The weather has been fantastic this last week. Cold frosty nights and crisp sunny days.
North Wales can be amazing this time of year; at the beginning of the week I managed to get out rock climbing on slate one day then running up hero neve Ueli Steck style the next with the Plas Y Brenin staff Christmas party in between...perfect!
On the slate I managed to do a route called Chitra 7c in a few red-points. Chitra is a real three star hidden gem. The route is located on the bottom left hand side of lower rainbow walls. We approached from Nant Paris. I have wanted to do Chitra ever since
I did the Dark Half back at the end of last year. Both are Nick Harm routes, of similar style; vertical slate walls with big thrusting moves between holds. Chitra was given 7c+ but it's more like 7c now in its current state after a rock fall which deposited two railway tracks at the bottom of the route. We started the route by climbing up the metal tracks and with the second bolt pre clipped since the bottom bolt is slightly mangled. The climbing is not as hard as the Dark Half, but the moves are just as fun. Being slightly off vertical many moves are quite balancy. About half way up is the best move of the route, as Luke said it's the "hardest looking easiest move" he's ever done! A balancy undercut move which requires letting go with all but one point of contact and reaching up past the point of return!
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| Chrita is located on a steep wall on the bottom right of this photo - approaching from Nant Peris |
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| "The hardest looking easiest move" on Chitra 7c |
After a good social and a rather late night I woke up in a rather frosty van to another stunning day.
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| Morning view of semi frozen lake front of PYB |
Before heading to work I decided the best way to get rid of the dull hangover was to get onto on the hills. After a chilly start (-5 deg C inside the van!) I mission it up B Gully II on Y Garn. The snow was quite good but could have done with a bit more in places.
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| Y Garn gully lines |
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| Looking down B Gully, could do with a bit more snow but what was there was hard |
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| B Gully hero neve top-out! |
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| Vew from summit of Y Garn |
