POD Black Ice, first impression.

This is not a full review, far from it. I've carried the sack around for one weekend? hardly putting it through it's paces but I wanted to write up my first impressions anyway. 

It's a size 3 POD black ice. POD are famous for bombproof simple packs tha really stand the test of time. This pack is no different. I did already own a Lowe Alpine pack, but it literally hurt my back so after 3 years of good use I've decided I don't want another winter of backpain and thought I'd upgrade. I've been thinking about packs quite a bit recently and decided to try a POD sack under the premise that I'll probably end up with one anyway. My choice was between the new style sack with the roll top closure and the old school Black Ice. The deal clincher was the heavy, stronger fabric that the black ice is made from, meaning it'll be more hardwearing. 

It's a big sack, about 50 litres. You can remove the lid, the waist belt and back frame should you ever need to. All are really simple to do. Normally I cut off everything from my pack that I don't need but I'm struggling to find something to cut off this pack. I can fit everything I need for a days cragging, plus a belay jacket for staying warm in winter and double ropes. I've also packed it up with my normal winter pack and low and behold... it all fits (that includes crampons in the pack too!). But when it's been emptied down the sack compresses quite well and seems fine for carrying whilst climbing.

How did it fair this weekend then? Well tramping to the sea cliffs of Gogarth with full rack and double ropes was no problem for it (unsurprisingly). I even managed to snuggle down in my belay jacket with my flask of coffee to wait at the crag. Seeing as we moved from crag to crag trying to find somewhere that wasn't rammed full of people we walked for about an hour and there where not problems carrying it. As for Sunday walking up to Pant Ifan across the boulders field and scree terrain there was no problem with the packs stability.

So far it's living up to expectations.

Slow teams, Sea cliffs and Silly Arete...

 

So I should have been in the Lake District this weekend just gone with the Wrekin, but the allure of a trip to Gogarth was too great, and I'm a sucker for Gogarth. An alpine start on the friday morning was disrupted by Toaf and some keys, setting us back an hour. We still managed to meet Stewie and get some breakfast at Eric's Cafe. Here we met Tom, swapped into one car and hit the road to Anglesey. 

Toaf and Tom dislike climbing at Gogarth (they'll also admit it so they won't mind me putting it on here). Its not the climbing, it's the fact that you spend the time dangling around above the ocean I think. I can see where they're coming from completely. More than once I've let it get to me. Toaf will stretch to Wen Zawn, so that was where we headed, however it seemed like the world and his wife was heading to Wen so we buggered off that plan. Instead we took a short detour to Main Cliff.

You can walk into main cliff, but the word work is a loose term (as is the terrain, joke!). Sitting on the rim enjoying pre climb snacks Me and Stewie teamed up to climb something down on the cliff. On the cards was either The Strand or Gogarth itself. As we got down a scottish/finnish team was heading for the strand so we went straight to the base of Goagarth (E1 5b). Annoyingly there was a party on the first pitch, but after being reassured by thier friend that they where a quick team off we set up after them, taking our time.

As it happened they where not a quick team and we got held up all the way. We estimated that it must have taken us twice as long, but it least it meant we could take it easy. 

P1 (4b) fell to Stewie a groove to a sound belay while I hung out listening to the waves crash around beneath me. This pitch took us ages and my thoughts where left to wonder, normally towards the reason as to why the party before us was taking so long. I got P2 (5a) and traverse on small crimps which then went up and back round on itself. The pitch was definatly "out there" and not what I was expecting (quarztite always takes a little getting used to). I wasn't impressed with my ropework as I should have put more runners in on the final section. I was more worried about m0ving quickly for some odd reason.

P3 & 4 (5a) we ran together with Stewie taking a long (40m+) lead. From my stance on the 2nd belay I had a really good look at the final pitch and the crack system I would have to contend with. Stewie lead a good pitch of pretty hard slab and corner climbing and we sat eating wine gums, chewy sweets and waiting on the last but one belay. As we'd been climbing another party below us had started and I'd been talking to them. The poor guy had unleashed a krab of wires on the second pitch loosing what thier thought was a set of medium size rocks. Thankfully it only turned out to be 4 or 5, but I still made a note to be extra careful.

