So my trad route for the weekend. I had just walked down from the upper tier to have another play on Three Pocket Slab with Toaf and Rach wanted to head up to a problem below a climb called Ascent of Man. I'd not heard of this route before and probably just glossed over it in the guide book. It's 11 metres long and graded E3 6a***. That's pretty much the height of my grade as a few of the other 6a's I've done outdoor have either been "soft" or just downgraded in the next guidebook.
Ascent. takes a difficult starting move to gain a crack and some gear, then you lauch out over a steep slab until you feel ready to mantle over onto the top-out, and thats it. Simple you'd have thought. Me and Toaf bouldered the start a couple of times until we reached the crack. I studied the gear and fumbled around deciding whether to lead. It would be a pretty cool lead across what looked like a blank but ameinable slab. I sussed the gear out from the ground as I could pretty much see it and head a peak as I lead up to it. It didn't really tell me anything that I didn't know from the ground and I still took the same gear as I would have anyway.
I then some how found myself telling Toaf to gear up while I was putting my harness on. What was I thinking? E3 6a on a roasting hot day? There'll be terrible friction? But I carried on anyway regardless of the protest that was going on in my head.
With a harness, rope and about 12 pieces of gear on I couldn't stick the first move. It was really hard and it just went to show how much difference a little added weight can make. I actually thought about doing it without any gear and getting it lobbed up to me. I was feeling under alot of pressure as well. I'd decided to lead it and didn't want to back down at all, but I couldn't stick the damn first move. I must have tried half a dozen times but then I got it. Here I filled the crack with some gear, then up a little more before placing my last few pieces. I re-aranged everything to be on the shortest extenders (or none at all) relying on Toaf belaying to reduce rope drag. It such a good things having someone you trust as much as I trust toaf when belaying on something hard, it takes so much worry out of the system.
Now we'd planned what to do it I fell off. The gear is pretty bomb-proof, but I'm quite heavy and the fall is pretty close to the ground so Toaf was ready to start running when the time came to it. This is the kind of mad suggestion that a year ago I would have considered stupid (and most still will) but now think is just part of the game.
Pieces placed and the rest of the gear tossed off my harness so there was nothing left to do but send it. Now came the point of trusting my boots and friction and prayin' that it wasn't to warm. I must have been at that point for half an hour, unable to commit with Toaf yelling up encouragement, lock stock quotes and singing badly and Nat giving me a "good talking to" (telling off for not believing I could do it). I still just couldn't move.
From somewhere I commmited to the move, afriad that I wouldn't be able to reverse it or that it wouldn't get any easier. Standing on a pebble I moved up to another foothold which was better than the first, but just not good enough. I realised that my final moved would be the mantle onto the easier slab above. It had all looked so easy from the ground and now I was risking decking out because of what? Just a nice line? a good route? What was it all for? I half committed to the mantle but couldn't quite do it. I knew I couldn't reverse back and I couldn't afford to fall off. It was so hot, my hands were greasy and my chalkbag emptying fast. I could feel my feet, sweaty and hot, sliding around in my stickies. I thought a foot would slip off at any second. Un-beknown to me Toaf has sent Rach down to grab the spare rope to rescue me, and he was braced and ready to run if I slipped off.
I remember muttering to myself "go big or go home" and commmitting...
I didn't fall off and my sweaty hands stuck on the slopers I'd got them on till I grabbed a crimp. With a good foot up I mantled up and ran up the slab above almost faster than Toaf could pay out. I was shaking, smiling and dry in the mouth. All I could think about was getting down and getting some water, and some gear for the belay.
Toaf seconded me, after some indecision about whether to lead it himself, and flew up it without a thought.
So I set out without a route or problem in mind for another day up the Roaches. Considering I was complaining about not being psyched or having any drive to do anything other than sleep on a bouldering mat, I have no idea where that came from. I love technical slabs and now I'm pretty stoked to get on and try Smear Test next time I'm up that way.
(The photo Rachel shot while running back for the rescue rope. She figured she better take a picture incase I did fall off)
(The photo Rachel shot while running back for the rescue rope. She figured she better take a picture incase I did fall off)
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