AAAAAAAAAiE/XcTUmlafRU8/s1600/5.JPG)
5. Climbing The Nose on El Capitan, the most famous big wall route in the world. The route was so good that when I got down after 4 days on the wall, I had one rest day and climbed the whole thing again in 16 hours with none other than Danger Darren from Tasmania...
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LSZkTsrM5Js/VKgC6dnIL0I/AAAAAAAAAh8/nRAk8OkBPX0/s1600/6.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LSZkTsrM5Js/VKgC6dnIL0I/AAAAAAAAAh8/nRAk8OkBPX0/s1600/6.JPG)
6. The Staffordshire Nose challenge, climbing all 31 Brown and Whillans routes in Staffordshire in a day. Crack of Gloom and Masochism stand out as highlights of the day that everybody should go and climb... This is The Sloth HVS, the last route of the day.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-miJz255g7EY/VKgDAZG-xWI/AAAAAAAAAiM/DDiR-U5h0Kg/s1600/7.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-miJz255g7EY/VKgDAZG-xWI/AAAAAAAAAiM/DDiR-U5h0Kg/s1600/7.JPG)
7. Attempting pitch 13 of El Topo (https://vimeo.com/102285154) in the Verdon Gorge, a knacky f8a slab in just about the most heroic position I've ever climbed in. We definitely felt like we had unfinished business with this route when we were heading home...
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dG1szifpOfE/VKgDDjjBpRI/AAAAAAAAAiU/zE0L4UId55s/s1600/8.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dG1szifpOfE/VKgDDjjBpRI/AAAAAAAAAiU/zE0L4UId55s/s1600/8.JPG)
8. Leading Eurothing E8 6c in Stennis Ford, Pembroke. I had several sessions on Muy Caliente, another route on this wall but never quite got the correct combination of courage, conditions and fitness to go for the lead, another time maybe...
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5rcOXY98Jk0/VKgDDwOnsqI/AAAAAAAAAiY/cIGTDrP3f_4/s1600/9.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5rcOXY98Jk0/VKgDDwOnsqI/AAAAAAAAAiY/cIGTDrP3f_4/s1600/9.JPG)
9. Back in the Verdon for round two... A Hawaiian portaledge party on our successful continuous free ascent (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com.es/2014/09/el-topo.html) of El Topo!
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iBrgF0qMS8g/VKgChW-BqfI/AAAAAAAAAhI/MGLQIccHuKc/s1600/10.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iBrgF0qMS8g/VKgChW-BqfI/AAAAAAAAAhI/MGLQIccHuKc/s1600/10.jpg)
10. Deep water soloing (https://vimeo.com/110033677) in Mallorca, here's Bron on Calamares 6c at Cova Del Diablo. I love climbing *and* jumping off cliffs so deep water soloing is basically the perfect sport for me!
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOmDD6J6nBI/VKgCrGFCeLI/AAAAAAAAAhU/pStir5x7VX4/s1600/11.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOmDD6J6nBI/VKgCrGFCeLI/AAAAAAAAAhU/pStir5x7VX4/s1600/11.JPG)
11. Aid-soloing (https://vimeo.com/115444882) Los Tres Techos A1 300m in El Chorro, Spain. Spending two days by myself in quite a wild situation was a great challenge, El Cap here I come.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2Gbsp19ILo/VKgCwU6Gm8I/AAAAAAAAAhc/twCqHd6bH8E/s1600/12.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V2Gbsp19ILo/VKgCwU6Gm8I/AAAAAAAAAhc/twCqHd6bH8E/s1600/12.JPG)
12. Connection Lourdes 8a+ at Makinodromo, El Chorro. I've spent the last few months of 2014 living in El Chorro doing some work for the Olive Branch (http://www.olivebranchelchorro.co.uk/index.php/en/) guesthouse in return for room and board. Climbing every day on the Spanish Limestone is like a dream come true.
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Jacob, most of your "things I did this year" are things I would be delighted to achieve in a lifetime. Mega!
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El Chorro (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/02/back-in-october-i-had-clever-idea-that.html)
3 February 2015, 8:01 pm
Back in October I had the clever idea that in order to finish off my PhD thesis I should go and live in El Chorro... Needless to say I still haven't finished my thesis!
Bron and I arranged a kind of job at the Olive Branch (http://olivebranchelchorro.co.uk/index.php/en/) guesthouse, which involved 2-3 hours work a day, mostly washing up/making beds, in return for room and board. The place is amazing, such a friendly atmosphere and full of perma-psyched climbers, I'll be going back for the season next year for sure.
Going out with a finger injury I didn't have any specific goals or routes in mind, I just wanted to get comfortable on the rocks again and have some fun. El Chorro is an amazing place and so much more than a sunny single pitch sport destination. Over my two and a half months I did single pitch sport, multi-pitch sport, adventurous trad, aid climbing and even some solo aid climbing (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com.es/2014/12/rope-solo-10.html)!
Towards the end I started feeling quite fit and managed to onsight three 8a's (Antidoto, Pepe El Boludo and XXL). Unfortunately, despite being great personal achievements for me, these probably aren't so interesting to read about. Roughly the story goes:
"I got really pumped, I thought I was going to fall off, then I didn't!"
Of potentially more interest is some of the multi-pitching and more adventurous stuff on offer. I was particularily psyched to climb all the multi-pitch routes in and around the Poema De Roca cave area.
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lPwBFAhhs1s/VNELFGpmDqI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/HZv3KdJ9ZHw/s1600/poema-multi-pitches.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lPwBFAhhs1s/VNELFGpmDqI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/HZv3KdJ9ZHw/s1600/poema-multi-pitches.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]So much fun to be had![/td][/tr]
[/table]Poema de Roca itself (number 14) had long been a dream of mine and didn't disappoint. In a feat of extreme foresight and wisdom I decided to set off on the route at 4pm, about two and half hours before sunset. I linked the first 3 pitches together into one mega-pitch of about 60m! At dusk I managed to claw my way up pitch 4 on my second try and decided that having done all but the two "easy" pitches, it would be a bit of crime to ab off. Bron followed in the dark to join me at the fourth belay, seemingly unconcerned that she has a maniac for a boyfriend. Climbing the remaining two run-out pitches in one, by the light of a dieing headtorch was the highlight of the route for me. Since we only had one 80m rope we couldn't descend down the nice vertical line of abseil stations on the right. Instead we had to back-aid down the way we came up, in the dark... all very exciting.
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qYCaEsq0R4M/VNEPO1sJQAI/AAAAAAAAAjc/b52BL1ZgbaA/s1600/christmas-night.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qYCaEsq0R4M/VNEPO1sJQAI/AAAAAAAAAjc/b52BL1ZgbaA/s1600/christmas-night.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Christmas night climbing...[/td][/tr]
[/table]Looking up at Frontales (the main cliff in El Chorro) I noticed some ABSOLUTELY SPLITTER cracks, up an otherwise completely blank wall, high in the center of the cliff. The guidebook confirmed they were all existing aid routes, "that looks about E5, I 'll go trad climb it" I thought...
It's safe to say I got my ass well and truly kicked. What looked like a splitter crack turned into more of a seam and my only runners were rusty pegs which I could bend with my fingers. About two thirds of the way up I had resorted to full on aid climbing to finally reach the sanctuary of an old bolt belay. No longer facing a ground-fall I was able to press on with more confidence, until a boulder problem stopped me dead in my tracks. After several sizable falls I had to admit defeat. I think ultimately it will make an amazing E7/8ish trad route, which would be a 3 star classic were it in the UK. It's still there for the taking, get to it!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eYaTGJn_2Ng/VNEWlsWBtjI/AAAAAAAAAjs/itDCS6PA5R4/s1600/Splitter.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eYaTGJn_2Ng/VNEWlsWBtjI/AAAAAAAAAjs/itDCS6PA5R4/s1600/Splitter.jpg)
Other highlights were this day tradventuring on a big cliff with Jimmy "fingers" Marjot.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iWN72j4Ewk/VNEXbJT0ZjI/AAAAAAAAAj0/xsLt02uzMBE/s1600/DSCN4181.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iWN72j4Ewk/VNEXbJT0ZjI/AAAAAAAAAj0/xsLt02uzMBE/s1600/DSCN4181.JPG)
More trad cracks on "Cerro Christo".
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx2hWVMuLqE/VNEc7ifvwYI/AAAAAAAAAkU/-qHQacB01cw/s1600/christo.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bx2hWVMuLqE/VNEc7ifvwYI/AAAAAAAAAkU/-qHQacB01cw/s1600/christo.jpg)
Climbing on Makinodromo, the tuffa-drenched super crag!
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyRq8jM6pso/VNEdNqPcxoI/AAAAAAAAAkc/37x6jn7brU0/s1600/DSCN4525.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyRq8jM6pso/VNEdNqPcxoI/AAAAAAAAAkc/37x6jn7brU0/s1600/DSCN4525.JPG)
Taking our non-climbing "boss" Gary, the owner of the Olive Branch multi-pitching.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jBQ5YiDsTJo/VNEdVR2lWdI/AAAAAAAAAkk/Cd3O3an6CvQ/s1600/DSCN4465.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jBQ5YiDsTJo/VNEdVR2lWdI/AAAAAAAAAkk/Cd3O3an6CvQ/s1600/DSCN4465.JPG)
Climbing all 5 routes on the "Amptrax wall" in a marathon El Cap-sized day.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fn-rUiD1M9Q/VNEaB0srcUI/AAAAAAAAAkI/hZZt18NupiM/s1600/big+day.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fn-rUiD1M9Q/VNEaB0srcUI/AAAAAAAAAkI/hZZt18NupiM/s1600/big+day.jpg)
Sprinting for the speed record on Amptrax (line 1 above). Our best time, simul-climing the whole thing, was 32 minutes and 36 seconds. It's definitely not crazy fast and it's a fun challenge if anyone wants a crack at our record!? I also free soloed the route which felt like unfinished business after backing off from past halfway in 2011. This time it felt calm, steady and under control.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ORDTABSlGUE/VNEdbKsfONI/AAAAAAAAAks/fgrO81BgI7o/s1600/DSCN4107.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ORDTABSlGUE/VNEdbKsfONI/AAAAAAAAAks/fgrO81BgI7o/s1600/DSCN4107.JPG)
My first time bolting a sport route, creating what is sure to be a future classic: "Leg vs Crowbar" f4+!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HD08ednD3jc/VNEjszBgMnI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/UXwyvID63ns/s1600/bolting.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HD08ednD3jc/VNEjszBgMnI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/UXwyvID63ns/s1600/bolting.jpg)
And finally this:
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx-6RhjcONQ/VNEkAEJt9XI/AAAAAAAAAlY/JROSICXcL9M/s1600/Dinghy.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tx-6RhjcONQ/VNEkAEJt9XI/AAAAAAAAAlY/JROSICXcL9M/s1600/Dinghy.jpg)
Let's just say this was the wettest non-approach to a crag I've ever experienced...
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Moonlight Buttress (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/05/moonlight-buttress.html)
20 May 2015, 12:12 am
We began our 3 month road trip through the states in Indian Creek, Utah.
Crack climbing is unlike other climbing. A sport redpoint done correctly is flowing and effortless, the main thing I learned from a month in Indian Creek is that even when you use correct technique, crack climbing feels intense, insecure and painful. When I'm sport climbing nowadays I find it hard to climb without expectations and an agenda, if I fail to onsight a certain grade I feel disappointed, I arrive at crags with specific routes to try and preconceived ideas of how I will perform on them. Climbing on Indian Creek desert splitters was blissfully free of these expectations, depending on crack size 5.10 could feel impossible and 5.12 straightforward. I was just heading out every day excited to climb on the cliffs and with curiosity about how the day would turn out. It was great to be camping with two Creek veterans Chris Bevins and Oli Lyon who taught us some of their hard earned skills.
