Smiler Cuthbertson - Mountain Guide

May Rock Pt II. 20^th - 23^rd

 

 

A one-day changeover was all I was allowed on my return from Llanberis.

Packing extras like jumars and big cams, I used May 19^th to prepare for a double two-client ascent of the Old man of Hoy (E1 5b), these ascents had to be on consecutive days. The previous week’s weather in North Wales hadn’t inspired me for the sandstone of this fabulous stack, but we’d booked the ferries, and the Rackwick bay accommodation, so myself, all four clients, and two partner, plus two watchers, were all going.

Driving up the A9 to Scrabster is delightful. Especially at 05.30am when there is little traffic. I dropped down to the ferry terminal and re-packed for my foot passenger sailing. One and a half hours later I walked across the jetty to the Hoy ferry terminal, and relaxed, waiting for the mid-day cargo boat.

One of my (first trip) clients, Colin, and his partner Angela, had been on the same mainland ferry but we didn’t meet up until we all waited for the short trip over to Hoy. Colin hadn’t been climbing that long, about a year it seemed, and had done no leading. He was embarking on the most difficult and serious climb of his career so far and only time would tell if he made the grade? Surprisingly, I learned from Bob later that day that they hadn’t met each other yet, so I was a little uneasy as to how the arrangements had been made? Bob however, had done quite a lot of climbing over the years, and having recently passed the 50 year stage, was keen to test his stamina. No such worry for Colin, a big young and strong climber with plenty of drive. His nerve would be the real test though.

Bill, a regular alpine and world client of mine (Aconcagua 08) and his good friend Paul, Paul’s Dad Malcolm and finally Paul’s brother, all would be arriving on the 21^st, giving me one day to get the first two guys up the Stack. If that went OK, i would be on schedule to repeat the climb on the 22^nd, and we could all depart Hoy on the 23^rd? The problems could arise if the weather turned worse than it was on our arrival day. It didn’t. In fact Friday (21^st) turned into a great and very dry day. The rock was ours!

Colin, Bob and two ladies followed me over top the stack and after some organising, the climbers dropped down the poor track to the foot of the Old man.

Back on the stack after three years, I felt good. I pondered whether, after three ascents to date, I’d be able to improve my performance. The three previous ascents, all guided, all had resulted in me pulling on a purple tape sling on a wedge each ascent.

The difficult move on the 2^nd pitch had always left me very reluctant to make any mistakes when guiding, with the client(s) out of sight 25nmetres below the overhanging face. I had always felt it was better to cheat than to risk falling off! However, today I felt altogether better. In form? I don’t know but as I worked my way up the crux chimney, I stuffed a big friend into the roof and continued until, with some difficulty, I could clip a quick-draw into the familiar purple tape on the old wedge. In the past I’d pulled around on this and would soon be up. But I’ve started to appreciate that wedge might come out one day, with me on it! So i was determined to see why all my friends and colleagues, many of them arguably not climbing as well as I have been, could always say they’d freed the move? Perhaps I was facing the wrong way, so I dropped down a little turned around and re-climbed to the roof. Nothing seemed better? Then I saw it! There was a tiny foot ledge, way down on the base of the wall! Instantly I knew! I’d always moved up too far! Almost racing, I dropped down and out onto the foot ledge. A flake which swallowed my fingers was right in front of me, at head height. Why I hadn’t seen this before defeats me?

A quick pull with both hands on the flake, some padding with the rock shoes, a lock off, and I reached up for the small flat hold. One tiny bit of commitment and both hands were on the finger ledge. It was pretty flat, maybe just sloping towards me a touch, but I was past caring. a quick pull and I was in the big crack stuffing more big friends in. A few moves later and I was on the stance. It was obvious, and not too hard! Looking up it was Déjà Vu. I know the way from here!

The standard did prove too hard for the lads but with a little help, once past the crux things settled down and we were soon shaking hands and yelling to partners on the headland, from the sunny summit. Even the fulmars had been quieter than normal (but not that calm!) There was at least a dozen spectators on the headland and once we all were on top, applause erupted from them.

