I just reached down for your nuts and they weren!t there.
By Roger Dyke
Only at home afterwards did I read in the guidebook "This crag is well supplied with holds but does not always lend itself to protection."
Since it was going to be a tedious hot flog up the hill we didn!t take two racks - we!d both take a few slings and QDs, but we would manage with my Friends and Charles! extensive collection of wires.
Langdale in May with a not-KMC partner. Scout Crag. It!s my turn to lead. Much debate with two other teams there, whether we should do Route 1 or Route 2 - both VD. Consensus was that the top pitch of Route 1 was a bit scary due to shortage of gear, so Charles & I settled on Route 2. We aren!t into scary.
First pitch: 6m, "A deceptively awkward series of steps up the obvious ramp." Thanks to hard work on a (house) chimney at the beginning of the week, then over-enthusiastic jamming at Birchen midweek, my hands weren!t working too well, but only the last move was really awkward - no footholds. The only runner was a little nut at 2m. That last move, looking straight down the side of the crag to the ground 6m below, was a bit un-nerving.
Second pitch. Charles, who is distinctly more competent than me as well as being half my age, took the gear and the lead. He went up to the crux, put in 2 runners at knee level… and decided this was not the move for him today. I fell into the trap I have fallen into so often before.
"No problem. Leave the gear in, come down, we!ll pull the ropes thru and I!ll have a go."
We did, and with the luxury of protection for a change I heaved myself up the crux and carried on. Ah well - that was nice: usually when I take over the lead in such circ!s I find myself in trouble. A few metres up a tree appeared. I took a tape from round my neck, slipped it round the tree, and continued (off-route as it turned out, but I hadn!t read the book) up a delightful steep line of holds on good solid rock. Too solid to have any cracks for gear.
Eventually, a few metres above the tree, a little crack. Super! Just as I was starting to get concerned (again) about the lack of gear. Position myself so I can free a hand and reach down to my harness for the bunch of small wires.
Nothing on the loops but a few QDs.
"Charles!"
"Yes?"
"I just reached down for your nuts and they weren!t there."
"Ah, yes! Everything!s still here."
We!d swapped the lead but not the gear.
"I!ll come back to the tree and belay there. Take in very gently."
It!s the first time I!ve made that mistake, and hopefully the last – it!s all too trying for my nerves. Thank goodness for the tree.
Roger.
