The weather is great for 2 weeks in Wales, a rare treat after last year.
On Tuesday 9th July I set off walking up to cloggy with 2
ropes, a rack and a grigri. At some point the week before I’d decided I was
going to go up and try and do Indian Face in a day. Walking up I thought about
the interesting characters who had been on or climbed it and the impression it
had left on them. I planned to try the crux moves on grigri, check the gear,
toothbrush some of the footholds before George Ullrich was to meet me at 14.00
and if I felt prepared then….
I had a near religious belief that this was how it was going to happen and
this has nearly brought me to grief on more than one occasion over the years but
having good faith in the efficacy of ones performance is pretty paramount with
doubt being the number one cause of error in many sports. Now was as good a time
as any as my disposition for the bold has deteriorated over the years and it is
not likely to improve. I’ve done a lot of trad climbs this year and had done
Gribin Wall climb with Calum the other morning just before the rain came in. I’d
been on it once before after climbing Rare Lichen and after a quick
re-acquaintance on a rope it went ok. Nick Dixon said he found it as hard as IF
so it seemed an opportune time to test this.
On Tuesday 9th July I set off walking up to cloggy with 2
ropes, a rack and a grigri. At some point the week before I’d decided I was
going to go up and try and do Indian Face in a day. Walking up I thought about
the interesting characters who had been on or climbed it and the impression it
had left on them. I planned to try the crux moves on grigri, check the gear,
toothbrush some of the footholds before George Ullrich was to meet me at 14.00
and if I felt prepared then….
I had a near religious belief that this was how it was going to happen and
this has nearly brought me to grief on more than one occasion over the years but
having good faith in the efficacy of ones performance is pretty paramount with
doubt being the number one cause of error in many sports. Now was as good a time
as any as my disposition for the bold has deteriorated over the years and it is
not likely to improve. I’ve done a lot of trad climbs this year and had done
Gribin Wall climb with Calum the other morning just before the rain came in. I’d
been on it once before after climbing Rare Lichen and after a quick
re-acquaintance on a rope it went ok. Nick Dixon said he found it as hard as IF
so it seemed an opportune time to test this.
Calums picture of Gribin Wall climb
When much younger I’d planned to try this groundup but being older, not as
bold and having a mortgage to pay it had dawned on me it was not going to
happen. On the Monday I climbed with Ryan Pasquil and Katy Whitaker in the peak
explaining my plan to try some of the moves before leading it I think I may have
disappointed Ryan. I was looking forward to seeing what the climb was about from
the safety of an ab rope and was also very curious as to where I had got stuck
13 years before on still one of the closest calls I think I’ve had even through
a great deal of youthful soloing.
In the summer of 2000 I made my first and most eventful visit to the cliff
with Adam Wilde. We climbed Vember and at the base I’d run to some climbers on
the White Slab area to borrow their guide for a description of Masters Wall.
Booting up at the base of the groove Adam Wilde asks me if I’m going for the
Indian Face. I’m shocked and actually worried as I did give it some thought for
some moments. At this point in time I was ridiculously confident although I admit
to not living like an athlete, Ambleside was more of an 1980s scene it was a time
without concerns, especially not about being Homo-athleticus. Wall climbs
suited me down to the ground and I didn’t expect any problems with the climb.
The week before I’d made short work of the Bells the Bells and a few days after
I’d soloed up Grand Alliance in a few minutes just before it rained. Most of my
climbing was without ropes which made the serious climbs feel ok and I was
planning on trying to pay homage to big Ron trying to replicate his 100 in the Lakes and
Wales. It’s only reading the guide now and looking at the picture of Moffat that
I realise I went badly wrong.
Pulling through the first roof I moved up and after spending a few
minutes trying to find a rock 6 I throw a skyhook on and rather than moving up
right which is where Masters Wall goes I climbed about halfway up the groove on
Indian Face before reaching right and committing to 2 or 3 hard sequences which
felt desperate. Getting stood on a 1 cm edge 4 inches wide I thought I was in
but I soon realised I couldn’t move right, I daren’t move up as although there
was something to aim for if it was not very good I would be dead and the
footholds appeared to runout. I tried to escape onto the resting ledge on Indian
Face just up to my left feeling pretty desparate by then. Climbed out I untied
and dropped the ropes to Adam. What followed was a truly life-changing
experience. I’d been on the climb for some time and Adam didn’t know the cliff
so it took him a while to throw the two tied together 9mm across the face to me
from quite far up to the right. By this time I’d been in the sun for some time,
I’d thrown my rack off to save weight, most of my fingertips were bleeding, I
couldn’t feel my toes, my tendons had been screaming for more than 30 minutes, I
thought I had seconds to go for 30 minutes but you do try your best to hold on
to life. It’s hard to describe that last 30 minutes on that bloody wall but
being tortured before knowing they’re going to finish you off soon is perhaps
not too far off the mark. When the rope reached me I struggled to tie a proper
knot, I think I got a weird slippery hitch in before I sailed 50 foot down right
into Vembers drainpipe crack and quickly slid down that.