Abseiling down to the top of the crux pitch proved uneventful, and with my spare rope fixed from there down to the top of the 1^st pitch, the drop over the overhanging wall did not involve any swinging out into space. I had prepared the two lads on the rope (we call it ‘stacked’) and soon we were all together looking at one more abseil.  

In my excitement to get a shot of the lads in mid air during their descent, I forgot my mobile phone was in my camera carrying case. Out came the camera, on a cow’s tail of course, and out followed the mobile! It clattered off the next ledge down, and I watched in horror as it disintegrated, battery going one way, front cover another, and the main unit, containing the one valuable item- the sim card, went out of sight to the floor. I was devastated. That sim card has my personal number and that’s shown on all my letter heads, business cards etc. It would mean me changing all these for a new number. The ‘phone itself cost me £9.50!

I was in urgent need to get down and see if I could at least retrieve the sim card. I wasn’t hopeful though! The original and long-since archway had collapsed leaving a huge pile of broken and dirty rocks abutting the stack, and on either side, a mass of boulders, rubbish and dirt awaited my search.

The lads were down safe (even retrieving the battery from a ledge on their way) and were helping with the gear now. While they pulled the ropes down, I used an end to scramble down towards the sea shore, knowing it had definitely gone the northern side. A quarter of an hour’s search provided nothing! I was depressed. Giving up, I hauled myself hand over hand back up toward the lads. Half-way up I spotted the front cover of the VDU of the mobile. Gauging where the rest of the ‘phone went from there was easier, and within five more minutes I was back down on the rocky beach, clutching the prize! Whoopee, I let out. The sim card was undamaged.

Their climb over, the lads and I returned up the path to the ladies, and we walked back to the accommodation in a very good mood.

 

Team 2 had already arrived. Bill and his friends were pleased with the accommodation, called Cliffgate, I’d fixed up. It was perfect.  After a few drinks, we bade farewell to Team 1 and we prepared for our next trip up the Stack.

 Bill and I have done lots together, Alps, winter in Scotland, Rock climbing in North Wales, he was on the successful Aconcagua trip two years ago, and was now to add the Old Man of Hoy.

Paul was a young climber, very fit and very good on the indoor walls, but had also done lots on the Gritstone near Leeds. So when he asked if he could lead a pitch or two, I offered him the whole route. He declined the 2^nd pitch!

Cruising up the easy 1st pitch, we were soon ready for my 2^nd lead of the crux in two days. Now totally confident I wouldn’t need that aid point, I was virtually singing up to the roof, stuffing the friend in and… Then I made a mistake, I didn’t clip the purple sling in the wedge. I climbed back down and out onto the foot ledge, no problem. Grasping the finger flake I moved up on to the blank wall with my rock shoes smearing. I locked off and reached for the flat hold. Horror! It was covered in sand and gravel! It felt like it was sloping at 45 degrees now. I had already committed myself with the other hand and knew I was in deep trouble. I was gripping madly on the hold and the next move would be crucial. Fortunately I made the next hold, but it was close! Next time I’ll take a brush!

I now can look back and see how much more encouraging the side runner in the wedge is, and what I fool I was not to clip! Oh well, all was over. I was up on the stance in a few more minutes.

Bill took a little swing off the crux but with some help, a re-try proved successful. Paul did the move OK, and I was relieved when he told me he wouldn’t have lead it.

Paul now continued up the easier pitches and with this more experienced and able team, the summit, and the descent went smoothly.

As we prepared to descend the 2^nd pitch, Chris came around and up the crux wall. Good friends of ours, he and Jo had arrived that morning and were making a very lightning ascent of the stack. It was great to see them, and later these two nice guys stayed at the house with us, and eventually returned on the boat the following day.

Leaving Chris and Jo to finish their climb, we abseiled down and re-climbed back to Malcolm and Joe, still watching from the headland, after their walk over to St. John’s head.

 We walked back to Rackwick Bay together and when Chris and Jo arrived, a very sociable evening completed a wonderful double climb for me.

The boat trip was on time and we dispersed at Stromness, ready for more adventure in other places.

 

Smiler

 

24^th May

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 7:03 pm and is filed under UK Climbing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.