By the time we relocated to Zion the learning curve was beginning to level out and I was keen to test myself on some longer routes. Moonlight Buttress is THE testpiece finger crack of the USA. 11 pitches, of which 6 are 5.12 finger cracks, the rack consists almost entirely of finger size grey and purple Camalots. We went up the first day intrigued to see how we would fare. The first tricky pitch has the hardest grade on the route, a 5.12d pumpy layback. I was pleasantly surprised to send the pitch with one fall. My sport climbing background meant the pumpy laybacking felt much more secure than straight in cracks, I was confident I could red-pint the pitch next try. Bron apparently doesn't get pumped and flashed the pitch on second. The next pitch get's 5.12a or 7a+ if you'd rather pay in euros, but it was a whole 'nother story! A back and foot chimney that slowly opened out to a corner with a baggy finger size crack in the back. My first go up, the pitch felt verging on impossible. I felt so insecure in the flare, I was ready to slip out at any second and several times I was proved right. After much whinging I figured out the correct way to climb the offending 15m of flare, with my right foot in the crack and my outside left knee desperately scumming to keep me in there.
Psyched for the challenge of freeing the whole route we realised it was a great opportunity to try out our recently acquired second-hand portaledge. Rather than miserably hauling the whole thing we decided to abseil in and stash the ledge and some food at the routes only spacious ledge, above pitch 7. This meant we could climb the route over two days with a luxurious bivy and only have to haul 4 pitches. The only down-side was the miserable hike to the top of the route with all the bivy gear, past all the tourists on the popular Angels Landing trail. I think they thought we were going on the most inefficient camping trip in history, I told them our haul bag was "full of marsh-mallows".
The route went smoothly and we freed the whole thing over two days! I actually didn't fall at all and Bron only slipped off a couple of times, going back to red-point each pitch. An amazing achievement for her after only two and a half years of climbing! She also lead two of the six 5.12 pitches.
Check out the video of our ascent!
Moonlight Buttress (https://vimeo.com/128292589) from Jacob Cook (https://vimeo.com/user3908706) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/).
On to the next adventure!
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Moonlight Buttress (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/05/moonlight-buttress.html)
20 May 2015, 12:12 am
Bron apparently doesn't get pumped and flashed the pitch on second.
...
Bron only slipped off a couple of times, going back to red-point each pitch....after only two and a half years of climbing
...
She also lead two of the six 5.12 pitches.
Nice one Jacob. That's a big tick and well deserved.
HOWEVER, the real story here is what an UTTER FUCKING WAD Bron is. Wow! I honestly cannot think of anybody who has progressed so rapidly after starting climbing. BIG PSYCHE, BRON! :bow: :bounce: :bow: :bounce: :bow: :bounce: :bow: :bounce:
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Freerider (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/06/freerider.html)
30 June 2015, 4:19 pm
My ankle skidded down the coarse granite inside the crack, I could feel chunks of skin being sheared off like in a cheese-grater. All the muscles in my body were going into melt-down, I was exerting near-maximum effort just to stay in the same place. I gave one final huge push to go upwards and made a kind of pathetic power-whimper. It was hopeless, I slumped onto the rope. Looking down I could see my girlfriend Bron stood on the ground ten feet below me, this was my second try at Generator crack.
Generator crack in Yosemite is graded 5.10c (or 6a+), it's about 40 feet high and an offwidth. It took me 2 sessions to successfully tredpoint… Yes, that’s like redpoint only on a top rope. I would flail and scream for ten minutes before slumping onto the rope in exhaustion and despair. Bron wasn’t helping by repeatedly slithering up the thing like it was a tourist trail. Climbing with flawless technique, she would wedge her left foot deep inside the crack then shuffle upwards an inch at a time by heel-toeing her outside foot and making a motion “like pumping up an air bed” she said. I decided it was because I was too tall, next it was because I had weak ankles, skinny thighs, big feet… the excuses were plentiful.
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Saq14SvuNLI/VZHq4xCyq0I/AAAAAAAAApQ/NjVAAcWqHOo/s400/generator+chicken.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Saq14SvuNLI/VZHq4xCyq0I/AAAAAAAAApQ/NjVAAcWqHOo/s1600/generator+chicken.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Someone that isn't me on Generator Crack,
giving a perfect demonstration of a "chickenwing"...[/td][/tr]
[/table]
When the successful tredpoint finally came I hadn’t done anything different except trying REALLY HARD, so hard in fact, that I discovered a new kind of power scream, which Bron kindly named my “dying hyena noise”.
It’s a popular climb and whilst I was working it there would regularly be a crowd at the base. People would look at me like I was mad when, after watching my atrocious performance, I would tell them I was hoping to try Freerider on El Capitan.
Freerider had been an obsession of mine for two years; it was the main goal for my three month USA trip. It’s the easiest of the free routes on El Cap, but with 5.13a (7c+) crimping and a lot of burly wide crack climbing, it’s no pushover. The names of the pitches had permeated my dreams: “the Huber pitch”, “the Enduro Corners”, “The Hollow Flake”. It was slipping away. The reason; pitch 19 “The Monster”.
“It’s an extremely intimidating pitch”
was my friend Dan Mcmanus’s helpful comment to me before I left. It really is! Almost 60m of continuous offwidth crack, with not a face hold or crimp in sight. It was inconceivable given my abysmal performance on Generator crack, a supposedly easy offwidth, that I would stand a chance on the Monster.
Climbing is what motivates my life, I generally consider myself a good climber and when I perform well I feel happy. For this reason I often end up equating my self-worth with my current performance. It’s a difficult trap to avoid. After repeatedly (and publicly) failing at Generator crack, I was extremely unhappy. I decided to give up on Freerider, why should I try something that I stood no chance of doing. I’d try another big wall free climb with less offwidths.
A few days of grumpiness later I had a realisation. Surely the main attraction with trying hard routes in the first place is because they are hard! If I failed on Freerider then so be it, I could always try again. I also realised that success wasn’t the point, regardless of whether I freed the whole thing I was virtually guaranteed to have a wild, memorable experience trying.
A month later I stood racking up at the bottom of El Cap with Bron and my friend Chris Bevins. I had no idea if I was good enough to climb the route, but that wasn’t important, I was excited to give it a go and especially excited to be trying it with two good friends. More importantly, Chris had offered to lead the Monster! For Chris, this was unfinished business after he’d free climbed all but about 100 feet two years before. Bron decided she’d have the most fun if she free climbed as much of the route as she could, but didn’t get too hung up about the whole thing. Our haulbags - packed for up to seven days on the wall, including two portalegdes and an inflatable shark – were already stashed ten pitches up at Heart Ledges.
We climbed smoothly up the first 14 pitches. That night I slept soundly apart from fears that a resident mouse on our ledge would run across my face in the night. They live inside the cracks and somehow make their way to all the popular bivy ledges!
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ga52J3Df5I/VZHl9PCQ3lI/AAAAAAAAAmI/AxWuj_gck1A/s640/1.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5ga52J3Df5I/VZHl9PCQ3lI/AAAAAAAAAmI/AxWuj_gck1A/s1600/1.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]
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[/table]I woke up the next morning with butterflies, this was it, the day of the Monster. My body ached, I allowed some doubts to form in my mind, I felt like I needed a rest day already and all the crux pitches were still above us.
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0IlpykpGU/VZHl-c2id2I/AAAAAAAAAmU/mchCik1uGiA/s640/2.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1U0IlpykpGU/VZHl-c2id2I/AAAAAAAAAmU/mchCik1uGiA/s1600/2.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Chris leading the monster[/td][/tr]
[/table]Chris cruised the Monster, chatting casually to us as he shuffled the number 6 cam, one of three pieces of gear on the entire pitch. Bron absolutely hiked it too, they both made the “foot pump” technique look effortless. I felt frustration growing inside me, “how can it be so easy for these guys!?”.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BW3CgpnS188/VZHmA63fO0I/AAAAAAAAAmk/LfD0g2TNRWA/s640/4.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BW3CgpnS188/VZHmA63fO0I/AAAAAAAAAmk/LfD0g2TNRWA/s1600/4.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron in the Monster - "It's easy, just go like this..."[/td][/tr]
[/table]Something I’ve practiced over the years is shutting off any internal dialogue and just climbing. This is what I knew I had to do now. It wasn’t pretty. I started off finding the going hard and it got harder and harder. Multiple times both of my feet cut and my legs dangled, my body held in place by a measly chicken-wing. By the top I was a complete state, bellowing “dying hyena noises” across the valley and on the verge of tears from exhaustion. Chris was alternating between encouraging me and laughing hysterically at my efforts. I reached the belay, too exhausted to be happy, but that didn’t matter, I’d done it.
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2RZkBbbzmc/VZHmAAyPLwI/AAAAAAAAAmc/UCvvWdMDFJ0/s640/3.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q2RZkBbbzmc/VZHmAAyPLwI/AAAAAAAAAmc/UCvvWdMDFJ0/s1600/3.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]In the Monster, before the savage burn kicked in.[/td][/tr]
[/table]That night we watched the sunset from our bivy in the Alcove. 20 pitches up El Capitan with two great friends and everything still to play for for the free ascent; I felt comfortable in the knowledge that I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else in the world. We brought the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy and took turns reading a chapter aloud. I enjoyed doing the voice of Marvin, the depressed robot.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDsKPR5vtNo/VZHmBxsJL2I/AAAAAAAAAms/Xprce72_ZGY/s640/5.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDsKPR5vtNo/VZHmBxsJL2I/AAAAAAAAAms/Xprce72_ZGY/s1600/5.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2Lw0iFpVCs/VZHmEK-cgBI/AAAAAAAAAm8/dW0XHBFV0H8/s640/7.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_2Lw0iFpVCs/VZHmEK-cgBI/AAAAAAAAAm8/dW0XHBFV0H8/s1600/7.JPG) The next day we opted to tactically rest in the shade of the Alcove for most of the day and go up and try the “Huber pitch” in the evening. Inspired by our friend Oli’s video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T_x6NXQyFA) we screamed “THE GREEEEEN DRAGON” at the tourist buses in the valley half a mile below.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2dRJZ8NVIT4/VZHmDCGR-mI/AAAAAAAAAm0/f5Rt9hN-YJY/s640/6.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2dRJZ8NVIT4/VZHmDCGR-mI/AAAAAAAAAm0/f5Rt9hN-YJY/s1600/6.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCT_CYxjzPs/VZHmKm86kWI/AAAAAAAAAns/o2sp9492-R8/s640/DSCN6305.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCT_CYxjzPs/VZHmKm86kWI/AAAAAAAAAns/o2sp9492-R8/s1600/DSCN6305.JPG) The Huber pitch is graded 5.13a or 7c+, a crazy dynamic boulder sequence, smack in the center of the 1000m face, amazing! A tiny, razor crimp and a rockover on a smear allow you to reach “the sugar-loaf”, a kind of scrittly sloper-sidepull. The problem is there aren’t any footholds in the right place to be comfortable on it. From here you have to make the “ninja-kick” move to a smear on the opposite wall of a dihedral.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cWfXfBn0ywY/VZHmTKLj7EI/AAAAAAAAAo8/61phlm7KJ0A/s640/JRB-150510-JB1_5456.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cWfXfBn0ywY/VZHmTKLj7EI/AAAAAAAAAo8/61phlm7KJ0A/s1600/JRB-150510-JB1_5456.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Photo by Jacob Bodkin (http://www.jacobbodkin.com/discovering-freerider/)[/td][/tr]
[/table]Sometimes on climbs that are right at my limit, I get this feeling that I’m watching myself climb from outside my body. What I love about big wall free-climbing is how good it is at inducing this state of focus. In the cool evening air my fingertips bit into the crimp, I could hear my fingernails scrape against the wall behind. The empty air beneath my feet faded into the background, I focused on my breathing and let my body climb, it knew how to do this. I came to from the trance to the sound of Bron and Chris whooping from the belay below me, I’d done it! Chris put in a sterling performance getting the pitch third go, his third ever 7c+, incredible.