P5 (or p4 depending on how you look at it). It was supposed ot be a 5b pitch and looked like it too 3 steep/slightly overhanging cracks. I traversed out below them and placed enough gear should I fall off (Stewie commented that it was more than I use on most belays!). I knew the crux would be short (3 metres) and I could probably power through and place something after, so I went for it. The crux was hard. Like really hard but I managed it without coming off and then found that the rest of the climb seemed about 5a, not quite what I was hoping for. I got something in and then carried one, hanging on loose sounding flakes until I topped out on a gravelly ledge. Stewie must have managed it easily as he seemed to fly up it. 

So thanks to being stuck behind someone it took us most of the day to complete this route. By now Tom & Toaf had moved off to climb on Holyhead Mountain. We joined them to find Toaf topping out on a HVS 4c while me and Stu lacked the motivation to do anything more. Eventually we bombed back to the car for a couple of beers (7!) back at the Golden Fleece in Tremadog. 

Strangely I had almost no hangover from the night before. Maybe it was good beer, maybe it was all the water I drunk before I went to bed, or the nice warm bed I had in Eric's Barn. We breakfasted at Tremadog and set off for Craig Pant Ifan. Although Bwlch y Moch is closer I've been there so often that I can't get inspired. Instead I was to send Stewie up Scratch Arete (HVS 5a) while Tom & Toaf would do Scratch (VS 4b). Here's how it went...

I took first pitch of SA, which was harder than I expected it to be with some big moves to get over the overhang. Little did I know that this would be a day of overhangs for me and Stu. Stewie took the second pitch and started off the slab. I've told him not to btoher with the big gear (size 3 & 3.5 cam) as he wasn't going to need it but as I looked up I saw the final crack and rememeber I'd done the same thing last time. I decided not to mention it. At the over hang he hung around for a while placing as much gear as he could (finally my little cam gets used) and discovering the "hidden" peg round the corner. Later we would read about it in the guidebook! Not believing there was a good hold to go to, Stu then launched himself up and over the overlap finding said good hold and then carried on up the slab with relative ease to finish. What a route!

I then attempted Silly Arete (E3 5c) but after arriving at the overlap, I backed off. Someone had left a sling and maillion behind which I took adventage off, but I downclimbed it as much as I could. I know thats only a little thing but it meant alot to me. I was pretty bummed out about not climbing it, or not really trying when we got to the bottom... then Stu suggested doing Barbarian (E1 5b). 


Stewie took the first pitch and found it harder than he should he said. It didn't look or feel like a good pitch to climb though. I then had P2 (5b). I looked up at this massive overhang sticking out above us, "F*** that" I said. Stewie reply was somewhere along the lines of "just get on with it" so I did, begrudgingly. As I started off up the pitch with the first overlap I almost slipped off (good start!) and Toaf poked his head round to see what we where up to from the lead of Scratch. When he saw the overhang I was heading for he quickly called Tom across to watch too. 

Underneath it really was as big as it looked, but with pretty bomber gear. I got a decent wire in and then clipped the aging sling of a overcammed DMM 4cu, rotting away at the back of the crack (it looked ok). I thing thought of my size 4 cam, sitting on my bed at home. I'd neglected to bring it as I wasn't planning on using it. Last time I leave it at home as it would have fitted perfect! I then got up on into the overhand. With an extremely painful fingerlock which was so tight I was worried I'd get them stuck. I placed a size 1 cam and reversed to get a rest below the roof. Then went for it. I heard Toaf, Stewie and Tom yelling and egging me on as I scrabbled with heel hooks and slapping hands to try and get my fingers out of that tight lock and round again. I manged to get out, round the roof and got the ledge I was aiming for, shaking madly and tried to pull up on it. I tried so hard and eventually got it pulling myself up panting, sweating, shaking and smiling broadly onto the ledge. Never has climbing such a short distance taken so much out of me. 

Stewie followed my up with relative ease (I swear he's catching up) as I belayed getting dripped on by the roof above. He then took the last pitch, a 4c groove line. This was harder than 4c and had a loose block to contend with and was pretty dirty. Stewie lead it well and I followed still shaking a little. 

