Trip Trip Report: Climbing Terrapin E3 5b
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Date: |
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September 5, 1998 |
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Climbers: |
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Mathias & Martin Beale |
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Climbing: |
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Sustained, technical and bold E3 5b |
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Area: |
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Baggy Point, North Devon, U.K. |
 By
both choice and necessity, rock climber Martin Beale takes an experimental
approach to his life on rock. For him, the Rock's confining limitations
are inspirations, leading him to uncover the medium's hidden flexibility.
"I figure if it's beyond my control," says the English-born climber, "I'd
rather have fun with it - and enjoy the fact that it's beyond my control,
and not try to force it into doing something. Actually - I just love climbing
rock. It's my life." |
Written by Martin Beale, Bristol
So there we were at the bottom of Promontory Slab uncoiling the ropes at the
bottom of Soft Touch. I'm trying to get the beta on the route - will the
overlap take a friend? But my eyes can't help but move left to Terrapin. It's
thin curving flakes are the natural line up this part of the slab. It is the
traditional classic hereabouts - Pat Littlejohn: his mark.
We move over to Terrapin. I can rationalise the start. There seems to be a
sitter of a Friend 2.5 in the initial corner. I'll be on the ledge before
things start getting ugly. The wave washed start seemed hard (maybe it was
the 6 pints of lager the night before). I got a friend in, but it didn't
seem to matter too much - there would be that sitter a little higher. But when
I got to the corner there was no placement - just a shadow. Instead of the
stonking friend 2.5, I had a rock 2 half way into a little crack. I crimped out
left of the corner - the holds were small. Switch off - reach high and edge. My
hand sank over the jug of dreams. I was established on the ledge.
When
I got to the corner there was no placement - just a shadow.
A little higher I got a couple of great friends in and I could see the halfway
ledge and peg. I could have gone left, but the thin vibrating flakes to the
right were the classic line - the true line. The vibrating flakes were fine;
the situation could be tamed with an RP1 (it looked good anyway). A couple of
crimps later and I was at the half way ledge and the peg (backed up with
a couple of excellent low friends).
The route was at my throat yet again once I left the peg (can every move really
be 5b?). A high reach to the thin flake, the peg 10ft below now, and I was
in control again. Moving up the thin flakes was the easier part of the route
(the great natural line), but it was the bit I nearly slipped off of out of
carelessness. I contrived some opposed wires (OK, they were actually RPs) and
a sling over the top of that shipwreck of a flake. It made the peg seem not
quite so far below. The Culm Guide said I should go left to a pocket at this
height, but the natural line is up the flakes and then a couple of stern pulls
to the santuary of the break above. The pulls were a little nerve wracking -
I was 100ft up and the gear seemed a bit of a way below. The rope was dragging
like a hellhound on my tail. I knew that I was one crimp from victory. Crimp,
edge, reach high. Boy it is an absolute stonker! I slammed two friends into
that break. I was sure it would go now.
The rope was
dragging like a hellhound on my tail. I knew that I was one crimp
from victory.
I moved along the break, trying to not stand on the plant (experience in the
valley of dreams has taught me that plant juices are low friction juices). I
thought the final crack would have been 5a, but it was still 5b (will this
route ever relent?). The gear slots in immaculately now and all of that finger
locking practice has served me well. I am soon in the final break, 10 feet
from victory.
The rope drag is now pretty bad. To compound this, there is a poor smear (well
they do get the worse for wear when it is starting to drizzle) and the finger
lock in the crack isn't all that it might be. Do I lock high or lock low? The
higher lock is slightly worse but drier. I lock high, smear left and then
lurch for the top. It is the jug of salvation. I am up. My first E3 in the bag.
Elated? You bet. Terrapin was a superb sustained and exciting route - a route
to think on and not to thug on.
It was drizzling now. I wanted Mathias to get on the route. It is important
to me that the whole ascent is clean - that leader and second both do it in
good style. Mathias was divesting himself of the rack - tying his bountiful
collection of camalots (friends are lighter) to the rap rope. Once on the
route, there were no worries. Mathias was clearly well fired up and loving the
route. It is a route of such character. You just want to get up it and that
desire got us both up. There we were standing at the top of the Promontory, the
rain clouds doing their stuff out to sea, Baggy basking in the sun and we
had one of the great South West classics ticked.
Just did it.
Martin
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