We were well into the swing of things now, our team a well-oiled big wall machine. Over the next two days we forged on towards the top, tricky pitches like “The Sewer” and “The Enduro Corners” falling by the wayside. Since Chris lead the Monster it was nice to pull my weight with the leading on some of the harder pitches up high. Chris was getting tired though. On the evening of day four he had three unsuccessful goes at seconding pitch 27, a tricky 5.12b tips layback. The next morning I could tell he was nervous, his free ascent hung in the balance. I think it’s awesome watching someone try their absolute hardest on a climb, whether it’s a 6a or a 9a. Chris clearly gave it everything and when he got the pitch on his third try of the morning team psyche was at an all time high. For some reason there’s a tradition to make monkey noises whilst climbing El Cap, we beat our chests and howled gorilla noises from the hanging belay.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0hBFpK_NuuI/VZHmGsvKNzI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/nH3RqL3G4Ik/s640/9.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0hBFpK_NuuI/VZHmGsvKNzI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/nH3RqL3G4Ik/s1600/9.JPG) Our fifth night on the wall was spent at the Round Table. Both portaledges hanging out above the void, it was a spectacular bivy! We’d come around the corner now and could see the whole west side of El Cap. The more I look at the cliff the more intricate features appear, the colours on the wall to our left as the sun was setting were mesmerising.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RX943FP_s_M/VZHl7hyxBXI/AAAAAAAAAl8/2WcYDgFhlxE/s640/10.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RX943FP_s_M/VZHl7hyxBXI/AAAAAAAAAl8/2WcYDgFhlxE/s1600/10.JPG)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ljI4gNUEqc/VZHl8bj1Z_I/AAAAAAAAAmE/zudU0AcqZ2U/s640/11.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--ljI4gNUEqc/VZHl8bj1Z_I/AAAAAAAAAmE/zudU0AcqZ2U/s1600/11.jpg)
The final sting in the tail came the following morning in the form of the Scotty-Burke offwidth. It’s a flared offwidth in a corner with a kind of awkward bulge you have to get around. Chris, our designated offwidth ropegun, was having problems. He fell four times at the bulge, exhausted from 6 days on the wall and a lot of goes on some pitches below us. He slumped onto the rope after the fourth attempt looking utterly defeated. I couldn’t quite believe that our all-free ascent would fall at the final hurdle. I offered to have a go at leading it. I was able to layback around the section that Chris was having difficulty with. It felt totally wild to be laybacking the sloping side of the offwidth, my feet smeared on the glassy wall opposite, miles above my last runner and right at the top of El Cap. My arms were getting extremely tired though; this technique clearly wasn’t going to work for the whole pitch. I threw my left leg inside and turned my body into the crack. I was close to panicking as I fumbled to get the camalot 5 off my harness, preparing myself for the sickening feeling of sliding out. I slammed the cam deep into the back of the crack and tried to relax, this proved difficult. Somehow I fought my way to the top of the offwidth. Something clicked and I realised that the trick for me with offwidths is to just relax everything, apparently I don’t slide out.
We topped out at sunset on our sixth day, Chris and I having freed the whole thing. Less than a month before I had completely given up on my chances of climbing Freerider this trip. It reminded me that so much of success is down to mental attitude, I’m so happy I was able to turn mine around!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q99X-GiZmbo/VZHmHMOorUI/AAAAAAAAAnU/ffaydh-dSAw/s640/DSC04352.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q99X-GiZmbo/VZHmHMOorUI/AAAAAAAAAnU/ffaydh-dSAw/s1600/DSC04352.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Video still - It looks like I was pretty happy when we topped out![/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfwHX2PE0fw/VZHmKBmMi8I/AAAAAAAAAnk/P34Yeq7DkLo/s640/DSCN6290.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hfwHX2PE0fw/VZHmKBmMi8I/AAAAAAAAAnk/P34Yeq7DkLo/s1600/DSCN6290.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron in the Monster[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ltk7oYZvyY/VZHmL9c3WII/AAAAAAAAAn0/kor4JWXVVNI/s640/DSCN6309.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ltk7oYZvyY/VZHmL9c3WII/AAAAAAAAAn0/kor4JWXVVNI/s1600/DSCN6309.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The Alcove[/td][/tr]
[/table]| (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBu6ejYJr5Y/VZHmNvV3eMI/AAAAAAAAAoA/4V0H98OiJLc/s640/DSCN6320.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HBu6ejYJr5Y/VZHmNvV3eMI/AAAAAAAAAoA/4V0H98OiJLc/s1600/DSCN6320.JPG) |
| Chris jugging our fixed lines to the Huber Pitch |
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3TfSjmtpd1I/VZHmFrRjUUI/AAAAAAAAAnE/0x-tvqu1FcM/s640/8.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3TfSjmtpd1I/VZHmFrRjUUI/AAAAAAAAAnE/0x-tvqu1FcM/s1600/8.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bivy at the Block[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haXiNH0dz6A/VZHmN91cx_I/AAAAAAAAAoE/G3ZfGtHRGOM/s640/DSCN6375.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-haXiNH0dz6A/VZHmN91cx_I/AAAAAAAAAoE/G3ZfGtHRGOM/s1600/DSCN6375.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The 12a/b traverse[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hKUadZbcRKc/VZHnYqh-uiI/AAAAAAAAApI/GBhWlQwsSG8/s640/IMG_5172.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hKUadZbcRKc/VZHnYqh-uiI/AAAAAAAAApI/GBhWlQwsSG8/s1600/IMG_5172.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron and the bags in the spotlight. Photo: Tom Evans[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qtys-MHNNvQ/VZHmOx2PNYI/AAAAAAAAAoM/KsOCYnPNAUw/s640/DSCN6426.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qtys-MHNNvQ/VZHmOx2PNYI/AAAAAAAAAoM/KsOCYnPNAUw/s1600/DSCN6426.JPG)[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZXcUuBp9oo/VZHmP8DqgiI/AAAAAAAAAoU/Z-4aUw7H92c/s640/DSCN6431.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tZXcUuBp9oo/VZHmP8DqgiI/AAAAAAAAAoU/Z-4aUw7H92c/s1600/DSCN6431.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Freight[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iy_XeLJ0A-c/VZHmR-alQYI/AAAAAAAAAos/N2fqL83Dck8/s640/IMG_4859.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iy_XeLJ0A-c/VZHmR-alQYI/AAAAAAAAAos/N2fqL83Dck8/s1600/IMG_4859.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]"I'm pretty sure it goes that way..." photo: Tom Evans[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ7OMKXy0XA/VZHmRf2khnI/AAAAAAAAAoo/jKrtCrPaWwQ/s640/IMG_4815.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RJ7OMKXy0XA/VZHmRf2khnI/AAAAAAAAAoo/jKrtCrPaWwQ/s1600/IMG_4815.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron following a "5.7" chimney. Photo: Tom Evans[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCAMbDN0mlE/VZHmIRel39I/AAAAAAAAAnc/yu7rhR_X0ms/s640/DSCN5842.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCAMbDN0mlE/VZHmIRel39I/AAAAAAAAAnc/yu7rhR_X0ms/s1600/DSCN5842.JPG)[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3ZLnCr_btA/VZHmQ2scTjI/AAAAAAAAAog/uvzuu7GdDqc/s640/DSCN6446.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o3ZLnCr_btA/VZHmQ2scTjI/AAAAAAAAAog/uvzuu7GdDqc/s1600/DSCN6446.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Glory![/td][/tr]
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Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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The Nose-in-a-Day with Danger Darren (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-nose-in-day-with-danger-darren.html)
10 July 2015, 12:48 pm
I wrote this after climbing the Nose on El Cap twice in a week in spring 2014. Enjoy!
I’m lying on the grass in the Californian sun; even with my eyes closed I can feel the expanse of El Capitan towering above me. I got down from the Nose with Bron, my girlfriend late last night. We climbed the most famous big wall route in the world over 4 days, sleeping on the few conveniently spaced ledges on the way. Now it’s time for victory photographs and relaxing in the sun…
I slowly open my eyes and look up to see the manically grinning face of my friend Danger Darren from Tasmania. He seems to be saying something, he wants to climb the Nose with me, but I just got down from the Nose… What’s going on?
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oupdt0-Ftdk/VZ6BhP6LNDI/AAAAAAAAApo/DBjHJjobvns/s320/DSCN2579.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oupdt0-Ftdk/VZ6BhP6LNDI/AAAAAAAAApo/DBjHJjobvns/s1600/DSCN2579.JPG)
My alarm goes off at 3am the next morning, I stumble out of the tent, my pockets stuffed full of disgusting energy gels and Clif bars. In order for Darren and I to climb all 31 pitches of the Nose in a day, we will be block leading in a “French-free” style, short-fixing with a "Pakistani death-loop" and simul-climbing where possible. All highly un-recommended ways of climbing faster in exchange for some of the safety of regular pitched climbing
Leading the first pitch before dawn I’m rushing. Both feet pop and I’m off, somehow by reflex I catch my fall in a one-arm lock off on a cam.
“Take it easy, you’re not Hans Florine.”
After the first pitch things begin to feel easier, the sun is coming up and I start to enjoy myself. I find my bivi bag that I dropped from high on the route 3 days earlier. It fell 22 pitches to land back on the Nose! The day is off to a good start. Next we get overtaken by Hans Florine himself, the king of the Nose speed record! Climbing the route for his 97thtime, just as a quick hit before heading to a party in San Francisco, as you do.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_ZH6Ot2LMk/VZ6B9IBCRlI/AAAAAAAAAp4/1Mg2QmO91Jc/s320/DSCN2581.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_ZH6Ot2LMk/VZ6B9IBCRlI/AAAAAAAAAp4/1Mg2QmO91Jc/s1600/DSCN2581.JPG)
Climbing quickly and efficiently over the endless golden granite in the sun feels over-the-top euphoric. About halfway now.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIgemfKyw7M/VZ6CGVwuNoI/AAAAAAAAAqA/Idxr1kfovUk/s320/DSCN2595.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIgemfKyw7M/VZ6CGVwuNoI/AAAAAAAAAqA/Idxr1kfovUk/s1600/DSCN2595.JPG) My block takes us to the Great Roof, which I swing across making good use of the plentiful “fixed mank”, but clipping no runners. This way Darren can second the pitch quickly whilst I’m self-belaying up the Pancake Flake.
“Hey Darren… this is fun!”
I casually stand up in a wire and PING…
Crunch.
I stand up on the ledge and spit. Blood.
“Where am I bleeding from?”
“Darren, where am I bleeding from?!”
“err… dunno mate turn around… Nah, looks like you’re good”
“My foot hurts. MY FOOT HURTS! I think I’m ok apart from my foot… but I think my heel is broken.”
A quick “up or down?” discussion leads to the full realisation that we are 22 pitches up a 31 pitch route with only one 60m rope; the idea of retreat is not a pleasant one. I think I can probably still jumar and Darren says he can take us to the top. At this point it would be easy to be feeling pretty sorry for myself, but to my surprise I find I am actually enjoying the experience. The situation is a bad one, but not life threatening, and getting off the route is going to be a real adventure.
A few pitches higher I’m lying on the ledge below the infamous Changing Corners pitch, Darren seems to be grinding to a halt. I’m there for 2 hours, my foot throbbing, my body aches now the adrenalin is cooling off. Two falls, but he finally makes it to the belay. I pinch some ibuprofen off some Swiss climbers who arrive to spend the night on the ledge, unclip, swing, and begin ascending the free-hanging rope. The 800m of exposure below my feet feels wild.
Darren tells me his arms are toast and there’s no way he can lead the final four pitches.
“Are we having an epic?”
“Dunno, I hope not!”
With one approach shoe and one rock shoe I set off, trudging upwards, terrified of falling and jarring my foot again. I’m not really thinking any more, not scared or excited, just mechanically going through the motions necessary to get us off the route.
