My Blog
My Blog
Kidnapped
I went to Erraid one Sunday evening in April to belay, but due to a ‘communication problem’ there was nobody at the crag when I got there.
Three days later I went back to the crag after work, this time Jules was there waiting for a belayer. The arete left of Sentinel on the Lower Tier had been looked at by at least four climbers over the years but not led.
Earlier Jules had soloed up and placed some runners below the crux of the arete, the highest runner was an RP with a single crab so less chance of hitting the ground! He had clipped a scabby looking rope into the gear, it was good that I only had one rope to worry about.
I offered to belay a little higher than the base and jump down if he fell, but this was declined. Looking back, both of us falling onto one RP was probably not a good idea.
Jules tied on and quickly climbed past the gear so I stopped watching him and concentrated on the amount of slack rope.
I soon noticed out of the corner of my eye that he had fallen off, despite my superior weight I was lifted off my feet and we were both left hanging from the 4mm thick RP. He said the rock was slightly greasy, and also that he should have warmed up.
Second try went smoothly but he spent a while out of sight above the crux sorting out runners, I was concerned as a fall from there would end up on the granite beside me.
When he got to the ‘ledge’ I tied off the rope and took some photos, unfortunately I rushed and the depth of field was poor.
Photo above is Jules Lines on FA of Kidnapped E7 6c ***
Photo below abseiling for the gear.
Sunday, 5 July 2015