Thus ended our weekend, or so I thought. Stewie needed to get back so we high tailed it to Eric's cafe for a brew and he then headed off. This was going to be my first weekend in a while when I hadn't visited a new crag, but Tom suggested a final bouldering session in the evening sun before we went home so off to Carreg Hylldrem we went. My camera battery had died but we did some wicked bouldering (flashed a V4 first go) then worked a bunch of cool problems adding a removing holds as we saw fit.

Pictures...

Well I still have no can-opener but I have managed to add pictures to my blog again, after going through a different web browser. Life is annoying sometimes but solving all the little problems keeps me happy.

Pictures

Seriously. I can't upload any pictures to my blog at the moment. This is really really annoying. Also I've brought soup to work in a can, but no can-opener... how smart am I?

Peak District

Well it was a damp weekend anyway and I'd put my back out so I thought I'd take it easy. After spending my friday night working on my attempt at a finger board in the shed (lots of power tools, lumps of wood and mugs of tea) I had a lazy day sunday. I picked up Prescott on saturday morning them was amazingly ditched as we drove past the roaches (apparently his Cousins partner had not turned up).

So me and Rach headed over to Curbar stopping off in Hitch and Hike for some shopping because the weather was looking bad. I needed to get a guidebook anyway because I'm done with working out of my '97 copy of on peak rock (it's a great book, but it's a little old, outdated and only a select). I'm now bandishing a new copy of the Froggat guide, woop! Hopefully this'll encourage me to find out all the climbing in that area, which sadly gets quite neglected by me. I also might have walked out with a POD Black Ice as a new winter pack. I could only justify it by that fact I hate my old bag and it give me back problems. It's not a bad rucksack so I'll be looking to sell it on yo someone who'll get some use out of it than I do.

Curbar? I've not really been there before so it was nice to find somewhere new to climb. After a longer walk in to show me the boulders down the bottom and a walk along the base of eliminates area looking at all the lines I really didn't feel up to doing. In the end I settled on Avalanche Wall (HVS 5a) which looked slabby. I found out it wasn't and proper bumbled up it not really thinking about it. The cracks provided good gear all the way but, but hanging around to place it was a little annoyed. The route was a little polished too. I did however get a knee bar in and a elbow deep arm/hand jam. This in itself makes this an excellent route. When Rach came to second the route she got to within the last few feet and then her back gave you with spasming pain. I lowered her off and had to look on as she curled up on the bouldering pad in pain.

So that pretty much put a kibosh on any more climbing so instead we headed to the Grindleford Cafe for a pint of hot chocolate and a walk around the wood foraging for free food. We actually found loads of mushrooms and wild fennel, but managed to incorrectly identify a massive clump of honey mushrooms so we didn't bring any back. Better luck next time I gues. We then stopped off at Mam Tor so I could show Rach the distruction of the old road when part of the hill had subsided, I should have took a photo. .

Peak District (Sept 11th - 12th)

After a few weeks of completly not having my head in the game with the whole leading thing I finally think I'm back. To cut a long story short I slipped off an E4 in wales mid summer, pulling two pieces of gear as I went and missing the floor but very little (mainly thanks to the awesome Job Soames did belaying me). A couple of days later I then, in my infinte wisdom, jumped on Wings of Unreason (another E4). After I got the start sorted (technical crux) I couldn't actually bring myself to do the last move (psychological crux). I spent a hour there, wasting chalk (from a borrowed chalk bag), making my belayer really cold and failing to force myself to do the move. In the end I down climbed the majority of the route and lowered off the last bit, very humbled. Since then I've tried to "get back on the horse" as it were but to no avail. I was freaking out on VS's that ran out above gear and backing off things. However I cracked it this weekend.

Saturday was spent chilling out bouldering and climbing at the Roaches, in between the rain. It was a lovely day, bar the short showers that occasionally fell. We did some bouldering on the lower tier boulders before actually getting on soe real climbing. Hawkwing (E1 5b) seems tucked away on the lower tier. Infact it's right in the middle taking the front of a buttress but I think it just gets over looked. Hell it might be just me who's over looked it. The line it takes wanders around the overhang before heading across the face.

Snell jumped on to belay me and I set off. There was a interesting move under the overhang and round before a stiff little mantle. It was a "place your final pieces route" so I did just than and got as much gear as I could in (3 pieces!) and set off across the two breaks. The one for your feet gets worse to just smearing on the wall and the hand break gets decidedly better, thus ensuing the crux is right in the middle of the face.