I stagger over the top just as the sun sets completely, almost exactly sixteen hours after starting climbing. I flick on my head-torch and sit down. My mind is alive with excitement and emotion again. Despite my injured foot, I’m aware right now that this is why I go climbing, for this kind of intense experience that’s impossible to find in regular mundane existence. Darren whoops as he tops out.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n4mbNx24QvU/VZ6CO4OcifI/AAAAAAAAAqI/nLy0VpreHL4/s320/DSCN2596.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n4mbNx24QvU/VZ6CO4OcifI/AAAAAAAAAqI/nLy0VpreHL4/s1600/DSCN2596.JPG)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Norwegian big walling (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2015/08/norwegian-big-walling.html)
19 August 2015, 7:59 pm
I just got back from 3 weeks in Arctic Norway climbing on the 400m North face of Blamann with Dave Macleod and later Calum Muskett. The aim was to have a go at free climbing one of the aid routes up the central steepest part of the face. Disko 2000 takes a direct line through a series of huge roofs. I saw the trip as an amazing opportunity to learn some new things from a pair of very experienced climbers, I left with no expectations.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIcr8fmdoUc/VdS90Xye86I/AAAAAAAAAqg/RyNA2LgGi-Y/s400/0-the+wall.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIcr8fmdoUc/VdS90Xye86I/AAAAAAAAAqg/RyNA2LgGi-Y/s1600/0-the+wall.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The wall, from base camp[/td][/tr]
[/table]Arriving into Tromso airport to midnight sun and meeting Dave was an odd experience. I felt somewhat self conscious setting off on a big climbing trip with someone whose climbing had inspired me for many years, but who I'd never actually met in person. Luckily I was able to prove useful straight away, by hiking huge loads of ropes and gear up to the base of the wall. Dave was recovering from ankle surgery so had to take it easy with the carrying. I felt relieved that even if I wasn't going to be able to climb anything, I'd already done something towards making the trip a success!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpNiJGFsCxY/VdTD1GL2Y8I/AAAAAAAAArs/IjlTrniuHio/s400/P8040607.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpNiJGFsCxY/VdTD1GL2Y8I/AAAAAAAAArs/IjlTrniuHio/s1600/P8040607.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dave kicking steps to the base of the wall[/td][/tr]
[/table] It looked as though the wildly overhanging first half (roughly 200m) would be the crux for free climbing, after this the face slabbed out a bit. Our plan was to aid the steep part and get fixed ropes in place which would allow us to work the pitches. The aid turned out to be pretty scary! A particularly bad moment was when Dave was aiding his way up an expanding flake 5m directly above me. Each peg he hammered in the flake detached further from the wall. I could hear it creaking. I cowered behind a small roof, trying to get as much of my body out of the firing line as possible in case Dave, the flake or both were to detach from the wall. That day we climbed until 6am, the north facing aspect meaning we were climbing in the sun in the middle of the night. Around midnight there was this spectacular, seemingly never-ending sunrise/sunset.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCEmXimuoNg/VdTE89ANwhI/AAAAAAAAAr0/bIvRixcpwx0/s320/P7310102.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jCEmXimuoNg/VdTE89ANwhI/AAAAAAAAAr0/bIvRixcpwx0/s1600/P7310102.JPG)
Once we had the first four pitches fixed, Dave decided to spend a day working some moves on the lower pitches whilst I offered to go aid soloing above to get our fixed ropes higher. I've always been fascinated with the idea of rope soloing. The whole face was enveloped in cloud that day, it felt wild to be up high on the wall, in my own little bubble of visibility inside the swirling clouds. Aiding pitch 7 I was required to do a pendulum 4m to my right to switch crack systems. I puzzled about how we would free climb this part. I spotted a jug miles out to my right, "I wonder if it would be possible to just jump to that?" I thought...
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-koiHwO7CUiU/VdTJc_xTRHI/AAAAAAAAAsM/1a67lSC0k1A/s400/P8060628.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-koiHwO7CUiU/VdTJc_xTRHI/AAAAAAAAAsM/1a67lSC0k1A/s1600/P8060628.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]rope solo fun-times[/td][/tr]
[/table]
Disko 2000 shares the first two pitches with an existing free route called Arctandria. Pitch two gets 8a+, the crux of Arctandria. 40m of perfect clean corner with a thin crack in the back. The crack is so thin in sections that it has to be aid climbed using very thin beaks. We left a few of these in as protection when free climbing, I didn't like the idea of testing them. My first work session on this pitch was dispiriting. There was body-length of climbing that I just couldn't figure out. It seemed to either require crimping on impossibly small edges or standing on impossibly blank smears. I went down to camp disheartened. It then rained for four days straight, sat in the tent for hours upon hours I did not rate my chances of climbing that corner!
When the rain finally stopped I went back up for another play. I found a way of doing the move, which involved a crazy "crucifix" style palm out behind me, followed by a desperate "windmill" move to snatch a fingerlock. It was on. The next day we waited anxiously for conditions, heading up to climb late in the evening. It felt dreamlike as I climbed smoothly up to the precarious rest stood on a sloping shelf below the crux. I expected to fall. I felt my left hand opening on the crimp in the crack. I thought I was off right up until the moment I found myself holding the fingerlock at the end of the crux. For sure one of my best climbing performances to date. Brilliant. Dave climbed the pitch in the Polar twilight shortly after me. We were getting it done!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1AjPHfU1-U/VdS-JXZoNiI/AAAAAAAAAqo/y8LdikCRC0E/s400/1-pitch2.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c1AjPHfU1-U/VdS-JXZoNiI/AAAAAAAAAqo/y8LdikCRC0E/s1600/1-pitch2.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The crux of pitch 2[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Ta6clOilxg/VdS-6KEqTNI/AAAAAAAAAq4/EH2sGOaMXm0/s400/2-pitch2.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Ta6clOilxg/VdS-6KEqTNI/AAAAAAAAAq4/EH2sGOaMXm0/s1600/2-pitch2.JPG)
The next day we tried the other 4 of the first 5 pitches. Dave pulled out a smooth send of pitch 4, another amazing 8a+ pitch. This one climbing in and around multiple roofs on crimps. It was particularly impressive since it happened to be pouring with rain at the time. I was getting soaked at the belay, but the pitch was staying dry! I wasn't able to do one of the moves on this pitch. I would have loved to be able to climb it, in fact, it may have inspired me to do some fingerboarding!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szsLIfo3Pws/VdS_U0A4E_I/AAAAAAAAArA/khEkxGNRQnU/s400/3-pitch4.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-szsLIfo3Pws/VdS_U0A4E_I/AAAAAAAAArA/khEkxGNRQnU/s1600/3-pitch4.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dave on pitch 4[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AKUp4gqNSUA/VdS__LYa-RI/AAAAAAAAArQ/WoZCT99yr08/s400/4-pitch4.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AKUp4gqNSUA/VdS__LYa-RI/AAAAAAAAArQ/WoZCT99yr08/s1600/4-pitch4.JPG)
The other highlight of the day was pitch 5, the "Kalk & Gummi" roof as it was dubbed by the first aid ascentionists. It's for sure one of the most eye-catching pitches on the route. A 45 degree overhanging finger crack, with some wild crux moves to catch a jug on the lip. The problem was that the crack seemed to be permanently soaked in a thick black slime. Amazingly it became apparent that the finger-locks were so bomber you could use them even in the wet. We took it in turns having goes at leading the pitch, making a paste of chalk and slime, which turned out to be slightly more sticky that just slime! Water was running down my arms as I pulled between locks. Catching the jug on the lip and cutting loose has to be one of the most heroic positions I've ever found myself in! If I was to design a free climb I couldn't ask for a more perfectly positioned hold.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iB7jNl0ezM/VdS_6xELgCI/AAAAAAAAArI/_SmvrgBzvfE/s400/5-kalkgummi.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4iB7jNl0ezM/VdS_6xELgCI/AAAAAAAAArI/_SmvrgBzvfE/s1600/5-kalkgummi.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dave on the lip of the Kalk & Gummi roof[/td][/tr]
[/table]The next day we jugged up to the top of the Kalk & Gummi roof with the aim of free climbing to the top from there. We soon found ourselves underneath pitch 7, the dyno pitch. Dave went up on our fixed rope and much to my disappointment, found a way of free climbing around the dyno move, going right a few meters higher. It looked desperate. He offered to lead the pitch his way, but I had a nagging feeling that I'd regret it if I didn't at least have a go at the dyno. I asked if it would be ok for me to have a bash first. Both feet pasted on smears and eyeing up the jug way off to my right, it suddenly looked a lot further away and less jug-like. Detaching brain, I flung myself sideways across the void, touched the hold and skittered off downwards to meet Dave at the belay 8m below. I think both Calum and Dave thought I was completely mad when I mentioned I was going to have another go. The second failed attempt left me with blood pouring out of my right hand and visibly shaking from adrenalin. I was getting closer! Dave suggested moving in more of an arc motion rather than a straight line. I thought of what Johnny Dawes might say, "you've got to find the fast currents". I visualised my path through the air like one of those Donnie Darko movement trains. Actually maybe I didn’t do any of these things, anyway, I stuck it! Just. Feet pedaling wildly I stood up on the shelf I'd jumped to. I had to stand there for about ten minutes to stop shaking enough to lead the rest of the pitch.
Disco 2000 quick clip (https://vimeo.com/136212671) from Dave MacLeod (https://vimeo.com/user799476) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com).
