A seal of approval

It was Howsie’s last trip out to climb in South West for 2020, and his last chance to have a crack at the only grade 20 that he has not had a bash at climbing.  After a blistering week leading up to and including Christmas day, it was a relief that the weekend was cooling off by 10 degrees.  We still headed out early and were racking up at the top of the Northern Blocks, as the sun poked it’s head out.  The last time we came this way to bag grade 20s, we walked out and didn’t even come up to the route that was on the cards today… Ain’t No Slouch:

This grade 20 was put up by Kym in January 2015, and since then I would be surprised if it has ever had a second ascent.  Kym polished off his last projects at the Northern Blocks in that month, and even offered the glory of a first ascent to others during the process.  But those memories only exist in the minds of us there at the time, as it was a trip for which I didn’t write a report up for.  Craig and I followed Kym up that first ascent, and my memory was that it was worthy of the grade but hadn’t felt too bad:

Before we hit Kym’s line it was time to be a bit sensible and warm up.  We walked along the crag looking at the project of the day and also the warm up options.  Of which Howsie decided on and headed up Missing Frog.  A sensible grade 16 some might say.  But be warned while it is a great route the gear is at times spaced and the stances are balancy, with delicate and occasionally nervous moves between them.  Safe to say this route has enough spice for me to recommend you do not send a budding newly initiated grade 16 leader up it:

Howsie made his way up this fine line but was still keen for a bit more warming up, or was it just delaying tactic?  Not wanting to jump of anything too tiring I plumped for one of the early classics from the 1980’s.  Corpus Delecti is a strange one for me, mostly due to the run out nature of the top flake.  As most will know I’m usually not afraid of a runout on good rock.  But for some reason my brain goes into extra, extra safety mode on this route as others, and most recently Rongy, have experienced:

Today I managed a clean ascent and kept it together, even hanging on the ever so slightly loose feeling jug while placing a couple of bits of gear before topping out.  Howsie followed up but was looking like he was working hard, he had already hinted he was a little weary due to it having been a big few days.  Christmas usually is, with a lack of sleep, too much yummy food and for some a bit more alcohol that we would normally consume.  This was not so much a delaying tactic, but I could tell his mind was whirring away inside fully aware of the task that lay ahead:

Fair to say that we really do not have too many true roof climbs here, and as such we do not get the opportunity to practise this technique too much.  Ain’t No Slouch starts with an overhung traverse, with your feet well back from the jugs on the lip of the roof.  It took a few false starts to get going but eventually he went for it and managed to get himself established underneath the steep V chimney, which is protected by a large wedged flake.  Pulling into chimney is hard work, it is difficult to put weight on your feet and the handholds and not overly positive:

He strenuously pulled into the chimney and was briefly out of sight, and needless to say with all the noises he was making my camera was put down.  Then a strange noise came, followed by a rapid “I’m off” that only reached my ears after he was sailing back down.  With just enough slack to swing in an uncontrolled fashion under the roof.  All I could focus on were his feet, the toes only just missed making contact with a rough limestone block.  They went underneath and I saw both shins smack the limestone and then continue on their trajectory, ouch was all I could think:

After that and putting the battle scars aside Howsie went back up, this time puling on a few bits of gear to avoid a repeat fall.  Once above the gnarly jamming sequence he continued upwards, and it was then my turn to follow.  The traverse was OK, but pulling into that chimney was too much and I hung in the rope.  After a few attempts I had my sequence sussed and was able to pull off the moves.  At the top Howsie displayed the grazes, cuts, flaps of skin and puncture wounds that the limestone block had bestowed on both of his shins, noting I’ve spared you the sight of the close-up images:

Despite this experience, and the obviously painful reminder of the events he was still upbeat and had enjoyed the route.  So much so that he gleefully patched himself up with a smile on his face, before we headed back down.  As he touched down he said he thought he had spied a seal a couple of hundred meters north of the crag.  So before setting off on the next route we went to check it out and sure enough a seal bobbed about in the shallows.  It clearly saw us and seemed to approve of our presence.  We sat and watched it for some time, until it eventually went under and was lost from sight:

I caught Howsie looking back at the crag, and assumed he was reliving the route trying to figure it out.  I guessed right and we wandered back we talked through the moves, holds and gear.  Despite his increasingly stinging shins he was actually talking about when he comes back to try it again, and what he will do differently.  So Kym I think it is fair to say he loved your route, but we did both ponder whether it was a bit of a sandbag.  I guess it just needs a few more ascents before we can make judgement on that, should anyone be keen to take it on after hear this tale:

We were not completely done and still had to get back up to our bags.  Being my lead I picked one of the longer routes here, Use No SLCDs.  Again a 1980’s classic, which explains the name or more precisely the acronym used.  SLCDs refers to spring loaded camming devices, or as we call them today cams.  While I have previously climbed this route in the fashion demanded by the route’s name, today I chose not to.  After getting pretty pumped on Howsie’s last 20 of 2020 I opted for easier to place gear, popping those cams in whole way:

It felt a little too early to leave so we decided on one last route, the very fine Banana Split.  A mellow graded route but one with great exposure and positions, a perfect route to end the session.  And making use of his new rope for one more climb Howsie led us out.  We packed up and walked out arriving at the cars shortly after 10:30, it was an early wrap but we both felt like we had a great morning.  On the drive back we discussed Howsie’s up and coming 2021 challenge, working through the list of routes some of which seem to be making him nervous already: