Kevin Whitworth / Jacurutu

No photos from this weeks climbing session I'm afraid, so you'll have to make do with this one from the previous week of Ed topping out on Pinnacle Flake Climb (S 4a *) on Low Man instead.

The reason for the lack of photos was that there was just me an Mike this week (although Steve turned up later and did a spot of bouldering) meaning there was lots of climbing (well...see later) and not much time for photos especially as I was constantly on one end of a rope. I suppose I could have asked Mike if I could take him off belay to take some photos, but I'm quite confident I know what his answer would have been!

Having had a good bash as Low Man last week, I thought it would be nice to try the main crag this time, and the South West Face seemed to have a reasonable selection, so we went straight there. Starting left to right (or going backwards through the guide book), we started off by Bird's Nest Crack (HS 4b **), which went fine, and was probably a good intro to jamming on grit for Mike. The next obvious choice was the next HS, Crack and Wall (HS 4b) up the left corner of the Crucifix block. Clearly I was feeling a bit cocky, as I'd ignored the P2 warning. The first couple of moves are fine, but then you've got a couple more moves up to the ledge atop Crucifix with no protection (well, I couldn't get any in). A size 3 friend wedged in the horizontal break at the top gave me the confidence to mantle up on to the ledge, at which point I recovered the friend for the next emergency and replaced it with something else. So far so good. The guidebook then says: "step up and left using flutes into the chimney", which sounds easy. It probably is, but it's very exposed, and there's not much in the way of either gear placements or decent hand holds. And the break for your feet slowly disappears underneath a bulge. After much dithering, I figured the only choice was to go for it, and hope that the break above the flutes actually presented a half decent handhold. Not quite a dyno move, but if I'd not found anything to grab on to, I'm not sure what would have happened. Once in the chimney the rest of the climb was fine.

So feeling good, and thinking I'd got the hang of HS 4b climbs, we looked for the next one. This is Central Crack (HS 4b *). The guidebook says "grunt or glide up the wide smooth rounded crack...” What it didn't say was that the crack sort of starts about 3 feet off the floor. There are a couple of decent jugs to hang on to, but the first foothold is at waist height (and rather polished). I managed to get off the floor a couple of times, but simply found nowhere to go - one arm (that's arm, as in hand-to-elbow) wedged (just) in the crack, one holding onto one of the big jugs, both feet on slippery rock, completely off balance and nowhere obvious to go to next. After a few attempts, I gave up. As consolation, Steve tells me the bouldering guide has it down at 5a, although quick cross reference with French/indoor grades puts it at 4/4+, which given I've been leading up to 6a indoors, doesn't act as much consolation.

So, keeping going left, the next possibility is South Chimney Layback (S 4b). This is a vertical crack leading to a ledge and flake. Clearly the crux is jamming up the crack (it says so in the guide book). OK, sounds fun. Except the start is rather polished, and there's nothing much for your feet. I spent a lot of time looking at it, with my fingers in the crack (which is quite narrow - hand jams wouldn't have been as much of a problem). Starting from its left gives you an option to layback (slightly) up the crack, but really nothing for your feet. Starting on the right gives you a small rock to stand on (extra height!) and a small niche I could get a toe or two into. This seemed like the better plan, so after much looking, testing my fingers and looking for a proper hold (there aren't any), I wedged my fingers and left foot in the crack and pulled. Hurray - off the ground at last. Then "Oh s**t!" as my fingers let go. I landed heavily on my left heel, followed by my backside and rolled over backwards. Not very elegant, and my heel hurts (hence the "possibly broken" of the title).

I know when I've been beaten, so it's time to move down a grade to South Chimney (D). "The prominent chimney is something of a thrutch as a start." Well it's only a Diff, so it can't be too bad, can it? Well, it can. Actually, it's not that difficult. The trick (to the first bit) is to start facing the correct way. Unfortunately, it's not a wide chimney (and I'm not exactly svelte), so the traditional back-and-feet approach doesn't work. Feet, knees, back and stomach seemed to do the trick, but it was hardly graceful and elegant. Clearing the first chimney, it gets somewhat easier, but then you end up in a similar position higher up. If I keep climbing chimneys, I'm going to have to find a harness which racks gear more round my sides than my back, because everything is now heavily scratched (about a month ago, most of my outdoor gear looked pristine). I doubt it did my little point-and-shoot camera much good either, which was clipped to my harness as well. Once on top, things didn't look much better, as there wasn't much obvious for rigging a belay. I got it done eventually (and Mike realised why it took me so long once he'd got up), but lets say I wouldn't have liked to test it (mostly because I'd probably have ended up halfway down the chimney, rather than it wouldn't have held).