Arriving at the base I was totally blown, Adam was very much the same. I
left my rack and my rope (which had gotten stuck) at the cliff, I didn’t think
I’d be climbing again and wanted to disappear from beneath the jaws unable to
look at the face. The next day me and Adam went down Cwm Pennant and I had the
best tasting egg sandwich I’ve ever had and with my feet in a river I was loving
it. It took a good month to feel my toes again and over the years when people
asked if I was going back for Masters Wall I knew there was absolutely no way.
Seb Grieve went on the Indian Face soon after and was good enough to send me
back the few skyhooks and poor runners from the climb, his note read "none of it
would of held btw", I’ve still got the note. It put a damper on operation upward
movement for a brief time but it may have saved something worse happening at a
later date.
bold and having a mortgage to pay it had dawned on me it was not going to
happen. On the Monday I climbed with Ryan Pasquil and Katy Whitaker in the peak
explaining my plan to try some of the moves before leading it I think I may have
disappointed Ryan. I was looking forward to seeing what the climb was about from
the safety of an ab rope and was also very curious as to where I had got stuck
13 years before on still one of the closest calls I think I’ve had even through
a great deal of youthful soloing.
In the summer of 2000 I made my first and most eventful visit to the cliff
with Adam Wilde. We climbed Vember and at the base I’d run to some climbers on
the White Slab area to borrow their guide for a description of Masters Wall.
Booting up at the base of the groove Adam Wilde asks me if I’m going for the
Indian Face. I’m shocked and actually worried as I did give it some thought for
some moments. At this point in time I was ridiculously confident although I admit
to not living like an athlete, Ambleside was more of an 1980s scene it was a time
without concerns, especially not about being Homo-athleticus. Wall climbs
suited me down to the ground and I didn’t expect any problems with the climb.
The week before I’d made short work of the Bells the Bells and a few days after
I’d soloed up Grand Alliance in a few minutes just before it rained. Most of my
climbing was without ropes which made the serious climbs feel ok and I was
planning on trying to pay homage to big Ron trying to replicate his 100 in the Lakes and
Wales. It’s only reading the guide now and looking at the picture of Moffat that
I realise I went badly wrong.
Pulling through the first roof I moved up and after spending a few
minutes trying to find a rock 6 I throw a skyhook on and rather than moving up
right which is where Masters Wall goes I climbed about halfway up the groove on
Indian Face before reaching right and committing to 2 or 3 hard sequences which
felt desperate. Getting stood on a 1 cm edge 4 inches wide I thought I was in
but I soon realised I couldn’t move right, I daren’t move up as although there
was something to aim for if it was not very good I would be dead and the
footholds appeared to runout. I tried to escape onto the resting ledge on Indian
Face just up to my left feeling pretty desparate by then. Climbed out I untied
and dropped the ropes to Adam. What followed was a truly life-changing
experience. I’d been on the climb for some time and Adam didn’t know the cliff
so it took him a while to throw the two tied together 9mm across the face to me
from quite far up to the right. By this time I’d been in the sun for some time,
I’d thrown my rack off to save weight, most of my fingertips were bleeding, I
couldn’t feel my toes, my tendons had been screaming for more than 30 minutes, I
thought I had seconds to go for 30 minutes but you do try your best to hold on
to life. It’s hard to describe that last 30 minutes on that bloody wall but
being tortured before knowing they’re going to finish you off soon is perhaps
not too far off the mark. When the rope reached me I struggled to tie a proper
knot, I think I got a weird slippery hitch in before I sailed 50 foot down right
into Vembers drainpipe crack and quickly slid down that.
