9th July 2018

Butter Hole (Suntrap Slab)

Sally – Hard Severe – 4b Lead

Eminems lyrics spring to mind when describing this evening.

“He’s chokin’, how, everybody’s jokin’ now
The clocks run out, times up, over, blaow!
Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity ”

The usual Brexit discussion fueled by the governments overwhelming incompetence consumed our drive out, meaning Dave and I were ready to blow away a few cobwebs when we arrived out at Stepper Head. Fortunately the balance was that the views and atmosphere soon pushed all thoughts of Brexit to where they belong (the deep dark recesses of our minds).

We abbed in down the usual gully into Suntrap Slab (using our almost cable like ab rope… this needs replacing fast. It’s like abbing on a crusty loaf) and mooched around a bit checking out Cove Buttress. The Weaver looks awesome. Really exposed, hard climbing in a dramatic situation. It ticks all my boxes!

But ultimately we needed a route and as the tide and the fact we abbed into the wrong place, meant the Hidden Amphitheatre was out, I decided (stupidly as it turned out) to give Sally ‘a go’. Never has a decision been taken so lightly that results in such an epic. From below all looked good. Me and Dave even sussed some possible gear placements. ‘What ‘s the worst that could happen!’ I think we soon found out.

Thin delicate moves lead to the top of a rounded arete where you are faced with a swing onto the right side to be made on rounded crimps and trust in the friction of your shoes. Everything points the wrong way and I felt as if I could barn door at any moment. Of course there was no gear here. This leads to a sloping ledge of sorts (phew) but once again a tenuous cam placement is all that you have which is 4 ft below you when you make the next crux move. This all added up to a very nervy climb with the feeling that a fall of any kind would only end in disaster. I’ve done E2’s that inspire a lot more confidence.

Of course once complete I had that slightly euphoric feeling of escaping a nasty situation. Unfortunately Dave wasn’t to get off so lightly being shrugged off at the first crux on the barn door move. I think both of us left the crag with a certain amount of humility. It’s easy sometimes to forget that you really can end up in some dangerous situations (particularly when the guide book screws you over). However much you plan, sometimes events take control, like today.

But maybe that why I climb 🙂 Remember…… RULE 4