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kFHbE6v3md4/VdTAjz9hd4I/AAAAAAAAArg/y5KfxZddvAk/s400/7-dynopitch.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kFHbE6v3md4/VdTAjz9hd4I/AAAAAAAAArg/y5KfxZddvAk/s1600/7-dynopitch.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dyno![/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td]
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GXscefob1KM/VdTAqI-Zr5I/AAAAAAAAAro/TiSrqJZFqOw/s400/8-dynopitch.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GXscefob1KM/VdTAqI-Zr5I/AAAAAAAAAro/TiSrqJZFqOw/s1600/8-dynopitch.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Incredible climbing after the dyno on pitch 7[/td][/tr]
[/table]This pitch was the end of our fixed ropes. We were just over half way up the wall. The weather was starting to look pretty terrible. It seemed to be raining on both sides of us. Calum decided to head down, leaving me and Dave to press on towards the top. Both of us fully expecting to bail when it started raining in ten minutes time. But it didn't. Somehow the storm was holding off. The route now followed a large corner system which turned out to be pretty wet, Dave pulled out an amazing lead of a pitch that would be solid E5 if it were dry. There followed a somewhat gruesome squeeze chimney that turned out to be my lead. As we climbed higher the weather looked worse and worse. I started to get pretty scared at the prospect of navigating our way back down the wall in the storm should we have to bail. I was seconding the last pitch to the top of the wall as the heavens opened and we were both soaked to the skin. Amazing timing!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C852RCqiq_Y/VdTGwfays2I/AAAAAAAAAsA/N1Dq2YIgCoc/s400/9-summit.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C852RCqiq_Y/VdTGwfays2I/AAAAAAAAAsA/N1Dq2YIgCoc/s1600/9-summit.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Summit! In the pouring rain[/td][/tr]
[/table]I was disappointing not to be able to redpoint pitch 4, but happy with how I climbed on the rest of the route. We did it in the best style we could, given some atrocious weather; redpointing the first 5 pitches over two days (I managed 4 of these), then climbing the rest of the route to the top on day 3. The one day free ascent is still there for the taking and would be a very good effort indeed!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wQ9LjIM1I8/VdS-Sr85Q6I/AAAAAAAAAqw/Y1DWAfEn5Us/s640/10-topo.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wQ9LjIM1I8/VdS-Sr85Q6I/AAAAAAAAAqw/Y1DWAfEn5Us/s1600/10-topo.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Topo of Disko 2000 free route [/td][/tr]
[/table]
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Yosemite 3 (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2016/01/yosemite-3.html)
8 January 2016, 5:22 pm
I've realised that Yosemite is somewhere I intend on coming back to again and again. I love it! The climbing is challenging and engaging in a way that I haven't found anywhere else. To climb hard there it's not enough just to be strong, skilled, bold or tough, you have to have a bit of everything. Basically you have to be a good climber. I read an interview with Tommy Caldwell where he said it took him 4 years just to learn how to use his feet on El Cap granite, and this is what ultimately made the difference between 5.13 and 5.14 for him. I find this hugely inspiring and motivating, I've only had three trips, imagine if I learned to use my feet properly! With this in mind my goals for my third Yosemite trip were more about learning and improving than any one specific objective. This felt very different to my first two trips, both of which had been focused on the one goal of free climbing El Capitan via Freerider. It was great to arrive back in the Valley with no expectations, I felt relaxed and able to enjoy my favourite place in the world!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26_YtVJlSVE/VnVTTDjtTGI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SsCKdbhzZ60/s400/bodkin-freerider-boulder.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26_YtVJlSVE/VnVTTDjtTGI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/SsCKdbhzZ60/s1600/bodkin-freerider-boulder.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Crimping hard on Freerider last June.[/td][/tr]
[/table]We spent the first 3 weeks in Tuolumne; the high country above Yosemite Valley. Peace is a famously thin 5.13+ (8a+/b) slab and wall climb on the beautiful golden West face of Medicott dome. I had seen this sweet poster of Ron Kauk making the first ascent when I was a kid.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QlYMI3-txMY/VlihG6oFxZI/AAAAAAAAAtA/x9R3muGBJEs/s640/ronkaukpeace.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QlYMI3-txMY/VlihG6oFxZI/AAAAAAAAAtA/x9R3muGBJEs/s1600/ronkaukpeace.jpg)
Peace is an enormous 60 meter pitch climbing a black streak on a golden wall, it varies between 85 and 95 degrees; a testpiece of techy wall climbing. The wall is covered in Tuolumne's infamous granite chickenheads or "knobs", with virtually no distinguishing features at any point. The crux seemed to be just remembering which part of the route I was on! At any one time I could reach maybe 20 knobs and 19 of them were so bad I'd fall immediately. I loved the style of climbing, and it was especially fun since my friends Alan Carne and Brette Harrington were working on the Bachar Yerian a few meters to my left. We would have leisurely chats, suspended above the floor between attempts. I had quite a strange progression on the route, it took 3 sessions just to do all the moves in isolation, and I sent the route on my first proper redpoint, completely out of the blue, on my 5th day. Such a beautiful line!
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xT9NhlRyCY/VnVX3BAPAtI/AAAAAAAAAtc/a2Zj66hFwus/s640/IMG_0806.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8xT9NhlRyCY/VnVX3BAPAtI/AAAAAAAAAtc/a2Zj66hFwus/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AVcwd13ysq0/VnVX8QNrVmI/AAAAAAAAAtw/49sf6Z_npEU/s640/IMG_0778.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AVcwd13ysq0/VnVX8QNrVmI/AAAAAAAAAtw/49sf6Z_npEU/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG)
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjI18b53-VA/VnVX8NGgz5I/AAAAAAAAAtk/W4q1t4d3P0k/s640/PA120367.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjI18b53-VA/VnVX8NGgz5I/AAAAAAAAAtk/W4q1t4d3P0k/s1600/PA120367.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The first crux[/td][/tr]
[/table]Peace goes into the sun just after midday, making the climb about 100 times harder. In the afternoons Bron and I were loving life, charging up granite dome after granite dome. We climbed the moderate routes, and practiced moving fast. We would take one short half rope and simul-climb large sections, often putting a micro-traxion or a rope-man between us to protect the leader if the second were to fall. Climbing this way is outrageously fun, it's difficult to describe the feeling apart from by saying it makes regular pitched climbing feel like a snails-crawl. One great day we managed to climb 3 routes on Fairview dome in an afternoon!
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-982ETnemn2I/Vo_Rndo0ouI/AAAAAAAAAuY/wfoOKb-1lOw/s640/P9280188.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-982ETnemn2I/Vo_Rndo0ouI/AAAAAAAAAuY/wfoOKb-1lOw/s1600/P9280188.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sunset after our 3rd route on Tuolumne's Fairview Dome![/td][/tr]
[/table]As the weather got colder we moved down into the Valley proper and continued running up thousands and thousands of feet of granite.
Highlights:
Royal Arches North Dome. We climbed what is normally 24 pitches of climbing in 4 long "simul-blocks" reaching the summit of North Dome before midday!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uzKS5TlnKA/Vo_SFNAzjOI/AAAAAAAAAuk/N17I4vXSd_Q/s640/PA050319.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1uzKS5TlnKA/Vo_SFNAzjOI/AAAAAAAAAuk/N17I4vXSd_Q/s1600/PA050319.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]5000 feet of climbing and it's only midday![/td][/tr]
[/table]The Rostrum, I was delighted for both Bron and I to get the onsight of this iconic crack climbing testpiece.
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5CucFmGECE/Vo_SSCr7PyI/AAAAAAAAAu8/WPt4g1FtGF8/s640/PA060340.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5CucFmGECE/Vo_SSCr7PyI/AAAAAAAAAu8/WPt4g1FtGF8/s1600/PA060340.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron cruising the Rostrum[/td][/tr]
[/table]Astroman. It only took me three trips across the Atlantic and three separate attempts to finally send this climb. Specifically the Harding slot, a pitch that is supposedly 6c! I just needed Bron to get the top rope up there for me first! The next challenge is going to be doing the Rostrum AND Astroman in a day, my hands hurt just thinking about it!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANYgmGdq8DE/Vo_Sncf6hmI/AAAAAAAAAvI/6GMKtJCgVok/s640/DSCN7575.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ANYgmGdq8DE/Vo_Sncf6hmI/AAAAAAAAAvI/6GMKtJCgVok/s1600/DSCN7575.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron getting my top-rope up for me on the Harding slot.[/td][/tr]
[/table]Mount Watkins
Much of the Valley was extremely crowded in October, I heard tales of 10 or more teams on the first half of Salathe/Freerider! I was keen for a Yosemite free climbing adventure that was a little bit more off the beaten track. The South face of Mount Watkins ticked these boxes and the crux was rumoured to be a 5.13c/8a+ dyno, I was sold! We packed for 4 days, one to hike in, two days climbing and a fourth to hike off the top. Getting to the base of the wall turned out to be quite a logistical challenge, we hiked for about 4 hours up the secluded Tenaya Canyon, taking us far from the tour buses and burger stands of the Valley proper. We filtered water from Tenaya Creek and began the epic task of getting our haulbag to the top of the "4th class" at the base of the wall. Some of the "4th class" turned out to involve soaking wet slabs up to 5.8!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35XQAcf8nHU/VnVijaenvQI/AAAAAAAAAt8/A33Hq8EoVwM/s640/PA290570.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-35XQAcf8nHU/VnVijaenvQI/AAAAAAAAAt8/A33Hq8EoVwM/s1600/PA290570.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Endless low angle slabs, the wall just kept getting further away![/td][/tr]
[/table]I had just enough light left on our first day to have one attempt at the first hard pitch, a low angle blank looking 12a slab. A beautiful pitch that made all the slog of getting to the wall seem instantly worth it.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O67FAmfXpys/VnVikO9jtNI/AAAAAAAAAuA/ZhSo_tyIoxs/s640/PA300590.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O67FAmfXpys/VnVikO9jtNI/AAAAAAAAAuA/ZhSo_tyIoxs/s1600/PA300590.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]onsighting the first pitch, 12a slab![/td][td]
[/td][td]
[/td][/tr]
[/table]We woke before dawn and climbed all the next day, there was not another person in sight; we had the whole of Tenaya Canyon to ourselves! At dusk we reached to an amazing bivy ledge above pitch 11, and set up camp.
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0y-AWt_UBw/Vo_WJTZQotI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/KggwAkslC8w/s640/PA300593.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o0y-AWt_UBw/Vo_WJTZQotI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/KggwAkslC8w/s1600/PA300593.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron jugging our fixed line at dawn.[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuaeiHcKRqA/Vo_WNtDawiI/AAAAAAAAAvc/QgFS-462els/s640/PA310662.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XuaeiHcKRqA/Vo_WNtDawiI/AAAAAAAAAvc/QgFS-462els/s1600/PA310662.JPG)[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y5hYyd5TaWM/Vo_WV02DZxI/AAAAAAAAAvs/wsBf6S-Da0w/s640/PB010675.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y5hYyd5TaWM/Vo_WV02DZxI/AAAAAAAAAvs/wsBf6S-Da0w/s1600/PB010675.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Beautiful view of Half Dome.[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b23W1tCrGA4/Vo_WOx1TQHI/AAAAAAAAAvk/VQIGFPqdq-8/s640/PA310643.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b23W1tCrGA4/Vo_WOx1TQHI/AAAAAAAAAvk/VQIGFPqdq-8/s1600/PA310643.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron leading the outrageously exposed pitch 10, possibly the best pitch of 5.3 in the world![/td][/tr]
[/table]Our alarm went off at 5am the next morning, I knew that all the hardest climbing still lay above me. I felt excited to try my hardest and give it my absolute best shot!
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5kacXXWekA/Vo_aYE0aFrI/AAAAAAAAAv8/y-n7_Gfdlgs/s640/PA310654.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K5kacXXWekA/Vo_aYE0aFrI/AAAAAAAAAv8/y-n7_Gfdlgs/s1600/PA310654.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Sunrise of day 2 on the wall.[/td][/tr]
[/table]The first crux was the "pendulum bypass pitch", a very thin 12d/7c layback with small gear, finishing with a few long slaps between crimps on the face. I was surprised and delighted to onsight it, it felt pretty touch and go on some of the sketchy, smeary footholds!
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9eAUrIvOh0/Vo_ZuQcM9gI/AAAAAAAAAv0/tbgkH5Am_2Y/s640/DSCN7449.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c9eAUrIvOh0/Vo_ZuQcM9gI/AAAAAAAAAv0/tbgkH5Am_2Y/s1600/DSCN7449.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Shaking out and eyeballing the crux of the "Pendulum Bypass pitch".[/td][/tr]
[/table]The next obstacle came immediately afterwards in the form of the 13c "dyno pitch", I was looking forward to trying this one! I went up and fell many times trying the dyno, before eventually figuring out a way of doing it static! I quickly realised I wasn't going to stand a chance until it came into the shade. We waited on the ledge, huddling in the shade cast by our haulbag as the sun moved across the sky. At last light I fought my way upwards, clawing my way past the boulder crux before almost losing it on the thin slab above. I arrived at the anchors as the sun set, exhausted and shaking, in semi-disbelief that I'd actually pulled it off.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klBGko16AfE/Vo_dyAFY4_I/AAAAAAAAAwI/pbyWnTsTh88/s640/DSCN7466.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klBGko16AfE/Vo_dyAFY4_I/AAAAAAAAAwI/pbyWnTsTh88/s1600/DSCN7466.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The "dyno pitch"![/td][/tr]
[/table]The downside to waiting all day to get the pitch in the shade was that we now had to climb to the top in the dark! Bron took the lead and took us up some gnarly 10d flare pitches by headtorch. It felt spooky climbing in a little ball of light, but knowing there was 2000 feet of empty space beneath my feet that I couldn't see. It was all I could do to second the pitches clean in my exhausted state.
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aN1yJwp6IcM/Vo_gwIO322I/AAAAAAAAAwc/Nh2T0eR8nEw/s640/PB010688.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aN1yJwp6IcM/Vo_gwIO322I/AAAAAAAAAwc/Nh2T0eR8nEw/s1600/PB010688.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron leading off into the night.[/td][/tr]
[/table]We reached the top of the wall at 1:30am, I was really pleased to have free climbed the whole route, but more importantly to have had an epic adventure with my girlfriend on a sweet big wall!
