Crowberry Gully
Did Crowberry Gully on Saturday/Sunday morning with Danny Church.
It was a bit too powdery but the lower sections were ok.
Started climbing about 10am, but were held up on the second pitch as we had to lower two guys down - one of which had broken his ankle falling off higher up. They didn't have any ice screws, so we lent them some of ours to set up an anchor.
The climb was quite a slog up powdery snow banks and very thin ice walls.
Two other climbers were ahead of us and I presume they got to the top. We didn't.
Not sure if it was because the other climbers had knocked all the ice off as they were climbing or that it wasn't there in the first place. A lot of shit came down on us.
Near the top. I fell off twice leading.
Decided to abseil down in the dark. Took bloody ages. Got back to car 2.30am, drove home and went to bed at 4am. (I never saw any flashing blue lights in the carpark, honestly).
Vintage...
Classic. Once again, a Jules-style brush with extreme peril; and, once again, written up in customary 'Hearnian style' understatement. Jules, Danny - hats off to both of yers.
Cheers
I thought I'd keep it short and sweet. I'll tell you all about it in the pub sometime Simmo.
By the way Richard, there's £30 worth of climbing gear in Crowberry Gully if you want to go and get it.
JulesH
Jules How far did you get.
Jules How far did you get. You have my sympathies I've had to retreat a couple of times it's quite hard if its out of condition or the English have kicked all the ice off the bottom of the top pitch. There's not much gear to ab off either.
Quite near the top
Not 100 percent sure Kevin. We were definitely above the cave. It was getting dark and we had plodded up a long ice chute and were confronted by a wall on our right with a slit on the left that opened out into a small alcove that Danny belays me from.
The second time I fell off my headtouch came off - luckily I found it after the second abseil. If not we'd have had to spend the night there. I had to set up the first two anchor by feel, which was a bit scary.
JulesH