Rascal Cock
15 July 2011 - 4:11pm
Top notch effort from Kester in Climber 76, getting those old hard bastards to get all sentimental about Castle Rock.
Anyone else got a story to share?
For me it was wimping out trying to solo Sea Breezes (the moment I learned that even bad runners are so much better than no runners at all);
Sitting in the Cave one day when someone plummetted off the top of Kestrel and landed next to me, breaking their leg – then told his mate not to stop climbing for the day cos he'd be okay sitting there;
The funny kneebar thing on Poetry in Motion – my first 25;
Most of all, leaning out across the roof on Perigrinus and pulling over on to the golden wall. Outrageous. The best route on the Keep I reckon.
18 July 2011 - 5:58pm
#2
What's pro? Is that when you get paid to go climbing? That would be cool, yeah, I'd like to place pro.
27 July 2011 - 12:24pm
#3
Clear winter evenings in the cave, watching the sunsets
Watching someone pitch off executioner while he had the rope clenched between his teeth
First time across the undercling on Flying Buttress
John Visser basking like a lizard ("get out of my fucking sun")
So many bullshit sessions
Watching the lob sessions on court jester
Judgement!
Old friends we'll never see again (RIP James Moar, et al)
28 July 2011 - 3:41pm
#4
I'd soloed all the climbs grade 17 and under on the Port Hills and I had saved Hangman for last. I got half way up and in was a world of trouble. There's a jammed chockstone that i didn't want to use, and I couldn't climb back down. No matter how fit I was then it amazed me how quickly I pumped out once the fear set in and my hands began to sweat. After resorting to pulling up on the chockstone I regained just enough composure to keep looking for the next holds and to continue awkwardly to the top.
On a good day Hangman was a superb cruise, but being so long and steep it could really test your confidence and expose any little weakness in a climbers psyche.
Mine: Mark Sedon asking if I'd care to climb Hangman while he snapped a few frames, but I was too scared...to tell him that I had no idea how to place pro. 15 years later, and I still can't place pro.