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6uEg9UH9dM/Vo_ibxAkwHI/AAAAAAAAAwo/fN87st55S7g/s640/PB010712.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r6uEg9UH9dM/Vo_ibxAkwHI/AAAAAAAAAwo/fN87st55S7g/s1600/PB010712.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]On the summit, exhausted but happy.[/td][/tr]
[/table]Saladay
On one of our last days in the Valley I got the chance to climb with Shayna Brown, a Valley local who's been climbing a bunch of big walls at blazing speeds. It was a great opportunity to practice and learn more about speed climbing techniques. We decided to climb the Salathe wall on El Capitan in a day (Saladay!), which is slightly harder than the Nose-in-a-day due to being a bit longer and having a lot more mandatory wide crack climbing.
It was another outrageously fun day, we "short-fixed" the entire wall using a "Pakistani Death Loop". The second would jumar at running pace with music blaring from the mini-speaker clipped to their harness. Speed climbing big walls is completely different to free climbing them, I enjoyed the different mindset where anything goes as long as you keep moving upwards and bolts become jugs. I can't wait to do more of this type of thing in the future! We climbed the wall in a little over 17 hours, it got dark just as we got onto the infamous headwall. Swinging about up there in the dark was atmospheric for sure.
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sXdr86PZpy0/Vo_o1tbY4OI/AAAAAAAAAxA/4fihu_rwj-I/s640/86.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sXdr86PZpy0/Vo_o1tbY4OI/AAAAAAAAAxA/4fihu_rwj-I/s1600/86.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Looking down the "enduro corner", good exposure![/td][/tr]
[/table]
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQ_GpgD3Yjc/Vo_opoZLOOI/AAAAAAAAAw8/Jgm5kV6zDVc/s640/3.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQ_GpgD3Yjc/Vo_opoZLOOI/AAAAAAAAAw8/Jgm5kV6zDVc/s1600/3.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Shayna's feet getting onto the headwall.[/td][td]
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[/td][/tr]
[/table]Bron and our friend Tito met us on top with a stove, sitting at the top of El Cap at midnight after climbing the whole of the Salathe and being made hot chocolate was one of the more special moments of my climbing life.
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
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Good report, Peace looks amazing.
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Top 10 routes of 2015!!! (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2016/01/top-10-routes-of-2015.html)
21 January 2016, 4:32 pm
These are my top 10 routes from 2015, so many awesome adventures!
10. ANCIENT ART 5.11a, Fisher Towers, Utah. Is it sandstone, or is it mud? Is the whole route actually an April Fools joke? Definitely the craziest and most unlikely rock formation I've ever climbed on
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_LT8P5tH3E/Vp1NLAf_3wI/AAAAAAAAAxY/_N81MgXdRhI/s640/DSCN5459.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_LT8P5tH3E/Vp1NLAf_3wI/AAAAAAAAAxY/_N81MgXdRhI/s1600/DSCN5459.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pRvZ76uXvPI/Vp1NJ7FyznI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/N49Ihh9eZ_U/s640/DSCN5484.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pRvZ76uXvPI/Vp1NJ7FyznI/AAAAAAAAAxQ/N49Ihh9eZ_U/s1600/DSCN5484.JPG)
9. THE CASUAL ROUTE 5.10b, The Diamond (4,346m), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. "It turns out climbing 5.10 is really hard when it's covered in snow and you can't breathe..."
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eFOMcGw4B-E/Vp1Rh_5UoLI/AAAAAAAAAx4/c1JLST9bV9E/s640/P9210033.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eFOMcGw4B-E/Vp1Rh_5UoLI/AAAAAAAAAx4/c1JLST9bV9E/s1600/P9210033.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_ZWVHoDXrw/Vp1Rd_Dl8BI/AAAAAAAAAxs/iRPm91J96gc/s640/P9210054.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a_ZWVHoDXrw/Vp1Rd_Dl8BI/AAAAAAAAAxs/iRPm91J96gc/s1600/P9210054.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TEnRNkps_7U/Vp1ReOSdM_I/AAAAAAAAAxw/8wDYnqa2hdk/s640/P9210088.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TEnRNkps_7U/Vp1ReOSdM_I/AAAAAAAAAxw/8wDYnqa2hdk/s1600/P9210088.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoR2TQe6oY8/Vp1Rng_sa4I/AAAAAAAAAyA/xrM79Akh6gA/s640/P9210110.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zoR2TQe6oY8/Vp1Rng_sa4I/AAAAAAAAAyA/xrM79Akh6gA/s1600/P9210110.JPG)
8. Bron's house in Perth, Ontario to Yosemite, California. 5 days of driving, this one was so good we did it four times!!! There and back twice.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pLuZ0gp4fpU/Vp1TQh-G3XI/AAAAAAAAAyc/DkDx5IkBCPw/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-09-20+at+12.14.04.png) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pLuZ0gp4fpU/Vp1TQh-G3XI/AAAAAAAAAyc/DkDx5IkBCPw/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-09-20+at+12.14.04.png)[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wh7Axad0c00/Vp641LKSrUI/AAAAAAAAAzI/_tjeLChLmJM/s640/DSCN6013.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wh7Axad0c00/Vp641LKSrUI/AAAAAAAAAzI/_tjeLChLmJM/s1600/DSCN6013.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The glitz and glamour of life as a professional dirtbag. Making coffee in the Macdonalds carpark (free wifi) because you're too cheap to pay 1 dollar for a coffee inside...[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1J91QbTw5z0/Vp64w_m12yI/AAAAAAAAAzA/dwNj0QrY38A/s640/DSCN5787.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1J91QbTw5z0/Vp64w_m12yI/AAAAAAAAAzA/dwNj0QrY38A/s1600/DSCN5787.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Death Valley. Not a good day to stock up on reduced Easter eggs...[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFWjKwDEW1g/Vp66hsRbWnI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/TQj_kQbT_QM/s640/DSCN5064.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kFWjKwDEW1g/Vp66hsRbWnI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/TQj_kQbT_QM/s1600/DSCN5064.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Iowa has a lot going for it as a state...[/td][/tr]
[/table]7. PEACE 5.13c, Tuolumne Meadows, California. I wore through a pair of shoes in 5 days on this route. Extreme knob-crimping at its finest...
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zt3SLnu1uLw/Vp68OdpsPKI/AAAAAAAAAzc/Fe79-3Qon1E/s640/IMG_0763+copy.jpg) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zt3SLnu1uLw/Vp68OdpsPKI/AAAAAAAAAzc/Fe79-3Qon1E/s1600/IMG_0763+copy.jpg)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCA1FidXXc4/Vp68P0FD64I/AAAAAAAAAzo/8CwIiDlAn6k/s640/IMG_0806.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCA1FidXXc4/Vp68P0FD64I/AAAAAAAAAzo/8CwIiDlAn6k/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG)
6. A PhD in Mathematics. Approximate grade of 8c. Still can't believe I actually finished this.
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VYclfVFNUEM/Vp69RHZKOTI/AAAAAAAAAzw/pe8bCKwllVE/s640/Jacob+Cook+-+Thesis+jpeg2.jpg) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VYclfVFNUEM/Vp69RHZKOTI/AAAAAAAAAzw/pe8bCKwllVE/s1600/Jacob+Cook+-+Thesis+jpeg2.jpg)
[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ_6dCzibAE/Vp69RKwvWZI/AAAAAAAAAz0/2rGFhCz8e1I/s640/Jacob+Cook+-+Thesis+jpeg.jpg) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQ_6dCzibAE/Vp69RKwvWZI/AAAAAAAAAz0/2rGFhCz8e1I/s1600/Jacob+Cook+-+Thesis+jpeg.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Ah right then, glad we got that cleared that up.[/td][/tr]
[/table]5. SALATHE in a day, El Capitan, Yosemite. SALADAY! Climbing the best cliff in the world in 17 hours of semi-rushing with mild to moderate fear, excellent.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--wzbAz2jfPo/Vp7AmUWUaJI/AAAAAAAAA0A/62OJ_mTprF8/s640/2.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--wzbAz2jfPo/Vp7AmUWUaJI/AAAAAAAAA0A/62OJ_mTprF8/s1600/2.JPG)
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwaFnC71r0U/Vp7AquH81yI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/z1QILDewQEk/s640/86.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KwaFnC71r0U/Vp7AquH81yI/AAAAAAAAA0Q/z1QILDewQEk/s1600/86.JPG)[tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LORyY85rnWA/Vp7AnJc__fI/AAAAAAAAA0M/3fl5Wpu6dQM/s640/IMG_1301.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LORyY85rnWA/Vp7AnJc__fI/AAAAAAAAA0M/3fl5Wpu6dQM/s1600/IMG_1301.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Shayna leading out onto the headwall at sunset.[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2kEBsj5v0k/Vp7Av67rCOI/AAAAAAAAA0c/OlXAdOMOHEM/s640/PB150756.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p2kEBsj5v0k/Vp7Av67rCOI/AAAAAAAAA0c/OlXAdOMOHEM/s1600/PB150756.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Taken by me in the exact same spot as the picture above.[/td][/tr]
[/table]4. MOUNT WATKINS SOUTH FACE 5.13c, Yosemite. Great free climbing on a remote big wall. Would have been better if we hadn't got lost on top and had to phone Bron's mum and dad for directions...
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-50L-j2V9A7k/Vp7DBa0xkWI/AAAAAAAAA0k/sGAVU2hhGG0/s640/Mount+Watkins+-+PA300590.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-50L-j2V9A7k/Vp7DBa0xkWI/AAAAAAAAA0k/sGAVU2hhGG0/s1600/Mount+Watkins+-+PA300590.JPG)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l8aq3a0B5GE/Vp7DGto0f2I/AAAAAAAAA00/7-m81-mRLz8/s640/Mount+Watkins+-+PA310654.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l8aq3a0B5GE/Vp7DGto0f2I/AAAAAAAAA00/7-m81-mRLz8/s1600/Mount+Watkins+-+PA310654.JPG)[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aWl-kJl-YLA/Vp7DET3B0II/AAAAAAAAA0w/7Z7BHi7S0qE/s640/Mount+Watkins+-+PB010712.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aWl-kJl-YLA/Vp7DET3B0II/AAAAAAAAA0w/7Z7BHi7S0qE/s1600/Mount+Watkins+-+PB010712.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Topping out after midnight on Halloween, no need for costumes![/td][/tr]
[/table]3. MOONLIGHT BUTTRESS 5.12d, Zion, Utah. Mind-blowing to imagine Honnold soloing this. Prestashing the portaledge made for luxury big walling at its best!