It was wicked! The run out from the gear is more than enough to to get you scared but the jug at the end is massive. You can get a BS piece of gear in there but as I've said it's useless (maybe a massive cam at the back?) then a quick little layaway to gain the top hold (it's not easy). I sat on the top belaying Snell up (his first E1 5b, which he managed without a problem, even finding a pocket on the crux that made life a little easier) grinning manically... and shivering in the wind. My head was back!

So I promptly when an bouldered for the rest of the day at the "Piece of Mind" boulders. Ronnie showed me a couple of awesome little problems that pretty mean. So I ticked off and overhanging V4 that made you work for it and both sides of the arete on the boulder next to it, going at V2 from the left and V3 from the right. All good little problems. The rain started to come then and we ran away (we probably could have stayed) to watch Supernatural all afternoon at Ceara's house.

I woke up on a couch. This is a regular thing for me and I've spent alot of time couch-surfing over the years but this couch didn't do so well. Definalty a grade 3 couch. I'm going to have to write an post on couches.

I woke up with a bad back after being eaten by the couch almost to bad weather. The west peak it seem was getting wetted on. I was gutted but damned if I was going to give up hope. So I went and collected Snell, Ronnie and Chris, repacked my car so we could fit everything in the boot, remember to give Killian a bell and then picked him up and was off. The rain hit us as we drove over to buxton but no-one said anything about it. As we reached stanage we had a the makings of a beautifel day in front of us.

I headed straight for Tower Face area. The first time I ever went for a weekend away trad climbing I came to Stanage. I ended up on Tower Face under the impression that HVS was an easy grade (my climbing partner at the time assure me this was the case. I failed on the route, being lowered off about 15ft up. This was my first climb.

As you can tell it didn't stop me at all and on this day I went back and finally finished that climb I started 6 years ago. Infact it was Tower Face Direct (E2 5b) I did in the end as the line was so much straighter and more appealing. The start was just like I remember and I flew past my high point, then up on the bendy flake (it only bent a little) before commiting to the crux. I had a moments hesitation before I just went for it and got the final crack line. Pausing to turn around and smile at me belayer (with relief for not falling off) I noticed the weather coming in, hard. In went some more gear and up I scooted as quick as I could layback just as the rain arrived. I yelled I was safe and hunkered down behind a boulder.

As it happened the rain didn't hit us, well not properly anyway. Claire seconded the route and expressed horror at the loose feeling flake just below the crux. She then managed the crux in much better style than I did. A quick descent led us to my flask of hot coffee and a resupply of cheese and off to find another route.

We did Fina (HVS 5b) next. A juggey hand traverse with sweet FA for the feet lead to a hard moved to gain an arete. Then came the fun and games of working out the next move. I spent ages trying to sort it out in my head and trying different things until I ended up trying the same thing I'd started with. Last piece of gear and a awkward belay then "Safe!". Claire seemed to have as much fun as I did on the route.

Quick, pack another route in so off we went for a boulder problem start HVS 5b called Pullover. At the grand total of 9 metres it wasn't a tall proposistion but the first move was really hard. Personally having done two 5b climbs before I'd have given this 5c. Then again maybe I'm wrong. In the end after boudlering the start about 6 times and falling off 6 times I ditched my rack in favour of a bouldering mat. Eventually I managed the route and soloed the rest, which anoying was still hard. It was a wick route though. I checked the guidebook and it gets highball V1 too. I then set up a quick top-rope on it so Claire, Ronnie and Snell would have a go.

For some reason I then ended up soloing soloing a HS 4c called Hot Spur before we moved on again. Me, Snell and Claire then found a slab route called Big Screams that went a (E1 5c). The first move was the hardest and more of a bouldering problem really then you hammered up a sweet slab, over a slight overlap and then up the final slab. It could have done with a good brush off, but all in all it was a good route.

Thus this ended my day's climbing at Stanage. I did play around on another E2 5b called Shelf Life but it wasn't going to go so I backed off. It was a very relaxed day for me, but I still managed 5 routes and enjoyed some fantastic weather after the abbismal looking start. Having brought the new guidebook I was amazed by the amount there is too do at Stanage and how neglected some of the area must be. I'm going to head back and get one some of the more obscure classics in the area!