Arriving at the base I was totally blown, Adam was very much the same. I
left my rack and my rope (which had gotten stuck) at the cliff, I didn’t think
I’d be climbing again and wanted to disappear from beneath the jaws unable to
look at the face. The next day me and Adam went down Cwm Pennant and I had the
best tasting egg sandwich I’ve ever had and with my feet in a river I was loving
it. It took a good month to feel my toes again and over the years when people
asked if I was going back for Masters Wall I knew there was absolutely no way.
Seb Grieve went on the Indian Face soon after and was good enough to send me
back the few skyhooks and poor runners from the climb, his note read "none of it
would of held btw", I’ve still got the note. It put a damper on operation upward
movement for a brief time but it may have saved something worse happening at a
later date.
Seb Grieves message he gave me when sending back my hooks
Arriving at Clogwyn Du’Arddu on this Tuesday, 2013 there was only 1 other
team on the cliff. I made a base and after looking up the starting groove and up
the ominous scoop above I round to the top and abseil over. Looking down the
crux headwall to the resting foothold I’m glad I never tried it from the deck as
much as Redhead would think me someone of low libido. I’ve never been on a climb
with so many ‘almost holds’ for both hands and feet where it ‘s easy to get it
wrong and what could be a 5c move could become a 6b move. I dicked about on this
bit getting a vague method for the step off the rest ledge I was happy with. I
go lower and inspect the gear at ¾ height, the nest. I was a little disappointed
as Neil Dyer had said he thought there were some ok wires and Al Hughes had said
when Johnny did West Indian Face there were some good bits of protection. I
found 1 ok RP but if not placed perfectly it would pull through and it was hard
to judge if it would take a fall. 3 other rp1s near it weren’t that inspiring
either. I checked the moves and gear lower down and was a slightly appalled. The
filed down rock 6 mentioned in the old guide is not therewhich is why I didn’t
find it in 2000, where I presume it went a quarter in offset 5 or sideways rp5
may take some bodyweight. 3 meter beyond a 3rd in sideways
rock 7 again possibly takes some bodweight. These 2 bits are your pro until the
‘gear’ nest at ¾ height, I can only think the gear has changed over the years
for redhead to survive a fall down the groove or else the ‘Gods’ were smiling on
him that day. Adam Wainwrights words about it essentially being a solo began to
make sense. I checked the trickier moves on the way back up and brushed them
feeling nervous knowing it would be my last opportunity that day before a crunch
time decision on wether to try it.
At the base a few friends have come up to the cliff, Evans, Emma, John,
Luke, Will and Al Hughes. Asking the time my gut turns as they say it’s 13.20,
40 mins before George arrived I was hoping for 2 hours to decide. The surety I’d
felt before checking the climb was gone and I spent the brief time brooding with
myself. The word unjustifiable was in my mind a good deal of the time. My legs
had felt a bit wobbly when walking off the top and a foot shake almost anywhere
on the climb could be more than likely fatal. I was disappointed I wasn’t the 19
year old who told himself if he could physically climb a route he would climb
the route. George arrives and I tell him I’ve not decided. I get racked up
anyway. Al Hughes asks if I could down climb from a little way up which produces
a positive response from me as I think to myself I could down climb the whole
bloody route so what’s the problem. I still had not decided wether to try it but
set off up the groove fast anyhow. Stepping left through the first overlap I
climb poorly and 5 meters beyond I plug in the 2nd shit runner, sit on my heels
for a minute and have a word with myself. Letting being scared effect your
performance on this climb is a poor idea but telling your body that is easier
said than done. I thought briefly about down climbing but thought I could still
slip off and could still end up on the ground from 15 meters. I figure it’s
safest to carry on. I climb the groove a bit differently to how I did playing on
my grigri and plugging in the nest I grab the rest foothold and get stood on it.
I bluetak 2 poor skyhooks on and rest for 5/10 mins. I know that it’s all about
the next move for me as beyond the climbing eases enough that it would feel just
like soloing an E4 back in the day. I committed to it with a slightly different
foot sequence than I’d tried and went to the top fast before any day-terrors
could set in. It admittedly felt good latching the finishing jug and although
I’m uncertain if it’s worth the risk at least it means I can ‘tick’ extreme rock
now. George comes up easily and Calum afterwards.