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJ-jS_jc_Ng/Vp7EiC3gdRI/AAAAAAAAA1A/qL7OT-iEofA/s640/DSCN5535.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KJ-jS_jc_Ng/Vp7EiC3gdRI/AAAAAAAAA1A/qL7OT-iEofA/s1600/DSCN5535.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WYgn7OWEnA/Vp7Ek8AbJlI/AAAAAAAAA1I/GtNCYS358Bw/s640/DSCN5620.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7WYgn7OWEnA/Vp7Ek8AbJlI/AAAAAAAAA1I/GtNCYS358Bw/s1600/DSCN5620.JPG)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bdug-gKOy9g/Vp7EoYhweEI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/CEfMSqfo7TQ/s640/DSCN5662.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bdug-gKOy9g/Vp7EoYhweEI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/CEfMSqfo7TQ/s1600/DSCN5662.JPG)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zItizYF8I84/Vp7Es44vEkI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/FLVfC1YAPXg/s640/DSCN5688.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zItizYF8I84/Vp7Es44vEkI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/FLVfC1YAPXg/s1600/DSCN5688.JPG)
2. DISKO 2000 8a+, Blåmman, Norway. This trip required a lot of faith in pre-placed beaks and a lot of faith that one day it might stop raining. [tr][td](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7X75BxXQ13E/Vp7Gars0JcI/AAAAAAAAA1s/yg2SdfGAQIs/s640/0-the+wall.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7X75BxXQ13E/Vp7Gars0JcI/AAAAAAAAA1s/yg2SdfGAQIs/s1600/0-the+wall.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Base camp.[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vw3Qxfhf0BQ/Vp7GfiYkIXI/AAAAAAAAA10/nUf714m2l94/s640/1-pitch2.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vw3Qxfhf0BQ/Vp7GfiYkIXI/AAAAAAAAA10/nUf714m2l94/s1600/1-pitch2.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Pitch 2, 8a+ corner![/td][/tr]
[/table]
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wB81Mnf1pe4/Vp7GZ83glkI/AAAAAAAAA1k/N1kozz5MtpE/s640/5-kalkgummi.jpg) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wB81Mnf1pe4/Vp7GZ83glkI/AAAAAAAAA1k/N1kozz5MtpE/s1600/5-kalkgummi.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Dave showing off ;)[/td][/tr]
[/table]
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NlQ53OEnVc/Vp7GizemjQI/AAAAAAAAA18/xeOwwdZ3qKw/s640/8-dynopitch.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NlQ53OEnVc/Vp7GizemjQI/AAAAAAAAA18/xeOwwdZ3qKw/s1600/8-dynopitch.JPG)
[tr][td](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wi0JV-RdUy8/Vp7GmhloP3I/AAAAAAAAA2M/mM-ASuo7SBg/s640/9-summit.JPG) (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wi0JV-RdUy8/Vp7GmhloP3I/AAAAAAAAA2M/mM-ASuo7SBg/s1600/9-summit.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Summit, more rain, YESSSS!!!![/td][/tr]
[/table]1. FREERIDER 5.13a, El Capitan, Yosemite. Blood, sweat and sharks. 6 days on the wall, I never want to look at another Ramen Noodle.
[tr][td](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-03LkESIQ9bg/Vp7H3GUiXyI/AAAAAAAAA2w/DragpqBNAXE/s640/Freerider+8.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-03LkESIQ9bg/Vp7H3GUiXyI/AAAAAAAAA2w/DragpqBNAXE/s1600/Freerider+8.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron having a lovely time in the Monster offwidth. I did not have a lovely time.[/td][/tr]
[/table](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tbdjJ0pRNic/Vp7HsygJxtI/AAAAAAAAA2c/2igjHPeOhWk/s640/Freerider+7.JPG) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tbdjJ0pRNic/Vp7HsygJxtI/AAAAAAAAA2c/2igjHPeOhWk/s1600/Freerider+7.JPG)(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0LChklccNnE/Vp7HzIll2vI/AAAAAAAAA2s/GDmIG_AtULw/s640/Freerider+4.JPG) (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0LChklccNnE/Vp7HzIll2vI/AAAAAAAAA2s/GDmIG_AtULw/s1600/Freerider+4.JPG) [tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UFSZ9TfCDnk/Vp7HvbD7W6I/AAAAAAAAA2k/vG9jYbh3YuI/s640/Freerider+3.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UFSZ9TfCDnk/Vp7HvbD7W6I/AAAAAAAAA2k/vG9jYbh3YuI/s1600/Freerider+3.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Bron catching up on the gun show.[/td][/tr]
[/table]BONUS, WORST CLIMB OF 2015!!!
...
Half Dome, REGULAR NORTHWEST FACE. First off we forgot a sleeping bag, then we got stuck behind some aid climbers, 19 hours of grimness ensued... Then the route fell down a month later!
[tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_03viO7itRM/Vp7KotgzkkI/AAAAAAAAA3A/xoJp0jRQf1k/s640/DSCN5794.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_03viO7itRM/Vp7KotgzkkI/AAAAAAAAA3A/xoJp0jRQf1k/s1600/DSCN5794.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]I guess it wasn't so bad really...[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZhvklXmWyU/Vp7KqyGrUkI/AAAAAAAAA3I/bemrnzMqAnw/s640/DSCN5809.JPG) (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rZhvklXmWyU/Vp7KqyGrUkI/AAAAAAAAA3I/bemrnzMqAnw/s1600/DSCN5809.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Pure psyche on display after topping out at 11pm![/td][/tr]
[/table]If next year holds even half as many awesome adventures I'll be happy. Roll on 2016!!!
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)
-
Awesome!
(Didn't make it to Badger Cove though :whistle:)
-
2016 Highlights! (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/2017/01/2016-highlights.html)
9 January 2017, 7:42 pm
2016 was a wild year. I managed to climb A LOT.
Other responsibilities were put on hold or just permanently abandoned and I continued embarking on as many adventures as I possibly could. My savings have been dwindling and it's definitely not a permanent way of life, but I know that if I was doing anything else I'd just be wishing I was doing this.
I've collected together some of my best photos and experiences from the past year, enjoy!
The year began in El Chorro, where Bron and I had volounteer jobs at the Olive Branch Guest House (http://olivebranchelchorro.co.uk/) for the second winter in a row. Climbing every day, eating and sleeping well and being in the happy, social environment of the Olive Branch I felt fitter than ever before.
[tr][td](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_upoPfAkKA/WG100yjJLLI/AAAAAAAAA4k/V0IJpkTOPA4WY4wCVM2vESD3S7bmKovWQCLcB/s640/Chorro+-+Swimming+Through+A+Shark+Attack.jpg) (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s_upoPfAkKA/WG100yjJLLI/AAAAAAAAA4k/V0IJpkTOPA4WY4wCVM2vESD3S7bmKovWQCLcB/s1600/Chorro+-+Swimming+Through+A+Shark+Attack.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Swimming Through A Shark Attack Extension 8b[/td][/tr]
[/table][tr][td](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bb5XCXhyjB4/WG108SCSNtI/AAAAAAAAA4o/c2MyAiDhg6oaK_8ukTKSpwKZScF3byrQwCLcB/s640/El+Chorro+-+Cous+Cous.png) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bb5XCXhyjB4/WG108SCSNtI/AAAAAAAAA4o/c2MyAiDhg6oaK_8ukTKSpwKZScF3byrQwCLcB/s1600/El+Chorro+-+Cous+Cous.png)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The first crux on Cous Cous 8c, didn't quite manage this one[/td][/tr]
[/table]I continued my aid-solo vision quest from last year (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.ca/2014/12/rope-solo-10.html). The local Spanish climbers decided I was completely insane and gave me the nickname "the Warrior". After one large upside down fall I teetered my way up the splitter crack/seam, leapfrogging my two beaks, excellent!
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVc_ZCd2HYM/WHPfURd66LI/AAAAAAAAA98/iiLkmkKgwRsaNhk9bXZBoGT_I_Tm0oMJwCLcB/s640/PC150180.JPG) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVc_ZCd2HYM/WHPfURd66LI/AAAAAAAAA98/iiLkmkKgwRsaNhk9bXZBoGT_I_Tm0oMJwCLcB/s1600/PC150180.JPG)
For some reason Bron and I decided to climb 7 full height routes on Frontales in a day, around 50 pitches and 1500m of climbing! This involved lots of simul-climbing, other shenanigans (https://rab.equipment/uk/basecamp/on-the-hill/10-tips-for-climbing-faster-on-long-routes-2) and some very sore toes.
[tr][td](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baqRpU892Lk/WG18sgN1ojI/AAAAAAAAA44/b-qvzH4SlDY7jBrLWtBUpudSRt2c8FzPQCLcB/s640/SectorAmptrax2+copy.jpg) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-baqRpU892Lk/WG18sgN1ojI/AAAAAAAAA44/b-qvzH4SlDY7jBrLWtBUpudSRt2c8FzPQCLcB/s1600/SectorAmptrax2+copy.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Big day![/td][/tr]
[/table]Since she is an untrustworthy Canadian, Bronwyn is only allowed 90 days in mainland Europe, and by the end of February she only had a couple of days left. We jumped on the ferry to Africa and headed down to explore the multi-pitch limestone in Akchour, Morocco. (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=8348)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bee49ReqylU/WG2OAVj2PFI/AAAAAAAAA5I/HsiVVhOcWUA8X67NDv7xuebMFzWJDPjXQCLcB/s640/Akchour.jpeg) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bee49ReqylU/WG2OAVj2PFI/AAAAAAAAA5I/HsiVVhOcWUA8X67NDv7xuebMFzWJDPjXQCLcB/s1600/Akchour.jpeg)
"Taghazout" is an 11 pitch 8a, with some really wild overhanging tufas. I'm pretty sure we got the second ascent of this route so footholds kept crumbling under my feet as I stemmed up the side of a huge tufa on the crux pitch.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7Rlk7DR7zA/WG2x-xNOdVI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/dGCZDWgGtZs3bkmAMHLfc3Qu3d9kWTjUACLcB/s640/P3060739.JPG) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z7Rlk7DR7zA/WG2x-xNOdVI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/dGCZDWgGtZs3bkmAMHLfc3Qu3d9kWTjUACLcB/s1600/P3060739.JPG)
I managed to onsight the route by the skin of my teeth, here we are being goofballs on the summit.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjXWfMWB6ts/WHMFSn-zXpI/AAAAAAAAA8s/DXIOTi0dCtsmcIi9oOqpiNHlxmkle58GwCEw/s640/P3081030.JPG) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gjXWfMWB6ts/WHMFSn-zXpI/AAAAAAAAA8s/DXIOTi0dCtsmcIi9oOqpiNHlxmkle58GwCEw/s1600/P3081030.JPG)
In Todra Gorge we climbed some choss, met some great people and abseiled off a bush...
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wALspNSZYtg/WHMJG6ny57I/AAAAAAAAA84/4JJPLiwhGdIa7nt2LIuCCjHoYX-KlkkFwCLcB/s640/P3111101.JPG) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wALspNSZYtg/WHMJG6ny57I/AAAAAAAAA84/4JJPLiwhGdIa7nt2LIuCCjHoYX-KlkkFwCLcB/s1600/P3111101.JPG)
After a 4 days of chaotic bus journeys with chickens and a donkey ride, we made it to Taghia. Spectacular limestone big walls rose in every direction. Apparently the locals go to elaborate lengths to allow their goats to traverse these walls...
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hrfXjT4Ybw/WHMJ5GU__qI/AAAAAAAAA9A/cKEqDiZnHaY2LPsw0DuowkmRcWYWvCJawCLcB/s640/P3170439.JPG) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hrfXjT4Ybw/WHMJ5GU__qI/AAAAAAAAA9A/cKEqDiZnHaY2LPsw0DuowkmRcWYWvCJawCLcB/s1600/P3170439.JPG)
Here we are at the top of the classic 700m 7b (or 6b A0) "Barraka".
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8A0BqMT7rL8/WG23pdWk4oI/AAAAAAAAA5o/NvYK-VIM_z8eYaI3tUmmAvwiyEjbxD3fgCLcB/s640/P3181339.JPG) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8A0BqMT7rL8/WG23pdWk4oI/AAAAAAAAA5o/NvYK-VIM_z8eYaI3tUmmAvwiyEjbxD3fgCLcB/s1600/P3181339.JPG)
After two days of climbing under bluebird skies we found out why no-one goes to Taghia in March...
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iZOkoELNKi8/WG23wEoMMPI/AAAAAAAAA5s/x493WGi7B6QcnsnrJOClRGP8-h-0zxZuwCLcB/s640/P3211568.JPG) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iZOkoELNKi8/WG23wEoMMPI/AAAAAAAAA5s/x493WGi7B6QcnsnrJOClRGP8-h-0zxZuwCLcB/s1600/P3211568.JPG)
The next trip was a month in Yosemite with "Scottish Hardman" Robbie Phillips, our mission was the bold El Cap free route El Niño. After a huge fall (http://www.rockandice.com/weekend-whipper-video/jacob-cook-rides-el-nino-5-13c-el-cap-yosemite), we both sketched our way up the first three hard pitches, some very thin slabs indeed!
