7th January 2011
Chair Ladder
Terriers Tooth- V Diff – Lead (top two pitches)
This was my first proper multi pitch climbing day with Tony and I figured Terriers Tooth would be a pretty good way to get off the mark. Given that the weather had been crap for the last few days and the forecast was equally rubbish, we picked this window as our only opportunity to get on the rock.
I knew that the tide and swell would be against us so it was likely that we would start on pitch two, but the traverse across is not difficult, even if it is a bit airy. Terriers Tooth is an iconic climb. Its situation and isolation make it stand out as a V Diff. I’ve always thought that it is tough at the grade and the descent is worth adding a grade in its own right.
The second pitch is steep but with good holds and gets you straight into the rythm of the route. It also opens up a whole world of exposure as you get higher. A precursor for the final step up above suicide pool.
Tony’s head for heights was fine though ( honed from years of playing around in tall trees) so this wasnt an issue. In fact he loved every minute and for a first multi pitch we made good work of it.
The final step up onto the tooth proved memorable as the wind had picked up and standing tall you felt very vulnerable. Still we both did it and finally abseiled off the pinnacle feeling very smug with ourselves. Given the cold conditions we decided to call it a day and turned our attention to our next outing…… probably commando ridge.