team on the cliff. I made a base and after looking up the starting groove and up
the ominous scoop above I round to the top and abseil over. Looking down the
crux headwall to the resting foothold I’m glad I never tried it from the deck as
much as Redhead would think me someone of low libido. I’ve never been on a climb
with so many ‘almost holds’ for both hands and feet where it ‘s easy to get it
wrong and what could be a 5c move could become a 6b move. I dicked about on this
bit getting a vague method for the step off the rest ledge I was happy with. I
go lower and inspect the gear at ¾ height, the nest. I was a little disappointed
as Neil Dyer had said he thought there were some ok wires and Al Hughes had said
when Johnny did West Indian Face there were some good bits of protection. I
found 1 ok RP but if not placed perfectly it would pull through and it was hard
to judge if it would take a fall. 3 other rp1s near it weren’t that inspiring
either. I checked the moves and gear lower down and was a slightly appalled. The
filed down rock 6 mentioned in the old guide is not therewhich is why I didn’t
find it in 2000, where I presume it went a quarter in offset 5 or sideways rp5
may take some bodyweight. 3 meter beyond a 3rd in sideways
rock 7 again possibly takes some bodweight. These 2 bits are your pro until the
‘gear’ nest at ¾ height, I can only think the gear has changed over the years
for redhead to survive a fall down the groove or else the ‘Gods’ were smiling on
him that day. Adam Wainwrights words about it essentially being a solo began to
make sense. I checked the trickier moves on the way back up and brushed them
feeling nervous knowing it would be my last opportunity that day before a crunch
time decision on wether to try it.
At the base a few friends have come up to the cliff, Evans, Emma, John,
Luke, Will and Al Hughes. Asking the time my gut turns as they say it’s 13.20,
40 mins before George arrived I was hoping for 2 hours to decide. The surety I’d
felt before checking the climb was gone and I spent the brief time brooding with
myself. The word unjustifiable was in my mind a good deal of the time. My legs
had felt a bit wobbly when walking off the top and a foot shake almost anywhere
on the climb could be more than likely fatal. I was disappointed I wasn’t the 19
year old who told himself if he could physically climb a route he would climb
the route. George arrives and I tell him I’ve not decided. I get racked up
anyway. Al Hughes asks if I could down climb from a little way up which produces
a positive response from me as I think to myself I could down climb the whole
bloody route so what’s the problem. I still had not decided wether to try it but
set off up the groove fast anyhow. Stepping left through the first overlap I
climb poorly and 5 meters beyond I plug in the 2nd shit runner, sit on my heels
for a minute and have a word with myself. Letting being scared effect your
performance on this climb is a poor idea but telling your body that is easier
said than done. I thought briefly about down climbing but thought I could still
slip off and could still end up on the ground from 15 meters. I figure it’s
safest to carry on. I climb the groove a bit differently to how I did playing on
my grigri and plugging in the nest I grab the rest foothold and get stood on it.
I bluetak 2 poor skyhooks on and rest for 5/10 mins. I know that it’s all about
the next move for me as beyond the climbing eases enough that it would feel just
like soloing an E4 back in the day. I committed to it with a slightly different
foot sequence than I’d tried and went to the top fast before any day-terrors
could set in. It admittedly felt good latching the finishing jug and although
I’m uncertain if it’s worth the risk at least it means I can ‘tick’ extreme rock
now. George comes up easily and Calum afterwards.
Al Hughes (Stone monkey Al) shot aiming for the rest foothold
I think at my best I may have ground upped to the nest of rps, possibly
the footledge but no way higher, I would’ve got too tired looking for none
existant runners and nowadays I would of got too scared and would of lowered off
from the RPS (hopefully) or have down climbed from lower. The Indian Face is a
true headgame with relatively steady climbing (by modern standards) but with the
seriousness impeding your performance on it with lots of bits it’d be easy to
cock up and get scared on.
I think Calum may try it today and George on Thursday so it’s about to
become a trade route. Good luck to them both. I’m going to stick to cracks and
bolts for the rest of summer!
the footledge but no way higher, I would’ve got too tired looking for none
existant runners and nowadays I would of got too scared and would of lowered off
from the RPS (hopefully) or have down climbed from lower. The Indian Face is a
true headgame with relatively steady climbing (by modern standards) but with the
seriousness impeding your performance on it with lots of bits it’d be easy to
cock up and get scared on.
I think Calum may try it today and George on Thursday so it’s about to
become a trade route. Good luck to them both. I’m going to stick to cracks and
bolts for the rest of summer!
Al Hughes shot, a poor place to be, better then the 'resting foothold' just down to the right though.
The best bit of the Indian Face, the finishing jugs. Al Hughes piccy
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