So, after struggling up a Diff, it was either time to give up and go home, or go try something I knew I could do. I didn't want to be defeated, and Mike was still up for carrying on, so we headed down to Low Man, which was looking decidedly busier than the South West Face. Pinnacle Flake Climb (S 4a *) looked free (someone was on both Fluted Columns and Low Man Easy Way), and although I'd climbed it last week, Ed lead it and I seconded it (well, thirded it as Gordon went second), so it was a chance for me to tick off another lead. Having flown up it the week before, it brought home the difference between leading and seconding. The tricky bit is a couple of moves above the start: "and awkward step up and left is made onto a sloping ledge". I'd seen Ed and Gordon struggle slightly, but it didn't phase me - until I was trying to lead it. Suddenly you feel the exposure. After that it was a breeze, although I don't think I put much gear in towards the top (mostly because the only thing I have that would go in the top break is a #9 Rockcentric, and I'd used it lower down (doh!).

By now Fluted Columns (VD ***) was free, and although it was getting late and cold, I persuaded Mike to do one last climb. It started spitting with rain just as I'd got racked and roped up, but we figured it wasn't going to be a problem, and we'd be off before the nastier looking weather arrived. Although I didn't struggle with the climb, I have to say it wasn't exactly elegant. Atop the columns, I was feeling very exposed and had to resort to putting a #3 friend (I think) into Fluted crack. The final slab above the columns was done functionally (rather than prettily). I think by now I realised I was actually quite tired (and probably hungry, it being 8 pm and not having eaten since lunch at noon), and it was definitely time to call it a day.

In total, we clocked up five routes:

• Bird's Nest Crack (Almscliff Crag #56, HS 4b P1 **) - lead
  
• Crack and Wall (Almscliff Crag #50, HS 4b P2) - lead
  
• South Chimney (Almscliff Crag #39, D P1) - lead
  
• Pinnacle Flake Climb (Almscliff Crag #7, S 4a P1) - lead
  
• Fluted Columns (Almscliff Crag #8, VD P1) - lead

and I failed miserably (and painfully) at two others (which I intend to seek revenge for):

• Central Crack (Almscliff Crag #48, HS 4b P1) - got off the ground and stuck
  
• South Chimney Layback (Almscliff Crag #50, S 4b P1) - got off the ground briefly and fell off (ouch)

Route numbers and grades are from the 1998 edition of Yorkshire Gritstone, compiled, revised and edited by Dave Musgrove.

Overall it was an enjoyable session. Lessons learnt include eat something (I even had some Trackers in my bag!), listen to Steve when he tells you Almscliff is horrible because it's all polished and listen to the guide book when it tells you climbs may be undergraded! I've spent most of the weekend aching, and hobbling to keep my left heel off the ground, although it's feeling better now, so no serious damage. Octopush tonight helped with the aches - and introduced some different ones (thanks Benson)!

Finally, whilst a poor workman never blames his (or her) tools, this trip has left me with a shopping list:

• A bouldering mat/crash pad - falling off before you're first bit of protection still hurts, plus (dare I say it) I may even try my hand at bouldering
  
• A new harness - to better organise my lead rack, and keep it away from my back for doing chimneys (OK - this is a lame excuse, but I just fancy a new harness, and I spotted a Wild Country harness in the shop at the Leeds Wall which looks pretty much exactly what I've been searching for ever since I started climbing, and up to now hadn't found)
  
• New rock boots - more friction required (I've noticed Mike seems to get more traction than I do, and I'm sure it isn't just to do with my weight)
  
• Bigger protection - I'm thinking a #4 Friend or a #9 Rockcentric (or bigger - I'm sure you used to be able to get a #10 Hex from Camp, when you were allowed to buy them and rope them up yourself)

The crash pad and boots are real possibilities. My boots are getting on a bit (even though they haven't had that much use - perhaps the rubber degrades over time?), and the crash pad would both help with some of the more dubious landings that exist, help me start with clean boots, but more importantly might get me into bouldering. I've never really seen the point of sitting down and pulling your backside off the floor. However, given that some of the bouldering routes are basically the lower half of climbs I've done (or failed), I'm thinking it might help my technique, which in turn can be put to practice on routes. With any luck, this should help me with my long term objective (which has been around for many years) to lead Great Western (HVS 5a P1 ****)...