Re-slinging cams

In the good old days people would sling thier nuts on rope, tie thier own sling for extenders and probably climb in stout boots. I guess that how most the the members of the Wrekin started out.

Today however people just don't (apart from a friend of mine called Matt who ahs a rack that a museum would be proud to own. I'll definatly get a photo of it. He's go more cordage holding it together than I've got ropes!

My old wild country tech friends (to give them thier proper title) are now 6 years old. That 6 years of hard use and the slings on them are starting to show some wear. The size 1, 2 & 3 have been absolute work hourse pieces of kit, used pretty much in all my climbing. I've fallen on each more than enough times and they are still trucking.

But the sling it getting pretty worn on the size 1 especially. I've been throwing around whether to resling it on dyneema tired with a triple fisherman knot or some strong webbing with a tape not. I've got some beal 16kn tubular tape that I going to try I think, but I'll let you know how it goes.

Bouldering you say? (4th and 5th sept 2010)

After my first few days back at work I was taking a lazy weekend (unintentionally!). After a nights drinking up B'ham I had a hungover and late start to the day to meet Ronnie, Killian and Toaf at the Roaches for some bouldering... hell I'd even aquired a pad for the day.

People who know me well know that my view on climbing could be described as pretty, well... traditional (I guess?). It's not that I'm against bouldering as an activity, but I always feel that if I'm hunkered under some boulder trying a problem that 15ft high, I could we out on the sharp end in wales or on the sea-cliffs of Gogarth. Having said that being very hungover lends itself to bouldering quite well I found out. I mean your still out and legitamatly claim your "climb" in a broad sense, but you can spend the day asleep on a bouldering map.

So my bag for bouldering at least contains more food than is nessessary, a belay jacket of possible sleeping bag and a book, as well as chalk, stickies etc.

I spent 2 days boudlering this weekend. Saturday at the lower tier boudlers and I ticked off three pocket slab (V3) yet again, only the second time I've managed it. I also managed a couple of other 6a ish problems. It was just good fun really being out in a group bouldering. Hell I could spend a whole weekend doing it with the right people in the right location. Which bring me neatly around to sunday...

When I was supposed to be meeting Sid at Castle Naze. Sid was coming along with his girlfriend and dog. This is not normally a problem but when I got to Castle there a nice little sign stating that no Dogs are allowed on the land at all (something to do with "portection of moreland birds"). Either way I didn't get to see Sid, or the dog that day so we where stuck as to what to do. Rach is always banging on about how great the Churnet Valley is, so I manned up and offered to go there with her. I also knew that Tim, Ronnie, Toaf and Tom would be there.

I think it's best if I stop assuming places will be crap. That statement makes little sense but what I mean is unless I wantto go there I'll assume it's crap and I'll put it off for as long as possible. It seems that the longer I put things off for the better the place is. Churnet it seems has been taken straight out of a Tolkien book. There's trees everywhere! As for finding the crags, well I'd have just spent the day wondering around if it wasn't for Rach. She took me round to see Gentleman's Buttress to see an awesome traverse there and showed me where another bunch of crags were. Eventually we settled on a walk through the bracken to Wright's Wall to see the lads.

We arrived after about an hours walk through deep bracken, leaves, heather, stingers etc after finding Hidden Buttress in the process (not that I'd be able to make it back there) to find the lads pretty much asleep on thier pads. In the end we got a bit of boudlering done. I tried (and finished) a few problems at around 6a to 6b so I was pretty happy with myself. I also played on Rachel's Buttress to the right of Wright's called "left's wall". She showed me a wicked little problem that needs a bit of a clean but is so awesome!

So now I'm digging out the brushes and planning to head back to Churnet for some more bouldering. I guess wondered will never cease. My only complaint was that I'd forgotten my camera that weekend!

Wrekin MC trip to Angelsey (Aug 28th - 30th)

Off to wales (serious I should just move there) but to Angelsey instead of the mainland. Auntie Sally had sorted a campsite near Rhoscolyn (Outdoor Alternative, which is a wicked place to stay) close to the beach (walk) and a short drive to the sea cliffs of Gogarth and Holyhead Mountain.