[tr][td](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yW8c5Sbg75c/WG27mrlfoGI/AAAAAAAAA6A/oriD_ecamGQ1j2ab4qgZrCP9pZdEPhrIgCLcB/s640/Bernhagen104834-Edit.jpg) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yW8c5Sbg75c/WG27mrlfoGI/AAAAAAAAA6A/oriD_ecamGQ1j2ab4qgZrCP9pZdEPhrIgCLcB/s1600/Bernhagen104834-Edit.jpg)[/td][/tr][tr][td]The Black Dyke pitch[/td][/tr]
[/table]Our first attempt ended after two days. I was feeling pretty burnt out after over a year of continuous climbing. We left our water and portaledge stashed at our high point and returned to the Valley floor. Hopefully this taught me that I am not invincible and need to pace myself, although apparently I have learned the same lesson several times now...(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0BSXrgB5v8/WG26sjT_O7I/AAAAAAAAA54/XrWvabyE18sbOeg-lrbSi3WFkERpMQVJgCLcB/s640/3.png) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C0BSXrgB5v8/WG26sjT_O7I/AAAAAAAAA54/XrWvabyE18sbOeg-lrbSi3WFkERpMQVJgCLcB/s1600/3.png)
The second attempt was more successful. There were multiple pitches that were right at my physical limit. I kept almost giving up, only to "wonder-fluke" them at the last possible moment, that feeling is why I go climbing.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXyzH6JZeUw/WG27uTePI4I/AAAAAAAAA6E/86FFwWKVKAkH24A9I7bGk-aFcefLlucCQCLcB/s640/8.JPG) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YXyzH6JZeUw/WG27uTePI4I/AAAAAAAAA6E/86FFwWKVKAkH24A9I7bGk-aFcefLlucCQCLcB/s1600/8.JPG)
Despite some serious difficulties including dropping the tea bags on day 3, we pressed on and made it to the top, spending 6 days on the wall. Both Robbie and I freed every pitch. We also had a great time, thanks Robbie!
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b0iohwjX7_g/WG274_S3WhI/AAAAAAAAA6I/79orAUz0ncQYrWLO_UHq6QUhOBtmvjF6gCLcB/s640/14.JPG)
And now for something completely different...(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gd4hAl7Ewqo/WG3G-e4YaeI/AAAAAAAAA68/eB3_qI0wp2c-d5fHLwZ2bv3hODfKGKKMwCLcB/s640/P6170151.JPG) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gd4hAl7Ewqo/WG3G-e4YaeI/AAAAAAAAA68/eB3_qI0wp2c-d5fHLwZ2bv3hODfKGKKMwCLcB/s1600/P6170151.JPG)
Bron and I had talked for years about doing a combined canoeing and climbing expedition. The mission was to canoe the Little Nahanni and South Nahanni Rivers, which flow past the Cirque of the Unclimbables, where we hoped to do some climbing.(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IW6-gElR0wk/WG3FGgWLPzI/AAAAAAAAA6g/ixVcTvQ-VjwMt-VPNP9yFzd-BE7B5tsGwCLcB/s640/3.JPG) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IW6-gElR0wk/WG3FGgWLPzI/AAAAAAAAA6g/ixVcTvQ-VjwMt-VPNP9yFzd-BE7B5tsGwCLcB/s1600/3.JPG)
There were 7 of us in total, including Bron's dad Geoff and brother Alex. It was the perfect trip: a great group of people in a beautiful remote area doing some outrageously fun stuff.
After a week of tumbling down class 3 and 4 rapids on the Little Nahanni, we left our boats by the river and hiked up into the Cirque with supplies for 10 days. [tr][td](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P5Skj6nRJFY/WG3F1MMdIhI/AAAAAAAAA6o/Lrp2A7Ny52oz9QrydoAI09lVHE8WVVYHACLcB/s640/4.JPG) (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P5Skj6nRJFY/WG3F1MMdIhI/AAAAAAAAA6o/Lrp2A7Ny52oz9QrydoAI09lVHE8WVVYHACLcB/s1600/4.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Hanging out at base camp[/td][/tr]
[/table] The mission was to get Bron's dad to the top of the Lotus Flower Tower. This was to be his second multi-pitch ever! We had some bad weather over our two day climb, including one rainstorm where we got out our tent fly at a hanging belay and all huddled under it.(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKOOdkzBaQU/WG3GhEhiQPI/AAAAAAAAA6w/IVwQqakbtuITvqXdU_8FGpcFiTjjEYpeACLcB/s640/5.JPG) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FKOOdkzBaQU/WG3GhEhiQPI/AAAAAAAAA6w/IVwQqakbtuITvqXdU_8FGpcFiTjjEYpeACLcB/s1600/5.JPG)
The upper headwall has some of the best moderate granite cracks anywhere, ever. So good!!!!!!!(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a79wT7f5EN0/WG3GtKDLe2I/AAAAAAAAA64/N6_PQ9Esr34YX-3YMGEjVQB6hHU8UhGmACLcB/s640/9.JPG) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a79wT7f5EN0/WG3GtKDLe2I/AAAAAAAAA64/N6_PQ9Esr34YX-3YMGEjVQB6hHU8UhGmACLcB/s1600/9.JPG)
From the top we could see for miles into the Ragged Range. This was at 8pm after a day of climbing, we then rapped the whole face, getting down at 3am, oof!(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mMtIi1tF2Q/WG3GKaI0nhI/AAAAAAAAA6s/MPwmpqcbzsovWSvmNEB4zAY3G2PSGFuSgCLcB/s640/10.JPG) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2mMtIi1tF2Q/WG3GKaI0nhI/AAAAAAAAA6s/MPwmpqcbzsovWSvmNEB4zAY3G2PSGFuSgCLcB/s1600/10.JPG)
After 30 days on the river and in the Cirque we paddled into Blackstone Landing, making the whole trip entirely without air transport. Here is an article I wrote for UKclimbing about the trip. (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=8692)(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMDdiS7DXRU/WG3E4WqmhcI/AAAAAAAAA6c/VVasfWdcK4MQwPwQK_ApUZ0bmyRD7F37ACLcB/s640/15.JPG) (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMDdiS7DXRU/WG3E4WqmhcI/AAAAAAAAA6c/VVasfWdcK4MQwPwQK_ApUZ0bmyRD7F37ACLcB/s1600/15.JPG)
I trained through August and September, gradually upping the amount of exercise I was doing each day. The goal was to free climb El Cap in a day, via the route Freerider. Some days I'd do things like 3 hours boulder mileage, then 100 laps on the auto belay, then cycle home and go for a 10 mile run. Arriving in Yosemite I was feeling fighting fit and Bron and I warmed up by doing the "Rostroman" challenge, we climbed both Astroman and the Rostrum (classic Valley 5.11s) in about 12 hours. We found out later that Bron might be the second woman ever to free both routes in a day? Cool!(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RGVdHLR6mE4/WG_a_qSkK1I/AAAAAAAAA7Y/TEyYo0jh4IAS6Msbo-B_W8zjEXMJwQUFACEw/s640/DSC01800.JPG) (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RGVdHLR6mE4/WG_a_qSkK1I/AAAAAAAAA7Y/TEyYo0jh4IAS6Msbo-B_W8zjEXMJwQUFACEw/s1600/DSC01800.JPG)
I also got to climb again with Alan Carne who is a legend and apparently my long lost twin? Here we are on Romulan Warbird.(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhn-5cc0d04/WHMU-afXZVI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/X_lle8qSf7slZnZ4pnssirldTCVi5K14gCEw/s640/PA050539.JPG) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fhn-5cc0d04/WHMU-afXZVI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/X_lle8qSf7slZnZ4pnssirldTCVi5K14gCEw/s1600/PA050539.JPG)
My first attempt at Freerider in a day ended in failiure 6 pitches below the top. Here I am middway through the Enduro Corners utterly defeated. It was an interesting experience to reach that level of fatigue, in the end I got cramp in both arms just trying to unclip my daisy from the belay! We bailed through the night, rapping most of the Salathe with one 70m rope and got down early the next morning.[tr][td](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SowW1YXI8HY/WG_c4FJDfXI/AAAAAAAAA7s/MhsWQutPOa8iauzPfqemrF7dicFYSPEigCLcB/s640/FRIAD-attempt+1+highpoint.JPG) (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SowW1YXI8HY/WG_c4FJDfXI/AAAAAAAAA7s/MhsWQutPOa8iauzPfqemrF7dicFYSPEigCLcB/s1600/FRIAD-attempt+1+highpoint.JPG)[/td][/tr][tr][td]Why do I do this again?[/td][/tr]
[/table]Luckily Pete Whittaker arrived to guide me up my second attempt. Here he is on the crux pitch 24, the viciously crimpy 13a Huber pitch.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uA5a_jKNw2k/WHMW9RJRrvI/AAAAAAAAA9c/fYsqw_wOhQsQSwfotbhKdPYmrgorbaOEACLcB/s640/pete+-+cux+pitch+24+-+7c%252B.jpg)
And here I am working the pitch I failed at on my first attempt, apparently the "redpoint crux" of Freerider in a day: the 12b second enduro corner pitch.
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_NTJVkRmNw/WG_dNiroxDI/AAAAAAAAA70/mm-0PsNdYtIdOOVXMVbCrvLwKbdj9XAZwCLcB/s640/14701284_563116803879037_6779640103330381824_n.jpg) (https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q_NTJVkRmNw/WG_dNiroxDI/AAAAAAAAA70/mm-0PsNdYtIdOOVXMVbCrvLwKbdj9XAZwCLcB/s1600/14701284_563116803879037_6779640103330381824_n.jpg)
After a few practice days, we went for it from the ground and both freed the route in 16h45m. It was a pleasure climbing with Pete, he was calm and good humored the whole way, even when I convinced him to stop at the world's most uncomfortable hanging belay in the middle of the night two pitches below the top...(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jid4LoXQASs/WG_dq_GZrDI/AAAAAAAAA74/qD3mD1kG38gv9wpcFGi6XQwpnc1XIdVFQCLcB/s640/PB040027.JPG) This was Pete's warm up for his rope-solo free ascent (http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=8934) of the route a week later, incredible! Apparently going with me as a partner only sped him up by 4 hours compared to self belaying, abseiling and then jugging every pitch, haha!
As a last route of the season Bron and I decided to climb the West Face of Clouds Rest. The route is called "My Favourite Things", isn't in any guidebooks and doesn't get done a lot but it's amazing and you should all go and climb it. It was really really beautiful at the top too!(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8VAOb45zTY/WG_ecWpFl1I/AAAAAAAAA8A/aBO8_wVDFGInNjQJPsJjbu0HSpyuCY9fQCLcB/s640/DSC02677.JPG)
On our drive back to Bron's home in Ontario it would have been rude not to stop in Indian Creek and climb some finger cracks...(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bYoxW2pYxOI/WG_fKl7nlJI/AAAAAAAAA8M/a0CCNSEV1Qw6fNFHoqqU3VF_-f4CEK3EQCLcB/s640/DSC03078.JPG) (https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bYoxW2pYxOI/WG_fKl7nlJI/AAAAAAAAA8M/a0CCNSEV1Qw6fNFHoqqU3VF_-f4CEK3EQCLcB/s1600/DSC03078.JPG)
I ended the year with a cross country ski trip in Northern Ontario with Bron's family, and a new years eve bonfire!(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlbWmilMYVs/WG_j-BskOVI/AAAAAAAAA8c/BSf4JfynofYAnDXpOCsv1lt_S0nELYnZgCEw/s640/DSC_0173.jpg) (https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LlbWmilMYVs/WG_j-BskOVI/AAAAAAAAA8c/BSf4JfynofYAnDXpOCsv1lt_S0nELYnZgCEw/s1600/DSC_0173.jpg)
Source: Jacob Climbs Things (http://jacobclimbsthings.blogspot.com/)