Following the tsunami that blasted Raven Tor on Tuesday last, it was business as usual there today – or was it? The usual bunch of Saturday Snorers gathered just after nine and it seemed as though we were in for a rare treat – decent conditions. For once, in fact, the conditions turned out to be shockingly good; single figure temperatures this morning then, as the midday sun pushed the mercury into double figures, the wind picked up and blew cloud cover in for the afternoon – perfeck!
Amazingly the crag was very nearly bone (dry) and although (climber) numbers weren’t high, there was a discernable buzz in the air. A few of us there today had witnessed Dave Graham’s visit earlier in the week and it was probably fair to say that we were still a little high. It seemed as though his enthusiasm had left the air pregnant with expectation.
We all moved through our familiar rituals, trading thoughts, tips and of course the occasional insult. One amongst us was her usual quiet self. She, like the rest of us, busied herself with the business of warming-up and preparing for some dirty crimping. Her route of choice was way off in the trees on the right hand side. If you said it was ten metres in length you would be on the generous side. The start though is like all the routes in that area, severely undercut. From mid-height to the top, it is merely vertical. There is but one hold that is significantly bigger than first (finger) joint; the rest are that size or less. The gross effect is a powerful, fingery, boulder-like micro test-piece; bread and butter for the Snor. How we love it too!
It was only her third or so day on said route. We knew it was going down; conditions were good and she was psyched and well capable of a send. By mid-afternoon the deed was done. Suffice it to say that she was the only one that succeeded today. But she is on a roll and we are not. She is a climber’s-climber; one of those that prefers privacy to publicity. She is camera shy – hence no pixs (as yet…), but today she joined the elusive band of
I’m off now to get my skates on before she catches me but before I go, I say one thing – good effort Rae!