On the Saturday I drove up with Rach from Birmingham meaning we could stop off in Llangollen. The significance of this that I could stop off here and do my shopping for the weekend. After stocking up on fresh fruit, potatoes, cheese and bread off we set. We climbed at holyhead mountain for the day. Starting on Ramp C Rach seconded a couple of routes while I scrambled round taking photos. Then I jumped on the sharp end and lead P.C.H. (E1 5b). I don't know what it means either. I nearly fluffed it too and backed off the crux. It wasn't the purest ascent either. Either way I manned up after some shaking and whining a little and did the crux (from the slightly easier variant!). Just after the crux I managed to get in my biggest blue hex (well torque nut). Its a lovely feeling placing of gear, it just defines a bomber placement! Then we wondered round the Ramp B and I lead Romulus (VS 5a). It was a good route but a bitter of a one move wonder. The I lead Candlestick (HS 4b) which was an awesome route. Both Sal and Rach seconded me up this and we decided to call it a day.

The Sunday greeted us with poor weather (clouds) which eventually became driving rain. After almost suffering another defeat playing domino's I opted to go to Holyhead and drink tea sitting in a cafe. My plan was that we'd have good weather later on in the afternoon. I was right and we had great weather, well too good weather. Burning sunshine and a 40mph onshore wind which ruled out Gogarth main cliff (after a quick sortie with Mick we decided against it). So ended up at Holyhead again and I took another shot at The Arrow (E3 5c) on Quartz wall. Today was not to the the day and I ended up escaping off onto Tension (VS 4b) which as it happens is a wicked route.

Then we left Holyhead through shear lack of drive to climb and headed back to the campsite. I fancied a walk across the beach and then along the cliffs to explore Rhoscolyn, and possibly get a route in. The walk was pretty nice and easy especially as the sun was starting to set and we arrived at Llawder (the crag) with plenty of time for a route. An added bonus, well a couple really, was that we were not in the wind and the cliff was a walk-in. Me and Mick picked Icarus (HVS 5a) to do, I lead both pitches. P1 was pretty cool as it looked simple until you actually go on it. There was less gear than desired but the climbing was easy above the run-outs. The pitch almost had me off as I tried to place a wire and nearly over-balanced. Never fear as I didn't fall off but finished the pitch a little more gripped than I would have liked.

Pitch 2 was just even better! The climbing was harder but the rock was better and had more friction. It was good bridging and jamming in the crack all the way up, but it was strenuous. In the end I thought I was going to come off, but I hung on and topped out, smiling in the evening sun.

Monday came around and the sun was out. Instead of a day on the sea cliffs we took advantage of the good weather for a day in the mountains. We did Grooved Arete (HVD) on Tryfan's east face. I took p1 which had a thrutch groove to contend with, Rach took p2 and did a great lead, p3 was mine and I went completely off route but manage to get 2 stacked hex's as a piece of gear! Rach then took p4, but slipped off and decided to belay there so I finished it. Rach was a little shook up from slipping off so I took the last two pitches. The p5 was the chequered slab pitch and p6 was a thutchy groove where I places every hex I had (always the sign of a good pitch). We then hightailed it down the descent gully and manged to walk off in the setting evening sun.

All in all it was a good weekend. I manged to get out onto a new crag (Llawder at Rhoscolyn), explored a new area of holyhead mountain and did a classic mountain route on a glorious day out.

Back to work...

For those who know me well enough to know that I do have a job, you'll know I work in a school in Birmingham (an outstanding school apparently, as I had drummed into me this morning in briefing). Like most school I've just had my summer break so I've actually had to head back to work.

This has been a crazy summer and in my entire summer break I think the longest I spent at home was actually 3 days. Annoyingly enough the 3 days I spent at home caught the wreakage of the house party my brother had had so I was left living in a dump. I've taught myself the basics of Sony Vegas, trying to put together another video for a trip to cornwall. Most importantly I've completly lost track of what I've done this summer and when. All the days have rolled into one massive trip away involving dodging the tide, abseiling into zawns, driving, eating bread & cheese, dodging the weather, more driving, waking up under and boulder, crawling in my tent, enjoying a pint in the Vaynol and donning a skirt for a night out in Blackpool, clipping bolts in a quarry to no dropping gear climbing on sea cliffs and walking off in the evening sun down a mountain.

It's been a busy summer and I've hardly updated my blog at all (sorry Wrekin MC). It'll all get done today... maybe.