The Roaches - May 2023
The Roaches promised to be a great trip due to the great turn out of members and staying at the foot of the crag in the Don Whillan’s Hut.
Two members decided to tag their own adventure on and attempt the Stanage VS Challenge. Driving up on the Thursday night for a recce of the crag and to get some warm up climbs in, Kev and Josh decided their best tactic was to ‘sneak up’ on the weather and start their challenge early. This meant starting the 36 climbs at 7pm in the evening.
Luckily it definitely worked out to be the best option. Not only because it meant they achieved 34 routes rain free, but also for their very hard working support crew who managed to have a beer in hand while cooking dinner for them on the move.
Given the weather came in early Friday morning for a few hours, this meant climbing options were limited for the day. After a well earned fry up in the Outside cafe, Kev and Josh retired for a nap, and those who were arriving or already in the area tried to find dry rock where possible. Challum, Hannah and Imogen attempted to find some routes at Froggatt and ended up with some bouldering. Whereas Kat & Michael sought out anything plausible at Skyline.
On Saturday morning the club woke up to glorious sunshine, and we all took advantage with a steady start before the 2 minute approach to the crag. Josh and Kev spent the morning running an introduction to trad for a number of members and acting as a helpful refresher to those with some experience that wanted to join. This involved a number of skills like how to place gear, building anchors and wider tactics they have learnt through experiences in leading.
The rest of the group split up and spread about all over the crag trying to find as many sun soaked routes as possible, with Bal making a bold start for the day on a HS with an interesting top out to warm up. Lot of members returned to familiar routes they had seconded in previous years and were ready to tackle as leaders while others seeked out new challenges among the hundred of routes on offer. During this, Jamie, having led his first Severe on Fern crack, was one of the many of us who learnt we had old guide books!
Sunday morning, feeling somewhat jaded, a mix of members tried their hand at Skyline, with first leads for some who had been in trad school Saturday and plenty of seconding for others. Dappled in amongst plenty of time to catch the rays, lots of members made sure to get in as many final routes before the journey back home and this was topped off with Josh completing the sloth (after a few colourful words with himself).
All in all a great CMC weekend and the hut was taken full advantage of, but we are sorry as I am sure there are some expensive looking shopping baskets dotted around the club after the trad school.